Hur

Hur (Heb. Chûr, חוּר, a hole, as of a viper, Isa 11:8; also a narrow and filthy subterranean prison, Isa 42:22; comp. the "black hole" of Calcutta; otherwise noble; Sept. ῎Ωρ, Οὔρ, but Σούρ in Ne 3:9; Josephus ῎Ορος and Οὔρης), the name of five men.

1. A son of Caleb (Judah's great-grandson through elzron), the first one by his second wife Ephrath, and grandfather of Bezaleel (q.v.), the famous artificer, through Uri (1Ch 2:19,50; 1Ch 4:1,4; comp. 2:20; 2Ch 1:5; Ex 31:2; Ex 35:30; Ex 38:22). B.C. between 1856 and 1658. By some (after Josephus, Ant. 3:6,1) he has been confounded with the following.

2. The husband of Miriam, the sister of Moses, according to Josephus (Ant. 3:2, 4). During the conflict with the Amalekites he assisted Aaron in sustaining the arms of Moses in that praying attitude upon which the success of the Israelites was found to depend (Ex 17:10-12); and when Moses was absent on Sinai to receive the law, he associated Hur with Aaron in charge of the people (Ex 24:14). B.C. 1658.

⇒Bible concordance for HUR.

3. The fourth named of the five princes or petty kings of Midian (מִלכֵי מַדניָן), who were defeated and slain shortly before the death of Moses by the Israelites, under the leadership of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar (Nu 31:8; Josephus, Ant. 4:7, 1). B.C. 1618. In Jos 13:21 these five Midianites are termed סַיהוֹן נסַיכֵי, the vassals of Sihon, and are also described as ישׁבֵי הָאָרֶוֹ, dwellers in the land, which Keil (ad loc.) explains as meaning that they had for a long time dwelt in the land of Canaan with the Moabites, whereas the Amorites had only recently effected an entrance. After the defeat of Sihon these chieftains appear to have made common cause with Balak, the king of Moab (Nu 22:4,7), and to have joined with him in urging Balaam to curse the Israelites. The evil counsel of Balaam having been followed, and the. Israelites in consequence seduced into transgression (Nu 31:16), Moses was directed to make war upon the Midianites. The latter were utterly defeated, and "Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword." SEE SIHON.

4. A person whose son (Ben-Hur) was Solomon's purveyor in Mount Ephraim (1Ki 4:8). Josephus calls him Ures (Οὔρης), and makes him to have been himself military governor of the Ephraimites (Ant. 8:2, 3). B.C. ante 995.

5. Father of Rephaiah, which latter is called "ruler of the half part of Jerusalem" after the exile, and repaired part of the walls of Jerusalem (Ne 3:9). B.C. ante 446.