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1 Chronicles 3:9 — Word Study

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WLCכֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י דָוִ֑יד מִלְּבַ֥ד בְּֽנֵי־ פִֽילַגְשִׁ֖ים וְתָמָ֥ר אֲחוֹתָֽם׃ פ

BSAThese were allkôl [all the descendants] the sonsbên [children, descendants, or heirs] of DavidDâvid [the king of Israel, a man after God's heart] besidesbad [in addition to, apart from] the sonsbên [children, offspring] by his concubinespîylegesh [wives, but not fully married, or secondary wives] And TamarTâmâr [meaning palm tree] [was] their sisterʼâchôwth [biological sibling, close relative]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('a.cho.Tam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 3:9quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse lists the sons of David and mentions their sister Tamar.
Who is speakingThe narrator of the genealogical record.
Where we areIn the genealogical context of David's lineage.
The hard wordכֹּ֖ל
Take awayDavid's family includes both his sons and their sister.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectכֹּל The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 3:9

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 Sons of Davidgenerated

8Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet—nine in all.
9These were all the sons of David, besides the sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.
10Solomon’s son was Rehoboam: Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,
11Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,

1 Chronicles 3:9 provides a genealogical account of David's family, highlighting his sons and their sister Tamar. This verse emphasizes the importance of lineage in Israel's history, particularly the royal line, and sets the stage for understanding the descendants of David, who play significant roles in biblical narrative.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Samuel 5:13After he had arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.
22 Samuel 13:1–20After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

of the concubines2 Samuel 5:13

The Key Word כֹּל, kolgenerated

The word כֹּל (kol) is a noun meaning 'all' or 'everything.' It signifies totality and can encompass people, things, or situations. In this context, it refers to all of David's sons, indicating completeness in the listing of his descendants.

This term is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included, reinforcing the idea of totality. Its use here underscores the significance of David's lineage, as it includes both his legitimate sons and those born to his concubines.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations of this verse generally agree on the meaning of כֹּל, with most opting for 'all' or 'the sons of David.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all reflect this understanding.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the noun phrase כֹּ֖ל, all, which serves as the subject, followed by a predicate that identifies the sons of David. This structure emphasizes the completeness of David's family.

The prepositional phrase מִלְּבַ֥ד (besides) indicates the additional context of the sons by concubines, while the clause concludes with the identification of Tamar as their sister.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates כֹּל as πάντες (pantes), meaning 'all.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the emphasis on totality.

The translation reflects the same genealogical intent, ensuring that the lineage of David is clearly communicated to a Greek-speaking audience.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 3:9 tells us about the sons of David and mentions their sister Tamar. This verse is part of a genealogical record that emphasizes the importance of family lineage in the history of Israel.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who are the sons of David mentioned in this verse?

The verse lists David's sons but does not name them; it emphasizes their existence and lineage.

What is the significance of Tamar in this context?

Tamar is noted as their sister, highlighting her role in David's family and lineage.

How does this verse relate to the concept of lineage in the Bible?

Lineage is crucial in the Bible for establishing heritage, inheritance, and the fulfillment of God's promises through specific families.

Why are concubines mentioned in relation to David's sons?

Concubines were part of David's household and contributed to his lineage, reflecting the complexities of family relationships in biblical times.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the importance of family from this verse?
  2. How does understanding David's lineage help us in studying the Bible?
  3. In what ways does Tamar's mention highlight the role of women in biblical genealogies?
  4. What implications does the mention of concubines have for understanding David's family dynamics?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 3:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

These were all the sons of David,.... By his wives: beside the sons of the concubines; who are not reckoned, and how many they were is not known; he had ten concubines at least, 2 Samuel 15:16 and 2 Samuel 20:3.

Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Chronicles 3:9 [These were] all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.Ver. 9. And Tamar their sister.] She was David’ s only daughter, as Dinah also was Jacob’ s; whose grief therefore was the greater for the violation of them.

Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Sons of the concubines.—David’s concubines (pilagshim, πλλακαί) are mentioned several times in Samuel (e.g., 2 Samuel 12:11), but their sons here only. However repugnant to modern ideas, it was and is part of the state of an Oriental potentate to possess a harem of many wives. And Tamar (was) their sister.—Not the only one, but the sister whose unhappy fate had made her famous (2 Samuel 13). A comparison of the above lists of David’s sons with the parallels in Sam. makes it improbable that they were drawn from that source; for (1) the Hebrew text of the chronicle appears, in this instance, to be quite as original as that of Samuel; (2) Some of the names differ, without our being able to…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 3 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 9. And Tamar their sister.] This is the only daughter of David whose name is on record; and yet he is said to have had both SONS and DAUGHTERS, 2 Samuel 5:13.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Chronicles 3 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

These were all the sons of David, besides the sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

All these were the sons of David, in addition to the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

These were all the sons of David, besides the sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

NETBNew English Translation2006

These were all the sons of David, not counting the sons of his concubines. Tamar was their sister.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

RVARevised Version, American1894

All these were the sons of David; beside the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

These are all the sonnes of Dauid, besides the sonnes of the concubines, and Thamar their sister.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

all were sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

All [are] sons of David, apart from sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

All [are] sons of David, apart from sons of the concubines, and their sister Tamar.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

[These were] all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Thamar their sister.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

These were David's sons, not including the sons by his concubines. Tamar was their sister.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

All these the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines: and they had a sister Thamar.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

These were all the sons of David, apart from his sons by his concubines. Their sister was Tamar.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

All these were the sons of David, in addition to the sons of his servant-wives; and Tamar was their sister.

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.

clausesubjectכֹּ֖לallnoun phrase · predicateבְּנֵ֣יthe.sonsדָוִ֑ידof.Davidprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseמִ(from)לְּnoun phraseבַ֥דbesidesnoun phraseבְּֽנֵיsonsפִֽילַגְשִׁ֖יםof.concubinesוְandclausesubjectתָמָ֥רTamarnoun phrase · predicateאֲחוֹתָֽsisterם[was].their

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 their wording, with seven of the eight words matching. This consistency highlights the preservation of David's lineage across different textual traditions.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י דָוִ֑יד מִלְּבַ֥ד בְּֽנֵי־ פִֽילַגְשִׁ֖ים וְתָמָ֥ר אֲחוֹתָֽם׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
כֹּ֖לπάντεςבְּנֵ֣יυἱοὶדָוִ֑ידδαυιδבְּֽנֵי־υἱῶνפִֽילַגְשִׁ֖יםπαλλακῶνוְתָמָ֥רθημαρאֲחוֹתָֽם׃ פαὐτῶν

7 of the 8 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.

1 Chronicles 3:9כֹּלallallכֹּלבֵּן[the] sons [the] sons ofבֵּןדָּוִדDavidDavidדָּוִדבַּדbesidesbesidesבַּדבֵּןsons ofsons ofבֵּןפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁconcubinesconcubinesפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁתָּמָרand Tamarand Tamarתָּמָראָחוֹת[was] siste[was] sister thאָחוֹתבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלבָּדַדbe alonebe aloneבָּדַדדּוֹדbelovedbelovedדּוֹדתָּמָרpalmpalmתָּמָראָחbrother: mbrother: male-sאָחאֶזְרָחִיEzrahiteEzrahiteאֶזְרָחִיעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהמִזְמוֹרmelodymelodyמִזְמוֹרנָצַחto conductto conductנָצַחתָּמִידcontinuallcontinuallyתָּמִידמַלְכָּהqueenqueenמַלְכָּהאֲבִישָׁלוֹםAbsalomAbsalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹםאַמְנוֹןAmnonAmnonאַמְנוֹןכַּלָהdaughter-idaughter-in-lawכַּלָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Chronicles 3:9

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.

all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
כֹּ֖לkol all H3605 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
all the descendants
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei [the] sons of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
children, descendants, or heirs
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SON, SONS.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
דָוִ֑ידda.Vid David H1732 Noun proper masculine
1,075× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
David was the youngest son of Jesse and a king of Judah, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17, and an ancestor of Jesus.
Amplified meaning
the king of Israel, a man after God's heart
Tyndale gloss
David
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known as the youngest son of Jesse. The name means 'beloved' and is associated with a significant lineage, including many siblings and notable descendants like Solomon. The entries highlight his familial connections and historical context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1732 David daw-veed'

rarely (fully); Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730;

loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.

see HEBREW for 01730

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּוִד (da.vid) — David.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I);

brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339);

father of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon):

I. NAME AND GENEALOGY

II. EARLY YEARS

1. Shepherd

2. Slinger

3. Harpist

4. Poet

5. Psalmist

6. Tribesman

III. IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL

1. David First Meets Saul

2. His First Exploit

3. Envy of Saul and Flight of David

4. Jonathan and David

IV. DAVID IN EXILE

1. David as Outlaw

2. David Joins the Philistines

V. DAVID AS KING

1. Civil War

2. Conquests Abroad

3. Political Situation

4. The Ark

VI. DOMESTIC LIFE

1. His Wives and Children

2. Domestic Troubles

VII. HIS OFFICIALS

1. Prophets

2. Priests

3. Military Officers

4. Other Officials

5. Mutual Rivalry

VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF DAVID

1. Chronicles

2. Psalms

3. Complex Character

4. Physical Courage

5. Moral Courage

6. Prudence

7. Strategy

8. Nobility

9. David in Relation to His Family

10. David in Relation to His Friends

11. His Success

12. His Foreign Friends

13. Nemesis

Easton's Bible Dictionary

David

Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42).

