Lexical Summary Etser: Restraint, control, or holding back. Original Word: אֶצֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Ezer From 'atsar; treasure; Etser, an Idumaean -- Ezer. see HEBREW 'atsar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom atsar Definition "treasure," a chief of the Horites NASB Translation Ezer (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֵ֫צֶר proper name, masculine (treasure; or covenant Arabic  ) a chief of the Horites Genesis 36:21,27,30; 1 Chronicles 1:38,42. Topical Lexicon Name and Occurrences Ezer (אֶצֶר) appears five times in the inspired record, each time in genealogical catalogues that trace the origin and settlement of the Horite clans in the hill country of Seir (Genesis 36:21, 27, 30; 1 Chronicles 1:38, 42). In every instance the name designates a distinct Horite chieftain and the clan that descended from him. Genealogical Context within Horite and Edomite Lineage 1. Seir the Horite fathered seven sons, among whom “Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan” are named (Genesis 36:21). These passages place the clan squarely within the Horite confederacy that pre-dated, then coexisted with, the Edomites descended from Esau. The genealogies therefore preserve a snapshot of an ethnic melting pot in southern Transjordan just before Israel entered the land. Tribal and Geographical Associations The Horites were cave-dwellers (from חֹר, “cave”) inhabiting the rugged terrain of Seir. Their territory stretched from the Arabah to the Gulf of Aqaba. Ezer’s family likely controlled a specific sub-district or trade route within that mountainous region, perhaps near the copper-rich Timna valley. When Esau’s descendants later displaced or absorbed the Horites (Deuteronomy 2:12), the clan of Ezer would have merged into Edomite society, contributing to the composite nation that interacted—and often conflicted—with Israel. Thematic Significance in Scripture 1. Divine Omniscience over the Nations: By preserving the name of so small a clan, Scripture testifies that no people group escapes God’s notice (Psalm 147:4). Prophetic and Redemptive Connections The geographical domain once ruled by Horite chiefs—including Ezer—became part of the broader Edomite landscape through which Messiah Himself passed (Matthew 2:13–15, echoing Hosea 11:1). While Ezer’s name never reappears after the genealogies, his clan’s territory forms part of the backdrop for God’s unfolding plan of redemption culminating in Jesus Christ. The prophets’ repeated references to Bozrah, Teman, and Seir carry forward the account begun with Seir’s sons, marking God’s sovereign dealings from patriarchal times to the coming Kingdom (Isaiah 63:1–6). Lessons for Ministry and Faith • God values and records every people group; faithful ministry must likewise regard all nations as objects of His redeeming love. Key References Genesis 36:21; Genesis 36:27; Genesis 36:30; 1 Chronicles 1:38; 1 Chronicles 1:42 Forms and Transliterations אֵ֑צֶר אֵ֔צֶר אֵ֖צֶר אצר וְאֵ֖צֶר ואצר ’ê·ṣer ’êṣer Etzer veEtzer wə’êṣer wə·’ê·ṣerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 36:21 HEB: וְדִשׁ֥וֹן וְאֵ֖צֶר וְדִישָׁ֑ן אֵ֣לֶּה NAS: and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan. These KJV: And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: INT: and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan These Genesis 36:27 Genesis 36:30 1 Chronicles 1:38 1 Chronicles 1:42 5 Occurrences |
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