Original Word: חֶבְרִי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Chebriy
Pronunciation: khev-ree'
Phonetic Spelling: (kheb-ree')
KJV: Heberites
NASB: Heberites
Word Origin: [patronymically from H2268 (חֶבֶר - Heber)]

1. a Chebrite (collectively) or descendants of Cheber

Heberites

Patronymically from Cheber; a Chebrite (collectively) or descendants of Cheber -- Heberites.

see HEBREW Cheber

Word Origin
from Cheber
Definition
desc. of Heber
NASB Translation
Heberites (1).

חֶבְרִי adjective, of a people of 2 above, only with article = collective noun מִשְׁמַּחת הַחֶבְרִי Numbers 26:45 (ᵐ5 Ξοβερ(ε)ι).

Background and Sense of the Name

חֶבְרִי (Chebri, “Hebrite”) designates a member of the clan that descended from Heber, grandson of Asher. The term therefore points not merely to an individual but to a distinct family group within the tribe, reminding the reader that Israel’s identity was both tribal and familial.

Biblical Occurrence

• Numbers 26:45 – “These were the descendants of Beriah: from Heber, the Heberite clan; from Malchiel, the Malchielite clan.”

Genealogical Context

1. Genealogy traced in Genesis 46:17 and 1 Chronicles 7:31–32 lists Heber among the sons of Beriah son of Asher.
2. The Chebri (Hebrites) are therefore a fourth-generation branch from Jacob, demonstrating the precision with which the covenant line was preserved.
3. Their mention in the wilderness census connects promises made centuries earlier (Genesis 49:20; Deuteronomy 33:24–25) to the imminent occupation of Canaan.

Historical Setting in the Second Census

• The second wilderness census (Numbers 26) was taken on the plains of Moab just before Israel crossed the Jordan. Naming the Hebrite clan shows that, despite the judgment of the older generation, the line of Asher continued and even grew (Numbers 26:47 records 53,400 fighting men for Asher).
• The census determined military organization and allotment of land once Canaan was entered (Joshua 19:24–31). Thus the Chebri shared in the coastal and Galilean territories ultimately assigned to Asher.

Tribal Role and Legacy

• Though Asher is seldom spotlighted, Judges 1:31–32 indicates the tribe lived among the Canaanites yet maintained its distinct identity.
• By New Testament times Galilee—the region that included Asher’s inheritance—became the setting for a majority of Jesus’ earthly ministry (Matthew 4:12–16). In this way the faithfulness of God to preserve even minor clans such as the Hebrites paved the way for messianic fulfillment.

Theological Significance

• Covenant Faithfulness – The solitary appearance of חֶבְרִי in Scripture underscores that no clan is unnoticed in God’s covenant economy (Exodus 6:7).
• Corporate Accountability – Inclusion in the census carried both privilege (inheritance) and responsibility (military service), foreshadowing the New Testament picture of believers counted in Christ’s body (Ephesians 4:16).
• Assurance of Inheritance – Just as land boundaries were set according to clan enrollment, so the believer’s “inheritance that is imperishable” is secured by being registered in the Lamb’s book of life (1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:27).

Lessons for the Church Today

• God records names because He values persons and families; local assemblies should likewise value every member (1 Corinthians 12:22–26).
• Seeming obscurity does not negate spiritual significance; the anonymous Hebrite who obeyed in the wilderness contributed to the fulfillment of redemptive history.
• Faithfulness in covenant community positions future generations to receive and advance God’s promises.

Summary

חֶבְרִי serves as a brief yet potent reminder that the Lord who numbers the stars also numbers His people, weaving even the smallest clan into the grand tapestry of salvation history.

הַֽחֶבְרִ֑י החברי ha·ḥeḇ·rî hachevRi haḥeḇrîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts