חֹרֹנִי
𐤇𐤓𐤍𐤉
Choroni
H2772 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Demonym for a resident or native of Choronaim, a place in the territory of Moab. The term identifies a person's geographic origin, marking them as a Choronite or inhabitant of Choronaim. Used strictly as a gentilic, functioning as an adjective or substantive in the Hebrew Bible when referring to individuals associated with this location.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Choronaim, resident of Choronaim, Choronite, used as a gentilic or demonym
Root / Etymology
From the root חר״ן (unclear meaning in this context) plus the gentilic suffix -ִי ("-i"), forming a demonym. Directly derived from the place name חֹרֹנַיִם (Choronaim), so חֹרֹנִי means ‘one from Choronaim’.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֹרֹנִי appears as a geographic gentilic to denote a person from Choronaim, a city located in Moabite territory east of the Dead Sea, known from biblical passages such as Nehemiah 2:10 and 13:28 in relation to Sanballat the Horonite. The term is similar to other gentilics following the biblical pattern of -ִי suffixes indicating geographic origin (e.g., שִׁלֹנִי [Shilonite], meaning ‘from Shiloh’). 'Horonite' in English translations is a transliteration rather than a translation. In practice, these demonyms could have ethnic, geographic, or political overtones, signaling a person's association or allegiance. The precise historical connection of Choronaim by the time of the Persian period (Nehemiah) may be imprecise, as it lay within ancient Moab rather than Israelite or Judahite territories. The tradition of identifying Sanballat as a 'Horonite' highlights his status as an outsider to Jerusalemite society in the Persian era, which is contextually significant for the Book of Nehemiah. Later translation traditions have sometimes glossed over the geographic diversity of such populations, but the term does not imply Moabite ethnicity per se.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from חֹרֹנַיִם; a Choronite or inhabitant of Choronaim; Horonite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חרנ (ḥ-r-n) — relation to Choronaim, origin from Choronaim
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2772-01 |
הַ/חֹרֹנִ֗י | hachoroni | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Horonite | the Choronaimite | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2772-01 |
Nehemiah 2:10 | הַ/חֹרֹנִ֗י | hachoroni | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Horonite | the Choronaimite |
H2772-01 |
Nehemiah 2:19 | הַ/חֹרֹנִ֜י | hachoroni | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Horonite | the Choronaimite |
H2772-01 |
Nehemiah 13:28 | הַ/חֹרֹנִ֑י | hachoroni | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Horonite | the Choronaimite |