1 Chronicles 12:5 — Word Study
WLCאֶלְעוּזַ֤י וִירִימוֹת֙ וּבְעַלְיָ֣ה וּשְׁמַרְיָ֔הוּ וּשְׁפַטְיָ֖הוּ הַחֲרוּפִֽי׃
BSAJeremiahYirmᵉyâh JahazielYachăzîyʼêl JehohananYᵉhôwchânân JozabadYôwzâbâd GederathiteGᵉdêrâthîy△
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֶלְעוּזַ֤י | Eluzai | Noun proper masculine |
| וִירִימוֹת֙ | and Jerimoth | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וּבְעַלְיָ֣ה | and Bealiah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וּשְׁמַרְיָ֔הוּ | and Shemariah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וּשְׁפַטְיָ֖הוּ | and Shephatiah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| הַחֲרוּפִֽי׃ | the Haruphite | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; |
| KJV | Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, |
| ASV | Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, |
| YLT | Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; |
| WEB | Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite; |
| BBE | Eluzai and Jerimoth and Bealiah and Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; |
The translations agree on the names listed in this verse — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause listing names, with each name functioning as a noun phrase.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
3 of 6 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Chronicles 12:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Mighty Men of Davidgenerated
1 Chronicles 12:5 details the names of several warriors who joined David during his rise to power. This passage highlights the loyalty and bravery of these men, who played significant roles in supporting David against his enemies. Such lists of names serve to honor these individuals and remind the readers of their contributions to Israel's history.
Cross References
The Key Word — אֶלְעוּזַי, 'el.'u.Zaigenerated
The first name, אֶלְעוּזַי ('el.'u.Zai), means 'God is my strength'. It identifies a Benjamite warrior who joined David's forces. The name is constructed from the Hebrew words for God and strength, indicating a protective connotation.
The parsing as a proper noun signifies that Eluzai is a specific individual, emphasizing his importance among David's mighty men.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the names listed in this verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, consisting of a series of noun phrases connected by conjunctions. The finite verb is implicit, as the verse lists the names without an explicit action.
Each name is presented in a noun phrase, creating a rhythmic flow that highlights the importance of each individual.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates some of these names but does not preserve the exact order found in the Hebrew text. The Greek rendering indicates a similar recognition of these figures, though it may reflect a different emphasis.
The use of Greek terms suggests a broader audience for the text, aiming to convey the significance of these warriors in a Hellenistic context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 12:5 names five warriors who fought for David: Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah. Each name has a meaning that reflects their relationship with God, illustrating their roles as mighty men in David's army.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Eluzai means 'God is my strength', indicating his reliance on God.
The Haruphites were people from the town of Haruph, and Shephatiah is identified as one of them.
These names honor the warriors who supported David and highlight their significance in Israel's history.
They were part of David's mighty men, known for their bravery and loyalty during his reign.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the loyalty of David's warriors in our own lives?
- How do the meanings of these names inspire us to rely on God?
- In what ways can we honor those who support us in our endeavors?
- How does understanding the context of these warriors enhance our appreciation of their contributions?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 12:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleEluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite. A native of Haruph or Hariph, see Ne 7:24.
Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 12 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryEluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 12 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Jerimoth.—A Benjamite name (1 Chronicles 7:7-8). Bealiah.—Baal is Jah. (Comp. Note on 1 Chronicles 8:33.) Such names indicate that “Baal” was once a title of the God of Israel. The Haruphite.—Nehemiah 7:24 mentions the “sons of Hariph” just before the “sons of Gibeon.” The Hebrew margin here is “Hariphite.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 12 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite,
Tyndale line
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
Eluzai, and Ierimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
Strictly literal
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
El'uzai, and Jerimath, and Be'alyah, and Shemaryahu, and Shephatyahu, the Chariphite,
Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite,
From the Latin
And Eluzai, and Jerimuth, and Baalia, and Samaria, and Saphatia the Haruphite;
Simplified
Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Eluzai and Jerimoth and Bealiah and Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists the names as they appear in the Hebrew Bible. The Septuagint matches five of the six names, indicating a strong agreement between these ancient witnesses, though the word order differs.
