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1 Chronicles 23:6 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖יד מַחְלְק֑וֹת ס לִבְנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י לְגֵרְשׁ֖וֹן קְהָ֥ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃ ס

BSAThen DavidDâvid [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] divided [the Levites]châlaq [to smooth, to make a distinction, descendants of Levi, a tribe of Israel] into divisionsmachălôqeth [sections, courses, or groups] according to the sonsbên [descendants, or family lines] of LeviLêvîy KohathQᵉhâth [the second son of Levi] and MerariMᵉrârîy [the third son of Levi, meaning'bitter']

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (u.me.ra.Ri) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 23:6quick helps
In a sentenceDavid organizes the Levites into groups based on their family lines.
Who is speakingDavid, the king of Israel, is the one making the divisions.
Where we areThis verse is part of a larger account detailing the organization of the Levites.
The hard wordמַחְלְק֑וֹת
Take awayDavid's action of dividing reflects a structured approach to worship and service.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectדָּוִד The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

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 23:6

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 Organization of the Levitesgenerated

54,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”
6Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
7The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the first, Zetham, and Joel—three in all.

1 Chronicles 23:6 describes how David divided the Levites into specific groups based on their lineage, which was crucial for their roles in worship and service in the temple. This organization ensured that each family line had a designated function, maintaining order within the religious practices of Israel.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Chronicles 8:14In keeping with the ordinances of his father David, Solomon appointed the divisions of the priests over their service, and the Levites for their duties to offer praise and to minister before the priests according to the daily requirement. He also appointed gatekeepers by their divisions at each gate, for this had been the command of David, the man of God.
22 Chronicles 29:25Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet. For the command had come from the LORD through His prophets.
32 Chronicles 31:2Hezekiah reestablished the divisions of the priests and Levites—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—for the burnt offerings and peace offerings, for ministry, for giving thanks, and for singing praises at the gates of the LORD’s dwelling.
42 Chronicles 35:10So the service was prepared; the priests stood in their places and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command.
5Ezra 6:18They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מַחְלְק֑וֹת, machleqotgenerated

The noun מַחְלְק֑וֹת (machleqot) refers to divisions or sections, particularly in a religious context. It is derived from a root meaning to divide or share, indicating a systematic arrangement of roles and responsibilities.

In this verse, David's division of the Levites into machleqot reflects a structured approach to worship, emphasizing the importance of organization within the community of Israel.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the word divisions for מַחְלְק֑וֹת, reflecting the structured organization David implemented.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥ם (and he divided them) governs the entire sentence, with a series of phrases detailing what was divided and into what categories.

The structure emphasizes David's action at the forefront, followed by the object (the Levites) and the classifications based on their lineage.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥ם as αὐτοὺς, meaning 'them', which maintains the focus on the Levites being divided. This choice reflects a straightforward interpretation of the Hebrew text.

The word מַחְלְק֑וֹת is rendered as ἐφημερίας, indicating a specific period or division, which aligns with the organizational intent of the verse.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 23:6 tells us that David divided the Levites into groups based on their family lines: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. This organization was important for their roles in worship and service in the temple.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why did David divide the Levites?

David divided the Levites to organize their roles in temple service, ensuring that each family line had specific responsibilities.

What does the term 'divisions' refer to?

The term 'divisions' refers to the specific groups or sections of Levites based on their lineage, facilitating their duties in worship.

Who were the sons of Levi mentioned?

The sons of Levi mentioned are Gershom, Kohath, and Merari, each representing a family line within the tribe of Levi.

What is the significance of the Levites in Israel?

The Levites held a special role in Israel as the tribe designated for temple service, worship, and maintaining the religious practices of the community.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I apply the principle of organization in my own life or community?
  2. What roles do I see in my church or community that could benefit from clearer divisions of responsibility?
  3. In what ways can understanding my lineage or background inform my role in a community?
  4. How does the structure of worship in the Old Testament compare to modern practices?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 23:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi,.... Into three classes, according to the number of them, which follow: namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; see Exodus 6:16.

Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 23 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

David divided them into courses; which he did not by his own invention, but as a man of God, and by the command of God, and with the advice and concurrence of Gad and Nathan the prophets, as is manifest from 29:25.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Chronicles 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Chronicles 23:6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, [namely], Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.Ver. 6. And David divided them into courses.] Into certain ranks and distinct functions, according to the commandment of God by Gad and Nathan. David, at the beginning of his reign, had distinguished the priests and Levites into certain ranks and orders, but now that their number was greatly increased, and they were to serve in the temple that was shortly after to be erected, he ordered all things better, and with greater diligence.

Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6-23) The twenty-four houses of the Levites.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. the sons of Levi] Cp. 1 Chronicles 6:1; 1 Chronicles 6:16.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 23 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

NETBNew English Translation2006

David divided them into groups corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely , Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So Dauid deuided offices vnto them, to wit, to the sonnes of Leui, to Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And David distributeth them into courses: Of the sons of Levi: of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And David distributes them into divisions of the sons of Levi—of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And David divided them into divisions after the sons of Levi, after Gershon, Kehath, and Merari.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He divided them into groups that corresponded to Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And David distributed them into courses by the families of the sons of Levi, to wit, of Gerson, and of Caath, and of Merari.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

David divided them into sections corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And David put them into divisions under the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥heobjectםdivided.themsubjectדָּוִ֖ידDavidadverbialמַחְלְק֑וֹתdivisionsprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseלִ(to).thenoun phraseבְנֵ֣יsonsלֵוִ֔יof.Leviprepositional phraseלְtonoun phraseגֵרְשׁ֖וֹןGershonקְהָ֥תKohathוּandמְרָרִֽיMerari

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement on the core elements of the verse, with only minor differences in wording and structure.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖יד מַחְלְק֑וֹת ס לִבְנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י לְגֵרְשׁ֖וֹן קְהָ֥ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥םαὐτοὺςדָּוִ֖ידδαυιδמַחְלְק֑וֹת סἐφημερίαςלִבְנֵ֣יλευιלֵוִ֔יτῷלְגֵרְשׁ֖וֹןμεραρι

6 of the 8 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.

1 Chronicles 23:6חָלַקand he diviand he divided חָלַקדָּוִדDavidDavidדָּוִדמַחֲלֹ֫קֶתdivisionsdivisionsמַחֲלֹ֫קֶתבֵּן[the] sons [the] sons ofבֵּןלֵוִיLeviLeviלֵוִיגֵּרְשׁוֹןto Gershonto GershonגֵּרְשׁוֹןקְהָתKohathKohathקְהָתמְרָרִיand Merariand Merariמְרָרִיחָלַקto divideto divideחָלַקבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהלָוָהto jointo joinלָוָהגָּרַשׁto drive oto drive out: dגָּרַשׁמָרַרto provoketo provokeמָרַרדּוֹדbelovedbelovedדּוֹדקְהָתKohathKohathקְהָתשָׁלָלspoilspoilשָׁלָלגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלמִזְמוֹרmelodymelodyמִזְמוֹרנָצַחto conductto conductנָצַחשֹׁעֵרgatekeepergatekeeperשֹׁעֵרעֶשְׂרִיםtwentytwentyעֶשְׂרִיםעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןמְרָרִיMerariMerariמְרָרִילִבְנִיLibniLibniלִבְנִייִצְהָרIzharIzharיִצְהָר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Chronicles 23:6

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.

and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥םvai.ye.chal.Kem and he divided them H2505 Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To smooth means to make something slippery or deceitful, like in Proverbs where it warns against flattery. It can also mean to divide or separate something, like an inheritance.
Amplified meaning
to smooth, to make a distinction, descendants of Levi, a tribe of Israel
Tyndale gloss
to divide
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָלַק (chalaq) is a Hebrew verb with two primary meanings: to divide or share, and to be smooth or slippery. It encompasses actions like apportioning, distributing, and even plundering, as well as the state of being smooth. The entries indicate a range of uses in different grammatical forms, including reflexive and passive. Notably, the lexicons also emphasize the figurative use of smoothness in relation to deceit.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָלַק vb. divide, share

