Hur

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HUR . The name is possibly of Egyptian origin. 1. With Aaron he held up Moses’ hands, in order that by the continual uplifting of the sacred staff Israel might prevail over Amalek (  Exodus 17:10;   Exodus 17:12 E [Note: Elohist.] ). With Aaron he was left in charge of the people when Moses ascended the mountain (  Exodus 24:14 E [Note: Elohist.] ). 2. A Judahite, the grandfather of Bezalel (  Exodus 31:2;   Exodus 35:30;   Exodus 38:22 Peter). According to the Chronicler, he was descended from Perez, through Hezron and Caleb (  1 Chronicles 2:19 f,   1 Chronicles 2:50;   1 Chronicles 4:1-4 ,   2 Chronicles 1:5 ); and in Jos. [Note: Josephus.] Ant . III. ii. 4, vi. 1, he is the husband of Miriam, and identical with 1. 3. One of the kings of Midian slain after the sin at Peor (  Numbers 31:8 ); described as ‘chiefs’ of Midian, and ‘princes’ of Sihon (  Joshua 13:21 ). 4. The father of one of the twelve officers who supplied Solomon and his court with food (  1 Kings 4:8 RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘Ben-hur’ ) 5. The father of Rephaiah, who was a ruler of half of Jerusalem, and who helped to repair the walls (  Nehemiah 3:9 ). LXX [Note: Septuagint.] omits the name Hur.

A. H. M’Neile.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("hole".)

1.  Exodus 31:2-5;  1 Chronicles 2:5;  1 Chronicles 2:19-20;  1 Chronicles 2:50-51;  1 Chronicles 4:1;  1 Chronicles 4:4. Josephus makes him husband of Miriam (?), Ant. 3:8, section 4. With Aaron Hur. held up Moses' hands in the battle with Amalek ( Exodus 17:10-12). Again with Aaron had charge of the People in Moses' absence on mount Sinai, as his representative ( Exodus 24:14). "The father (founder) of Bethlehem," which as late as the 13th century A.D. was famed for tapestry weaving, the art for which Bezaleel his grandson was famed. Jesse was said to have woven veils of the sanctuary.

2. Fourth of the five Midianite kings slain with Balaam after the affair of Peor ( Numbers 31:8). These "princes" were "dukes (i.e. vassals) of Sihon king of the Amorites" ( Joshua 13:21). Sihon "had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land" ( Numbers 21:26). So, Balak was not hereditary king, but probably a Midianite; as Zippor, i.e. a bird, is like the Midianite names Oreb "crow," Zeeb "wolf"; imposed upon Moab as king by Sihon.

3.  1 Kings 4:8, margin, Benhur.

4.  Nehemiah 3:9.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Hur. (Hole).

1. A man, who is mentioned with Moses and Aaron, on the occasion of the battle, with Amalek at Raphidim,  Exodus 17:10, when, with Aaron, he stayed up the hands of Moses.  Exodus 17:12. (B.C. 1491).

He is mentioned again in  Exodus 24:14, as being, with Aaron, left in charge of the people by Moses during his ascent of Sinai. The Jewish tradition is that he was the husband of Miriam, and that he was identical with Hur, 2 .

2. The grandfather of Bezaleel, the chief artificer of the Tabernacle.  Exodus 31:2;  Exodus 35:30;  Exodus 38:22.

3. The fourth of the five kings of Midian, who were slain with Balaam, after the "matter of Peor."  Numbers 31:8. (B.C. 1451). In a later mention of them,  Joshua 13:21, they are called princes of Midian and dukes.

4. Father of Rephaiah, who was ruler of half of the environs of Jerusalem, and assisted Nehemiah in the repair of the wall.  Nehemiah 3:9. (B.C. Before 446).

5. The "son of Hur" - Ben-Hur - was commissariat officer for Solomon in Mount Ephraim.  1 Kings 4:8. (B.C. 995).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. One who with Aaron supported the hands of Moses during the battle of Israel with Amalek. He was also left with Aaron in charge of the camp when Moses ascended mount Sinai.  Exodus 17:10,12;  Exodus 24:14 . Jewish tradition says that he was the husband of Miriam, and the same person as No. 2.

2. Son of Caleb, the son of Hezron, and grandfather of Bezaleel.  Exodus 31:2;  Exodus 35:30;  Exodus 38:22;  1 Chronicles 2:19,20;  1 Chronicles 4:1;  2 Chronicles 1:5 .

3. One of the kings or princes of Midian, slain with Balaam.  Numbers 31:8;  Joshua 13:21 .

4. Ben-hur, or 'son of Hur,' commissariat officer of Solomon in mount Ephraim.  1 Kings 4:8 .

5. Son of Ephratah.  1 Chronicles 2:50;  1 Chronicles 4:4 ,

6. Father of Rephaiah who returned from exile,  Nehemiah 3:9 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 17:10-12 Exodus 24:14 Exodus 31:2 1 Chronicles 2:19 1 Chronicles 2:50  1 Chronicles 4:1 Genesis 10:1 Numbers 31:8 Joshua 13:21  Numbers 31:1 3 1 Kings 4:8 Nehemiah 3:9

Easton's Bible Dictionary

One of the five princes of Midian who were defeated and slain by the Israelites under the command of Phinehas ( Numbers 31:8 ).

