EBER

e'-ber (`ebher; Eber, in Gen; Obed, in Ch):

(1) Occurs in the genealogies (Genesis 10:21,25; 11:14 ff) as the great-grandson of Shem and father of Peleg and Joktan. The word means "the other side," "across," and the form "Hebrew," which is derived from it, is intended to denote the people or tribe who came "from the other, side of the river" (i.e. the Euphrates), from Haran (Genesis 11:31), whence Abraham and his dependents migrated to Canaan.

(2) A Gadite (1 Chronicles 5:13).

(3) (4) Two Benjamites (1 Chronicles 8:12,22).

(5) The head of a priestly family (Nehemiah 12:20).

A. C. Grant

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