Qal

divide, apportion

assign, distribute

assign, impart

share

divide up = plunder the temple

Niph. Impf.

reflex. divide oneself

pass. be divided

trans. assign, distribute

Pi.

divide, apportion

assign, distribute

scatter

Pu. be divided, of land

Hithp. divide land among themselves

Hiph. to receive a portion

base

חָלַק vb. be smooth, slippery

Qal smooth, slippery

Hiph. make smooth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2505a חָלַק divide, share .. divide, apportion

. assign, distribute

. assign, impart

. share

. divide up = plunder the temple

. Impf. . reflex. divide oneself

. pass. be divided

. trans. assign, distribute

. . divide, apportion

. assign, distribute

. scatter

. be divided, of land

. divide land among themselves

. to receive a portion

H2505b חָלַק be smooth, slippery

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2505 chalaq khaw-lak'

a primitive root; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication

(as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or

separate:--deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have,

im-)part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self,

(be) smooth(-er).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָלַק (cha.laq) — to divide.

1) to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to divide, apportion

1a2) to assign, distribute

1a3) to assign, impart

1a4) to share

1a5) to divide up, plunder

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to divide oneself

1b2) to be divided

1b3) to assign, distribute

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to divide, apportion

1c2) to assign, distribute

1c3) to scatter

1d) (Pual) to be divided

1e) (Hiphil) to receive a portion or part

1f) (Hithpael) to divide among themselves

חָלַק (cha.laq) — to smooth.

1) to be smooth, slippery, deceitful

1a) (Qal) to be smooth, slippery

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to be smooth

1b2) to flatter

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffix
Hc/Vqw3ms/Sp3mp
and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
דָּוִ֖ידda.Vid David H1732 Noun proper masculine
1,075× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
David was the youngest son of Jesse and a king of Judah, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17, and an ancestor of Jesus.
Amplified meaning
the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel
Tyndale gloss
David
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known as the youngest son of Jesse. The name means 'beloved' and is associated with a significant lineage, including many siblings and notable descendants like Solomon. The entries highlight his familial connections and historical context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1732 David daw-veed'

rarely (fully); Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730;

loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.

see HEBREW for 01730

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּוִד (da.vid) — David.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I);

brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339);

father of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), 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)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon):

I. NAME AND GENEALOGY

II. EARLY YEARS

1. Shepherd

2. Slinger

3. Harpist

4. Poet

5. Psalmist

6. Tribesman

III. IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL

1. David First Meets Saul

2. His First Exploit

3. Envy of Saul and Flight of David

4. Jonathan and David

IV. DAVID IN EXILE

1. David as Outlaw

2. David Joins the Philistines

V. DAVID AS KING

1. Civil War

2. Conquests Abroad

3. Political Situation

4. The Ark

VI. DOMESTIC LIFE

1. His Wives and Children

2. Domestic Troubles

VII. HIS OFFICIALS

1. Prophets

2. Priests

3. Military Officers

4. Other Officials

5. Mutual Rivalry

VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF DAVID

1. Chronicles

2. Psalms

3. Complex Character

4. Physical Courage

5. Moral Courage

6. Prudence

7. Strategy

8. Nobility

9. David in Relation to His Family

10. David in Relation to His Friends

11. His Success

12. His Foreign Friends

13. Nemesis

Easton's Bible Dictionary

David

Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42).

