Becher בֶּ֫כֶר

Becher is mentioned in Num.26.35 as a descendant of Ephraim and the ancestor of the Becherite clan. The context of the passage is the census taken by Moses and Eleazar in the plains of Moab, near the end of the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. The purpose of the census was to determine the military strength of each tribe and to allocate the land of Canaan among the tribes. In the listing of the clans of Ephraim, the Becherites are named as one of the clans descended from Ephraim's sons. This mention of Becher and the Becherite clan highlights the importance of family lineage and tribal organization in Israelite society, especially in relation to military service and land inheritance.