AVARAN

av'-a-ran: A surname of Eleazar, the third son of Mattathias (1 Macc 2:5). It is doubtfully conjectured that Eleazar received this surname from the episode related in 1 Macc 6:43-46; the word may mean "the piercer," referring to his stabbing of the elephant. Some connect it with chur, "to be white," and connect it with Eleazar's white complexion. The Syriac reads "Chavran" and the Vulgate's "Abaron"; the Septuagint in 1 Macc 6:43 gives Sauaran which is an error for Eleazaros auran; Septuagint's Codex Venetus corrects to auran.

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.