Iri is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Iri was a descendant of Benjamin, belonging to the clan of Bela, and he is named in the tribal genealogies recorded in 1 Chronicles. He was one of five sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. These five are described in the text as “heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour,” meaning they were recognized leaders within their family lines and men of military strength and courage. Iri thus stood among the ranking men of Benjamin’s descendants in the generations following the return from exile, when the Chronicler compiled these records.
The setting of the passage is a genealogical registry. The Chronicler lists the sons of Bela and notes that they “were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four.” That figure—22,034—represents the total number of fighting men or enrolled members counted within this branch of the Benjamite line. Iri’s inclusion in this record shows that he was a real, named member of the community, counted and remembered among his people.
Scripture records nothing further about Iri. He does not appear in any narrative, and no deed, word, or event is attributed to him beyond his place in this list. He is one of the many faithful, ordinary men whose names survive only in a genealogy, yet whose lives contributed to the preservation and strength of their tribe. His identity is bound up entirely with his family, his clan, and his place among the people of God.
The Name
The name Iri is a Hebrew name, but its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from standard Hebrew lexicons. Some have suggested a possible connection to a root related to “watchful” or “city,” but no meaning is well established, and scholars do not agree on a confident interpretation. It is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain. Like many personal names in the genealogies, it may preserve an ancient form whose sense has been lost, and Scripture itself offers no explanation of it.
A Closing Thought
Iri never speaks, never acts, and never appears again after his name is listed. Yet God saw fit to record him among His people. Most of us will live quiet lives that history will not notice, and that is no failure. Faithfulness is not measured by fame but by belonging to the family of God and being counted among His people. Iri’s name, preserved for thousands of years, is a small reminder that God does not forget the humble, and that a life hidden in Him is never truly lost.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 7:7 — And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four.