Zohar
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Topical Encyclopedia
Etymology and Meaning:
The name "Zohar" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "brightness" or "splendor." It is a name that appears in the genealogies of the Old Testament, signifying individuals who were part of the early patriarchal narratives.

Biblical References:

1. Zohar, the Father of Ephron the Hittite:
Zohar is mentioned in the context of the Hittite people, specifically as the father of Ephron. Ephron is notable for his interaction with Abraham regarding the purchase of the cave of Machpelah as a burial site for Sarah. This transaction is recorded in Genesis 23:8-16. Although Zohar himself is not a central figure in the narrative, his mention establishes the lineage and social standing of Ephron within the Hittite community.

2. Zohar, the Son of Simeon:
Another individual named Zohar is listed among the sons of Simeon, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. In Genesis 46:10, the Berean Standard Bible states: "The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman." This Zohar is part of the genealogical record that traces the descendants of Jacob who went down to Egypt. The listing of Zohar among Simeon's sons is repeated in Exodus 6:15 and 1 Chronicles 4:24, affirming his place within the tribal structure of Israel.

Historical and Cultural Context:

In the patriarchal period, names carried significant meaning and often reflected characteristics or hoped-for attributes. The name Zohar, meaning "brightness," may have been indicative of the family's aspirations or the perceived qualities of the individual. The genealogical records in which Zohar appears serve to establish the continuity of the Israelite tribes and their connections to the patriarchs.

The mention of Zohar in the context of the Hittites also provides insight into the interactions between the early Hebrews and the surrounding peoples. The Hittites were a significant group in the ancient Near East, and their presence in the biblical narrative highlights the complex social and economic relationships that existed during the time of the patriarchs.

Theological Significance:

While Zohar himself does not play a prominent role in biblical events, his inclusion in the genealogies underscores the importance of lineage and heritage in the biblical narrative. The genealogies serve not only as historical records but also as theological affirmations of God's promises to the patriarchs. The continuity of the tribes of Israel, as seen through figures like Zohar, reflects the unfolding of God's covenantal plan.

In summary, Zohar is a minor yet integral part of the biblical genealogical framework, representing both the familial ties within the tribes of Israel and the broader interactions with neighboring peoples. His mention in Scripture, though brief, contributes to the rich tapestry of biblical history and theology.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Zohar

white; bright; dryness

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Zohar

(light).

  1. Father of Ephron the Hittite. (Genesis 23:8; 25:9) (B.C. before 1860.)
  2. One of the sons of Simeon (Genesis 46:10; Exodus 6:15) called ZARAH, OR ZERAH, ZERAH in (1 Chronicles 4:24)
ATS Bible Dictionary
Zohar

A Hittie, Genesis 23:8. Also a son of Simeon, Genesis 38:30, and a descendant of Judah, 1 Chronicles 4:7.

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Brightness.

(1.) The father of Ephron the Hittite (Genesis 23:8).

(2.) One of the sons of Simeon (Genesis 46:10; Exodus 6:15).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) A Jewish cabalistic book attributed by tradition to Rabbi Simon ben Yochi, who lived about the end of the 1st century, a. d. Modern critics believe it to be a compilation of the 13th century.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ZOHAR

zo'-har (tsochar, meaning uncertain):

(1) Father of Ephron the Hittite (Genesis 23:8; Genesis 25:9).

(2) "Son" of Simeon (Genesis 46:10 Exodus 6:15) = "Zerah" of Numbers 26:13 1 Chronicles 4:24.

See ZERAH, 4.

(3) In 1 Chronicles 4:7, where the Qere is "and tsochar" for the Kethibh is yitschar, the Revised Version (British and American) "Izhar," the King James Version wrongly "Jezoar."

Strong's Hebrew
2096. zohar -- shining, brightness
... 2095, 2096. zohar. 2097 . shining, brightness. Transliteration: zohar Phonetic
Spelling: (zo'-har) Short Definition: brightness. ... 2095, 2096. zohar. 2097 ...
/hebrew/2096.htm - 6k

6714. Tsochar -- a Hittite, also two Israelites
... Tsochar. 6715 . a Hittite, also two Israelites. Transliteration: Tsochar Phonetic
Spelling: (tso'-khar) Short Definition: Zohar. ... NASB Word Usage Zohar (4). Zohar ...
/hebrew/6714.htm - 6k

Library

Chapter xlvi
... and Carmi. And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin
and Zohar and Shaul, the son of the Canaanitish woman. And ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlvi.htm

Appendix ix. List of Old Testament Passages Messianically Applied ...
... The Rabbinic works from which quotations have been made are: the Targumim, the two
Talmuds, and the most ancient Midrashim, but neither the Zohar (as the date ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix ix list of old.htm

In that Flesh in which the Saints have Suffered So Many ...
... might bury her, he declined it as a gift, but bought the burying-place (giving for
it four hundred talents of silver) from Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite. ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxii in that flesh in.htm

The Book of Enoch
... That the book was also in the hands of the Jews of medieval times has been proved
by references in the Zohar, a kind of philosophical commentary upon the law ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of enoch.htm

Appendix D.
... that Abraham bought of Ephron the Hittite, the son of Zohar, the field and the cave
of Machpelah: and says that Machpelah was before Mamre, otherwise called ...
//christianbookshelf.org/burgon/inspiration and interpretation/appendix d.htm

Chapter xxv
... And his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field
of Ephron, the son of Zohar, the Hittite, which was over against Mamre, the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxv.htm

Letter Lvii. To Pammachius on the Best Method of Translating.
... father of Sychem." [1711] In Genesis this passage is quite differently given, for
it is Abraham that buys of Ephron the Hittite, the son of Zohar, near Hebron ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lvii to pammachius on.htm

Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
... in the Book Yetsirah are further carried out and receive their fullest (often most
remarkable) development and application in thebook Zohar (Splendour' - the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix v rabbinic theology and.htm

Chapter xxiii
... with them saying: If it be agreeable to you that my dead be buried out of my sight,
then hear me and intercede for me with Ephron, the son of Zohar, that he ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxiii.htm

Ancestors of the Blessed virgin
... this communication, as this book was being prepared for the press, the writer learnt
from a language expert that the cabalistic book Zohar contains several ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/i ancestors of the blessed.htm

Thesaurus
Zohar (5 Occurrences)
... 13th century. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ZOHAR. zo'-har ... wrongly "Jezoar.".
Multi-Version Concordance Zohar (5 Occurrences). Genesis 23 ...
/z/zohar.htm - 9k

Ephron (13 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Fawn-like. (1.) The son of Zohar a Hittite, the owner
of the field and cave of Machpelah (qv), which Abraham bought for 400 shekels ...
/e/ephron.htm - 13k

Zerah (22 Occurrences)
... In Numbers 26:13 = "Zohar" of Genesis 46:10 Exodus 6:15. See ZOHAR, (2). (5) Cushite
king (2 Chronicles 14:9). See the next article David Francis Roberts. ...
/z/zerah.htm - 19k

Ohad (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Ohad (2 Occurrences). Genesis 46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ...
/o/ohad.htm - 7k

Jachin (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Jachin (8 Occurrences). Genesis 46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ...
/j/jachin.htm - 12k

Jemu'el (2 Occurrences)
... Jemu'el (2 Occurrences). Genesis 46:10 And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin,
and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. ...
/j/jemu'el.htm - 6k

Jamin (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Jamin (6 Occurrences). Genesis 46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ...
/j/jamin.htm - 9k

Jakin (8 Occurrences)
... Jakin (8 Occurrences). Genesis 46:10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin,
Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. (See NIV). ...
/j/jakin.htm - 8k

Jemuel (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Jemuel (2 Occurrences). Genesis 46:10 The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ...
/j/jemuel.htm - 7k

Canaanitess (4 Occurrences)
... YLT). Genesis 46:10 And sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and
Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul son of the Canaanitess. (YLT). ...
/c/canaanitess.htm - 7k

Resources
What is the Zohar? | GotQuestions.org

Questions about Cults & Religions (All) | GotQuestions.org

Is Isaiah 53 'The Suffering Servant' a prophecy about Jesus? | GotQuestions.org

Zohar: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Zohar (5 Occurrences)

Genesis 23:8
He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 25:9
Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 46:10
The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 6:15
The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 4:7
And the sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.
(See JPS DBY YLT NIV)

Subtopics

Zohar

Zohar: Father of Ephron

Zohar: Son of Simeon

Related Terms

Ephron (13 Occurrences)

Zerah (22 Occurrences)

Ohad (2 Occurrences)

Jachin (8 Occurrences)

Jemu'el (2 Occurrences)

Jamin (6 Occurrences)

Jakin (8 Occurrences)

Jemuel (2 Occurrences)

Canaanitess (4 Occurrences)

Canaanitish (4 Occurrences)

Shaul (10 Occurrences)

Canaanite (74 Occurrences)

Zoheleth (1 Occurrence)

Hebrew (37 Occurrences)

Machpelah (6 Occurrences)

Simeon (48 Occurrences)

Zobe'bah (1 Occurrence)

Izhar (10 Occurrences)

Ish'mael (40 Occurrences)

Intercede (12 Occurrences)

Facing (79 Occurrences)

Raphael

Mach-pe'lah (6 Occurrences)

Magi (4 Occurrences)

Buying (12 Occurrences)

Buried (125 Occurrences)

Bury (78 Occurrences)

Clans (120 Occurrences)

Communed (20 Occurrences)

Approach (56 Occurrences)

Hittite (45 Occurrences)

Families (272 Occurrences)

Hollow (35 Occurrences)

Talked (79 Occurrences)

Opposite (137 Occurrences)

Gnosticism

Cave (40 Occurrences)

Mamre (10 Occurrences)

Entreat (55 Occurrences)

Commentaries

Canaan (102 Occurrences)

Saul (371 Occurrences)

Willing (152 Occurrences)

Rock (176 Occurrences)

Listen (441 Occurrences)

Behalf (140 Occurrences)

Ishmael (44 Occurrences)

East (228 Occurrences)

Field (390 Occurrences)

Isaac (127 Occurrences)

Zodiac Signs
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