Boy Old Testament Known
Zippor
bird; sparrow; crown; desert
צִפּוֹר tsip.por
Zippor (Hebrew: צִפּוֹר, tsip.por) means “bird; sparrow; crown; desert”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 7 verses across 3 books of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Balaam in Numbers 22.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Zippor
father of Balak
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 7 across 3 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Exodus
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Numbers 22:2 |
| Last appears | Judges 11:25 |
| Cross-references | 55 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Balak co-occurrence Appears with Balak in Numbers 22.
- Beor co-occurrence Appears with Beor in Joshua 24.
- Balaam co-occurrence Appears with Balaam in Numbers 22.
- Gilead co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Gilead.
- Nahor co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Nahor.
- Terah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Terah.
- Hamor co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Hamor.
Origin & meaning
A man of the Moabites living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.22.2;
father of: Balak (H1111)
§ Zippor = "sparrow"
father of Balak the king of Moab at the time of the exodus
Zippor was the father of Balak, the king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel.
The biblical story
Zippor was the father of Balak, the king of Moab who opposed the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. He is mentioned several times in the account of Balak's attempts to curse Israel through the prophet Balaam (Numbers 22-24). Zippor's name, which means "bird" or "sparrow," is consistently used in conjunction with Balak's name, emphasizing his role as the king's father. Although little is known about Zippor's life, his son Balak's actions suggest that he may have shared the same hostility towards the Israelites. In Jos.24.9 and Jdg.11.25, Zippor is mentioned in the context of recounting Israel's past conflicts with Moab, further highlighting the significance of his son's opposition to Israel. Some scholars speculate that Zippor may have been the "former king of Moab" mentioned in Num.21.26, but this is not explicitly stated in the text.
Key verses
Zippor appears in 7 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
Numbers 22:2 -
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
Numbers 22:4 -
And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
Numbers 22:10 -
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
Numbers 22:16 -
And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Numbers 23:18
Show all 7 references
Numbers (5)
- Numbers 22:2
- Numbers 22:4
- Numbers 22:10
- Numbers 22:16
- Numbers 23:18
Joshua (1)
- Joshua 24:9
Judges (1)
- Judges 11:25