His early occupation was that of tending his father’s sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd’s flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied scenes spread around him. His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a lion and also a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, (1 Samuel 16:6-10) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was "keeping the sheep," and anoints him. (1 Samuel 16:11-13) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Beloved, the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem B. C. 1085; one of the most remarkable men in either sacred of secular history. His life is fully recorded in 1Sa 16:1 1Ki 2:46. He was "the Lord’s anointed," chosen by God to be king of Israel instead of Saul, and consecrated to that office by the venerable prophet Samuel long before he actually came to the throne, 1Sa 16:1-13, for which God prepared him by the gift of his Spirit, and a long course of vicissitudes and dangers. In his early pastoral life he distinguished himself by his boldness, fidelity, and faith in God; and while yet a youth was summoned to court, as one expert in music, valiant, prudent in behavior, and comely in person. He…

all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
מִלְּבַ֥דmi.le.Vad besides H905 Preposition · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
200× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'bad' can mean alone, apart, or a separate part of something, like a branch or a bar. It's used to describe something that's only or except for something else.
Amplified meaning
in addition to, apart from
Tyndale gloss
alone: pole
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּד (bad) refers to separation or being alone, often indicating a part or branch of something. It can denote physical separation, such as limbs or bars, as well as figurative uses like 'chief of a city.' The entries consistently highlight meanings related to being apart or alone, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּד, בָּ֑ד n.m. separation, concr. part

prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself

concr. part

parts, specif. extended from something

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H905 בַּד, בָּ֑ד separation, concr. part . prop. in a state of separation, alone, by itself

. concr. part

. parts, specif. extended from something

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

905 bad bad

from 909; properly, separation; by implication, a part of the

body, branch of a tree, bar for carrying; figuratively, chief

of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an

adverb, apart, only, besides:--alone, apart, bar, besides,

branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff,

strength.

see HEBREW for 0909

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּד (bad) — alone: pole.

: pole

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

בַּד (bad) — alone.

: alone

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

בַּד (bad) — alone: each.

: each

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

בַּד (bad) — alone: besides.

: besides/apart from

1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone

1a) separation, alone, by itself

1a1) only (adv)

1a2) apart from, besides (prep)

1b) part

1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Prep | N-ms — Preposition · preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/R/Ncmsa
all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
בְּֽנֵי־be.nei- sons of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
children, offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SON, SONS.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
פִֽילַגְשִׁ֖יםfi.lag.Shim concubines H6370 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A concubine is a woman who lives with a man but is not his wife, as seen in the stories of Abraham and Solomon. This word can also refer to a paramour, or a person's lover. The Bible mentions concubines in the context of polygamy and relationships.
Amplified meaning
wives, but not fully married, or secondary wives
Tyndale gloss
concubine
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פִּלֶ֫גֶשׁ (piylegesh) means 'concubine' or 'paramour.' The word is derived from an uncertain origin and is consistently defined across lexicons as referring to a female partner in a relationship that is not a formal marriage. It appears in contexts related to concubinage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פִּלֶ֫גֶשׁ, פִּילֶ֫גֶשׁ 37 n.f. concubine

concubine

either = paramour, or < concubinage

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6370 פִּלֶ֫גֶשׁ, פִּילֶ֫גֶשׁ concubine

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6370 piylegesh pee-leh'-ghesh

or pilegesh {pee-leh'-ghesh}; of uncertain derivation; a

concubine; also (masculine) a paramour:--concubine,

paramour.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פִּלֶ֫גֶשׁ (pi.le.gesh) — concubine.

