Lexical Summary Eder: Eder Original Word: עֵדֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Edar, Eder The same as eder; Eder, the name of an Israelite and of two places in Palestine -- Edar, Eder. see HEBREW eder Brown-Driver-Briggs II. עֵ֫דֶר proper name, masculine (compare Nabataean proper name עדרו = Arabic  Lzb337); — a Levite 1 Chronicles 23:23; 1 Chronicles 24:30, ᵐ5 Αιδαθ, Ηλα, A ᵐ5L Εδερ. III. עֵ֫דֶר proper name, of a location in extreme south of Judah Joshua 15:21, site unknown; ᵐ5 Αρα, A Εδραι, ᵐ5L Εβερ. Topical Lexicon Entry Overview Eder (עֵדֶר, Strong’s Hebrew 5740) appears three times in the Old Testament as a proper name, designating both a southern Judean town and a Merarite Levite. Though mentioned briefly, these references jointly highlight God’s faithfulness in allotting land, preserving lineage, and providing orderly worship for His people. Geographic Setting: Eder the Negev Town Joshua 15:21 situates Eder among the “uttermost cities… toward the border of Edom in the Negev” allotted to Judah. The list of settlements marks the extreme southern boundary of the promised inheritance, underscoring three themes: 1. Covenant Fulfillment. After centuries of anticipation, Joshua catalogs the actual possession of the land sworn to the patriarchs (Genesis 15:18-21). The inclusion of even small towns like Eder testifies to the precision of God’s promise-keeping. Levitical Lineage: Eder the Son of Mushi 1 Chronicles, written after the exile to affirm Israel’s covenant heritage, mentions a Levite named Eder twice (1 Chronicles 23:23; 24:30). He is listed among the sons of Mushi, the son of Merari, the youngest of Levi’s three sons. These verses occur in two distinct contexts: Eder’s placement in both rosters conveys several ministry insights: 1. Continuity of Service. By David’s day, Merari’s descendants had faithfully maintained their calling for some five centuries—a living proof of God’s sustaining grace. Theological Themes Promise and Possession. The town of Eder punctuates the fulfillment of land promises; the Levite Eder manifests the continuing provision for worship within that land. Together, they validate the seamless coherence of God’s redemptive program. Preservation of Names. Scripture’s attention to individuals such as Eder affirms divine concern for every servant. Just as “the LORD knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19), so He recorded Eder for all generations. Typology of Boundary and Sanctuary. The geographic Eder stands at Judah’s edge; the Levitical Eder serves at the spiritual center. In Christ the ultimate Priest-King, boundary and sanctuary converge—He is both our protection (Isaiah 26:1) and our place of worship (John 4:23-24). Lessons for Ministry Today 1. Serve Faithfully in Obscurity. Whether stationed at a literal frontier or fulfilling routine temple tasks, believers are called to steadfastness, trusting God to value every act of obedience. Christological and Eschatological Outlook Eder the town foreshadows the complete inheritance believers will receive when the “Meek… inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Eder the Levite anticipates the priesthood of all believers, consummated when the redeemed “serve our God and will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). Both strands direct attention to Jesus Christ, the guarantor of the inheritance (Ephesians 1:14) and the High Priest who secures everlasting worship (Hebrews 7:25). Forms and Transliterations וְעֵ֖דֶר וְעֵ֛דֶר ועדר veEder wə‘êḏer wə·‘ê·ḏerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:21 HEB: בַּנֶּ֑גְבָּה קַבְצְאֵ֥ל וְעֵ֖דֶר וְיָגֽוּר׃ NAS: were Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur, KJV: were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, INT: the south were Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur 1 Chronicles 23:23 1 Chronicles 24:30 3 Occurrences |
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