1 Chronicles 25:20 — Word Study
WLCלִשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ שֽׁוּבָאֵ֔ל בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
BSAthe thirteenthshâlôwsh [thirteenth in order, the thirteenth position] to ShubaelShᵉbûwʼêl [Shebuel, a Levite] his sonsbên [descendants, offspring] and his brothersʼâch [male siblings, relatives, a dozen, twelve in total] 12 [in all]shᵉnayim
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לִשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה | for thir- | Preposition, noun common both singular absolute |
| עָשָׂר֙ | teen | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| שֽׁוּבָאֵ֔ל | Shubael | 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 thirteenth to Shubael, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all; |
| KJV | The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: |
| ASV | for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve: |
| YLT | at the thirteenth [to] Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve; |
| WEB | for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
| BBE | The thirteenth Shubael, with his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
Where they part company is in the rendering of the name שׁוּבָאֵל — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause introduces Shubael, with additional phrases providing context about his family and the total number involved.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectשׁוּבָאֵל
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 25:20
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 Temple Musiciansgenerated
1 Chronicles 25:20 lists the thirteenth division of the Levitical musicians, specifically naming Shubael and his family. This verse is part of a larger section that organizes the musicians into twenty-four divisions, each with specific roles in the temple worship, emphasizing the importance of order and structure in the service of God.
Cross References
The Key Word — שׁוּבָאֵל, shu.va.'Elgenerated
The name שׁוּבָאֵל (*Shubael*) refers to a Levite, specifically a descendant of Heman. The name can mean 'captive of God' and highlights his role within the Levitical order.
As a proper noun, it identifies Shubael as a significant figure among the Levites, contributing to the temple's musical tradition and lineage.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses Shubael for the Hebrew name.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is centered around the numeral phrase indicating the thirteenth position, which governs the rest of the sentence: שׁוּבָאֵל, Shubael, followed by his sons and brothers.
The structure emphasizes the order of the musicians, with the numeral phrase clearly marking the thirteenth position and the family relationships following.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שׁוּבָאֵל as σουβαηλ, maintaining the name's integrity while adapting it to Greek phonetics. This choice reflects a direct borrowing rather than a reinterpretation.
Such a translation choice indicates continuity in the identification of Shubael across both Hebrew and Greek texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 25:20 tells us that Shubael, along with his sons and brothers, is designated as the thirteenth group of musicians in the temple. This group totals twelve individuals, emphasizing the organization of the Levitical musicians.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Shubael was a Levite mentioned in the context of temple musicians, specifically as the thirteenth in the order of musicians serving in the temple.
The number twelve signifies completeness and organization, often representing the twelve tribes of Israel, and here it indicates the total number of Shubael's family in the musical service.
The order of musicians reflects the structured approach to worship in the temple, ensuring that each family had a designated role in serving God through music.
This verse connects to the broader theme in Chronicles of organizing the Levitical priesthood and their duties, highlighting the importance of worship and service in Israel.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can I learn from the organization of the Levites in serving God?
- How does understanding the roles of individuals like Shubael enhance my appreciation for worship?
- In what ways can I contribute to the order and structure of worship in my community?
- What significance does the number twelve hold in my understanding of God's promises?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 25:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleVer. 20 [See comments on 1 Chronicles 25:9]
Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 25 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) The thirteenth to Shubael.—The Hebrew is, to thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve; and so in the next verse. The meaning seems to be: as to, or as regards, the thirteenth. Shubael (Shebuel) has occurred before (1 Chronicles 23:16; 1 Chronicles 24:20).
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 25 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. Shubael] Called Shebuel, 1 Chronicles 25:4.
Read Cambridge 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 thirteenth to Shubael, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve;
the thirteenth to Shubael, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
Tyndale line
The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
The thirteenth to Shubael, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The thirteenth, to Shubael, he, his sonnes and his brethren twelue.
Strictly literal
The thirteenth to Shubael; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
at the thirteenth [to] Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers—twelve;
The thirteenth was Shuhael, his sons, and his brethren, being twelve;
the thirteenth fell to Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;
From the Latin
The thirteenth to Subael, to his sons and his brethren twelve.
Simplified
The thirteenth fell to Shubael, his sons and his brothers, 12 in total.
The thirteenth Shubael, 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 largely agree on the content of this verse, with five of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the essential information remains consistent.
לִשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ שֽׁוּבָאֵ֔ל בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
5 of the 7 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 25:20
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.
The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.
שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad
base
H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad
7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'
or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};
or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;
occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,
+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.
Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07991
שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.
1) three, triad
1a) 3, 300, third
Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)
Prep | Adj — Preposition · noun common both singular absoluteHR/Ncbsa
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
שְׁבוּאֵל (Shbuw'el or Shuwael) means "captive of God" and refers to two individuals from the tribe of Levi. One is the son of Gershom and grandson of Moses, while the other is one of Heman's sons. Both are also called Shubael in some contexts.
שְׁבוּאֵל, שְׁבֻאֵל n.pr.m. son of Gershom
base
H7619 שְׁבוּאֵל, שְׁבֻאֵל, שׁוּבָאֵל
7619 Shbuw'el sheb-oo-ale'
or Shuwbanel {shoo-baw-ale'}; from 7617 (abbrev.) or 7725 and
410; captive (or returned) of God; Shebuel or Shubael, the
name of two Israelites:--Shebuel, Shubael.
see HEBREW for 07617
see HEBREW for 07725
see HEBREW for 0410
שְׁבוּאֵל (she.vu.el) — Shebuel.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at 1Ch.23.16;
son of: Gershom (H1647);
father of: Jehdeiah (H3165); also called Shubael at 1Ch.24.20;
§ Shebuel or Shubael = "captive of God"
1) son of Gershom and grandson of Moses
2) one of the 14 sons of Heman the musician
שְׁבוּאֵל (she.vu.el) — Shebuel.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.25.4;
son of: Heman (H1968I);
brother of: Bukkiah (H1232), Mattaniah (H4983H), Uzziel (H5816J), Jerimoth (H3406L), Hananiah (H2608P), Hanani (H2607H), Eliathah (H0448), Giddalti (H1437), Romamti-ezer (H7320), Joshbekashah (H3436), Mallothi (H4413), Hothir (H1956) and Mahazioth (H4238); also called Shubael at 1Ch.25.20;
§ Shebuel or Shubael = "captive of God"
1) son of Gershom and grandson of Moses
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Shebuel the son of Gershon. (1 Chronicles 24:20) Shebuel the son of Heman the minstrel. (1 Chronicles 25:20)
returning captivity; seat of God
→ See SHEBUEL, number one and number two
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