1) concubine, paramour

1a) concubine

1b) paramour

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
וְתָמָ֥רve.ta.Mar and Tamar H8559 Conjunction · noun proper feminine
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Tamar was the name of three women and a place in the Bible, including the wife of Judah's son Er. The name means palm tree and is also associated with the city of Tadmor
Amplified meaning
meaning palm tree
Tyndale gloss
Tamar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תָּמָר (Tamar) refers to several women and a location, meaning "palm-tree." Notably, it includes the daughter-in-law of Judah, the daughter of David and sister of Absalom, and a place on the southern border of Gad. The entries indicate that there are three women named Tamar, each with distinct narratives in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תָּמָר n.pr.

f.

daughter-in-law of Judah

daughter of David, sister of Absalom

loc. site not certain

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8559 תָּמָר n. pr. . f. . daughter-in-law of Judah

. daughter of David, sister of Absalom

. loc. site not certain

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8559 Tamar taw-mawr'

the same as 8558; Tamar, the name of three women and a

place:--Tamar.

see HEBREW for 08558

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תָּמָר (ta.mar) — Tamar.

A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.6; married to Judah (H3063) and Er (H6147);

mother of: Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)

Also named: Thamar (Θάμαρ "Tamar" G2283)

§ Tamar = "palm-tree"

1) widow of Er, the son of Judah; fiancee of Shelah, another son of Judah; wife of Judah and mother of Pharez and Zerah

2) daughter of David by Maacah, sister of Absalom, and rape victim of Amnon her half brother, another son of David

3) daughter of Absalom

4) a place on the southern border of Gad

תָּמָר (ta.mar) — Tamar.

A woman of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.13.1;

daughter of: David (H1732) and Maacah (H4601I)

sister of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416)…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper feminine
HC/Npf
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tamar

Palm. (1.) A place mentioned by Ezekiel (47:19; 48:28), on the southeastern border of Palestine. Some suppose this was “Tadmor” (q.v.).

(2.) The daughter-in-law of Judah, to whose eldest son, Er, she was married (Gen. 38:6). After her husband’s death, she was married to Onan, his brother (8), and on his death, Judah promised to her that his third son, Shelah, would become her husband. This promise was not fulfilled, and hence Tamar’s revenge and Judah’s great guilt (38:12-30).

(3.) A daughter of David (2 Sam. 13:1-32; 1 Chr. 3:9), whom Amnon shamefully outraged and afterwards “hated exceedingly,” thereby illustrating the law of human nature noticed even by the heathen, “Proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(palm tree). The wife successively of the two sons of Judah, Er and Onan. (Genesis 38:8-30) (B.C. about 1718.) Her importance in the sacred narrative depends on the great anxiety to keep up the lineage of Judah. It seemed as if the family were on the point of extinction. Er and Onan had successively perished suddenly. Judah’s wife, Bathshuah, died; and there only remained a child, Shelah, whom Judah was unwilling to trust to the dangerous union as it appeared, with Tamar, lest he should meet with the same fate as his brothers. Accordingly she resorted to the desperate expedient of entrapping the father himself into the union which he feared for his son. The fruits of this intercourse were twins, Pharez and Zarah, and through Pharez the sacred line was continued. Daughter of David and Maachah the Geshurite princess, and thus sister of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A palm-tree,

1. A Canaanitish woman, mother of Pharez and Zarah, Ge 38:1-30.

2. A daughter of David. See TALMAI.

3. A daughter of Absalom, 2Sa 14:27.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

palm; palm-tree

all [the] sons of David besides sons of concubines and Tamar [was] sister their
אֲחוֹתָֽם׃ פ'a.cho.Tam [was] sister their H269 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
114× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A sister in the Bible can be a biological sibling, a half-sister, or a close relative. In Genesis 4:2, Cain's sister is not named, but in Genesis 24:15, Rebekah is Isaac's cousin and future wife.
Amplified meaning
biological sibling, close relative
Tyndale gloss
sister
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָחוֹת (achowth) means 'sister' and can refer to a full sister, half-sister, or a relative. It is used both literally and figuratively, symbolizing relationships such as that of Israel and Judah, and can also imply intimacy or connection. The word is built from a feminine form related to other terms for kinship.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָחוֹת 114 n.f. sister

sister

= beloved

symbol. of Judah, Samaria, Sodom & Jerusalem

fig. of intimate connection

another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H269 אָחוֹת sister

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

269 'achowth aw-khoth'

irregular feminine of 251; a sister (used very widely (like

250), literally and figuratively):--(an-)other, sister,

together.

see HEBREW for 0251

see HEBREW for 0250

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָחוֹת (a.chot) — sister.

1) sister

1a) sister (same parents)

1b) half-sister (same father)

1c) relative

1c1) (metaph) of Israel's and Judah's relationship

1d) beloved

1d1) bride

1e) (fig.) of intimate connection

1f) another

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3mp
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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