1 Chronicles 6:25 — Word Study
WLCוּבְנֵי֙ אֶלְקָנָ֔ה עֲמָשַׂ֖י וַאֲחִימֽוֹת׃
BSAThe descendantsbên [sons, offspring, or posterity]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּבְנֵי֙ | and [the] sons of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| אֶלְקָנָ֔ה | Elkanah | Noun proper masculine |
| עֲמָשַׂ֖י | Amasai | Noun proper masculine |
| וַאֲחִימֽוֹת׃ | and Ahimoth | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, |
| KJV | And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth. |
| ASV | And the sons of Elkanah: Amasai, and Ahimoth. |
| YLT | And sons of Elkanah; Amasai and Ahimoth. |
| WEB | The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth. |
| BBE | And the sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth. |
There is agreement among the translations on the key elements of this verse.
The sentence is straightforward, with a main clause introducing the subject followed by a list of names.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Poole, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 4 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Chronicles 6:25
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 Genealogy of Elkanahgenerated
1 Chronicles 6:25 provides a genealogical account, highlighting the lineage of Elkanah, a significant figure in Israel's history. This verse is part of a larger context that traces the priestly lineage and the descendants of various Levites, emphasizing their roles in the worship and service of God, as seen in surrounding verses like 1 Chronicles 6:24 and 1 Chronicles 6:26.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 6:35–36 | the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, |
| 2 | Exodus 6:24 | The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the clans of the Korahites. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בֵּן, 'el.ka.Nahgenerated
The word בֵּן (ben) is a common noun in Hebrew meaning 'son' or 'child.' It can also refer to descendants more broadly, including grandsons or even a figurative sense of belonging to a group or class. The parsing as a masculine plural construct indicates it is used here to denote multiple sons or descendants, emphasizing familial relationships.
In this verse, בֵּן highlights the importance of lineage and inheritance among the Israelites, particularly in the context of the priestly families. The word's usage signifies not just biological relationships but also the continuity of roles and responsibilities within the community.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which aligns with the KJV and ASV in rendering the descendants of Elkanah clearly.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause of the verse is introduced by the conjunction וּבְנֵי֙, and [the] sons of, which leads into the names of Elkanah's descendants, Amasai and Ahimoth. The structure emphasizes the familial connections, listing the descendants directly after the introduction.
The simplicity of the sentence structure reflects the genealogical style of the text, where names are presented in a straightforward manner to convey lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֶלְקָנָ֔ה as υἱοῦ (huiou), meaning 'son.' This choice emphasizes the familial aspect of the lineage being described, aligning with the Hebrew intent.
The translation choice indicates a direct correlation between the Hebrew and Greek texts, maintaining the focus on descent and heritage.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 6:25 lists the descendants of Elkanah, naming Amasai and Ahimoth. This verse is part of a genealogy that shows the family lines of important figures in Israel's history, particularly among the Levites.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The descendants highlight the lineage and roles of key figures in Israel's religious life, showing the continuity of priestly duties.
Elkanah is a notable ancestor, and his descendants are important in the context of the Levite priesthood.
Amasai means burdensome and refers to a warrior and leader during David's time.
Genealogies serve to establish heritage, identity, and the fulfillment of God's promises through specific family lines.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding family lineage enhance my reading of biblical texts?
- What can I learn from the lives of the descendants mentioned in this verse?
- In what ways does my own family history shape my identity in faith?
- How can I honor the legacy of my ancestors in my spiritual journey?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 6:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth. The sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth. This verse should stand, 'Elkanah his son, Amasai his son, Ahimoth his son' (cf.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 6 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleElkanah, the son of that Korah mentioned above, , as is manifest by and by ,24
Read Matthew Poole on 1 Chronicles 6 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(25) And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai.—See last Note. It is natural to identify the Elkanah of 1 Chronicles 6:36 with this one. The posterity of both are so nearly the same; otherwise we might have taken the present Elkanah for the person mentioned in 1 Chronicles 6:23.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 6 →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 descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,
The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth.
The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,
The sons of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,
Tyndale line
And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.
And the sons of Elkanah: Amasai, and Ahimoth.
And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.
And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.
And the sonnes of Elkanah, Amasai, and Ahimoth.
Strictly literal
And the sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth.
And sons of Elkanah; Amasai and Ahimoth.
And sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth.
(6:10) And the sons of Elkanah: 'Amassai, and Achimoth,
The sons of Elkanah were Amasai, Ahimoth,
From the Latin
The sons of Elcana: Amasai, and Achimoth.
Simplified
The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,
And the sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the key elements of this verse, with the names and structure matching closely. The Septuagint follows the Hebrew closely, indicating a shared understanding of the genealogical record.
וּבְנֵי֙ אֶלְקָנָ֔ה עֲמָשַׂ֖י וַאֲחִימֽוֹת׃
4 of the 4 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 6:25
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.
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-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
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…
The Hebrew word אֶלְקָנָה (Elqanah) means 'God has created' or 'God has taken possession.' It refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including Samuel's father, a ruler during Ahaz's reign, and various Levites. The name is composed of elements meaning 'God' and 'to obtain.' It is first mentioned in Exodus 6:24.
