Lexical Summary eqer: Rooting out, barrenness Original Word: עֵקֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance stock From aqar. Figuratively, a transplanted person, i.e. Naturalized citizen -- stock. see HEBREW aqar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition an offshoot, member NASB Translation descendants (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. עֵ֫קֶר noun masculine offshoot, member (? from root); — construct מִשְׁמַּחַת גֵּר ׳ע Leviticus 23:47 a member of a sojourner's family. below Topical Lexicon Meaning and UsageThe noun עֵקֶר occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 25:47) and denotes the “stock,” “root,” or “offspring” of a family line. Rather than pointing to a single individual, it conveys the idea of a lasting clan or lineage that has taken root in the land. By using this word, Scripture emphasizes generational continuity and the embeddedness of a household within Israel’s social fabric—even when that household is of foreign origin. Context in Leviticus Leviticus 25 legislates Sabbath-year and Jubilee economics. Verses 47–55 address the dire situation in which an impoverished Israelite sells himself as a bond-servant. The servant might be purchased by “a foreigner or stranger … or to a member of the foreigner’s clan” (Leviticus 25:47). The term עֵקֶר underlines that the purchaser’s family is not a transient presence but a rooted, multi-generational entity in Israel’s midst. Several theological and social themes emerge: 1. Kinship boundaries: Israel must retain its covenant identity even when economic pressure pushes a brother into service under an alien “root.” Theological Themes 1. Rootedness versus alienation The choice of עֵקֶר juxtaposes two kinds of rootedness: the foreign clan’s natural integration in the land and Israel’s covenantal rooting in the promises to Abraham. Scripture safeguards the latter without denying the legitimacy of the former’s presence. 2. Redemption and Jubilee The immediate context sets redemption against perpetual bondage. The presence of a foreign “stock” accentuates the grace that ensures an Israelite never becomes a permanent slave (Leviticus 25:40). Jubilee theology foreshadows the larger biblical narrative of liberation culminating in Messiah. 3. Identity and inheritance By highlighting lineage, the text preserves tribal allotments promised in Numbers 26 and Joshua 13–21. God’s faithfulness to family inheritances demonstrates His reliability in all covenants. Historical and Social Significance Archaeological and extra-biblical Near Eastern contracts show long-term resident aliens acquiring land and servants. Leviticus stands out by limiting their power over Israelite servants and embedding a mechanism of redemption. This directive tempered social stratification, preserved Israelite freedom, and upheld the ethical distinctiveness of the covenant community. Intertextual Echoes Although עֵקֶר itself is rare, its concept resonates elsewhere: • Isaiah 11:1 speaks of a “Branch from [Jesse’s] roots,” stressing lineage as the channel of messianic hope. Christological Insight Jesus Christ embodies both the “Root of David” (Revelation 5:5) and the Kinsman-Redeemer anticipated in Leviticus 25. He buys back those sold under the bondage of sin, not with silver but “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19). The solitary occurrence of עֵקֶר thus finds its ultimate fulfillment in the cross, where the true Redeemer secures inheritance and freedom for every “brother” who believes. Ministry Application 1. Economic justice: Churches can model Jubilee principles by relieving debt and assisting the marginalized, reflecting God’s heart for redemption. Conclusion Though brief in its biblical footprint, עֵקֶר enriches the theology of redemption, inheritance, and inclusive rootedness. It reminds God’s people that their ultimate security lies not in social status but in the Redeemer who guards every family line and grafts believing outsiders into His everlasting covenant. Forms and Transliterations לְעֵ֖קֶר לעקר lə‘êqer lə·‘ê·qer leEkerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 25:47 HEB: עִמָּ֔ךְ א֥וֹ לְעֵ֖קֶר מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת גֵּֽר׃ NAS: with you, or to the descendants of a stranger's KJV: [or] sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's INT: regard or to the descendants family of a stranger's 1 Occurrence |
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