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Meaning and etymology of the name Zippor



Zippor Zippor


Zippor is the father of Balak, the king of Moab who hires Balaam to curse Israel (Numbers 22:4).

The name Zippor comes from the fertile word-group sapar (sapar 1958-1962):

The assumed and untranslatable root sapar (spr) yields the noun sippor (sippor), meaning bird. In Judges 7:3 the word is used as a hard-to-translate verb, sapar (sapar), 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), meaning a plait, diadem (Isaiah 28:5).
The assumed root sapar (spr) yields the noun sipporen (sipporen), meaning fingernail (Deuteronomy 21:12) or engraving pen (Jeremiah 17:1).
The assumed root sapar (spr) yields the noun sapir (sapir), meaning he-goat. This word appears only in later Biblical texts.

The name Zippor is identical to the noun sippor (sippor), and means Bird. NOBS Study Bible Name List reads Sparrow. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Little Bird.

A closely related name is Zipporah.



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