1 Chronicles 24:21 — Word Study
WLCלִרְחַבְיָ֑הוּ לִבְנֵ֣י רְחַבְיָ֔הוּ הָרֹ֖אשׁ יִשִּׁיָּֽה׃
BSAAs for RehabiahRᵉchabyâh [son of Eliezer, grandson of Moses] from his sonsbên [descendants, family lineage] The firstrôʼsh [chief, head] [was] IsshiahYishshîyâh [Jehovah will lend, a Korhite warrior]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לִרְחַבְיָ֑הוּ | for Rehabiah | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| לִבְנֵ֣י | of [the] sons of | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| רְחַבְיָ֔הוּ | Rehabiah | Noun proper masculine |
| הָרֹ֖אשׁ | the chief | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יִשִּׁיָּֽה׃ | Isshiah | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | As for Rehabiah, from his sons: The first was Isshiah. |
| KJV | Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah. |
| ASV | Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. |
| YLT | For Rehabiah: for sons of Rehabiah, the head Ishshiah. |
| WEB | Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. |
| BBE | Of Rehabiah; of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. |
Where they part company is in the additional details about Rehabiah's lineage and significance — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause introducing Rehabiah and two phrases detailing his lineage and the identification of his first son.
4 commentators on this verse
Poole, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיִשִּׁיָּה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 24:21
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 Genealogy of the Levitesgenerated
1 Chronicles 24:21 lists the descendants of Levi, specifically highlighting Rehabiah and his son Isshiah. This genealogy serves to establish the lineage and roles of the Levites in Israel's worship and service, emphasizing their importance in the religious life of the nation. The context illustrates the structured organization of the Levite families, as seen in other genealogical accounts throughout the Scriptures.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 23:17 | The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous. |
| 2 | 1 Chronicles 26:25 | His relatives through Eliezer included Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רְחַבְיָהוּ, lir.chav.Ya.hugenerated
The name רְחַבְיָה (Rehabiah) means 'Jehovah has enlarged' and refers to a male figure from the tribe of Levi, specifically the son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses. His name reflects a divine blessing of growth or increase, significant for his lineage.
Rehabiah is mentioned in genealogies, indicating his role within the Levitical priesthood. The parsing shows he is a proper masculine noun, identifying him as an individual of importance in the Israelite community.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is implied in the structure, with the main clause introducing Rehabiah and his descendants. The sentence is organized with prepositional phrases indicating relationships and a noun phrase that identifies Isshiah as the first son.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes Rehabiah's role as the subject, followed by his sons, which illustrates the familial hierarchy within the Levite lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates רְחַבְיָה as ρααβια, indicating a direct correspondence in naming. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of Rehabiah's identity across both Hebrew and Greek texts.
The LXX does not provide a complete sentence structure but aligns closely with the Hebrew in naming and lineage, reinforcing the continuity of the genealogical record.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 24:21 tells us that Rehabiah is a descendant of Eliezer and Moses, and he had a son named Isshiah. This genealogy highlights the importance of their family line within the tribe of Levi, which played a crucial role in the worship and service of God in Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Rehabiah was a Levite, the son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses, whose lineage is important in the context of Israel's priesthood.
Isshiah means 'Jehovah will lend' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including a Korhite warrior.
Genealogy establishes the lineage and roles of individuals within the community, especially in relation to the priesthood and God's covenant people.
This verse connects to other genealogies, such as in 1 Chronicles 23:17, showing the continuity of the Levitical line and its significance in Israel's history.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the lineage of Rehabiah about the importance of family in our spiritual lives?
- How does understanding the genealogy of the Levites enhance our appreciation for their role in worship?
- In what ways can we see God's hand in the growth and development of our own families?
- How might we apply the lessons from the lives of figures like Rehabiah and Isshiah in our own faith journeys?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 24:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleRehabiah, the son of Eliezer, . The first was Jeshiah, by birth or place.
Read Matthew Poole on 1 Chronicles 24 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Chronicles 24:21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first [was] Isshiah.Ver. 21. Rehabiah.] Famous for his πολυτεκνια. He had many children; and if all good, it was a great happiness, a great wonder.
Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 24 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons.—For Rehabiah: for the sons of Rehabiah, the chief (head) was Isshiah. 1 Chronicles 23:17 only says that the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 24 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21. Concerning Rehabiah] R.V. Of Rehabiah. He (like Shubael) was descended from Moses; 1 Chronicles 23:15-17.
Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 24 →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
As for Rehabiah, from his sons: The first was Isshiah.
Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief.
As for Rehabiah, from his sons: The first was Isshiah.
the firstborn Isshiah from Rehabiah and the sons of Rehabiah,
Tyndale line
Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.
Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief.
Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief.
Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.
Of Rehabiah. euen of the sonnes of Rehabiah, the first Isshiiah,
Strictly literal
Of Rehabiah, of the sons of Rehabiah, the head was Jishijah.
For Rehabiah: for sons of Rehabiah, the head Ishshiah.
Of Rehabiah, of sons of Rehabiah: the head Ishshiah.
Concerning Rechabyahu, of the sons of Rechabyahu the chief was Yishiyah.
As for Rehabiah, the sons of Rehabiah: Ishijah the leader.
From the Latin
Also of the sons of Rohobia the chief Jesias.
Simplified
For Rehabiah, from his sons: Isshiah (first).
Of Rehabiah; of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief.
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 and the Septuagint agree on the core names and relationships in this verse, with the Septuagint reflecting a similar structure but differing in word order. The essential details about Rehabiah and Isshiah remain intact across both texts.
לִרְחַבְיָ֑הוּ לִבְנֵ֣י רְחַבְיָ֔הוּ הָרֹ֖אשׁ יִשִּׁיָּֽה׃
3 of the 5 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 24:21
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.
רְחַבְיָה (Rechabyah) means 'Jehovah has enlarged' and refers to a male figure from the tribe of Levi, specifically the son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses. The name appears in contexts related to genealogies, notably in 1 Chronicles 23:17. It is built from the roots meaning 'to be wide' and 'Yah' (short for Jehovah).
רְחַבְיָה(וּ) n.pr.m. son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses
base
H7345 רְחַבְיָה(וּ), רְחַבְיָה, רְחַבְיָהוּ
7345 Rchabyah rekh-ab-yaw'
or Rchabyahuw {rek-ab-yaw'-hoo}; from 7337 and 3050; Jah has
enlarged; Rechabjah, an Israelite:--Rehabiah.
see HEBREW for 07337
see HEBREW for 03050
רְחַבְיָהוּ (re.chav.yah) — Rehabiah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at 1Ch.23.17;
son of: Eliezer (H0461H);
father of: Isshiah (H3449J)
§ Rehabiah = "Jehovah has enlarged"
the only son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
re-ha-bi'-a (rechabhyah, rechabhyahu, "Yah is wide"): Son of Eliezer, and grandson of Moses. Eponym of a Levitical family (1Ch 23:17; 24, 21; 26:25).
Rehabiah
Enlargement of the Lord, the son of Eliezer, and grandson of Moses (1 Chr. 23:17; 24:21).
(enlarged by Jehovah), the only son of Eliezer the son of Moses. (1 Chronicles 23:17; 24:21; 26:25) (B.C. about 1455.)
A grandson of Moses, and the only son of Eliezer; his numerous posterity are mentioned as betokening the divine favor, 1Ch 23:17.
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.
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
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
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
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)
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
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…
רְחַבְיָה (Rechabyah) means 'Jehovah has enlarged' and refers to a male figure from the tribe of Levi, specifically the son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses. The name appears in contexts related to genealogies, notably in 1 Chronicles 23:17. It is built from the roots meaning 'to be wide' and 'Yah' (short for Jehovah).
רְחַבְיָה(וּ) n.pr.m. son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses
base
H7345 רְחַבְיָה(וּ), רְחַבְיָה, רְחַבְיָהוּ
7345 Rchabyah rekh-ab-yaw'
or Rchabyahuw {rek-ab-yaw'-hoo}; from 7337 and 3050; Jah has
enlarged; Rechabjah, an Israelite:--Rehabiah.
see HEBREW for 07337
see HEBREW for 03050
רְחַבְיָהוּ (re.chav.yah) — Rehabiah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at 1Ch.23.17;
son of: Eliezer (H0461H);
father of: Isshiah (H3449J)
§ Rehabiah = "Jehovah has enlarged"
the only son of Eliezer and grandson of Moses
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
re-ha-bi'-a (rechabhyah, rechabhyahu, "Yah is wide"): Son of Eliezer, and grandson of Moses. Eponym of a Levitical family (1Ch 23:17; 24, 21; 26:25).
Rehabiah
Enlargement of the Lord, the son of Eliezer, and grandson of Moses (1 Chr. 23:17; 24:21).
(enlarged by Jehovah), the only son of Eliezer the son of Moses. (1 Chronicles 23:17; 24:21; 26:25) (B.C. about 1455.)
