1 Chronicles 25:14 — Word Study
WLCהַשְּׁבִעִ֣י יְשַׂרְאֵ֔לָה בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
BSAthe seventhshᵉbîyʻîy to JesarelahYᵉsarʼêlâh△ his sonsbên [descendants, offspring] and his brothersʼâch [male siblings, relatives, a dozen, twelve] 12 [in all]shᵉnayim
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַשְּׁבִעִ֣י | the seventh | Particle |
| יְשַׂרְאֵ֔לָה | Jesharelah | Noun proper masculine |
| בָּנָ֥יו | sons his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וְאֶחָ֖יו | and relatives his | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| שְׁנֵ֥ים | two [plus] | Noun common, both dual absolute |
| עָשָֽׂר׃ | ten | Noun common, both singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the seventh to Jesarelah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all; |
| KJV | The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: |
| ASV | the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: |
| YLT | the seventh [to] Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; |
| WEB | the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
| BBE | The seventh Jesharelah, with his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
Where they part company is in the rendering of names and numbers — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause introduces the division, followed by two subjects and a numeral phrase indicating the total count.
2 commentators on this verse
Gill, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word 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 25:14
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 Division of Musiciansgenerated
1 Chronicles 25:14 is part of a larger passage that lists the divisions of the Levitical musicians. Each division is assigned a leader and a number of participants, emphasizing the organization of worship in ancient Israel. This particular verse identifies Jesharelah as the leader of the seventh division, along with his sons and brothers, totaling twelve musicians.
Cross References
The Key Word — יְשַׂרְאֵלָה, ye.sar.'E.lahgenerated
The name יְשַׂרְאֵלָה (ye.sar.'E.lah) refers to a Levite and son of Asaph, who played a significant role in the music ministry during the time of David. His name suggests a meaning related to being 'upright' or 'righteous' before God.
As a proper noun, it indicates a specific individual rather than a common concept. Jesharelah's mention in this context highlights the importance of musical leadership in the temple service.
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 structure of the verse is straightforward, with the main subject being the seventh division led by יְשַׂרְאֵלָה (Jesharelah). The phrase includes his sons and brothers, followed by the total number of participants, which is indicated by the numeral phrase.
The finite verb is implied in the context, as the verse lists the divisions rather than describing actions, making it a descriptive enumeration.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְשַׂרְאֵלָה as ισεριηλ, which retains the name's identity but does not provide additional interpretive nuance. This choice shows a direct correspondence to the Hebrew without expanding its meaning.
The Septuagint's rendering indicates a focus on maintaining the original names and structure from the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 25:14 tells us that the seventh division of musicians was led by Jesharelah, who had twelve sons and brothers in total. This verse highlights the organization of the Levites in their musical roles during worship.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Jesharelah was a Levite and son of Asaph, responsible for leading one of the divisions of musicians in the temple service.
The number twelve represents the total count of Jesharelah's sons and brothers, indicating a complete division of musicians.
The organization of musicians reflects the structured approach to worship in ancient Israel, highlighting the significance of music in religious practices.
This verse is part of a detailed account of the Levitical duties and divisions, emphasizing the roles of the Levites in temple worship and the importance of music in the community.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of organization in worship from this passage?
- How does Jesharelah's role as a leader reflect on the responsibilities of those in ministry today?
- In what ways can music enhance our worship experience?
- How do the numbers in this verse reflect the community and family structure of the Levites?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 25:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleVer. 14 [See comments on 1 Chronicles 25:9]
Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 25 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 14. Jesharelah] Supposed to be the same with Uzziel, son of Heman.
Read AdamClarke on 1 Chronicles 25 →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
the seventh to Jesarelah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;
the seventh to Jesarelah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
the seventh to Jesharelah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
Tyndale line
The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
The seventh to Jesharelah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The seuenth, to Iesharelah, he, his sonnes and his brethren twelue.
Strictly literal
The seventh to Jesharelah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
the seventh [to] Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
the seventh, Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers—twelve;
The seventh was Jessarelah, his sons, and his brethren, being twelve;
the seventh fell to Jesarelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;
From the Latin
The seventh to Isreela, to his sons and his brethren twelve.
Simplified
The seventh fell to Jesarelah, his sons and his brothers, 12 in total.
The seventh Jesharelah, with his sons and his brothers, twelve;
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 all six words of this verse, confirming the accuracy of the transmission of this particular text across both traditions.
הַשְּׁבִעִ֣י יְשַׂרְאֵ֔לָה בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
6 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 25:14
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.
שְׁבִיעִי (shbiy`iy) is an ordinal adjective meaning 'seventh.' It has masculine and feminine forms, שְׁבִיעִי for masculine and שְׁבִיעִית for feminine. The word is derived from the root meaning associated with the number seven, covering its use as a numerical order.
שְׁבִיעִי m. שְׁבִיעִית f. 97 adj.num.ord. seventh
base
H7637 שְׁבִיעִי m. שְׁבִיעִית f. adj. num. ord. seventh
7637 shbiy`iy sheb-ee-ee'
or shbi iy {sheb-ee-ee'}; ordinal from 7657;
seventh:--seventh (time).
see HEBREW for 07657
שְׁבִיעִי (she.vi.i) — seventh.
1) seventh
1a) ordinal number
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aomsa
יְשַׂרְאֵ֫לָה (*Ysar'elah*) refers to Jesharelah, a Levite and son of Asaph, known for leading a course of musicians during the Divided Monarchy. The name suggests a meaning related to being 'upright' before God. He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 25:2 and also referred to as Asharelah.
יְשַׂרְאֵ֫לָה n.pr.m. a son of Asaph
base
H3480 יְשַׂרְאֵ֫לָה
3480 Ysar'elah yes-ar-ale'-aw
by variation from 3477 and 410 with directive enclitic; right
towards God; Jesarelah, an Israelite:--Jesharelah.
see HEBREW for 03477
see HEBREW for 0410
יְשַׂרְאֵ֫לָה (ye.sar.e.lah) — Jesharelah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.25.2;
son of: Asaph (H0623H);
brother of: Zaccur (H2139J), Joseph (H3130I) and Nethaniah (H5418H); also called Jesharelah at 1Ch.25.14;
Another name of a.sar.e.lah (אֲשַׂרְאֵ֫לָה "Asharelah" H0841)
§ Jesharelah = "these are upright"
a Levite and son of Asaph and leader of the 7th course of the musicians
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
jesh-a-re'-la (yesar'elah, meaning doubtful): One of the (or probably a family of) Levitical musicians (1Ch 25:14), called "Asharelah" in verse 2. The names should be written "Asarelah" and "Jesarelah."
Jesharelah
Upright towards God, the head of the seventh division of Levitical musicians (1 Chr. 25:14).
(right before God), son of Asaph, and head of the seventh of the twenty-four wards into which the musicians of the Levites were divided. (1 Chronicles 25:14) [ASARELAH] (B.C. 1014).
→ A Levite, choral leader 1Ch 25:14
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)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.
אָח 630 n.m. brother
brother, born of same mother (& father)
indef. = relative
fig. of resemblance
in phr. one … another
base
H251 אָח brother
251 'ach awkh
a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of
literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance
(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.
Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".
see HEBREW for 01
אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.
: male-sibling
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.
: male-relative
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.
: compatriot
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
Conj | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.
שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two
base
H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two
8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim
dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also
(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +
twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
see HEBREW for 08145
שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.
1) two
1a) two (the cardinal number)
1a1) two, both, double, twice
1b) second (the ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
1d) both (a dual number)
Adj — Noun common · both dual absoluteHNcbda
עָשָׂר (asar) means 'ten' and is used exclusively in combination with other numbers to form the teen numbers (11-19), both as cardinal and ordinal forms. The entries indicate that it is derived from another Hebrew root, but do not elaborate on its etymology.
עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
base
H6240 עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
6240 `asar aw-sawr'
for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also
(ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-,
six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, +
twelve(-th).
see HEBREW for 06235
עָשָׂר (a.sar) — ten.
1) ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers)
1a) used only in combination to make the numbers 11-19
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa