2744. Charchuwr
Lexical Summary
Charchuwr: Wrangling, contention, strife

Original Word: חַרְחוּר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Charchuwr
Pronunciation: khar-khoor'
Phonetic Spelling: (khar-khoor')
KJV: Harhur
Word Origin: [a fuller form of H2746 (חַרחוּר - fiery heat)]

1. inflammation
2. Charchur, one of the Nethinim

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Harhur

A fuller form of charchur; inflammation; Charchur, one of the Nethinim -- Harhur.

see HEBREW charchur

Brown-Driver-Briggs
חַרְחוּר proper name, masculine head of a family of returning exiles Ezra 2:51 = Nehemiah 7:53; ᵐ5 Αρου(α)ρ (meaning as above ? or from II. חרר ?).

II. חרר (√ of following; Arabic be or become free, free, freeborn; Late Hebrew חרר Pi`el set free, חֹר freeman; Aramaic חֲרַר, Pa`el set free, חֹרָא, חָרְתָּא freed-man, -woman; Sabean חר freeman, noble (?) DHMEpigr.Denkm. 57; Ethiopic collective army, troops (in Amharic free, noble, according to Di85), free, noble, etc.)

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Occurrences

Ezra 2:51; Nehemiah 7:53

Historical Setting

Harhur designates a post-exilic family enrolled among “the servants of Solomon,” a subset of the Temple-servant class (Nethinim) who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Ezra) and who were again registered under Nehemiah. Their appearance in both return lists reveals a continuity of service spanning almost a century—from the initial wave of returnees in 538 B.C. to the covenant-renewal generation around 445 B.C.

Role among Temple Servants

1. Temple Support. The Nethinim maintained the day-to-day infrastructure that enabled priests and Levites to focus on sacrificial and instructional duties. Harhur’s descendants therefore belonged to the cadre that drew water, prepared wood and supplies, guarded entrances, and performed other essential but often unnoticed tasks (compare Joshua 9:27; 1 Chronicles 23:28-32).
2. Link to Solomon. Being “servants of Solomon” hints that their forefathers were originally assigned to the Temple in the united-monarchy era. Their reappearance after exile underscores the enduring impact of Solomon’s institutional arrangements.

Textual Note

Ezra records “32” male heads for the clan, while Nehemiah lists “101.” The larger Nehemiah number reflects subsequent growth or a more complete registration, illustrating demographic recovery in the restored community.

Theological Significance

• Covenant Inclusion. Though not of priestly or Levitical descent, Harhur’s line stood within Israel’s covenant community. Their names in Scripture attest to God’s concern for every stratum of His people (Isaiah 56:6-7).
• Faithful Continuity. Two generations after return, the family still identified itself by the same ancestral name, demonstrating perseverance in identity and calling—a model of intergenerational faithfulness.
• Servant Leadership. By highlighting low-profile ministry as indispensable, the lists anticipate New-Covenant teaching that every member of the body is vital (1 Corinthians 12:22).

Ministerial Insights

1. Hidden Service Matters. Harhur’s name surfaces only in genealogical registers, yet his descendants’ work sustained public worship. Modern ministry likewise depends on unseen labor.
2. Encourage Legacy. Congregations should cultivate long-term commitment so that future generations know their place and purpose, just as Harhur’s offspring did.
3. Record Keeping. Careful documentation in Ezra and Nehemiah models responsible stewardship—a principle applicable to contemporary church administration.

Key Scripture

Nehemiah 7:53: “the descendants of Harhur, one hundred one.”

Related Topics

Nethinim; Solomon’s Servants; Post-Exilic Restoration; Genealogies in Scripture; Theology of Work

Forms and Transliterations
חַרְחֽוּר׃ חרחור׃ charChur ḥar·ḥūr ḥarḥūr
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Ezra 2:51
HEB: חֲקוּפָ֖א בְּנֵ֥י חַרְחֽוּר׃
NAS: of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
KJV: of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
INT: of Hakupha the sons of Harhur

Nehemiah 7:53
HEB: חֲקוּפָ֖א בְּנֵ֥י חַרְחֽוּר׃
NAS: of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
KJV: of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
INT: of Hakupha the sons of Harhur

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2744
2 Occurrences


ḥar·ḥūr — 2 Occ.

2743
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