Original Word: עֵרִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: `Eriy
Pronunciation: ay-REE
Phonetic Spelling: (ay-ree')
KJV: Eri
NASB: Eri
Word Origin: [from H5782 (עוּר - awake)]

1. watchful
2. Eri, an Israelite

Eri

From uwr; watchful; Eri, an Israelite -- Eri.

see HEBREW uwr

Word Origin
from ur
Definition
a Gadite
NASB Translation
Eri (2).

I. עֵרִי proper name, masculine a son of Gad Genesis 46:16; Numbers 26:16, Αηδις, Αδδει.

Name and Occurrences

Eri is one of the seven sons of Gad listed among the seventy members of Jacob’s household who migrated to Egypt. Scripture records him by name only twice: Genesis 46:16 and Numbers 26:16. In the later wilderness census, his descendants form “the clan of the Erites,” demonstrating that his line endured and flourished within the tribe of Gad.

Genealogical Context

Genesis situates Eri within the immediate family of Gad, Jacob’s seventh son by Zilpah. The Gadite genealogy in Genesis 46 lays an early foundation for Israel’s tribal structure, preserving each ancestor’s name as a testimony of covenant continuity. By the time of the second wilderness census (Numbers 26), Eri’s progeny has grown into a recognized sub-tribe. This preservation of lineage underscores the importance Scripture places on family lines as vehicles for the promises first given to Abraham (Genesis 12:2–3).

Tribal Legacy and Clan Identity

Numbers 26 surveys the men “from twenty years old and upward” eligible for warfare. Verse 16 identifies “Eri, the clan of the Erites,” situating them amid other Gadite families such as the Ziphionites and the Haggites. The appearance of his name in a military census highlights Gad’s calling as a fighting tribe (see Genesis 49:19). Though no exploits of Eri are individually recorded, the continued reckoning of his clan indicates steady participation in the tribal responsibilities of conquest and settlement.

Historical Setting

1. Egyptian Sojourn: Eri first enters the biblical record with Jacob’s household descending into Egypt during the famine (Genesis 46:3–6). His generation experiences both the favor shown Joseph and, later, the onset of oppression that God would overturn in the Exodus.
2. Wilderness Wanderings: Roughly four centuries later, the Gadite families, including the Erites, stand on the plains of Moab preparing to enter Canaan (Numbers 26:3). Their counted numbers contribute to the allocation of territory east of the Jordan (Numbers 32:33–42).

Theological Reflection

Eri’s brief appearances underline a larger theological motif: God’s faithfulness to individuals whose accounts are largely untold. Each name in the genealogies attests that the Lord “knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19) and weaves their lives into His redemptive purposes. The enduring lineage of the Erites affirms the promise that Israel would grow into “a great nation” despite bondage and wilderness hardship (Genesis 46:3).

Ministry and Devotional Applications

• Hidden faithfulness: Many believers, like Eri, serve without public acclaim yet remain vital to God’s work (1 Corinthians 12:22).
• Generational influence: A single life lived within covenant fidelity can shape future generations. Parents and church leaders can take encouragement that God honors faithful seed (Psalm 103:17–18).
• Spiritual watchfulness: Though the text is silent on his character, the very remembrance of Eri’s name invites vigilance. Jesus commends the attitude of watchfulness to His disciples: “What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Keep watch!’” (Mark 13:37).

Summary

Eri’s scant biblical footprint magnifies the truth that every member of God’s covenant community matters. From Egypt to the edge of Canaan, the “clan of the Erites” bears witness to divine preservation, tribal responsibility, and the quiet legacy of those who live under God’s promises.

לְעֵרִ֕י לערי עֵרִ֥י ערי ‘ê·rî ‘êrî eRi lə‘êrî lə·‘ê·rî leeRiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts