אַשְׁבֵּעַ
𐤀𐤔𐤁𐤏
Ashebea
H791 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name: Ashbea, borne by an Israelite in genealogical lists. While the name is likely derived from a root meaning 'to swear' or 'cause to swear an oath,' its use in the Hebrew Bible is as a proper name. The semantic range is limited to its use as a personal name.
Semantic Range
personal name (Ashbea); possible sense of 'he causes to swear' or 'adjurer' by derivation, but not as an occupation or title
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁבַע (shava‘), meaning 'to swear' or 'to take an oath.' The name appears to be a causative or denominative formation, possibly indicating 'he (God) has caused to swear' or 'one who adjures.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
אַשְׁבֵּעַ appears in 1 Chronicles 4:20, in the genealogies of the tribe of Judah, as the ancestor of certain craftspeople. The name reflects the common theophoric and oath-related naming practice in ancient Israelite society, where invoking oaths or the notion of swearing was a significant act. The translation 'adjurer' is based on the possible relationship to the root but should not be taken as a descriptive title but rather as a personal name. Later English Bibles transliterate the name directly as 'Ashbea.' The underlying root שָׁבַע occurs frequently elsewhere meaning 'to swear' or 'to take an oath,' but as a personal name, אַשְׁבֵּעַ is not attested with those lexical senses—its function is strictly nominal. There is no evidence the individual was an 'adjurer' by role; rather, the name uses the root in the manner of a proper noun. The use likely reflects a family tradition or ancestral claim, rather than a legal function. The semantic field should not be conflated with the later term 'Jew' or with religious practices associated with later periods. No distinction is made between tribal, geographic, or religious identity in the sole biblical usage—only that the bearer is listed among Judahite genealogies.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁבַע; adjurer; Asbea, an Israelite; Ashbea.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שבע (sh-b-ʿ) — to swear, to take an oath, to adjure, to cause to swear
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1339 | בַּת־שֶׁבַע | seven |
| H3090 | יְהוֹשַׁבְעַת | YHWH-has-sworn |
| H7620 | שָׁבוּעַ | in your seven-cycles |
| H7621 | שְׁבוּעָה | by oath-of |
| H7637 | שְׁבִיעִי | in the seventh |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H791-01 |
אַשְׁבֵּֽעַ | ashebea | HNp |
of Ashbea | Ashbea | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H791-01 |
1 Chronicles 4:21 | אַשְׁבֵּֽעַ | ashebea | HNp |
of Ashbea | Ashbea |