1 Chronicles 25:26 — Word Study
WLCלְתִשְׁעָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ לְמַלּ֔וֹתִי בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
BSAthe nineteenthtêshaʻ to MallothiMallôwthîy [a descendant of Heman, a Levite] his sonsbên [descendants, family members] and his brothersʼâch [relatives, kin, two times six] 12 [in all]shᵉnayim
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְתִשְׁעָ֤ה | for nine- | Preposition, noun common both singular absolute |
| עָשָׂר֙ | teen | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| לְמַלּ֔וֹתִי | to Mallothi | Preposition, 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 nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all; |
| KJV | The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: |
| ASV | for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve: |
| YLT | at the nineteenth [to] Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve; |
| WEB | for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
| BBE | The nineteenth Mallothi, with his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
Where they part company is in the specific details regarding the names and numbers, but the core elements remain consistent across translations.
The main clause identifies the leader, with additional phrases detailing his family and concluding with the total number of musicians.
1 commentators on this verse
Gill & more — read them ›
clause
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 25:26
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 Musiciansgenerated
1 Chronicles 25:26 records the arrangement of the Levite musicians, specifically noting the nineteenth division led by Mallothi. This organization was part of the broader structure established by King David to ensure that worship in the temple was carried out effectively. Each division was responsible for specific duties, and the mention of the number of musicians highlights the importance of their role in the worship of God.
Cross References
The Key Word — מַלּוֹתִי, le.ma.Lo.tigenerated
The name מַלּוֹתִי (mallothi) signifies a person from the tribe of Levi, particularly one of Heman's sons. The name means 'I have uttered' and indicates a role in the musical tradition of Israel, as Heman was known for his singing during David's reign.
The parsing shows that מַלּוֹתִי is a proper noun in the masculine form, indicating it refers to an individual. This highlights the personal nature of the role within the community of Levite musicians.
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 centered on the finite verb structure, with the phrase לְתִשְׁעָ֤ה (for nine-) leading into the identification of the division. The structure is straightforward, listing the leader, his sons, and brothers, culminating in the total count.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the number of musicians by placing it at the end of the clause, highlighting the significance of the twelve musicians in this division.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מַלּוֹתִי as μελληθι, indicating a direct correspondence in naming. This suggests that the Greek translators recognized the importance of maintaining the identity of the Levite musician.
The use of the same name in the LXX reinforces the continuity of the Levitical tradition from Hebrew to Greek-speaking audiences.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 25:26 tells us about the nineteenth group of musicians in the temple, led by a man named Mallothi. He had twelve musicians with him, including his sons and brothers, all part of the Levitical tradition established for worship.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Mallothi was a Levite and a musician, one of the descendants of Heman, responsible for leading a division of singers in the temple.
The number twelve often represents completeness and is significant in the context of the tribes of Israel, indicating a full representation in the worship ministry.
This verse is part of a detailed account of the organization of the Levitical musicians, which was crucial for the worship practices established by King David.
The mention of sons and brothers emphasizes the familial and communal aspect of the Levitical musicians, highlighting their collective role in worship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the way Mallothi and his family served in the temple?
- How does understanding the structure of worship in ancient Israel help us appreciate our own worship practices today?
- What role does community play in our spiritual lives, as seen in the example of Mallothi's family?
- In what ways can we honor our heritage and traditions in our own worship?
Commentators on this verse — 1 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 25:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleVer. 26 [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 nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve;
the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
Tyndale line
The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
The nineteenth to Mallothi, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The ninteenth, to Mallothi, he, his sonnes and his brethren twelue.
Strictly literal
The nineteenth to Mallothi; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
at the nineteenth [to] Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers—twelve;
The nineteenth was for Mallothi, his sons, and his brethren, being twelve;
the nineteenth fell to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;
From the Latin
The nineteenth to Mellothi, to his sons and his brethren twelve.
Simplified
The nineteenth fell to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, 12 in total.
The nineteenth Mallothi, 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 of the seven words matching directly. This consistency shows a reliable transmission of the text through these traditions.
לְתִשְׁעָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ לְמַלּ֔וֹתִי 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 25:26
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.
תֵּ֫שַׁע (tesha`) means 'nine' and can refer to both the cardinal and ordinal forms of the number. It may also appear in combination with other numbers. The word is possibly derived from the idea of turning towards the next full number, ten.
תֵּ֫שַׁע, תִּשְׁעָה 58 n.m. et f. a nine, nonad
base
H8672 תֵּ֫שַׁע, תִּשְׁעָה nine, nonad
8672 tesha` tay'-shah
or (masculine) tishtah {tish-aw'}; perhaps from 8159 through
the idea of a turn to the next or full number ten; nine or
(ord.) ninth:--nine (+ -teen, + -teenth, -th).
see HEBREW for 08159
תֵּ֫שַׁע (te.sah) — nine.
1) nine, nonad
1a) nine (as cardinal number)
1b) ninth (as ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
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
מַלּוֹתִי (mallothi) is a personal name meaning "I have uttered." It refers to a man from the tribe of Levi, specifically one of the 14 sons of Heman, a singer during the time of David. The name appears in 1 Chronicles 25:4 and is derived from the root meaning to talk or speak.
מַלּוֹתִי as n.pr.m. a son of Heman (I have uttered);—1 Ch 25:4
ref
H4413 מַלּוֹתִי
4413 Mallowthiy mal-lo'-thee
apparently from 4448; I have talked (i.e.
loquacious):--Mallothi, an Israelite:--Mallothi.
see HEBREW for 04448
מַלּוֹתִי (mal.lo.ti) — Mallothi.
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), Shebuel (H7619H), Jerimoth (H3406L), Hananiah (H2608P), Hanani (H2607H), Eliathah (H0448), Giddalti (H1437), Romamti-ezer (H7320), Joshbekashah (H3436), Hothir (H1956), Mahazioth (H4238)
§ Mallothi = "I have uttered"
one of the 14 sons of Heman, the singer in the time of David
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
mal'-o-thi, ma-lo'-thi (mallothi, "my discourse"): Son of Heman, a Kohathite singer (1Ch 6:33; 25:4). The song service in the house of the Lord was apportioned by David and the captains of the host to the 3 families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (1Ch 25:1). Their place in the "courses" was, however, settled by "lot" (1Ch 25:8,9). Mallothi was one of Heman's 17 children--14 sons and 3 daughters (1Ch 25:5)--and was chief of the 19th course of twelve singers into which the temple choir was divided (1Ch 25:26).
Henry Wallace
Mallothi
My fulness, a Kohathite Levite, one of the sons of Heman the Levite (1 Chr. 25:4), and chief of the nineteenth division of the temple musicians (26).
(my fullness), a Kohathite, one of the fourteen sons of Heman the singer. (1 Chronicles 25:4,26)
fullness; circumcision
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