1 Chronicles 25:21 — Word Study
WLCלְאַרְבָּעָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ מַתִּתְיָ֔הוּ בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
BSAthe fourteenthʼarbaʻ to MattithiahMattithyâh [gift of Jehovah] his sonsbên [descendants, family] and his brothersʼâch [male siblings, relatives, a dozen, twelve] 12 [in all]shᵉnayim
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְאַרְבָּעָ֤ה | for four- | Preposition, noun common both singular absolute |
| עָשָׂר֙ | teen | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| מַתִּתְיָ֔הוּ | Mattithiah | 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 fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all; |
| KJV | The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: |
| ASV | for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: |
| YLT | at the fourteenth [to] Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; |
| WEB | for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
| BBE | The fourteenth Mattithiah, with his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
Where they part company is מַתִּתְיָ֔הוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by additional phrases that provide details about the assignment and the total count.
1 commentators on this verse
Gill & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמַתִּתְיָהוּ
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 25:21
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 Divisions of the Levitesgenerated
1 Chronicles 25:21 is part of a larger passage that lists the divisions of the Levites who served in the temple. Each division is assigned a specific role, and this verse highlights the fourteenth division, which is given to Mattithiah and his family. This organization was crucial for the worship practices established during the time of King David.
Cross References
The Key Word — מַתִּתְיָ֔הוּ, ma.tit.Ya.hugenerated
The name מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattithyah) means 'gift of Jehovah'. It is a masculine proper noun and refers to a Levite who played a role in the worship and offerings during the reign of King David. The name is significant in the context of Israel's religious practices.
Mattithiah is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, indicating his importance in the Levitical lineage. The use of this name underscores the connection between the Levites and their service to God, as well as their familial roles in maintaining the worship of Yahweh.
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 main clause is governed by the subject מַתִּתְיָ֔הוּ, Mattithiah, which is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the assignment of the fourteenth lot, and a numeral phrase that specifies the total count of twelve. The structure is straightforward, listing the assignment clearly.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the name Mattithiah and his familial connections, establishing his significance in the context of the Levitical duties.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מַתִּתְיָ֔הוּ as ματταθιας, maintaining the name's structure and meaning. This choice shows a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, indicating continuity in the identity of this Levite across translations.
The Septuagint's handling of the name reflects its role in the Greek-speaking Jewish community, preserving the Hebrew heritage while making it accessible to a broader audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 25:21 tells us that the fourteenth lot was assigned to Mattithiah, along with his sons and brothers, totaling twelve. This verse is part of a list that organizes the Levites' roles in worship during King David's time.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Mattithiah means 'gift of Jehovah' and signifies the importance of divine gifts in the context of worship.
The number twelve often represents completeness and is significant in the context of the tribes of Israel and their organization.
Mattithiah was a Levite involved in music and offerings, contributing to the worship practices established by King David.
This verse is part of a systematic listing of the Levites' divisions, highlighting their roles in temple service and worship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can I learn from the organization of the Levites about the importance of structure in worship?
- How does understanding the meaning of names like Mattithiah enhance my reading of the Bible?
- In what ways can I see God's gifts in my life, similar to how Mattithiah's name reflects a divine gift?
- What role do I play in my community that contributes to a larger purpose, as the Levites did in their time?
Commentators on this verse — 1 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 25:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleVer. 21 [See comments on 1 Chronicles 25:9]
Read John Gill 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 fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;
the fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
Tyndale line
The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The fourtenth, to Mattithiah, he, his sonnes and his brethren twelue.
Strictly literal
The fourteenth to Mattithiah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
at the fourteenth [to] Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers—twelve;
The fourteenth was Matthithyahu, his sons, and his brethren, being twelve;
the fourteenth fell to Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;
From the Latin
The fourteenth to Mathathias, to his sons and his brethren twelve.
Simplified
The fourteenth fell to Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, 12 in total.
The fourteenth Mattithiah, 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 in this verse, with five out of seven words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs from the Hebrew, but the key elements remain consistent.
לְאַרְבָּעָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ מַתִּתְיָ֔הוּ 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 25:21
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.
אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.
אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
base
H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
702 'arba` ar-bah'
masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.
see HEBREW for 07251
אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.
four
Prep | Adj — Preposition · noun common both singular absoluteHR/Ncbsa
for ('arba`; tessares): "Four" (cardinal number) was a sacred and complete number with the Hebrews, as well as with several other peoples. It occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
(1) It indicates completeness. We have the four rivers of Paradise (Ge 2:10); the four winds of heaven (Eze 37:9; Da 7:2; 8:8; 11:4; Zec 6:5, the Revised Version, margin "spirits"; /APC 2Esdras 13:5); "the four winds" (Mt 24:31; Mr 13:27); "the four corners of the earth" (Isa 11:12;
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
מַתִּתְיָ֫הוּ (Mattithyah) means 'gift of Jah' and refers to several individuals from the tribe of Levi in the Old Testament. Notably, he is associated with roles in worship and offerings, including a musician appointed by David and a figure present during Ezra's reading of the law. The name appears in various contexts, including 1 Chronicles and Ezra.
מַתִּתְיָ֫הוּ, מַתִּתְיָה n.pr.m.
a Levitical musician
Levitical name
attendant of Ezra
one of those who took strange wives
base
H4993 מַתִּתְיָ֫הוּ, מַתִּתְיָה
4993 Mattithyah mat-tith-yaw'
or Mattithyahuw {mat-tith-yaw'-hoo}; from 4991 and 3050; gift
of Jah; Mattithjah, the name of four Israelites:--
Mattithiah.
see HEBREW for 04991
see HEBREW for 03050
מַתִּתְיָ֫הוּ (mat.tit.yah) — Mattithiah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at 1Ch.9.31;
son of: Shallum (H7967M)
§ Mattithiah = "gift of Jehovah"
1) a Levite who presided over the offerings
2) a Levite appointed by David to minister in the musical service before the ark
3) one of the family of Nebo who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
4) one of the men who stood at the right hand of Ezra when he read the law to the people
מַתִּתְיָ֫הוּ (mat.tit.yah) — Mattithiah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.15.18;
son of: Jeduthun (H3038);
brother of: Obed-edom (H5654), Gedaliah (H1436I), Zeri (H6874), Jeshaiah (H3470H), Hashabiah (H2811I)
§ Mattithiah = "gift of Jehovah"
1) a Levite who presided over the offerings
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
mat-i-thi'-a (mattithyah, or mattithyahu, "gift of Yah"):
(1) The Mattithiah of Ne 8:4 (1st spelling) was one of those who stood at Ezra's right hand while he read the law (compare 1 Esdras 9:43). He may be the individual set over "things that were baked in pans" (1Ch 9:31).
(2) One of those appointed by David to minister before the ark, and to "celebrate and to thank and praise Yahweh, the God of Israel" (1Ch 16:4,5).
Mattithiah
Gift of Jehovah. (1.) One of the sons of Jeduthun (1 Chr. 25:3, 21).
(2.) The eldest son of Shallum, of the family of Korah (1 Chr. 9:31).
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