Harim
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Topical Encyclopedia
Overview:
Harim is a name that appears multiple times in the Bible, associated with different individuals and groups. The name Harim is of Hebrew origin, meaning "dedicated" or "consecrated." It is primarily found in the context of priestly and Levitical families, as well as among those who returned from the Babylonian exile.

1. Harim as a Priestly Family:
The name Harim is notably associated with a priestly family. In the genealogical records of the priests, Harim is listed as one of the heads of the priestly courses. In 1 Chronicles 24:8, Harim is mentioned as the third division of the priestly courses established by King David. This division was responsible for serving in the temple according to the schedule set by David.

2. Harim in the Post-Exilic Community:
After the Babylonian exile, members of the family of Harim were among those who returned to Jerusalem and Judah. In the book of Ezra, Harim is listed among the families of priests who returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:39). This indicates the re-establishment of the priestly functions and the importance of maintaining the lineage and duties of the priesthood.

3. Harim in the Context of the Covenant Renewal:
In the book of Nehemiah, Harim is mentioned in the context of the covenant renewal led by Nehemiah. Members of the family of Harim are listed among those who sealed the covenant, committing themselves to follow the Law of God given through Moses (Nehemiah 10:5). This act of sealing the covenant was a significant moment of spiritual renewal and dedication for the returned exiles.

4. Harim and the Issue of Intermarriage:
The family of Harim is also noted in the context of the issue of intermarriage with foreign women, which was a concern for the post-exilic community striving to maintain its distinct identity. In Ezra 10:21, members of the family of Harim are listed among those who had taken foreign wives and were required to put them away as part of the community's effort to adhere to the Law.

5. Harim as a Lay Family:
Apart from the priestly association, Harim is also mentioned as a lay family. In Ezra 2:32 and Nehemiah 7:35, Harim is listed among the families of laypeople who returned from exile. This indicates that the name Harim was not exclusive to the priestly line but was also borne by other Israelites.

Biblical References:
· 1 Chronicles 24:8 : "The third lot fell to Harim, the fourth to Seorim."
· Ezra 2:39 : "The descendants of Harim, 1,017."
· Nehemiah 10:5 : "Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,"
· Ezra 10:21 : "From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah."

Significance:
The recurring mention of Harim in various contexts highlights the importance of maintaining religious and cultural identity among the Israelites, especially during the post-exilic period. The family of Harim, both in its priestly and lay capacities, played a role in the restoration and renewal of the community's commitment to God's covenant. The name Harim serves as a reminder of the dedication required to uphold the spiritual and communal responsibilities entrusted to the people of Israel.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Harim

destroyed; dedicated to God

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Harim

(flat-nosed).

  1. A priest who had charge of the third division in the house of God. (1 Chronicles 24:8) (B.C. 1014.)
  2. Bene-Harim, probably descendants of the above, to the number of 1017, came from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:39; Nehemiah 7:42) (B.C. 536.)
  3. It further occurs in a list of the families of priests "who went up with Zerubbabel and Jeshua," and of those who were their descendants in the next generation. (Nehemiah 12:16)
  4. Another family of Bene-Harim, 320 in number, came from the captivity in the same caravan. (Ezra 2:82; Nehemiah 7:35) (B.C. 536.) They also appear among those who had married foreign wives, (Ezra 10:31) as well as those who sealed the covenant- (Nehemiah 10:27) (B.C. 410.)
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Flat-nosed.

(1.) The head of the second course of priests (1 Chronicles 24:8).

(2.) Ezra 2:32, 39; Nehemiah 7:35, 42.

(3.) Nehemiah 3:11.

(4.) 12:3.

(5.) 10:5

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
HARIM

ha'-rim (charim): A family name.

(1) A non-priestly family that returned from captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:32 Nehemiah 7:35); mentioned among those who married foreign wives (Ezra 10:31); also mentioned among those who renewed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:27).

(2) A priestly family returning with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:39 Nehemiah 7:42; Nehemiah 12:3, 15 (see REHUM)); members of this family covenanted to put away their foreign wives (Ezra 10:21 Nehemiah 10:5). A family of this name appears as the third of the priestly courses in the days of David and Solomon (1 Chronicles 24:8).

(3) In Nehemiah 3:11 is mentioned Malchijah, son of Harim, one of the wall-builders. Which family is here designated is uncertain.