אֶלְקָנָה n.pr.m. (God has created, or taken possession)
father of Samuel
son of Korah
a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of Ahaz
one of David’s warriors
several Levites
base
H511 אֶלְקָנָה (God has created, or taken possession) . father of Samuel
. son of Korah
. a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of Ahaz
. one of David’s warriors
. several Levites
511 'Elqanah el-kaw-naw'
from 410 and 7069; God has obtained; Elkanah, the name of
several Israelites:--Elkanah.
see HEBREW for 0410
see HEBREW for 07069
אֶלְקָנָה (el.qa.nah) — Elkanah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.24;
son of: Korah (H7141I);
brother of: Assir (H0617) and Ebiasaph (H0043)
§ Elkanah = "God has possessed" or "God has created"
1) Samuel's father
2) a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of king Ahaz
3) one of David's mighty warriors
4) son of Korah
5) several Levites
אֶלְקָנָה (el.qa.nah) — Elkanah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.1;
son of: Jeroham (H3395); married to Hannah (H2584) and Peninnah (H6444);
father of: Samuel (H8050)
§ Elkanah = "God has possessed" or "God has created"
1) Samuel's father
2) a ruler in Jerusalem in the time of king Ahaz
3) one of David's mighty warriors
4) son of Korah
5) several Levites
אֶלְקָנָה (el.qa.nah) — Elkanah.
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
el-ka'-na ('elqanah, "God has possessed"):
(1) An Ephraimite, the father of Samuel (1Sa 1:1-28; 2:11-20). Of his two wives, Hannah, the childless, was best beloved. At Shiloh she received through Eli the promise of a son. Elkanah, with Hannah, took the young Samuel to Shiloh when he was weaned, and left him with EIi as their offering to Yahweh. They were blessed with three other sons and two daughters.
Elkanah
God-created. (1.) The second son of Korah (Ex. 6:24), or, according to 1 Chr. 6:22, 23, more correctly his grandson.
(2.) Another Levite of the line of Heman the singer, although he does not seem to have performed any of the usual Levitical offices. He was father of Samuel the prophet (1 Chr. 6:27, 34). He was “an Ephrathite” (1 Sam. 1:1, 4, 8), but lived at Ramah, a man of wealth and high position. He had two wives, Hannah, who was the mother of Samuel, and Peninnah.
God the zealous; the zeal of God
עֲמָשַׂי (Amasay) means "burdensome" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, particularly during the Divided Monarchy. Notably, Amasai was a warrior and chief who joined David at Ziklag, and he is also identified as a Kohathite Levite and a priest. The name appears in various contexts, including 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles.
עֲמָשַׂי n.pr.m.
warrior of David
Levites
base
H6022 עֲמָשַׂי
6022 `Amasay am-aw-sah'-ee
from 6006; burdensome; Amasai, the name of three
Israelites:--Amasai.
see HEBREW for 06006
עֲמָשַׂי (a.ma.say) — Amasai.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.6.25;
son of: Elkanah (H0511I);
father of: Ahimoth (H0287)
§ Amasai = "burdensome"
1) a warrior and chief of the captains of Judah and Benjamin who joined David at Ziklag
2) a Kohathite Levite, father of Mahath and ancestor of Samuel
3) a priest who blew the trumpet before the ark
4) another Kohathite Levite in the reign of king Hezekiah of Judah
עֲמָשַׂי (a.ma.say) — Amasai.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.18
§ Amasai = "burdensome"
1) a warrior and chief of the captains of Judah and Benjamin who joined David at Ziklag
2) a Kohathite Levite, father of Mahath and ancestor of Samuel
3) a priest who blew the trumpet before the ark
4) another Kohathite Levite in the reign of king Hezekiah of Judah
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
a-ma'-si (`amasay, perhaps rather to be read `ammishay; so Wellhausen, IJG, II, 24, n.2):
(1) A name in the genealogy of Kohath, son of Elkanah, a Levite of the Kohathite family (compare 1Ch 6:25; 2Ch 29:12).
(2) Chief of the captains who met David at Ziklag and tendered him their allegiance. Some have identified him with Amasa and others with Abishai, who is called Abshai in 1Ch 11:20 m (compare 1Ch 18:12). The difficulty is that neither Amasa nor Abishai occupied the rank of the chief of thirty according to the lists in 2Sa 23 and 1Ch 11, the rank to which David is supposed to have appointed into (compare 1Ch 12:18).
Amasai
Burdensome. (1.) A Levite, son of Elkanah, of the ancestry of Samuel (1 Chr. 6:25, 35).
(2.) The leader of a body of men who joined David in the “stronghold,” probably of Adullam (1 Chr. 12:18).
(3.) One of the priests appointed to precede the ark with blowing of trumpets on its removal from the house of Obed-edom (1 Chr. 15:24).
(4.) The father of a Levite, one of the two Kohathites who took a prominent part at the instance of Hezekiah in the cleansing of the temple (2 Chr. 29:12).
A Levite, who joined David with thirty gallant men, while in the desert flying from Saul, 1Ch 6:25; 12:16-18.
strong
The Hebrew word אֲחִימוֹת (*Achiymowth*) means 'brother of death' and refers to a Levite mentioned in 1 Chronicles 6:25. It is derived from the roots meaning 'brother' and 'death.' The entries consistently identify Ahimoth as a Levite, son of Amasai and father of Elkanah, also known as Mahath.
אֲחִימוֹת n.pr.m. (my brother is death) a Levite 1Ch 6:10
ref
H287 אֲחִימוֹת
287 'Achiymowth akh-ee-moth'
from 251 and 4191; brother of death; Achimoth, an
Israelite:--Ahimoth.
see HEBREW for 0251
see HEBREW for 04191
אֲחִימוֹת (a.chi.mot) — Ahimoth.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.6.25;
son of: Amasai (H6022);
father of: Elkanah (H0511J); also called Mahath at 1Ch.6.35;
Also named: ma.chat (מַ֫חַת "Mahath" H4287I)
§ Ahimoth = "brother of death" or "my brother is death"
a son of Elkanah, a Levite
HC/Npm — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
(brother of death), a Levite apparently in the time of David. (1 Chronicles 6:25) In v. (1 Chronicles 6:35) for Ahimoth we find MAHATH, as in (Luke 3:26)
brother of death
→ A Levite 1Ch 6:25