English · KJV
H4382

מְכֵרָתִי

Mᵉkêrâthîy /mek-ay-raw-thee'/ Ask about this word
Rootpatrial from an unused name (the same as מְכֵרָה) of a place in Palestine
Meaninga Mekerathite, or inhabitant of Mekerah
KJV usageMecherathite.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Mᵉkêrâthîy — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Mᵉkêrâthîy, represented by H4382, is a patrial term for a Mecherathite. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible. The word signifies an inhabitant of a place named Mekerah; this patrial is derived from an unused name for a location in Palestine.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H4382 is in a list of names found in 1 Chronicles 11:36. The term is used to provide a specific identity for a man named Hepher. In the text, he is called "Hepher the Mecherathite," distinguishing him from other individuals in this historical record.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H4382 in its only context, helping to clarify its function:

  • H2660 Chêpher: This is the proper name of the individual identified by the term Mecherathite. Hepher is also the name of a place in Palestine and other Israelites 1 Chronicles 11:36.
  • H281 ʼĂchîyâh: The name of another person listed in the same verse, identified as "Ahijah" 1 Chronicles 11:36.
  • H6397 Pᵉlôwnîy: A term that functions just like Mecherathite, this patrial identifies Ahijah as a Pelonite, or an inhabitant of an unknown place called Palon 1 Chronicles 11:36.

Theological Significance

The significance of H4382 is not theological but rather scribal and historical, highlighting the precision of the text.

  • Specific Identification: The primary function of the word is to provide a unique identifier for Hepher. By linking him to the land of Mekerah, it distinguishes him with geographic specificity.
  • Illustrative of Patrial Use: It serves as a clear example of a patrial, a common biblical method of identifying a person by their city or region of origin. This is reinforced by the use of "the Pelonite" H6397 in the same verse.
  • Preservation of Detail: The inclusion of such a rare term demonstrates the meticulous nature of the biblical record, preserving names and origins that would otherwise be lost to history.

Summary

In summary, H4382 is a highly specific term whose importance lies in its function as a unique identifier. As the patrial Mᵉkêrâthîy, it provides the geographic origin for Hepher in the list recorded in 1 Chronicles 11:36. Its singular use alongside other names and patrials underscores the detailed and precise nature of biblical genealogical records.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • מְּכֵרָתִי

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H2660 חֵפֶר from חָפַר or חָפֵר; a pit of shame; Chepher, a place in Palestine; also the name of three Israelites; Hepher. H281 אֲחִיָּה or (prolonged) אֲחִיָּהוּ ; from אָח and יָהּ; brother (i.e. worshipper) of Jah; Achijah, the name of nine Israelites; A H6397 פְּלוֹנִי patronymically from an unused name (from פָּלָה) meaning separate; a Pelonite or inhabitant of an unknown Palon; Pelonit

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in 1 Chronicles — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.