Original Word: בְּרִיעִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Briy`iy
Pronunciation: beh-REE
Phonetic Spelling: (ber-ee-ee')
KJV: Beerites
NASB: Beriites
Word Origin: [patronymically from H1283 (בְּרִיעָה - Beriah)]

1. a Beriite (collectively) or descendants of Beriah

Beerites

Patronymically from Briy'ah; a Beriite (collectively) or descendants of Beriah -- Beerites.

see HEBREW Briy'ah

Word Origin
from Beriah
Definition
desc. of Beriah
NASB Translation
Beriites (1).

בְּרִיעִי adjective, of a people with article as noun collective משׁפחת ׳הַבְּ Numbers 26:44.

Designation and Identity

The term refers to the members of the clan that traced its descent from Beriah, a son of Asher and grandson of Jacob. In English versions the word is commonly rendered “Beriite,” marking the clan’s corporate identity rather than an individual.

Biblical Context

Numbers 26:44 records the name in the setting of the second wilderness census:

“These were the descendants of Asher by their clans: the Imnite clan from Imna, the Ishvite clan from Ishvi, and the Beriite clan from Beriah.” (Berean Standard Bible)

The notice comes near the end of Israel’s forty-year sojourn, when the nation was poised to enter Canaan. The census provided a military register (Numbers 26:2) and a basis for the forthcoming territorial allotment (Numbers 26:52-56).

Genealogical Lineage

1. Patriarchal origin: Jacob → Asher (Genesis 46:17).
2. Asher’s son: Beriah, whose name was preserved through his descendants.
3. The clan: Beriites, counted among the four principal families of Asher (Imna, Ishvi, Beriah, and Heber).

Role in the Second Wilderness Census

• Purpose: confirmation of fighting strength and inheritance rights.
• Numerical strength: Asher’s tribe totaled 53,400 men of war (Numbers 26:47), a considerable increase over the first census (Numbers 1:41). The Beriites contributed to this growth, underscoring God’s blessing of fruitfulness even during years of discipline.
• Implication: Because inheritance was apportioned by clan, the Beriites would receive their own portion within Asher’s territory once the land was subdued (Joshua 19:24-31).

Place in the Allotment of Canaan

Although the Old Testament does not specify the exact towns held by the Beriites, Joshua 19 lists the borders of Asher’s territory along the Mediterranean coast and into the fertile northern hills. Later prophetic references to “fat bread” and “royal delicacies” (Genesis 49:20) echo the agricultural richness of the region, benefits in which the Beriites shared.

Subsequent Biblical Echoes

1 Chronicles 7:30-31 revisits Beriah in a genealogy that looks beyond the Exodus generation, confirming the clan’s survival into the monarchy era. While the Hebrew term there differs, the continuity of family lines shows that the Beriites remained a recognized component of Israel’s social fabric.

Theological and Ministry Observations

• Covenant Faithfulness: The preservation of the Beriite name through centuries testifies to the faithfulness of God in maintaining the tribal structure promised to the patriarchs.
• Corporate Identity: The clan system reminds modern believers that God deals with His people both individually and corporately; membership in a covenant community brings shared privileges and responsibilities (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
• Inheritance Motif: The Beriites’ anticipation of a physical inheritance foreshadows the “inheritance that is imperishable” promised in the New Covenant (1 Peter 1:4).
• Fruitfulness amid Discipline: Growth in Asher—including the Beriites—occurred in the wilderness, illustrating that divine chastening does not cancel divine blessing (Hebrews 12:10-11).

Summary

Though mentioned only once by name, the Beriites stand as a witness to God’s meticulous care over every family within His covenant people. Their inclusion in the census, their share in the land, and their enduring line encourage today’s readers to trust that the Lord “knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19) and assigns each a place in His unfolding redemptive plan.

הַבְּרִיעִֽי׃ הבריעי׃ hab·bə·rî·‘î habbərî‘î habberiIInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts