1 Chronicles 8:20 — Word Study
WLCוֶאֱלִיעֵנַ֥י וְצִלְּתַ֖י וֶאֱלִיאֵֽל׃
BSAElienaiʼĔlîyʻêynay△ [a Benjamite, son of Shimei] ZillethaiTsillᵉthay [a commander, leader] ElielʼĔlîyʼêl [my God is God, divine strength]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וֶאֱלִיעֵנַ֥י | and Elienai | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וְצִלְּתַ֖י | and Zillethai | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וֶאֱלִיאֵֽל׃ | and Eliel | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, |
| KJV | And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel, |
| ASV | and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel, |
| YLT | and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel, |
| WEB | Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, |
| BBE | And Elienai and Zillethai and Eliel |
Where they part company is in the presentation of the names — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing three names, reflecting the genealogical style of the text.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 3 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 8:20
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 8:20 lists the names of several descendants of Benjamin, emphasizing their roles and relationships within the tribe. This passage follows a lineage that connects to significant figures in Israel's history, illustrating the importance of family and heritage among the Israelites.
Cross References
The Key Word — אֱלִיעֵנַי, ve.'e.li.'e.Naigenerated
The name אֱלִיעֵנַי (Elienai) is a proper masculine noun meaning "unto God are my eyes." It indicates a personal connection to God, suggesting that the bearer of this name was devoted to divine oversight.
Elienai is noted as a Benjamite, son of Shimei, which situates him within a specific family line, contributing to the historical narrative of the tribe of Benjamin.
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 structure of the verse is straightforward, consisting of a list of three noun phrases: אֱלִיעֵנַי, צִלְּתַי, and אֱלִיאֵל. Each name is connected by the conjunction 'and', indicating they are part of the same genealogical listing.
The simplicity of the structure reflects the nature of genealogical records, where names are often presented in succession to establish lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֱלִיעֵנַי as ελιωηναι, maintaining the name's identity while adapting it to Greek phonetics. This choice shows a direct correspondence to the Hebrew name, preserving its significance.
The translation of צִלְּתַי as σαλθι and אֱלִיאֵל as ελιηλι follows the same pattern, indicating a consistent effort to retain the original names while accommodating the Greek language.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 8:20 lists three names: Elienai, Zillethai, and Eliel. Elienai was a Benjamite, Zillethai was a commander, and Eliel means 'my God is God'. These names reflect the heritage of the tribe of Benjamin.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
They were individuals from the tribe of Benjamin, each with their own significance and roles within Israel's history.
Eliel means 'my God is God' and signifies a strong faith and devotion to God.
Genealogy establishes identity, heritage, and the fulfillment of God's promises through specific family lines.
This verse contributes to the historical account of the tribe of Benjamin, linking individuals to the broader story of Israel's tribes and their roles.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What significance do names hold in your own family history?
- How can understanding genealogies in the Bible enhance your reading of Scripture?
- In what ways do you see the importance of heritage reflected in your life?
- How does the meaning of names, like Eliel, inspire your faith?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 8:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19-21) Nine sons of Shimhi (Shimei being the same as Shema). This is the same Hebrew name as that which at 2 Samuel 16:5 seq. the Authorised Version renders by Shimei.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 8 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. Elienai] Read, perhaps, Elioenai, a name meaning, “My eyes look towards Jehovah.”
Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 8 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,
Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,
Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,
Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,
Tyndale line
And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,
and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel,
and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel;
And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,
And Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel,
Strictly literal
and Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,
and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel,
and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel,
And Eli'enai, and Zillethai, and Eliel,
From the Latin
And Elioenai, and Selethai, and Elial,
Simplified
Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,
And Elienai and Zillethai and Eliel
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 names listed in this verse. The Septuagint matches the Hebrew text word-for-word, confirming the integrity of the names across these ancient witnesses.
וֶאֱלִיעֵנַ֥י וְצִלְּתַ֖י וֶאֱלִיאֵֽל׃
3 of the 3 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 8:20
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.
אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי (Eliy`eynay) is a personal name meaning "unto God are my eyes." It refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:20, and is likely a contraction of another name. The entries note various associations, including connections to David's descendants and priests during Ezra's time.
אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי n.pr.m. (id. [a.di.ab])
a descendant of David
a Simeonite
a Benjamite
priests in time of Ezra
base
H462 אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי, אֱלִיעֵינַי
462 'Eliy`eynay el-ee-ay-nah'ee
probably contracted for 454; Elienai, an
Israelite:--Elienai.
see HEBREW for 0454
אֱלִיעֵינַי (e.li.e.nay) — Elienai.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.20;
son of: Shimei (H8096N);
brother of: Jakim (H3356), Zichri (H2147H), Zabdi (H2067H), Zillethai (H6769), Eliel (H0447H), Adaiah (H5718H), Beraiah (H1256) and Shimrath (H8119)
§ Elienai = "unto God are my eyes"
a Benjamite
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
el-i-e'-na-i ('eli`enay):
A Benjamite chief (1Ch 8:20).
(my eyes are toward God) a descendant of Benjamin, and a chief man in the tribe. (1 Chronicles 8:20)
the God of my eyes
→ A Benjamite citizen of Jerusalem 1Ch 8:20
צִלְּתַי (Tsillthay) refers to a personal name meaning 'dark.' It is associated with two individuals: one from the tribe of Benjamin and another who was a Manassite commander during David's time. The name is derived from the feminine form of another Hebrew word related to shade.
צִלְּתַי n.pr.m.
Benj.
Manassite
base
H6769 צִלְּתַי
6769 Tsillthay tsil-leth-ah'-ee
from the feminine of 6738; shady; Tsillethai, the name of two
Israelites:--Zilthai.
see HEBREW for 06738
צִלְּתַי (tsil.l.tay) — Zillethai.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.20;
son of: Shimei (H8096N);
brother of: Jakim (H3356), Zichri (H2147H), Zabdi (H2067H), Elienai (H0462), Eliel (H0447H), Adaiah (H5718H), Beraiah (H1256) and Shimrath (H8119)
§ Zilthai = "dark"
1) a Benjamite of the sons of Shimhi
2) a Manassite and commander of thousands who came to David at Ziklag
צִלְּתַי (tsil.l.tay) — Zillethai.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.20
§ Zilthai = "dark"
1) a Benjamite of the sons of Shimhi
2) a Manassite and commander of thousands who came to David at Ziklag
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
The Hebrew word אֱלִיאֵל (Eliy'el) means 'my God is God' or 'El is God.' It refers to several individuals, primarily during the Divided Monarchy, including chiefs in David's army and members of the tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin. The name appears in 1 Chronicles, where it is associated with various roles, such as a Levite and a chief Kohathite.
אֱלִיאֵל n.pr.m. (Ēl is God, or my God is God) only Ch.
two or three of David’s chiefs
chief of Manasseh
two chiefs of Benjamin
chief of the Hebronites
a chief Kohathite
a Levite
base
H447 אֱלִיאֵל
447 'Eliy'el el-ee-ale'
from 410 repeated; God of (his) God; Eliel, the name of nine
Israelites:--Eliel.
see HEBREW for 0410
אֱלִיאֵל (e.li.el) — Eliel.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.5.24
§ Eliel = "my God is God" or "El is God"
1) an ancestor of Samuel
2) chief in David's army (might be two or three different men)
3) a Levite with David in moving the ark
4) a chief of Manasseh
5) two chiefs of Benjamin
6) a chief Kohathite
7) a Levite
אֱלִיאֵל (e.li.el) — Eliel.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.20;
son of: Shimei (H8096N);
brother of: Jakim (H3356), Zichri (H2147H), Zabdi (H2067H), Elienai (H0462), Zillethai (H6769), Adaiah (H5718H), Beraiah (H1256) and Shimrath (H8119)
§ Eliel = "my God is God" or "El is God"
1) an ancestor of Samuel
2) chief in David's army (might be two or three different men)
3) a Levite with David in moving the ark
4) a chief of Manasseh
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Eliel
To whom God is might. (1.) A chief of Manasseh, on the east of Jordan (1 Chr. 5:24).
(2.) A Gadite who joined David in the hold at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:11).
(3.) One of the overseers of the offerings in the reign of Hezekiah (2 Chr. 31:13).
(to whom God is strength). One of the heads of the tribe of Manasseh on the east of Jordan. (1 Chronicles 5:24) A forefather of Samuel the prophet. (1 Chronicles 6:34) A chief man in the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 8:20) Also a Benjamite chief. (1 Chronicles 8:22) One of the heroes of David’s guard. (1 Chronicles 11:46) Another of the same guard. (1 Chronicles 11:47) One of the Gadite heroes who came across Jordan to David when he was in the wilderness of Judah hiding from Saul. (1 Chronicles 12:11) A…
God, my God