Lexical Summary Beri: Berites Original Word: בֵּרִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Berites Of uncertain derivation; (only in the plural and with the article) the Berites, a place in Palestine -- Berites. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition perhaps a place in Pal. NASB Translation Berites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֵּרִים 2 Samuel 20:14 obscure, many after ᵑ9 read בַּחֻרִים; Klo prefers חַבִּכְּרִים after ᵐ5 & so Dr. בְּרִית see below II. ברה; see also אֵל 3 בַּעַל 4 בֹּרִית see below ברר. Topical Lexicon Biblical Context The single appearance of בֵּרִי (Beri, “Berites”) occurs during the closing stages of Sheba son of Bichri’s revolt against King David (2 Samuel 20:14). Scripture records: “Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites; and they gathered together and followed him” (Berean Standard Bible). The notice highlights a local population that aligned itself with a Benjamite rebel in open defiance of the divinely established Davidic throne. Historical Background Sheba’s uprising follows Absalom’s civil war and exploits lingering tribal jealousies (2 Samuel 19:41–43). David’s delayed return to Jerusalem, the frayed unity among northern tribes, and Sheba’s rallying cry, “We have no share in David” (2 Samuel 20:1), created fertile soil for rebellion. The Berites, probably a clan or district in the far-north region of Naphtali (near Abel Beth-maacah), took the side of Sheba, illustrating how disloyalty to God’s appointed king could spread from Benjamin in the south to Israel’s northernmost communities. Geographical Setting Abel Beth-maacah lay just south of the modern-day Lebanese border and served as a strategic fortress city (2 Samuel 20:15; 1 Kings 15:20). The “region of the Berites” likely encompassed surrounding villages that looked to Abel Beth-maacah as their market and refuge. Their support gave Sheba temporary sanctuary and a probable recruiting pool, forcing Joab’s army to lay siege to the city. Cultural and Sociological Insights In the tribal culture of Israel, personal and familial loyalties often outweighed national cohesion. The Berites’ decision to “gather together” with Sheba underscores the potency of clan allegiance when it conflicts with covenant loyalty to the Lord’s anointed. Yet it was another local group—a “wise woman” and the elders of Abel Beth-maacah—who ultimately preserved their city by rejecting Sheba and honoring the king (2 Samuel 20:16–22). The juxtaposition of these responses within the same region calls attention to the moral responsibility of communities to discern and submit to righteous authority. Theological Significance 1. Kingdom Loyalty. The narrative confronts readers with the choice between siding with a rebellious pretender or submitting to God’s chosen king. The Berites illustrate the perils of misaligned loyalty, while the city’s wise leaders model repentance and obedience. Relationship to the Broader Kingdom Narrative The Berites form a microcosm of Northern Israel’s wavering heart, a theme that resurfaces in the divided monarchy (1 Kings 12). Their momentary alliance with Sheba anticipates the ten tribes’ later rejection of David’s house, reinforcing the scriptural warning against rebellion that is masked as regional autonomy. Lessons for Ministry • Guard against factionalism. Local loyalties—ethnic, regional, political—must never eclipse allegiance to the rightful King. Reflections for New Covenant Believers The Berites’ account invites every believer to examine whether personal preferences or cultural identities undermine submission to Jesus Christ, the ultimate Son of David. As Hebrews 12:25 cautions, “See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks.” Whereas the Berites gathered to a rebel who soon perished, the church is called to gather to the risen King whose kingdom “cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). Forms and Transliterations הַבֵּרִ֑ים הברים hab·bê·rîm habbeRim habbêrîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 20:14 HEB: מַעֲכָ֖ה וְכָל־ הַבֵּרִ֑ים ס [וַיִּקְלֵהוּ NAS: and all the Berites; and they were gathered KJV: and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together INT: Beth-maacah and all the Berites gather together went 1 Occurrence |
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