חֵזִיר
𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤓
Chezir
H2387 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name of uncertain meaning used in biblical texts to designate individuals and a priestly division. Most likely a proper noun with unclear etymology, sometimes translated as 'Hezir' but without a directly attested meaning in Hebrew. It refers specifically to (1) a lay ancestor listed among returnees from exile, and (2) a priestly family or division during the post-exilic period.
Semantic Range
proper noun (personal name), name of a priestly family or division, name of a lay ancestor
Root / Etymology
Possibly derived from the root חזר ('ḥzr'), which can mean 'to return' or 'to go around,' but the relationship is uncertain. The form חֵזִיר is distinctively used as a proper noun, and there is no clear evidence linking it firmly to an attested Hebrew verb root. Some suggest connection to חָזִיר (ḥāzîr, 'swine, pig'), but this is contextually unlikely for a personal or priestly name. Etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name חֵזִיר (Chêzîyr/Hezir) appears in 1 Chronicles 24:15 as one of the heads of the priestly courses and in Nehemiah 10:20 as a signatory to the post-exilic covenant. While the consonants match the noun for 'swine' (חָזִיר), it is highly unlikely that this meaning was intended for a personal or priestly family name in Israelite society, given the swine's unclean status. The priestly division of Hezir persisted into the late Second Temple period. The use of 'Hezir' as a family name is continued in post-biblical sources. English translations typically transliterate the name as 'Hezir' and do not assign it a semantic meaning. This word is distinct from חָזִיר (ḥāzîr, 'swine'), and the similarity is coincidental or possibly a case of ancient folk etymology if any connection was perceived. There is no evidence that this name was used with reference to any later group called 'Jews' or in post-biblical religious identity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as חֲזִיר; perhaps protected; Chezir, the name of two Israelites; Hezir.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חזר (ḥ-z-r) — to return, to turn back, to go around
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3170 | יַחְזֵרָה | Yahzerah |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2387-02 |
לְ/חֵזִיר֙ | lechezir | HR/Np |
to Hezir | to Ḥezir | 1 |
H2387-01 |
חֵזִֽיר | chezir | HNp |
Hizir | Chezir | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2387-01 |
Nehemiah 10:21 | חֵזִֽיר | chezir | HNp |
Hizir | Chezir |
H2387-02 |
1 Chronicles 24:15 | לְ/חֵזִיר֙ | lechezir | HR/Np |
to Hezir | to Ḥezir |