His early occupation was that of tending his father’s sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd’s flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied scenes spread around him. His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a lion and also a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, (1 Samuel 16:6-10) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was "keeping the sheep," and anoints him. (1 Samuel 16:11-13) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Beloved, the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem B. C. 1085; one of the most remarkable men in either sacred of secular history. His life is fully recorded in 1Sa 16:1 1Ki 2:46. He was "the Lord’s anointed," chosen by God to be king of Israel instead of Saul, and consecrated to that office by the venerable prophet Samuel long before he actually came to the throne, 1Sa 16:1-13, for which God prepared him by the gift of his Spirit, and a long course of vicissitudes and dangers. In his early pastoral life he distinguished himself by his boldness, fidelity, and faith in God; and while yet a youth was summoned to court, as one expert in music, valiant, prudent in behavior, and comely in person. He…

and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
מַחְלְק֑וֹת סmach.le.Kot divisions H4256 Noun common · feminine plural absolute
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A division or section of people, including soldiers, priests, and Levites, as described in the Bible's accounts of the Israelites' military and priestly organizations.
Amplified meaning
sections, courses, or groups
Tyndale gloss
division
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַחֲלֹ֫קֶת (machaloqeth) refers to a division or course, often in the context of Levites, priests, or soldiers. It denotes a section or allotment, and is primarily used in a technical sense within religious or organizational structures. The term is derived from another Hebrew word, and its Aramaic equivalent is noted as well.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַחֲלֹ֫קֶת n.f. division, course (almost wholly Chr.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4256 מַחֲלֹ֫קֶת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4256 machaloqeth makh-al-o'-keth

from 2505; a section (of Levites, people or

soldiers):--company, course, division, portion. See also

5555.

see HEBREW for 02505

see HEBREW for 05555

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַחֲלֹ֫קֶת (ma.cha.lo.qet) — division.

1) division, course, class, share, allotment

1a) division, part

1b) division, class, course

1b1) of priests, Levites (technical term of organisation)

Aramaic equivalent: mach.le.qah (מַחְלְקָה "class" H4255)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absolute
HNcfpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- Forbidden in the church

1Co 1:10

- Condemned in the church

1Co 1:11-13; 11:18

- Unbecoming in the church

1Co 12:24,25

- ARE CONTRARY TO THE

. Unity of Christ

1Co 1:13; 12:13

. Desire of Christ

Joh 17:21-23

. Purpose of Christ

Joh 10:16

. Spirit of the church

1Co 11:16

- Are proof of a carnal spirit

1Co 3:3

- Avoid those who cause

Ro 16:17

- Evil of, illustrated

Mt 12:25

and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
לִבְנֵ֣יliv.Nei [the] sons of H1121 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendants, or family lines
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
HR/Ncmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SON, SONS.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
לֵוִ֔יle.Vi Levi H3878 Noun proper masculine
59× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Levi was a son of Jacob and Leah, mentioned in Genesis 29:34. He was a brother of Reuben, Simeon, and Judah, and the father of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi's name is significant in the tribe of Levi.
Tyndale gloss
Levi
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֵוִי (Levi) refers to a man from the tribe of Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The name means 'attached' or 'joined to.' He is the father of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and is first mentioned in Genesis 29:34. The entries indicate his significance as the progenitor of the Levites.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֵוִי n.pr.m. Levi

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3878 לֵוִי Levi

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3878 Leviy lay-vee'

from 3867; attached; Levi, a son of Jacob:--Levi. See also

3879, 3881.

see HEBREW for 03867

see HEBREW for 03879

see HEBREW for 03881

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֵוִי (le.vi) — Levi.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.34;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115)

§ Levi = "joined to"

the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Levi

Adhesion. (1.) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah’s words (Gen. 29:34), “This time will my husband be joined [Heb. yillaveh] unto me.” He is mentioned as taking a prominent part in avenging his sister Dinah (Gen. 34:25-31). He and his three sons went down with Jacob (46:11) into Egypt, where he died at the age of one hundred and thirty-seven years (Ex. 6:16).

(2.) The father of Matthat, and son of Simeon, of the ancestors of Christ (Luke 3:29).

