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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Zippor

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Zippor is the father of Balak, the king of Moab who hires Balaam to curse Israel.

The name Zippor comes from the word-group sapar

(sapar 1958-1962).
The assumed root sapar

(spr 1959) yields the noun sippor

(sippor 1959a), meaning bird. In Judges 7:3 the word is used as a hard-to-translate verb, sapar

(sapar 1958), perhaps literally: "...Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and chicken out and off Mount Gilead."
The assumed root sapar

(spr 1960) yields the noun sepira

(sepira 1960a), plait, diadem (Isa 28:5).
The assumed root sapar

(spr 1961) yields the noun (sipporen 1961a), fingernail (Deut 21:12) or engraving pen (Jer 17:1).
The assumed root sapar

(spr 1962) yields the noun sapir

(sapir 1962a), he-goat. This word appears only in later Biblical texts.

The name Zippor is identical to the noun sippor

(sippor 1959a), and means Bird.
A closely related name is Zipporah.

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