A grandson of Moses, and the only son of Eliezer; his numerous posterity are mentioned as betokening the divine favor, 1Ch 23:17.
רֹאשׁ (ro'sh) means 'head' and encompasses various meanings related to position and rank. It can refer to the head of a person or animal, the top of a mountain, or a chief in various contexts, such as a city or nation. The word also signifies beginnings and sums, appearing in phrases related to enumeration. Additionally, it serves as a proper noun for 'Rosh,' a title for a chief or prince.
רֹאשׁ 599 n.m.
(c. 230 t.) head, of human being
head, of animals
top (88 t.)
height, of stars
head = chief (man)
= chief (city)
chief nation
= chief (place, position)
= chief priest
= head of a family
head = front, leader's place
of time, beginning, of night watch
of things, river-heads
chief, choicest, best, of spices
head = division of army, company, band
= sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate
other phr.
base
רֹאשׁ n.pr.gent. Rôsh
base
H7218a רֹאשׁ . . (c. 230 t.) head, of human being
. head, of animals
. . top (88 t.)
. height, of stars
. . head = chief (man)
. = chief (city)
. chief nation
. = chief (place, position)
. = chief priest
. = head of a family
. . head = front, leader's place
. of time, beginning, of night watch
. of things, river-heads
. chief, choicest, best, of spices
. head = division of army, company, band
. = sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate
. other phr.
H7218b רֹאשׁ n. pr. gent. Rôsh
7218 ro'sh roshe
from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as
most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many
applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning,
captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company,
end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head,
height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor,
principal, ruler, sum, top.
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head.
: head
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
1b) top, tip (of mountain)
1c) height (of stars)
1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)
1e) head, front, beginning
1f) chief, choicest, best
1g) head, division, company, band
1h) sum
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — prince.
Rosh, a tite for a chief or prince
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: leader.
: leader
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
1b) top, tip (of mountain)
1c) height (of stars)
1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)
1e) head, front, beginning
1f) chief, choicest, best
1g) head, division, company, band
1h) sum
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: top.
: top/best
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
chef: The English word is in the King James Version of Old Testament the translation of some 17 different Hebrew words, most frequently of ro'sh, "head," sar, "prince," and re'shith, "beginning." The principal changes made by the Revised Version (British and American) are:
(1) Hebrew beth'abh, "house of a father," being recognized as a technical term denoting a subdivision of a tribe, ro'sh is rendered literally "head," when it occurs in connection with this phrase, so that "chief fathers" (Num 31:26) and "chief of the fathers" (Ezr 1:5) become "heads of fathers' houses";
(2) Hebrew naghidh and nasi' are more accurately translated "prince" in such passages as 1Ch 5:2; Nu 3:32;
יִשִּׁיָּהוּ (Yishshiyah) means "Jehovah will lend" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including warriors, Levites, and a man from the tribe of Issachar. The entries note that he is mentioned in contexts related to David's time and the Divided Monarchy, with references to 1 Chronicles. The name appears in various forms, such as Ishiah and Jesiah.
יִשִּׁיָּהוּ, יִשִּׁיָּה n.pr.m.
one of David’s heroes
a man of Issachar
Levites
one of those strange wives
base
H3449 יִשִּׁיָּהוּ, יִשִּׁיָּה
3449 Yishshiyah yish-shee-yaw'
or Yishshiyahuw {yish-shee-yaw'-hoo}; from 5383 and 3050; Jah
will lend; Jishshijah, the name of five Israelites:--Ishiah,
Isshiah, Ishijah, Jesiah.
see HEBREW for 05383
see HEBREW for 03050
יִשִּׁיָּהוּ (yish.shiy.yah) — Isshiah.
A man of the tribe of Issachar living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.3;
son of: Izrahiah (H3156);
brother of: Michael (H4317K), Obadiah (H5662I) and Joel (H3100L)
§ Ishiah or Ishijah or Jesiah = "Jehovah will lend"
1) a Korhite, one of David's mighty warriors who joined him at Ziklag
2) the 5th of 5 sons of Izrahiah and one of the heads of the tribe of Issachar in the time of David
3) a Levite, the 2nd son of Uzziel and grandson of Kohath
4) another Levite, son of Rehabiah
5) a descendant of Harim who had a foreign wife
יִשִּׁיָּהוּ (yish.shiy.yah) — Isshiah.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.6
§ Ishiah or Ishijah or Jesiah = "Jehovah will lend"
1) a Korhite, one of David's mighty warriors who joined him at Ziklag
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm