Original Word: אֲחִירָם
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Achiyram
Pronunciation: a-khee-RAHM
Phonetic Spelling: (akh-ee-rawm')
KJV: Ahiram
NASB: Ahiram
Word Origin: [from H251 (אָח - brother) and H7311 (רוּם - exalted)]

1. brother of height (i.e. high)
2. Achiram, an Israelite

Ahiram

From 'ach and ruwm; brother of height (i.e. High); Achiram, an Israelite -- Ahiram.

see HEBREW 'ach

see HEBREW ruwm

Word Origin
from ach and rum
Definition
"brother of (the) lofty," a son of Benjamin
NASB Translation
Ahiram (1).

אֲחִירָם proper name, masculine (brother of (the) lofty = Phoenician חרם see חִירָם; compare אֲבִירָם) son of Benjamin Numbers 26:33 (probably = אחרח 1 Chronicles 8:1 see Be) (compare אֵחִי וָרֹאשׁ Genesis 46:21).

Biblical Setting

Achiram is identified once in Scripture, in the second wilderness census: “These were the descendants of Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites” (Numbers 26:38). His name stands as the progenitor of the Ahiramite clan within the tribe of Benjamin.

Position in the Tribal Genealogy of Benjamin

1. Numbers 26 lists Achiram among the five sons of Benjamin recognized after nearly four decades in the wilderness.
2. Earlier lists (Genesis 46:21; 1 Chronicles 7:6; 1 Chronicles 8:1-2) preserve variant spellings such as Ehi or Ahiram. These shifts reflect dialectal changes or editorial updates rather than contradictions, demonstrating Scripture’s complementary genealogical witness.
3. The census context indicates continuity: the family lines God planted in Egypt survived slavery, the Exodus, and wilderness discipline to stand poised for inheritance in Canaan.

The Ahiramite Clan in Israel’s Formation

• Clan Identity: Each “family” (Hebrew mishpachah) functioned as an administrative and military unit. The Ahiramites shared tents, standards, and allotments within Benjamin’s territory, fostering cohesion and accountability.
• Military Contribution: Numbers 26 provides troop totals per tribe (Benjamin tallied 45,600). Though individual clan figures are not given, the Ahiramites would have furnished part of Benjamin’s fighting strength for Joshua’s conquest.
• Land Inheritance: Joshua 18 details Benjamin’s allotment between Ephraim and Judah. The Ahiramites, as stakeholders, received tangible evidence of divine promise as their clan holdings were surveyed “by lot” before the LORD.

Comparative Genealogies and Theological Reflection

Variations between Achiram (Numbers) and Ehi/Ehud (Genesis, Chronicles) illustrate how God preserves lineages despite cultural and linguistic shifts. Rather than undermining reliability, the multiple attestations underscore:

1. God’s meticulous remembrance of every family (Malachi 3:16).
2. The unity of Scripture’s record; parallel lists converge to a coherent history when read holistically.
3. A reminder that covenant blessing extends beyond famous figures to lesser-known tribesmen whose obedience and faithfulness contributed to Israel’s corporate mission.

Redemptive-Historical Significance

Benjamin later produced pivotal servants—Ehud the judge (Judges 3:15), King Saul (1 Samuel 9:21), Mordecai and Esther (Esther 2:5-7), and the apostle Paul (Philippians 3:5). The Ahiramites formed part of this heritage, displaying how God weaves unnamed clans into the lineage of redemptive history, culminating in the Messiah who unites all tribes (Revelation 7:4-8).

Lessons for Ministry and Faith

• Individual Worth: Achiram’s single mention teaches that God values every believer, even those whose accounts are recorded in a solitary verse (Luke 12:7).
• Generational Faithfulness: Like the Ahiramites who carried their ancestor’s name into Canaan, families today are called to transmit covenant truth across generations (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
• Corporate Responsibility: Clan structure balanced personal identity with communal duty—an Old Testament precursor to the New Testament model of the body of Christ, where “each member belongs to one another” (Romans 12:5).

Thus, Achiram, though briefly noted, embodies enduring biblical themes: God’s covenant fidelity, the significance of lineage in His unfolding plan, and the call for every believer to play a faithful part in the larger account of redemption.

לַאֲחִירָ֕ם לאחירם la’ăḥîrām la·’ă·ḥî·rām laachiRamInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts