1 Chronicles 8:11 — Word Study
WLCוּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־ אֲבִיט֖וּב וְאֶת־ אֶלְפָּֽעַל׃
BSAHe also had sonsyâlad■ [begat, became the father of] by HushimChûwshîym [one of three Israelites, a descendant of Benjamin] AbitubʼĂbîyṭûwb△ [a descendant of Shaharaim] and ElpaalʼElpaʻal [a man from the tribe of Benjamin]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים | and from Hushim | Conjunction, preposition, noun proper feminine |
| הוֹלִ֥יד | he fathered | Verb, Hiphil, perfect third person masculine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| אֲבִיט֖וּב | Abitub | Noun proper masculine |
| וְאֶת־ | and the object marker | Conjunction, particle |
| אֶלְפָּֽעַל׃ | Elpaal | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal. |
| KJV | And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal. |
| ASV | And of Hushim he begat Abitub and Elpaal. |
| YLT | And of Hushim he begat Ahitub and Elpaal. |
| WEB | By Hushim, he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. |
| BBE | And Hushim became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of הוֹלִ֥יד — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward, with a main clause followed by the names of the sons as direct objects.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbיָלַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 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 8:11
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 Benjamingenerated
1 Chronicles 8:11 is part of a genealogical account detailing the descendants of Benjamin. It provides insight into the lineage of the tribe, emphasizing familial connections and the importance of heritage in Israelite culture. This verse specifically mentions the sons of Hushim, Abitub and Elpaal, as part of the broader narrative of the tribe's history.
Cross References
The Key Word — הוֹלִ֥יד, ho.Lidgenerated
The verb יָלַד (*yalad*) means 'to beget' or 'to father.' It indicates the act of giving birth or producing offspring, as seen in many genealogical contexts throughout the Bible. In this verse, it signifies the relationship between Hushim and his sons, Abitub and Elpaal.
This verb is in the Hiphil stem, which often conveys causative action. Here, it emphasizes Hushim's role as the father of these sons, marking the continuation of his lineage.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the key elements of the verse, with all versions mentioning Hushim as the father of Abitub and Elpaal.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb הוֹלִ֥יד, he fathered, governs the structure of the verse, linking Hushim to his sons. The sentence is straightforward, presenting the subject followed by the object markers and the names of the sons.
The word order places emphasis on Hushim's role as the father, leading directly into the names of his sons, Abitub and Elpaal.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הוֹלִ֥יד as ἐγέννησεν (*egennēsen*), which also means 'to beget' or 'to give birth.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on lineage and familial ties.
The use of καὶ (*kai*) for 'and' reflects the continuation of thought from Hushim to his sons, similar to the Hebrew conjunction.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 8:11 tells us that Hushim had two sons named Abitub and Elpaal. This verse is part of a list of the descendants of Benjamin, showing their family connections.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Abitub and Elpaal were sons of Hushim, descendants of the tribe of Benjamin, as recorded in the genealogies.
Abitub means 'my father is goodness,' indicating a positive familial association.
Genealogies serve to establish lineage, identity, and the fulfillment of God's promises through specific families.
Hushim is mentioned as the father of Abitub and Elpaal, highlighting his role in the lineage of Benjamin.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of family and heritage from this verse?
- How do genealogies help us understand the broader narrative of the Bible?
- In what ways can we honor our own family histories?
- What significance do names hold in our understanding of identity?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 8:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal. Before he sent her away, or divorced her, 1 Chronicles 8:8.
Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 8 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) And of Hushim he begat . . .—The offspring of Shaharaim by Hushim before her divorce; in other words, two offshoots of the clan Shaharaim settled in the vicinity of Lod or Lydda (1 Chronicles 8:12), which took no part in the emigration to Moab.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 8 →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
He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.
By Hushim, he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal.
He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.
By Hushim he fathered Abitub and Elpaal.
Tyndale line
And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal.
And of Hushim he begat Abitub and Elpaal.
And of Hushim he begat Abitub and Elpaal.
And of Hushim he begat Ahitub, and Elpaal.
And of Hushim he begat Ahitub and Elpaal.
Strictly literal
And of Hushim he begot Abitub, and Elpaal.
And of Hushim he begat Ahitub and Elpaal.
And of Hushim he begot Ahitub and Elpaal.
And of Chushim he begat Abitub, and Elpa'al.
He had already become the father of Abitub and Elpaal by Hushim.
From the Latin
And Mehusim beget Abitob, and Elphaal.
Simplified
He also had sons with Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.
And Hushim became the father of Abitub and Elpaal.
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 reads: וּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־ אֲבִיט֖וּב וְאֶת־ אֶלְפָּֽעַל׃. The Septuagint matches three of the six words in this verse, indicating a general agreement in content, though the word order differs.
וּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־ אֲבִיט֖וּב וְאֶת־ אֶלְפָּֽעַל׃
3 of the 6 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 8:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word חוּשִׁים (*Chuwshiym*) refers to Hushim, which can denote both a woman from the tribe of Benjamin, married to Shaharaim, and a man from the tribe of Dan. The name is derived from a root meaning 'hasters' and is associated with several individuals mentioned in the Old Testament, including a son of Dan and a son of Aher.