אֶלְעוּזַ֤י וִירִימוֹת֙ וּבְעַלְיָ֣ה וּשְׁמַרְיָ֔הוּ וּשְׁפַטְיָ֖הוּ הַחֲרוּפִֽי׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 1 Chronicles 12:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֶלְעוּזַי (El`uwzay) means 'God is my strength' and refers to a Benjamite warrior mentioned in 1 Chronicles 12:6. The name is derived from the Hebrew words for God and strength, indicating a protective connotation. The entries consistently identify Eluzai as a figure from the time of the Divided Monarchy.
אֶלְעוּזַי n.pr.m. (God is my strength) one of the heroes of David 1 Ch 12:6.
ref
H498 אֶלְעוּזַי
498 'El`uwzay el-oo-zah'ee
from 410 and 5756 (in the sense of 5797); God (is) defensive;
Eluzai, an Israelite:--Eluzai.
see HEBREW for 0410
see HEBREW for 05756
see HEBREW for 05797
אֶלְעוּזַי (el.u.zay) — Eluzai.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.5
§ Eluzai = "God is my strength"
a Benjamite warrior who joined David
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
e-lu'-za-i ('el`uzai, "God is my strength"; compare UZZIEL):
One of David's heroes (1Ch 12:5).
(God is my praise), one of the warriors of Benjamin who joined David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:5) (B.C. 1054.)
God is my strength
→ A Benjamite 1Ch 12:5
The Hebrew word יְרֵימוֹת (*Yriymowth*) is a feminine plural form derived from the root meaning 'elevations.' It refers to various individuals, primarily from the tribe of Benjamin, including several men named Jerimoth or Jeremoth, as well as Levites and a son of King David. The name is associated with the meaning 'He is Most High' and appears in genealogical contexts.
יְרֵימוֹת, יְרֵמוֹת, יְרִימוֹת n.pr.m.
Benjamites
Levites
Naphtalite
son of David and father of Rehoboam’s wife
men who had strange wives
base
H3406 יְרֵימוֹת, יְרֵמוֹת, יְרִימוֹת
3406 Yriymowth yer-ee-mohth'
or Yreymowth {yer-ay-mohth'}; or Yremowth {yer-ay-mohth'};
feminine plural from 7311; elevations; Jerimoth or Jeremoth,
the name of twelve Israelites:--Jermoth, Jerimoth, and Ramoth
(from the margin).
see HEBREW for 07311
יְרִימוֹת (ye.ri.mot) — Jerimoth.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.7;
son of: Bela (H1106A);
brother of: Ard (H0714H), Naaman (H5283H), Ezbon (H0675H), Uzzi (H5813I), Uzziel (H5816I), Iri (H5901), Addar (H0146H), Gera (H1617I), Abihud (H0031), Abishua (H0050H) and Ahoah (H0265)
§ Jerimoth or Jeremoth = "He is Most High"
1) a Benjamite, son of Bela and head of a house of Benjamite
2) a Benjamite, son of Becher and head of a house of Benjamite
3) a Benjamite, son of Beriah and grandson of Elpaal
4) a Merarite Levite, son of Mushi
5) one of the men that joined David in the wilderness
6) a Levite, son of Heman and head of the 15th course of musicians
7) a Levite in the reign of Hezekiah
8) a son of Azriel, ruler of the tribe of Naphtali in the reign of David
9) a son of king David and the father of the wife of Rehoboam
HC/Npm — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Jerimoth
Heights. (1.) One of the sons of Bela (1 Chr. 7:7).
(2.) 1 Chr. 24:30, a Merarite Levite.
(3.) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:5).
(4.) A Levitical musician under Heman his father (1 Chr. 25:4).
(5.) 1 Chr. 27:19, ruler of Naphtali.
(6.) One of David’s sons (2 Chr. 11:18).
(7.) A Levite, one of the overseers of the temple offerings (2 Chr. 31:13) in the reign of Hezekiah.
