Dictionary Home / Z

Zippor

biblical_person theological_term standard

Zippor is a biblical personal name, best known as the father of Balak king of Moab. Scripture mentions him only in connection with Balak’s role in the Balaam narrative.

At a Glance

A biblical proper name, best known as Balak’s father.

Key Points

Description

Zippor is a biblical proper name associated with the Moabite king Balak, who is repeatedly identified as “son of Zippor.” The Old Testament does not provide an extended account of Zippor’s life, actions, or character; his significance is mainly genealogical and narrative, locating Balak within the Moabite setting of the Balaam account. Because the term refers to a person rather than a doctrine or concept, it should be treated as a biblical person/name entry.

Biblical Context

Zippor is mentioned in the Balaam narrative through references to Balak, “son of Zippor,” in Numbers 22–24. Later biblical references recall Balak in the same connection, preserving Zippor’s name as part of Israel’s encounter with Moab.

Historical Context

The name appears in the setting of Moab in the wilderness period. Zippor himself is not described in detail, but his name serves to identify Balak within the historical memory of Israel’s dealings with Moab.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In the ancient Near Eastern world, identifying a ruler by his father’s name was a common way to anchor a person in family and tribal history. Zippor functions in Scripture as a genealogical marker rather than as a prominent character.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew: צִפּוֹר (ṣippôr), commonly understood to mean “bird.” The form is a proper name used for a male figure in biblical narrative.

Theological Significance

Zippor has no major doctrinal role of his own, but his mention helps preserve the historical setting of the Balaam narrative and the wider testimony of Scripture to real people and events.

Philosophical Explanation

The entry illustrates how biblical history often names individuals only briefly, yet still treats them as real persons within God’s providential governance of nations and events.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not build theology from Zippor’s name alone. Scripture gives almost no biographical detail, so claims beyond his identification as Balak’s father would be speculative.

Major Views

There are no major interpretive disputes about Zippor himself; discussion centers mainly on the narrative role of Balak, the son of Zippor.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Zippor is a historical personal name, not a theological concept. The entry should remain descriptive and should not be turned into allegory or doctrine.

Practical Significance

Zippor reminds readers that Scripture is anchored in real history and named people, even when some figures appear only briefly in the biblical record.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Zippor

↑ Top