תִּרְעָתִי
𐤕𐤓𐤏𐤕𐤉
Tireati
H8654 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Denotes a person from the clan, lineage, or location connected to *Tirath* (תִּרְעָה), likely indicating descent from or association with an ancestor, family, or region known as Tirath. As used in the biblical text, specifically refers to a subgroup within the Kenite scribal community associated with post-exilic returnees; the exact geographic location or identity of Tirath is unclear.
Semantic Range
member of the Tirathite clan, associated with the Kenite scribal guild, possible descendant of or inhabitant of Tirath, group identity within post-exilic Israelite society
Root / Etymology
Derived from the (uncertain) root ר-ע-ה or a nominal base תִּרְעָה (Tir‘ah), possibly signifying a place, family, or clan. The root ר-ע-ה, meaning 'to tend, graze,' does not directly correlate with the proper noun here. The form תִּרְעָתִי functions as a gentilic adjective, indicating origin or association with Tirath; specific root meaning in this context remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term appears only in Nehemiah 11:35, in a genealogical context listing post-exilic Israelite communities and their scribal subdivisions. The 'Tirathites' are grouped alongside Shimeathites and Sucathites as part of the Kenite scribal presence. The precise meaning of Tirath is unknown—it is not attested elsewhere in biblical or extra-biblical sources, and its location or eponym is lost. English translations often transliterate the term, as its specific connotation is obscure. In the biblical context, this term does not denote a geographic-territorial identity as classic gentilic adjectives do (e.g., Bethlehemite), but rather a social or occupational sub-group. The English word 'Jew' does not apply to this early Israelite scribal group; see note on translation history.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from an unused name meaning gate; a Tirathite or inhabitant of an unknown Tirah; Tirathite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רע (r-ʿ-h) — to tend, graze, associate; clan/place association (in gentilic use)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8654-01 |
תִּרְעָתִ֥ים | tireatim | HNgmpa |
the Tirathites | Tirathite men | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8654-01 |
1 Chronicles 2:55 | תִּרְעָתִ֥ים | tireatim | HNgmpa |
the Tirathites | Tirathite men |