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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Zur


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Zur

Zur Zur

The name Zur is applied twice in the Bible. Zur is the father of the Midianite woman Cozbi, who, together with Zimri became the personification of sexual transgression during the Peor incident. The other Zur is a man from Benjamin (1 Chr 8:30).

The name Zur has to do with a group of five different roots that are all spelled the same: swr (sur 1897-1901). These roots all have different linguistic sources but were perhaps readily incorporated into the Hebrew language due to similar or related meanings, more or less. See for an exhaustive treatment the related name Mizraim:

The root swr (sur 1901) does not occur in the Bible, but is probably related to words in cognate languages that mean rock or hill. A derivative that does occur in the Bible is swr (sur 1901a), the common Biblical word for rock.

Besides the literal value of the word, rocks serve in the Bible as symbol for impenetrability and strength (Jer 21:13). Sometimes idols are called rocks (Deut 32:37) in derogatory contrast to the true Rock of the Lord (v 31; 1 Sam 2:2). Some scholars insist that the word sur was even used as a personal name for gods. Hence names that contain the word sur, such as Zur, Zuriel and Zurshaddai, are like the names Baal, Eshbaal (son of Saul - 1 Chr 8:33) and Beeliada (son of David - 1 Chr 14:7). The latter was also known as Eliada (2 Sam 5:16), a name from the El-stock, such as Eliezer, Eliab and Elijah.

Rocks may yield honey (Ps 81:16), precious stones (Job 28:10), and even water (Ex 17:6). The Messiah is often compared to a rock, either a water-giving one (1 Cor 10:4), or one to stumble over (Isa 8:14).

The name Zur means Rock. Related names are Mizraim and Tyre.



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