The amazing name Ezer: meaning and etymology

🔼The name Ezer

There are two completely different names in the Bible that both transliterate into English as Ezer. One is the quite common name עזר (Ezer) and the other one is אצר, which is usually transliterated as Ezer and sometimes as Ezar in English Bibles. We'll call them Ezer I (אצר) and Ezer II (עזר).

🔼The name Ezer I: Summary

Meaning: Treasury; Covenant
Etymology: From the verb אצר (asar), to store.; From an Arabic noun that means covenant.

🔼The name Ezer I in the Bible

The name אצר (Ezer; Etzer) is assigned only once in the Bible. It's the name of a son of Seir, who became a Horite chief (Genesis 36:21, see 36:30).

🔼Etymology of the name Ezer I

This version of the name Ezer comes from the verb אצר (asar), meaning to store:

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary

אצר

The verb אצר ('asar) means to store treasure. Noun אוצר ('osar) means treasure or treasury.

— See the full Dictionary article —

🔼Ezer I meaning

The name Ezer I is a noun equal to the verb and means Treasury (Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names) or Treasure (BDB Theological Dictionary). BDB adds an Arabic equivalent meaning Covenant.

This version of the name Ezer is the only Biblical name derived from this verb.

🔼The name Ezer II: Summary

Meaning: Help
Etymology: From the verb עזר (azar), to help or support.
Related names: • Via עזר (azar): Abiezer, Ahiezer, Azarel, Azariah, Azriel, Azrikam, Azzur, Ebenezer, Eleazar, Eliezer, Ezra(h), Ezri, Hadadezer, Hadarezer, Iezer, Jazer, Lazarus, Romamti-ezer

🔼The name Ezer II in the Bible

The name עזר (Ezer) is quite common in the Bible, but none of the Ezers became very famous and the name remains relatively unknown.

The genuine Ezers of the Bible are:

A Judahite (1 Chronicles 4:4).
An Ephraimite (1 Chronicles 7:21).
A Gadite (1 Chronicles 12:9).
A son of Jeshua (Nehemiah 3:19).
A postexilic priest (Nehemiah 12:42).

🔼Etymology of the name Ezer II

The name Ezer comes from the verb עזר (azar), meaning to help, support:

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary

עזר

The verb עזר ('azar), means to help or support, and is often used in military contexts, or to describe God's proverbial help. The nouns עזר ('azar) and עזרה ('ezra) both mean help. A much rarer but identically spelled noun עזרה ('azara) means enclosure and comes probably from an other root.