Beeri

Beeri is a masculine Hebrew name appearing in the Old Testament. The name means "my well" in Hebrew, derived from the element be’er meaning "well" or "spring," combined with a possessive suffix. It is the possessive form of be’er, signifying personal association with a water source.

Etymology

The etymology is consistently traced to the Hebrew בְּאֵרִי (Bə’êrî), though interpretations vary slightly: Wilhelm Gesenius glosses it as "belonging to a fountain," the Holman Bible Dictionary as "well," and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia as “expounder.” The root be’er appears frequently in Hebrew place names, such as Beersheba ("well of the oath"), reinforcing the connection to springs and wells in the arid biblical landscape.

Biblical Figures

Two distinct individuals bear the name Beeri in the Old Testament. The first is the father of the prophet Hoshea (Hosea). According to the Book of Hosea, Beeri is named as the prophet’s father, and Jewish tradition holds that Beeri himself uttered only a brief prophecy, recorded in Isaiah 8:19–20, which earned him recognition as a prophet in Judaism. He is sometimes identified with Beerah (1 Chronicles 5:6), a Reubenite taken into exile by the Assyrians. Beeri is also considered a holy figure in Islam.

The second Beeri is the father of Judith, who became one of the wives of Esau (Genesis 26:34). This union is described as a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah, as Judith was a Hittite woman whose marriage to Esau displeased his parents.

Cultural Significance

The name Beeri, though rare, reflects the biblical pattern of thematic theophoric and possessive names. Its link to a well evokes sustenance and life in the desert, aligning with the name of Esau, whose root name means "hairy" and who is the ancestor of the Edomites. As a biblical name with prophetic associations, Beeri carries historical weight within Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions.

• Meaning: "my well" in Hebrew
• Origin: Hebrew
• Type: Biblical personal name
• Usage regions: Hebrew Bible, English Bible, Jewish, Christian