חָבוֹר
𐤇𐤁𐤅𐤓
Chavor
H2249 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a river region associated with Assyrian exile activity, specifically mentioned as the site to which Israelites were exiled by the Assyrians. The primary meaning in context is the geographic name 'Chabor' or 'Habor,' a watercourse or district within northwestern Mesopotamia under Assyrian control.
Semantic Range
proper noun (river or region name in northern Assyria), place of exile, geographic designation
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root חבר (ḥ-b-r), which expresses the sense of joining, uniting, or being bound together. In this case, חָבוֹר (Châbôwr) functions as a geographical designation, thought to refer to the area surrounding the Chaboras (modern Khabur) River, a tributary of the Euphrates flowing through northern Mesopotamia. The connection to the root implies a place that gathers or unites waters, but the word is used exclusively as a place name in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָבוֹר is attested as a proper place name in the context of the Neo-Assyrian deportation of Israelite populations (e.g., 2 Kings 17:6, 18:11; 1 Chronicles 5:26). The river referenced is generally identified with the classical Chaboras (modern Khabur River), significant as a boundary or administrative region of the Assyrian Empire. Biblical references consistently use חָבוֹר to mark the place of exile, not as a common noun for 'river.' Later translations, such as the LXX and Vulgate, sometimes transcribe or transliterate the term. Unlike general Hebrew terms for 'river' (נָהָר, יְאוֹר), חָבוֹר refers specifically to this Assyrian region, with no evident connotation of ethnic, religious, or other identities. English versions sometimes write 'Habor' or 'Chabor,' but this does not fully convey its geographic-historical specificity. There is no indication that the term evolved in later Judean or post-exilic usage, remaining a fixed toponym with historical exilic significance. The word should not be confused with similar-sounding terms unrelated etymologically or geographically.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָבַר; united; Chabor, a river of Assyria; Habor.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חבר (ḥ-b-r) — to join, to unite, to bind together
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2250 | חַבּוּרָה | welt-mark |
| H2266 | חָבַר | let me bind together |
| H2267 | חֶבֶר | your alliances |
| H2268 | חֶבֶר | Association |
| H2269 | חֲבַר | his companions |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2249-01 |
וּ/בְ/חָב֛וֹר | uvechavor | HC/R/Np |
and in Habor | and in Chabor | 2 |
H2249-02 |
וְ/חָב֤וֹר | vechavor | HC/Np |
and Habor | and Chabor | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2249-01 |
2 Kings 17:6 | וּ/בְ/חָב֛וֹר | uvechavor | HC/R/Np |
and in Habor | and in Chabor |
H2249-01 |
2 Kings 18:11 | וּ/בְ/חָב֛וֹר | uvechavor | HC/R/Np |
and in Habor | and in Chabor |
H2249-02 |
1 Chronicles 5:26 | וְ/חָב֤וֹר | vechavor | HC/Np |
and Habor | and Chabor |