1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Eber (Hebrew: עֵבֶר, ʿĒḇer)
• Meaning: “Beyond” or “the other side,” from the root ʿābar meaning “to cross over”; traditionally associated with crossing boundaries, both geographically and spiritually

2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Fourteenth generation from Adam; fourth generation after the flood in the Messianic line
• Father: Shelah – link in the early post-flood generations
• Sons: Peleg and Joktan – with Peleg continuing the Messianic line
• Lineage Role: Forefather of the Hebrews; his name is the likely root of the term ‘Ivri (Hebrew), marking a developing ethnic and theological identity within redemptive history (Luke 3:35)

3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• Lived during the time of cultural expansion and the Tower of Babel incident, though not directly mentioned in that narrative
• Recognised as a significant patriarch whose name became associated with the descendants of Abraham
• Lifespan: 464 years (Genesis 11:16–17)

4. Theological and Christological Significance
• Associated with the preservation of the righteous line during a time of dispersion and rebellion (Genesis 11)
• Seen as a spiritual and cultural ancestor of the Hebrew people, through whom the promise to Abraham would emerge
• Though not a direct type of Christ, Eber anchors the ethnic identity of the people through whom the Messiah would come

5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Highly regarded in Jewish tradition as the progenitor of the Hebrews
• His son Peleg’s name (“division”) is linked with the Babel event, possibly indicating that Eber’s generation spanned a major turning point in biblical history
• Viewed as a symbol of covenantal continuity amidst growing human fragmentation
• No major textual or interpretive disputes in biblical tradition

6. Summary Insight
• Eber stands as a defining figure in biblical ancestry, preserving both the biological and spiritual identity of the people through whom God’s covenant would eventually be fulfilled in Christ.

7. Biblical References
• Genesis 10:21, 24–25; 11:14–17
• 1 Chronicles 1:18–19, 25
• Luke 3:35