(3.) Luke 3:24.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(joined). The name of the third son of Jacob by his wife Leah. (B.C. about 1753.) The name, derived from lavah , "to adhere," gave utterance to the hope of the mother that the affections of her husband, which had hitherto rested on the favored Rachel, would at last be drawn to her: "This time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons." (Genesis 29:34) Levi, with his brother Simeon, avenged with a cruel slaughter the outrage of their sister Dinah. [DINAH] Levi, with his three sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari, went down to Egypt with his father Jacob. (Genesis 47:11) When Jacob’s death draws near, and the sons are gathered round him, Levi and Simeon hear the old crime brought up again to receive its sentence. They no less than Reuben, the incestuous…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The third son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia; and father of three sons, and of Jochebed the mother of Moses, Ge 29:34 Ex 6:16-20. For his share in the treacherous massacre of the Shechemites, Ge 34:1-31, his father at death foreboded evil to his posterity, Ge 49:5-7; but as they afterwards stood forth on the Lord’s side, Moses was charged to bless them, Ex 32:26-29 De 33:8-11. The tribe of Levi was, according to Jacob’s prediction, scattered over all Israel, having no share in the cities in the portions of other tribes. All the tithes, first fruits, and…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

associated with him

and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
לְגֵרְשׁ֖וֹןle.ge.re.Shon to Gershon H1648 Preposition · noun proper masculine
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gershon was a son of Levi and an ancestor of the tribe of Levi, which played a key role in the priesthood and worship of the Israelites. He is mentioned in books like Genesis and Chronicles, and his name means 'exile'.
Tyndale gloss
Gershon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֵּרְשׁוֹן (Gershon) refers to the son of Levi, a figure from the Israelite tribes. The name is associated with the meaning 'refugee' or 'exile.' He is first mentioned in Genesis 46:11 and is noted as the brother of Kohath and Merari, and the father of Libni and Shimei. Gershon is also referred to as Gershom in several passages.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֵּרְשׁוֹן n.pr.m. son of Levi

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1648 גֵּרְשׁוֹן son of Levi

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1648 Gershown gay-resh-one'

or Gershowm {gay-resh-ome'}; from 1644; a refugee; Gereshon

or Gereshom, an Israelite:--Gershon, Gershom.

see HEBREW for 01644

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גֵּרְשׁוֹן (ge.re.shon) — Gershon.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11;

son of: Levi (H3878);

brother of: Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115);

father of: Libni (H3845) and Shimei (H8096); also called Gershom at 1Ch.6.16,17,20,43,62,71; 15.7;

§ Gershon or Gershom = "exile"

firstborn son of Levi born before Jacob's family went to Egypt

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Npm — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gershon

=Ger’shom expulsion, the eldest of Levi’s three sons (Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16).

In the wilderness the sons of Gershon had charge of the fabrics of the tabernacle when it was moved from place to place, the curtains, veils, tent-hangings (Num. 3: 21-26). Thirteen Levitical cities fell to the lot of the Gershonites (Josh. 21:27-33).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(exile). The eldest of the three sons of Levi, born before the descent of Jacob’s family into Egypt. (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16) (B.C. before 1706.) But, though the eldest born, the families of Gershon were outstripped in fame by their younger brethren of Kohath, from whom sprang Moses and the priestly line of Aaron.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The eldest son of Levi, and head of one of the three branches of the Levitical tribe, Ge 46:11; Ex 6:16. The Gershonites encamped west of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and carried its curtains and other parts form station to station, Nu 3:17,25; 4:24-28,38- 41; 10:17. Thirteen cities were assigned to them in northern Canaan, Jos 21:6; 1Ch 6:62,71.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

his banishment; the change of pilgrimage

and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
קְהָ֥תke.Hat Kohath H6955 Noun proper masculine
32× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Kohath was a man from the tribe of Levi, son of Levi and brother of Gershon and Merari, first mentioned in Genesis 46:11. He was the father of Amram and others. His name means assembly.
Amplified meaning
the second son of Levi
Tyndale gloss
Kohath
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קְהָת (Qhath) refers to Kohath, a son of Levi and an important figure in the Israelite lineage. He is noted as the progenitor of a family within the tribe of Levi, with connections to other significant figures such as Gershon and Merari. The name is associated with the concept of assembly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קְהָת 30 n.pr.m. son of Levi

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6955 קְהָת son of Levi

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6955 Qhath keh-hawth'

from an unused root meaning to ally oneself; allied; Kehath,

an Israelite:--Kohath.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קְהָת (qe.hat) — Kohath.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11;

son of: Levi (H3878);

brother of: Gershon (H1648), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115);

father of: Amram (H6019), Izhar (H3324), Hebron (H2275B) and Uzziel (H5816)

Also named: qo.ha.ti (קְהָתִי "Kohathite" H6956)

§ Kohath = "assembly"

the 2nd of the 3 sons of Levi and progenitor of a family in the tribe of Levi

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Kohath

Assembly, the second son of Levi, and father of Amram (Gen. 46:11). He came down to Egypt with Jacob, and lived to the age of one hundred and thirty-three years (Ex. 6:18).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(assembly), second of the three sons of Levi, from whom the three principal divisions of the Levites derived their origin and their name. (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16) In the journeyings of the tabernacle of the sons of Kohath (Kohathites) had charge of the most holy portions of the vessels. (Numbers 4:1) ... Of the personal history of Kohath we know nothing, except that he came down to Egypt with Levi and Jacob, (Genesis 46:11) that his sister was Jochebed, (Exodus 6:20) and that he lived to the age of 133 years. (Exodus 6:18) (B.C. about 1491.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Son of Levi, Ge 46:11, and father of the Kohathites, who were appointed to carry the ark and sacred utensils of the tabernacle during the journeyings of the Israelites in the desert, Ex 6:16- 24; Nu 4:4-15.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

congregation; wrinkle; bluntness

and he divided them David divisions [the] sons of Levi to Gershon Kohath and Merari
וּמְרָרִֽי׃ סu.me.ra.Ri and Merari H4847 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Merari was a man in the Bible, the third son of Levi and head of a family of Levites. His name means 'bitter' and he's mentioned in Genesis as an ancestor of the tribe of Levi.
Amplified meaning
the third son of Levi, meaning'bitter'
Tyndale gloss
Merari
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְרָרִי (Merari) refers to a son of Levi and the head of a prominent Levitical family. The name is derived from a root meaning 'bitter.' Merari is mentioned in the context of the Israelite tribes, specifically in Genesis 46:11, and is noted as the brother of Gershon and Kohath, and the father of Mahli and Mushi.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְרָרִי n.pr.m. a son of Levi, and head of a chief Levit. family

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4847 מְרָרִי a son of Levi, and head of a chief Levit. family

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4847 Mrariy mer-aw-ree'

from 4843; bitter; Merari, an Israelite:--Merari. See also

4848.

see HEBREW for 04843

see HEBREW for 04848

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְרָרִי (me.ra.ri) — Merari.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11;

son of: Levi (H3878);

brother of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955) and Jochebed (H3115);

father of: Mahli (H4249), Mushi (H4187) and Jaaziah (H3269)

Also named: me.ra.ri (מְרָרִי "Merari" H4848)

§ Merari = "bitter"

the 3rd son of Levi and head of a Levitical family

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

me-ra'-ri (merari, "bitter"; Mararei):

(1) The 3rd son of Levi, his brothers, Gershon and Kohath, being always mentioned together with him (Ge 46:11; Ex 6:16). He was among those 70 who went down to Egypt with Jacob (Ge 46:8,11; compare 46:26 and Ex 1:5).

(2) The family of Merari, descendants of above, and always (with one exception, for which see MERARITES) spoken of as "sons of Merari" in numerous references, such as 1Ch 6:1,16,19,29, which only repeat without additional information the references to be found in the body of this article. We early find them divided into two families, the Mahli and Mushi (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The youngest of Levi’s three sons, born in Canaan, and head of a family of the Levites, Ge 46:11; Ex 6:16; Nu 3:17; 1Ch 6:1. In the journey through the wilderness they were charged with the framework of the tabernacle, to carry from one place of encampment to another, and there set it up, Nu 4:29-33; 7:8. Twelve cities were assigned to them beyond Jordan, Jos 21:7,34-40.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

bitter; to provoke

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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