(heights). Son or descendant of Bela. (1 Chronicles 7:7) He is perhaps the same as who joined David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:5) (B.C. 1055.) A son of Beecher, (1 Chronicles 7:8) and head of a Benjamite house. Son of Mushi, the son of Merari. (1 Chronicles 24:30) Son of Heman, head of fifteenth ward of musicians. (1 Chronicles 25:4,22) (B.C. 1014.) Son of Zariel, ruler of the tribe of Naphtali in the reign of David. (1 Chronicles 27:19) Son of King David, whose daughter Mahalath was one of the wives of Rehoboam, her cousin Abihail being the other. (
he that fears or rejects death
בַּעְיָה (Bealiah) means 'Jehovah is master' and refers to a man mentioned in 1 Chronicles 12:6, who was a Benjamite and one of David's mighty warriors. The name is built from elements meaning 'Jah' and 'master.' There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding this entry.
בַּעַלְיָה n.pr.m. (Yah is lord) one of David’s heroes 1 Ch 12:6.
done
H1183 בַּעַלְיָה
1183 B`alyah beh-al-yaw'
from 1167 and 3050; Jah (is) master; Bealjah, an
Israelite:--Bealiah.
see HEBREW for 01167
see HEBREW for 03050
בַּעַלְיָה (be.al.yah) — Bealiah.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.5
§ Bealiah = "Jehovah is master"
a Benjamite who went over to David at Ziklag and was one of David's mighty warriors
HC/Npm — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
be-a-li'-a (be`alyah, "Yahweh is Lord," compare HPN, 144, 287): Bealiah, formerly a friend of Saul, joined David at Ziklag (1Ch 12:5).
Bealiah
Whose Lord is Jehovah, a Benjamite, one of David’s thirty heroes of the sling and bow (1 Chr. 12:5).
(Jehovah is lord), a Benjamite who went over to David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:5) (B.C. 1062.)
the god of an idol; in an assembly
שְׁמַרְיָ֫הוּ (Shmaryah) means "Jah has guarded" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament. These include a Benjamite warrior who supported David, a son of King Rehoboam, and two Israelites mentioned during the time of Ezra who had foreign wives. The entries consistently highlight the name's meaning and its association with notable figures.
שְׁמַרְיָ֫ה(וּ) n.pr.m. (י׳ has kept, preserved)
a hero of David
son of Rehoboam
contemporaries of Ezra
base
H8114 שְׁמַרְיָ֫ה(וּ), שְׁמַרְיָה, שְׁמַרְיָהוּ
8114 Shmaryah shem-ar-yaw'
or Shmaryahuw {shem-ar-yaw'-hoo}; from 8104 and 3050; Jah has
guarded; Shemarjah, the name of four Israelites:--Shamariah,
Shemariah.
see HEBREW for 08104
see HEBREW for 03050
שְׁמַרְיָ֫הוּ (she.mar.yah) — Shemariah.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.5
§ Shemariah = "kept by Jehovah"
1) a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors who joined him at Ziklag
2) a son of king Rehoboam of Judah
3) an Israelite of the sons of Harim who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
4) an Israelite of the sons of Bani who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
שְׁמַרְיָ֫הוּ (she.mar.yah) — Shemariah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.11.19;
son of: Rehoboam (H7346) and Mahalath (H4258H);
brother of: Jeush (H3266K) and Zaham (H2093);
half-brother of: Abijah (H0029I), Attai (H6262I), Ziza (H2124H) and Shelomith (H8019G)
§ Shemariah = "kept by Jehovah"
1) a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors who joined him at Ziklag
2) a son of king Rehoboam of Judah
HC/Npm — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
shem-a-ri'-a, she-mar'-ya (shemaryah and shemaryahu, "whom Jahveh guards"):
(1) A Benjamite warrior who joined David at Ziklag (1Ch 12:5, Codex Vaticanus Sammaraia; Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus Samaria; Lucian, Samarias).
(2) A son of Rehoboam (2Ch 11:19).
(3) One of the sons of Harim who had married foreign wives (Ezr 10:32, Codex Vaticanus Samareia, Lucian, Samarias; Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus Semaria).
(4) One of the sons of Bani who had married foreign wives (Ezr 10:41, Codex Alexandrinus Samareias; Codex Vaticanus Samareia; Lucian, Samarias).
