Bokru

Israelite patriarch mentioned in the genealogies

The returnLeaderc. 500 BC

Bokru is a person mentioned in the biblical genealogies in First Chronicles. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin and is recorded as part of the family registers kept after the return from exile in Babylon. He is one of many individuals named to preserve Israel's genealogical heritage.

Family

FatherAsel SiblingAsrikam SiblingIshmael SiblingSheariah SiblingObadiah SiblingHanan

Key events

Mentioned in the genealogy of Benjamin

Bokru is listed as one of the sons of Asel in the family register for the tribe of Benjamin, as a descendant of King Saul through Jonathan.

1 Chr 8:38 Show in context →

38Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

וּלְאָצֵל֮ שִׁשָּׁ֣ה בָנִים֒ וְאֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֗ם עַזְרִיקָ֥ם ׀ בֹּ֙כְרוּ֙ וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל וּשְׁעַרְיָ֔ה וְעֹבַדְיָ֖ה וְחָנָ֑ן כָּל־אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י אָצַֽל׃ ‬

Repeated in the parallel genealogy

The name Bokru is repeated in the parallel genealogy in 1 Chronicles chapter 9, confirming his place in the tribe of Benjamin.

1 Chr 9:44 Show in context →

44Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

וּלְאָצֵל֮ שִׁשָּׁ֣ה בָנִים֒ וְאֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֗ם עַזְרִיקָ֥ם ׀ בֹּ֙כְרוּ֙ וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל וּשְׁעַרְיָ֔ה וְעֹבַדְיָ֖ה וְחָנָ֑ן אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י אָצַֽל׃ פ ‬

Part of Saul's descendants

Bokru belonged to the lineage of King Saul through Jonathan and Merib-Baal (Mephibosheth), showing that Saul's line continued to be recorded after the exile.

1 Chr 8:33 Show in context →

33Ner fathered Kish, Kish fathered Saul, and Saul fathered Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.[^1] [^1]: Eshbaal is called Ish-bosheth in the books of Samuel.

וְנֵר֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־קִ֔ישׁ וְקִ֖ישׁ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־שָׁא֑וּל וְשָׁא֗וּל הוֹלִ֤יד אֶת־יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ וְאֶת־מַלְכִּי־שׁ֔וּעַ וְאֶת־אֲבִֽינָדָ֖ב וְאֶת־אֶשְׁבָּֽעַל׃ ‬

1 Chr 8:34 Show in context →

34The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal fathered Micah.[^1] [^1]: Merib-baal is called Mephibosheth in the books of Samuel.

וּבֶן־יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן מְרִ֣יב בָּ֑עַל וּמְרִ֥יב בַּ֖עַל הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־מִיכָֽה׃ ס ‬

1 Chr 8:35 Show in context →

35The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.

וּבְנֵ֖י מִיכָ֑ה פִּית֥וֹן וָמֶ֖לֶךְ וְתַאְרֵ֥עַ וְאָחָֽז׃ ‬

1 Chr 8:36 Show in context →

36Ahaz fathered Jehoaddah; Jehoaddah fathered Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri fathered Moza.

וְאָחָז֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־יְהוֹעַדָּ֔ה וִיהֽוֹעַדָּ֗ה הוֹלִ֛יד אֶת־עָלֶ֥מֶת וְאֶת־עַזְמָ֖וֶת וְאֶת־זִמְרִ֑י וְזִמְרִ֖י הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־מוֹצָֽא׃ ‬

1 Chr 8:37 Show in context →

37Moza fathered Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.

וּמוֹצָ֖א הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־בִּנְעָ֑א רָפָ֥ה בְנ֛וֹ אֶלְעָשָׂ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ אָצֵ֥ל בְּנֽוֹ׃ ‬

1 Chr 8:38 Show in context →

38Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

Preservation of genealogical records after the exile

The registration of Bokru and his family was part of the important task of restoring and preserving Israel's genealogical records after returning from the Babylonian exile.

1 Chr 9:1 Show in context →

1So all Israel was registered by genealogy, and these are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was carried away into exile to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הִתְיַחְשׂ֔וּ וְהִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֖פֶר מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וִיהוּדָ֛ה הָגְל֥וּ לְבָבֶ֖ל בְּמַעֲלָֽם׃ ס ‬

1 Chr 9:2 Show in context →

2The first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.

וְהַיּוֹשְׁבִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּאֲחֻזָּתָ֖ם בְּעָרֵיהֶ֑ם יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים הַלְוִיִּ֖ם וְהַנְּתִינִֽים׃ ‬

1 Chr 9:3 Show in context →

3In Jerusalem there lived some of the descendants of Judah, of Benjamin, and of Ephraim and Manasseh:

וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ יָשְׁב֔וּ מִן־בְּנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וּמִן־בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וּמִן־בְּנֵ֥י אֶפְרַ֖יִם וּמְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ ‬