Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary: The Hebrew word: חבר

Source: http://www.abarim-publications.com/Dictionary/ht/ht-b-r.html

Abarim Publications' online Biblical Hebrew Dictionary


The root-verb חבר (habar) means to join or team up. Apparently, this verb's most basic meaning is to bind, and as such it may also be used in the sense of binding someone with a spell. Our verb is used when objects are joined (Exodus 26:3), or when men join organizations or events (Genesis 14:3, Psalm 122:3). Once this verb actually denotes casting a spell (Deuteronomy 18:11). This verb yields the following derivatives:

  • The masculine noun חבר (heber), meaning company (Hosea 6:9), association (Proverbs 21:9), or spell (i.e. a binding; Isaiah 47:9).
  • The feminine noun חברה (hebra), meaning association or company (Job 34:8 only).
  • The adjective or masculine noun חברה (haber), meaning united (Judges 20:11), or associate (Song of Solomon 1:7, Isaiah 1:23).
  • The feminine noun חברת (haberet), meaning consort, i.e. wife (Malachi 2:14 only).
  • The similar feminine noun חברת (hoberet), literally meaning that what is joined. It occurs only in relation to the tabernacle curtains (Exodus 26:10).
  • The masculine noun חבר (habbar), meaning business associate (Job 40:30 only).
  • The feminine noun חבורה (habbura), also spelled חברה (habbura) and also pronounced as habra, meaning stripe (Psalm 38:5) or blow (Genesis 4:23). It's unclear how this and the next word are related to the verb that means to join.
  • The feminine noun חברברה (habarbura), meaning stripe or mark (Jeremiah 13:23 only).
  • The feminine noun מחברת (mahberet), meaning a thing joined (Exodus 26:4) or place of joining (Exodus 28:27).
  • The feminine noun מחברה (mehabbera), meaning binder or clamp (1 Chronicles 22:3, 2 Chronicles 34:11 only).

Associated Biblical names