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Hur'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/h/hur.html. 1897.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A chief man among the Hebrews in the desert, associated with Aaron in upholding the hands of Moses at Rephidim, and in supplying his place while on the summit of Sinai,  Exodus 17:10;  24:14 .

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

He that went up with Moses and Aaron to the Mount when Amalek fought with Israel. ( Exodus 17:10) His name signifies a cavern, from Chur.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Ch Û r, חוּר , a Hole, as of a viper,  Isaiah 11:8; also a narrow and filthy subterranean prison,  Isaiah 42:22; comp. the "black hole" of Calcutta; otherwise Noble; Sept. ῎Ωρ , Οὔρ , but Σούρ in  Nehemiah 3:9; Josephus ῎Ορος and Οὔρης ), the name of five men.

1. A son of Caleb (Judah's great-grandson through elzron), the first one by his second wife Ephrath, and grandfather of Bezaleel (q.v.), the famous artificer, through Uri ( 1 Chronicles 2:19;  1 Chronicles 2:50;  1 Chronicles 4:1;  1 Chronicles 4:4; comp. 2:20;  2 Chronicles 1:5;  Exodus 31:2;  Exodus 35:30;  Exodus 38:22). B.C. between 1856 and 1658. By some (after Josephus, Ant. 3:6,1) he has been confounded with the following.

2. The husband of Miriam, the sister of Moses, according to Josephus (Ant. 3:2, 4). During the conflict with the Amalekites he assisted Aaron in sustaining the arms of Moses in that praying attitude upon which the success of the Israelites was found to depend ( Exodus 17:10-12); and when Moses was absent on Sinai to receive the law, he associated Hur with Aaron in charge of the people ( Exodus 24:14). B.C. 1658.

3. The fourth named of the five princes or petty kings of Midian ( מִלְכֵי מַדנְיָן ), who were defeated and slain shortly before the death of Moses by the Israelites, under the leadership of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar ( Numbers 31:8; Josephus, Ant. 4: 7, 1). B.C. 1618. In  Joshua 13:21 these five Midianites are termed סַיהוֹן נְסַיכֵי , the Vassals Of Sihon, and are also described as ישְׁבֵי הָאָרֶוֹ , Dwellers In The Land, which Keil (ad loc.) explains as meaning that they had for a long time dwelt in the land of Canaan with the Moabites, whereas the Amorites had only recently effected an entrance. After the defeat of Sihon these chieftains appear to have made common cause with Balak, the king of Moab ( Numbers 22:4;  Numbers 22:7), and to have joined with him in urging Balaam to curse the Israelites. The evil counsel of Balaam having been followed, and the. Israelites in consequence seduced into transgression ( Numbers 31:16), Moses was directed to make war upon the Midianites. The latter were utterly defeated, and "Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword." (See Sihon).

4. A person whose son (Ben-Hur) was Solomon's purveyor in Mount Ephraim ( 1 Kings 4:8). Josephus calls him Ures ( Οὔρης ), and makes him to have been himself military governor of the Ephraimites (Ant. 8: 2, 3). B.C. ante 995.

5. Father of Rephaiah, which latter is called "ruler of the half part of Jerusalem" after the exile, and repaired part of the walls of Jerusalem ( Nehemiah 3:9). B.C. ante 446.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hûr ( חוּר , ḥūr ):

(1) A prominent official in Israel. With Aaron he held up Moses' hands during the battle against the Amalekites ( Exodus 17:10 ,  Exodus 17:12 ) and assisted him as judicial head of the people during Moses' stay in the mount ( Exodus 24:14 ).

(2) Grandfather of Bezalel, the head artificer in the construction of the Tabernacle ( Exodus 31:2;  Exodus 35:30;  Exodus 38:22;  2 Chronicles 1:5 ). He is here assigned to the tribe of Judah, and in 1 Ch is connected with the same by descent through Caleb ( 1 Chronicles 2:19 ,  1 Chronicles 2:20 ,  1 Chronicles 2:50;  1 Chronicles 4:1 ,  1 Chronicles 4:4 ). Josephus ( Ant. , III, ii, 4; vi, 1) makes him identical with (1) and the husband of Miriam.

(3) One of the five kings of Midian slain along with Balaam when Israel avenged the "matter of Peor" upon this people ( Numbers 31:8; compare  Numbers 31:1 ,  Numbers 31:2 ,  Numbers 31:16 ). In  Joshua 13:21 these kings are spoken of as "chiefs ( nesı̄'ı̄m ) of Midian" and "princes ( neṣı̄khı̄m ) of Sihon," king of the Amorites.

(4) According to  1 Kings 4:8 the King James Version, the father of one of Solomon's twelve officers who provided food for the king's household, and whose district was the hill country of Ephraim. Here the Revised Version (British and American) has "Ben-hur," taking the Hebrew ben , "son of," as part of the proper name; and the same is true in reference to the names of four others of these officers (compare  1 Kings 4:9 ,  1 Kings 4:10 ,  1 Kings 4:11 ,  1 Kings 4:13 ).

(5) Father of Rephaiah, who was one of the builders of the wall under Nehemiah, and ruler of half the district of Jerusalem ( Nehemiah 3:9 ).