חוּשִׁים, חֻשִׁים n.pr.f. wife of Shaharaim of Benjamin
base
חֻשִׁים n.pr.m. of Dan
base
H2366a חוּשִׁים, חֻשִׁים wife of Shaharaim of Benjamin H2366b חֻשִׁים of Dan
2366 Chuwshiym khoo-sheem'
or Chushiym {khoo-shem'}; or Chushim {khoo- sheem'}; plural
from 2363; hasters; Chushim, the name of three
Israelites:--Hushim.
see HEBREW for 02363
חוּשִׁים (chu.shim) — Hushim.
A womanof the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.8.8; married to Shaharaim (H7842);
mother of: Abitub (H0036) and Elpaal (H0508)
§ Hushim = "who makes haste"
one of the two wives of Shaharaim
חֻשִׁים (chu.shim) — Hushim.
A man of the tribe of Dan living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.23;
son of: Dan (H1835H); also called Shuham at Num.26.42,43;
§ Hushim = "who makes haste"
1) the sons of Aher, a Benjamite
2) descendants of Dan
חֻשִׁים (chu.shim) — Hushim.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.12;
son of: Aher (H0313)
§ Hushim = "who makes haste"
1) the sons of Aher, a Benjamite
2) descendants of Dan
Conj | Prep | N-proper — Conjunction · preposition · noun proper feminineHC/R/Npf
(who makes haste). In (Genesis 46:23) "the children of Dan" are said to have been Hushim. The name is plural, as if of a tribe rather than an individual. In (Numbers 26:42) the name is changed to Shuham. A Benjamite, (1 Chronicles 7:12) and here again apparently the plural nature of the name is recognized, and Hushim are stated to be "the sons of Aher." One of the two wives of Shaharaim. (1 Chronicles 8:8) (B.C. 1450.)
The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.
יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget
Qal
bear, bring forth
less often beget
of both parents
Niph. be born
Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
Pu. be born
Hiph.
beget (a father a child)
bear
Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday
Hithp. declared their pedigree
base
H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth
. less often beget
. of both parents
. be born
. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
. be born
. . beget (a father a child)
. bear
. day of one's being born = birthday
. declared their pedigree
3205 yalad yaw-lad'
a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;
medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show
lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring
forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be
delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,
labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be
the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.
1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bear, bring forth
1a1a) of child birth
1a1b) of distress (simile)
1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)
1a2) to beget
1b) (Niphal) to be born
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cause or help to bring forth
1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife
1c3) midwife (participle)
1d) (Pual) to be born
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to beget (a child)
1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)
1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)
1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singularHVhp3ms
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
אֲבִיטוּב (Abiytuwb) means 'my father is goodness.' It refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin, specifically the son of Shaharaim, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:11. The name is built from the words for 'father' and 'goodness,' indicating a positive familial association.
אֲבִיטוּב n.pr.m. (my father is goodness) son of Shaharaim, a Benjamite 1 Ch 8:11.
done
H36 אֲבִיטוּב
36 'Abiytuwb ab-ee-toob'
from 1 and 2898; father of goodness (i.e. good); Abitub, an
Israelite:--Abitub.
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 02898
אֲבִיטוּב (a.vi.tuv) — Abitub.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.11;
son of: Shaharaim (H7842) and Hushim (H2366A);
brother of: Jobab (H3103J), Zibia (H6644), Mesha (H4331), Malcam (H4445A), Jeuz (H3263), Sachia (H7634), Mirmah (H4821) and Elpaal (H0508)
§ Abitub = "my father is good(ness)"
son of Shaharaim, a Benjamite
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ab'-i-tub, a-bi'-tub ('abhiTubh, "father of goodness," or, "my father is goodness"): In the King James Version Ahitub. A descendant of Benjamin and son of Shaharaim and Hushim, born in the field of Moab (1Ch 8:11).
Abitub
Father of goodness, a Benjamite (1 Chr. 8:11).
(father of goodness), son of Shaharaim by Hushim. (1 Chronicles 8:11)
father of goodness
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HC/To — Conjunction · particleHC/To
אֶלְפַּ֫עַל (Elpa`al) refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin during the Divided Monarchy, noted in 1 Chronicles 8:11. The name means 'God is maker' and is derived from the words for God and 'to act.' The entries consistently identify Elpaal as a Benjamite and provide details about his family connections.
אֶלְפַּ֫עַל n.pr.m. (God of doing? cf. Ph. פעלאבסת) a Benjamite
base
H508 אֶלְפַּ֫עַל
508 'Elpa`al el-pah'-al
from 410 and 6466; God (is) act; Elpaal, an
Israelite:--Elpaal.
see HEBREW for 0410
see HEBREW for 06466
אֶלְפַּ֫עַל (el.pa.al) — Elpaal.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.8.11;
son of: Shaharaim (H7842) and Hushim (H2366A);
brother of: Jobab (H3103J), Zibia (H6644), Mesha (H4331), Malcam (H4445A), Jeuz (H3263), Sachia (H7634), Mirmah (H4821) and Abitub (H0036);
father of: Eber (H5677I), Misham (H4936), Shemed (H8106B), Beriah (H1283I), Shema (H8087I), Zebadiah (H2069H), Meshullam (H4918J), Hizki (H2395), Heber (H2268J), Ishmerai (H3461), Izliah (H3152), Jobab (H3103K)
§ Elpaal = "God is maker"
a Benjamite
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(God his wages), a Benjamite, son of Hushim and brother of Abitub. (1 Chronicles 8:11) He was the founder of numerous family.
God's work
→ A Benjamite 1Ch 8:11,12,18