W. N. Stearns

Strong's Hebrew
2766. Charim -- "consecrated," the name of several Israelites
... "consecrated," the name of several Israelites. Transliteration: Charim Phonetic
Spelling: (khaw-reem') Short Definition: Harim. ... NASB Word Usage Harim (11). Harim ...
/hebrew/2766.htm - 6k
Library

Footnotes
... Hill-streams reading meme harim (Rothstein) for the Hebrew maim zarim = strange (?
far off) streams. Ewald takes zarim from zarar = to rush, press. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/footnotes.htm

Thesaurus
Malchijah (15 Occurrences)
... verse). Called "Asibias" in 1 Esdras 9:26. (5) Another under the same offense,
son of Harim (Ezra 10:31). "Melchias" in 1 Esdras 9:32. ...
/m/malchijah.htm - 14k

Shemaiah (40 Occurrences)
... (16) A priest of the family of Harim who married a foreign wife (Ezra
10:21), called "Sameus" in 1 Esdras 9:21. (17) A layman of ...
/s/shemaiah.htm - 29k

320 (2 Occurrences)
... 320 (2 Occurrences). Ezra 2:32 The children of Harim, three hundred twenty. (See
NAS NIV). Nehemiah 7:35 The children of Harim, three hundred twenty. ...
/num/320.htm - 6k

1017 (2 Occurrences)
... 1017 (2 Occurrences). Ezra 2:39 The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen.
(See NAS NIV). Nehemiah 7:42 The children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. ...
/num/1017.htm - 6k

Isshijah (1 Occurrence)
... is-shi'-ja (yishshiyah, "Yah lends"; the King James Version Ishijah): A man of the
household of Harim, named among those who, at Ezra's command, were induced ...
/i/isshijah.htm - 7k

Malluch (6 Occurrences)
... (3) A descendant of Harim, who married a foreign wife (Ezra 10:32). ... Nehemiah 10:27
Malluch, Harim, Baanah. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/m/malluch.htm - 9k

Malchi'jah (12 Occurrences)
... and Benaiah. (See RSV). Ezra 10:31 And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah,
Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon; (See RSV). Nehemiah 3 ...
/m/malchi'jah.htm - 9k

Manes
... the Revised Version margin and the King James Version margin give Harim of Ezra
10:21 as identical-apparently incorrectly, for the words "and of the sons of ...
/m/manes.htm - 7k

Seventeen (12 Occurrences)
... Ezra 2:39 The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY
WBS YLT RSV). Nehemiah 7:42 The children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. ...
/s/seventeen.htm - 11k

Shimeon (1 Occurrence)
... shim'-e-on (shim`on; elsewhere "Simeon"): One of the sons of Harim who had married
foreign wives (Ezra 10:31; Codex Vaticanus and Codex Alexandrinus Semeon ...
/s/shimeon.htm - 7k

Resources
Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Harim (7 Occurrences)

1 Chronicles 24:8
the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezra 10:21
Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezra 10:31
of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 3:11
Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hasshub the son of Pahathmoab, repaired another portion, and the tower of the furnaces.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 10:5
Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 10:27
Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 12:15
of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Harim

Harim: A Priest

Harim: An Israelite Whose Descendants Returned from Babylon

Harim: The Men Who Sealed the Covenant

Related Terms

Shemaiah (40 Occurrences)

320 (2 Occurrences)

1017 (2 Occurrences)

Isshijah (1 Occurrence)

Malluch (6 Occurrences)

Malchi'jah (12 Occurrences)

Manes

Seventeen (12 Occurrences)

Shimeon (1 Occurrence)

Shemai'ah (38 Occurrences)

Eliezer (14 Occurrences)

Jehiel (17 Occurrences)

Harim (7 Occurrences)

Ovens (3 Occurrences)

Obadi'ah (16 Occurrences)

Jishijah (6 Occurrences)

Jehi'el (12 Occurrences)

Jehieli (2 Occurrences)

Ishijah (1 Occurrence)

Isshi'jah (1 Occurrence)

Furnaces (2 Occurrences)

Rehum (8 Occurrences)

Eanes

Elie'zer (14 Occurrences)

Masseiah (4 Occurrences)

Mer'emoth (6 Occurrences)

Meremoth's (1 Occurrence)

Merai'oth (7 Occurrences)

Ma-asei'ah (23 Occurrences)

Meraioth (7 Occurrences)

Malkijah (13 Occurrences)

Meremoth (6 Occurrences)

Malchiah (10 Occurrences)

Pa'hath-mo'ab (5 Occurrences)

Pahathmoab (6 Occurrences)

Pahath-moab (6 Occurrences)

Ba'anah (9 Occurrences)

Baanah (10 Occurrences)

Charme

Adna (2 Occurrences)

Se-o'rim (1 Occurrence)

Shemariah (5 Occurrences)

Shim'e-on (1 Occurrence)

Seorim (1 Occurrence)

Sameus

Section (22 Occurrences)

Uzzi'ah (26 Occurrences)

Hel'kai (1 Occurrence)

Helkai (1 Occurrence)

Repaired (46 Occurrences)

Maaseiah (25 Occurrences)

Annas (4 Occurrences)

Uzziah (27 Occurrences)

Strengthened (113 Occurrences)

Hasshub (5 Occurrences)

Harhur (2 Occurrences)

Hariph (1 Occurrence)

Hashub (4 Occurrences)

Eli'jah (93 Occurrences)

Fourth (87 Occurrences)

Piece (93 Occurrences)

Obadiah (21 Occurrences)

Simeon (48 Occurrences)

Tower (74 Occurrences)

Music (143 Occurrences)

Simon (75 Occurrences)

Harhur: One of the Nethinim
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