Lexical Summary Chirah: Chirah Original Word: חִירָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hirah From chavar in the sense of splendor; Chirah, an Adullamite -- Hirah. see HEBREW chavar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chavar Definition a friend of Judah NASB Translation Hirah (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs הִירָה proper name, masculine (√ חור but meaning dubious) an Adullamite, friend of Judah Genesis 38:1,12 (both J), ᵐ5 Ειρας. חוּרָם see חִירָם below אַח, אחה above. II. חור (√ of following; compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences Hirah appears twice, both within the Judah narrative: Geographical Context: Adullam Adullam lay in the Shephelah between Judah’s hill country and the Philistine plain, a borderland that facilitated trade and cultural exchange but also spiritual compromise. Adullam’s later association with David’s cave (1 Samuel 22:1) underscores the site’s strategic value and its mixed populations of Israelites and Canaanites. Hirah, labeled “the Adullamite,” embodies this liminal setting, standing at the intersection of covenant Israel and surrounding peoples. Narrative Role in the Judah–Tamar Account 1. Catalyst for Separation: Hirah is introduced the moment Judah “left his brothers.” His friendship marks Judah’s physical and emotional distancing from the covenant family, setting the stage for Judah’s marriage to the unnamed Canaanite daughter of Shua and the ensuing moral decline. Theology and Character Insight Friendship exerts formative power. Proverbs 13:20 observes, “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” Judah’s alliance with Hirah coincides with a season of moral dullness that nearly extinguishes the line through which Messiah would come. Hirah exemplifies how morally neutral or even respectable relationships can still draw believers into compromising environments when covenant convictions are weak. Intertextual Connections • Judah’s descent parallels the later monarchy’s compromises with neighboring nations (1 Kings 11:1–8). Practical Ministry Applications 1. Discern Friendships: Church leadership should teach believers to evaluate relationships not solely by cultural commonality but by shared submission to God’s covenant. Summary Hirah, though mentioned only twice, functions as a narrative signpost marking Judah’s drift into moral compromise and eventual restoration. His presence urges readers to cultivate friendships and business partnerships that reinforce fidelity to God’s redemptive purposes. Forms and Transliterations וְחִירָ֛ה וחירה חִירָֽה׃ חירה׃ chiRah ḥî·rāh ḥîrāh vechiRah wə·ḥî·rāh wəḥîrāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 38:1 HEB: עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י וּשְׁמ֥וֹ חִירָֽה׃ NAS: Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. KJV: Adullamite, whose name [was] Hirah. INT: Adullamite name was Hirah Genesis 38:12 2 Occurrences |