Horace J. Wolf
Shemariah
Whom Jehovah guards. (1.) One who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:5).
(2.) Ezra 10:32, 41.
(kept by Jehovah). A Benjamite warrior who came to David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:5) (B.C. 1054.) One of the family of Harim, a lay man of Israel who put away his foreign wife in the time of Ezra. (Ezra 10:32) (B.C. 658.) Another who did the same. (Ezra 10:41)
God is my guard
שְׁפַטְיָה (Shphatyah) means 'Jehovah has judged' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, particularly a son of King David and various heads of families returning from Babylon. The name is built from the roots meaning 'to judge' and 'Yah' (God). It appears in contexts related to the United Monarchy and the Exile, with specific mentions in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles.
שְׁפַטְיָה(וּ) n.pr.m. (י׳ hath judged, vindicated)
יָה:
fifth son of David
contemp. of Jerem.
man of Judah
chiefs of families of restoration
Benjamite
יָהוּ:
son of Jehosh.
hero of David
Simeonite
base
H8203 שְׁפַטְיָה(וּ), שְׁפַטְיָה, שְׁפַטְיָהוּ
8203 Shphatyah shef-at-yaw'
or Shphatyahuw {shef-at-yaw'-hoo}; from 8199 and 3050; Jah
has judged; Shephatjah, the name of ten Israelites:--
Shephatiah.
see HEBREW for 08199
see HEBREW for 03050
שְׁפַטְיָהוּ (she.phat.yah) — Shephatiah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.3.4;
son of: David (H1732) and Abital (H0037);
half-brother of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)
§ Shephatiah = "Jehovah has judged"
1) a son of David by Abital; David's 5th son
2) head of a family of exiles returning from Babylon with Zerubbabel
3) another head of a family of exiles returning from Babylon with Zerubbabel
4) a Judaite, son of Mahalaleel and father of Amariah
HC/Npm — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Shephatiah
Judged of the Lord. (1.) A son of David by Abital (2 Sam. 3:4).
(2.) A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:5).
(3.) A Simeonite prince in David’s time (1 Chr. 27:16).
(4.) One of Jehoshaphat’s sons (2 Chr. 21:2).
(5.) Ezra 2:4.
(7.) One of the princes who urged the putting of Jeremiah to death (Jer. 38:1-4).
(judged by Jehovah). The fifth son of David. (2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Chronicles 3:3) (B.C. about 1050.) The family of Shephatiah, 372 in number, returned with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:4; Nehemiah 7:9) see also Ezra 8:8 (B.C. 536.) The family of another Shephatiah, who came up with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:4) A descendant of Judah. (Nehemiah 11:4) One of the princes of Judah who counselled Zedekiah to put Jeremiah in the dungeon. (Jeremiah 38:1) (B.C. 589.) One of the Benjamite warriors…
חֲרִיפִי (Charuwphiy) refers to a Haruphite, someone from the region of Haruph. This term is derived from a probable form of another Hebrew word and is used in the context of 1 Chronicles 12:5. The entries indicate that it is a gentilic adjective, denoting a native or inhabitant of Haruph.
חֲרִיפִי Qr, חרופי Kt, adj.gent. c. art.
base
H2741 חֲרִיפִי, חרופי, חֲרוּפִי
2741 Charuwphiy khar-oo-fee'
a patrial from (probably) a collateral form of 2756; a
Charuphite or inhabitant of Charuph (or Chariph):--Haruphite.
see HEBREW for 02756
חֲרִיפִי (cha.ru.phi) — Haruphite.
Someone descended from Haruph(?), only mentioned at 1Ch.12.5
§ Haruphite = "native of Haruph"
an inhabitant of Hariph
HTd/Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
ha-roo'-fit (charuphi, or chariphi); In 1Ch 12:5 Shephatiah, one of the companions of David, is called a Haruphite (K) or Hariphite (Q). If the latter be the correct reading, it is connected with HARIPH or perhaps HAREPH (which see).
Haruphite
A native of Hariph; an epithet given to Shephatiah, one of those who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:5).
slender; sharp