Lexical Summary Beerah: Beerah Original Word: בְּאֵרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Beerah The same as b'era'; Beerah, an Israelite -- Beerah. see HEBREW b'era' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom beer Definition "well," a Reubenite NASB Translation Beerah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בְּאֵרָה proper name, masculine a Reubenite 1 Chronicles 5:6. Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Beerah (בְּאֵרָה) is linguistically related to the Hebrew noun for “well” or “fountain,” suggesting imagery of supply and life. In Scripture, however, the name belongs to a single historical figure whose life illustrates the drying up of blessing when covenant loyalty is forsaken. Genealogical Placement 1 Chronicles 5 traces the Reubenite line from Reuben through Joel and eight successive descendants to Beerah. This careful record preserves the continuity of the tribe east of the Jordan even after its dispersion: “Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah was a prince of the Reubenites.” (1 Chronicles 5:6) By calling him “a prince,” the Chronicler marks Beerah as the recognized leader, the last named head of his tribal clan before the Assyrian deportation. Historical Context 1 Chronicles 5:25-26 attributes the exile of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to their “unfaithfulness to the God of their fathers,” including idolatry and spiritual adultery with the gods of the peoples of the land. Around 734–732 BC, Tiglath-Pileser III (Pul) executed a series of campaigns that stripped the Transjordan tribes of autonomy and carried nobles and commoners alike into Assyrian territories. Beerah is singled out as a notable captive, emblematic of the whole tribal leadership removed from the land of promise. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Accountability: Beerah’s capture illustrates the principle that leadership does not exempt one from judgment; in fact, princes bear heightened responsibility. The exile of a “fountain” of the people underscores the dire outcome of idolatry (Deuteronomy 29:18-20). Ministry Applications • Leadership Accountability: Church elders and ministry heads are reminded that spiritual compromise affects entire flocks. Like Beerah, leaders can either be conduits of blessing or become cautionary tales when they depart from fidelity to the Lord (James 3:1). Related References Numbers 32; Deuteronomy 29; 2 Kings 15:29; 1 Chronicles 5:25-26; Ezekiel 37. Summary Though mentioned only once, Beerah epitomizes the fate of unfaithful leadership among Israel’s tribes, verifies the historicity of Assyrian deportations, and reinforces the dual themes of covenant justice and enduring divine remembrance. Forms and Transliterations בְּאֵרָ֣ה בארה bə’êrāh bə·’ê·rāh beeRahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 5:6 HEB: בְּאֵרָ֣ה בְנ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר NAS: Beerah his son, whom KJV: Beerah his son, whom Tilgathpilneser INT: Beerah his son whom 1 Occurrence |
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