Aher
Benjamite mentioned in the genealogy of Chronicles
Aher appears only in 1 Chr 7:12, where he is included in a genealogical context linked to Benjamin and mentioned as the father of Hushim. No further information about his life or work is preserved in the biblical texts. The Hebrew word 'aher' (אַחֵר) means "another," and there is considerable academic debate over whether this is actually a personal name or rather a veiled designation. A prominent hypothesis is that 'Aher' masks a reference to the tribe of Dan, which is notably absent from the genealogies in Chronicles. This interpretation is supported by the fact that Hushim is also identified as a son of Dan in Gen 46:23. The omission of Dan may reflect a deliberate editorial strategy motivated by the tribe's troubled history with idolatry, as described in Judges 18.
Famille
Événements clés
Mentioned in Benjamin's genealogy
Aher is mentioned in 1 Chronicles as part of a genealogical list related to the tribe of Benjamin. His son Hushim is given as his descendant. This brief note constitutes the only biblical reference to Aher.
Possible connection to the tribe of Dan
Hushim, who is listed as Aher's son in 1 Chron 7:12, shares a name with Dan's son Hushim as mentioned in Genesis. This similarity in names has given rise to the theory that Aher represents a veiled reference to the tribe of Dan, which is otherwise completely absent from the genealogies in Chronicles.