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2 Samuel 23:26 — Word Study

Depth

WLCחֶ֚לֶץ הַפַּלְטִ֔י עִירָ֥א בֶן־ עִקֵּ֖שׁ הַתְּקוֹעִֽי׃ ס

BSAHelezChelets [the warrior, descendant of Palti] the PaltitePalṭîy [a descendant of Palti, one who escapes] IraʻÎyrâʼ [a mighty warrior, great officer] sonbên [a descendant, offspring] of IkkeshʻIqqêsh [the father of a mighty warrior] the TekoiteTᵉqôwʻîy [an inhabitant of Tekoa, from the town of Judah]

Word
Listen & take away2 Samuel 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 26 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 (ha.te.ko.'I) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Samuel 23:26quick helps
In a sentenceHelez the Paltite and Ira son of Ikkesh are named among David's mighty warriors.
Who is speakingThe narrator lists notable warriors in David's service.
Where we areThis verse is part of a list of David's mighty warriors.
The hard wordחֶ֚לֶץ
Take awayThese names highlight the valor and lineage of David's warriors.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 — 2 Samuel 23:26

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — David's Mighty Warriorsgenerated

25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

2 Samuel 23:26 lists Helez the Paltite and Ira son of Ikkesh as part of David's elite warriors. This section emphasizes the strength and bravery of those who served under King David, showcasing their important roles in his reign. Each warrior is identified by name and lineage, reflecting their significance in Israel's military history.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Chronicles 11:27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
21 Chronicles 27:10The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. There were 24,000 men in his division.
31 Chronicles 11:28Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
41 Chronicles 27:9The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. There were 24,000 men in his division.
52 Samuel 14:2So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חֶלֶץ, Che.letzgenerated

The name חֶלֶץ (Cheletz) refers to a notable warrior associated with King David. It is a proper masculine noun that appears five times in the Old Testament, indicating its significance. The name means 'he has saved', suggesting a connection to strength and valor.

Helez is mentioned as a descendant of Palti, linking him to a lineage of warriors. This connection highlights the importance of family heritage in the context of military service in ancient Israel.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which identifies Helez as 'the Paltite' and Ira as 'son of Ikkesh the Tekoite'.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The structure of the verse is straightforward, listing names in a noun phrase format. The main focus is on the subjects: חֶלֶץ and עִירָא, both of whom are presented as warriors with their respective titles.

The Hebrew syntax emphasizes the lineage and identity of each warrior, with the noun phrases clearly delineating each individual's name and description.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חֶלֶץ as ελλης, which does not provide additional context but maintains the identification of Helez as a warrior.

This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew without expanding on the meaning or significance of the name.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Samuel 23:26 lists Helez the Paltite and Ira son of Ikkesh as two of David's mighty warriors. Helez is identified as a warrior from the family of Palti, while Ira is noted as the son of Ikkesh, also a warrior. This verse highlights their roles and lineage in David's military.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Helez?

Helez was a warrior in King David's service, identified as a descendant of Palti.

What does the name 'Paltite' signify?

A Paltite is a descendant of Palti, indicating a lineage tied to the name which means 'escape'.

What is the significance of Ira's lineage?

Ira is identified as the son of Ikkesh, linking him to a notable family among David's warriors.

What does being a 'Tekoite' imply?

Being a Tekoite indicates that Ira hailed from the town of Tekoa in Judah, marking his geographical and cultural background.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you think made Helez and Ira notable warriors in David's army?
  2. How does understanding the lineage of these warriors enhance your view of their roles?
  3. In what ways do names and titles carry significance in your own community or culture?
  4. How can you apply the concept of lineage and heritage to your own life and identity?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 23:26 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Helez the Paltite,.... Who was of a place called Pater, as the Targum; in 1 Chronicles 11:27, he is called the Pelonite: Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; who was of the city of Tekoah, the native

Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Helez the Paltite , [ Chelets (H2503)] (see the notes at 1 Chronicles 11:27) - "the Paltite," a corrupt form of Pelonite.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Helez.—He was general of the seventh army division (1 Chronicles 27:10). There, and also in 1 Chronicles 11:27, he is called a Pelonite.Ira was general for the sixth month (1 Chronicles 27:9). His home, Tekoah, was about six miles south of Bethlehem.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. Helez the Paltite] Generally explained to mean of Beth-pelet, an unid entified town in the extreme south of Judah, named in the same group with Beer-sheba (Joshua 15:27). But this seems questionable, as he is called an Ephraimite in 1 Chronicles 27:10. 1 Chron. twice reads Pelonite (1 Chronicles 11:27, 1 Chronicles 27:10), but there is no known place or family from which such a name could be formed, and it is either a corruption, or the Hebrew word meaning of so and so, inserted by a scribe who could not read the original word in the text which he was copying. Helez was general of the seventh division of the army (1 Chronicles 27:10). Ira … the Tekoite] Of Tekoa, see note on ch. 2…

Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 23 →

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

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

NETBNew English Translation2006

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

RVARevised Version, American1894

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Helez the Paltite: Ira the sonne of Ikkesh the Tekoite:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Chelez the Paltite, 'Ira the son of 'Ikkesh the Teko'ite,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Helez the Paltite; Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa;

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Helez the Paltite, Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectnoun phraseחֶ֚לֶץHeleznoun phraseהַtheפַּלְטִ֔יPaltitenoun phrasenoun phraseעִירָ֥אIranoun phraseבֶןthe.sonעִקֵּ֖שׁof.Ikkeshnoun phraseהַtheתְּקוֹעִֽיTekoite

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 wording of this verse, with all six words matched. This consistency indicates a stable transmission of the text across these traditions.

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

חֶ֚לֶץ הַפַּלְטִ֔י עִירָ֥א בֶן־ עִקֵּ֖שׁ הַתְּקוֹעִֽי׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
חֶ֚לֶץελληςהַפַּלְטִ֔יφελωθιעִירָ֥אιραςבֶן־υἱὸςעִקֵּ֖שׁεκκαςהַתְּקוֹעִֽי׃ סθεκωίτης

6 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.

2 Samuel 23:26חֶ֫לֶץHelezHelezחֶ֫לֶץבֵּיתthe Paltitethe PaltiteבֵּיתעִירָאIraIraעִירָאבֵּן[the] son o[the] son ofבֵּןעִקֵּשׁIkkeshIkkeshעִקֵּשׁתְּקוֹעִיthe Tekoitethe Tekoiteתְּקוֹעִיחָלַץto rescueto rescueחָלַץפַּלְטִיPaltiPaltiפַּלְטִיעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהתְּקוֹעַTekoaTekoaתְּקוֹעַעִקֵּשׁtwistedtwistedעִקֵּשׁעִקֵּשׁIkkeshIkkeshעִקֵּשׁעִירָאIraIraעִירָאפְּלֹנִיPelonitePeloniteפְּלֹנִייִתְרִיIthriteIthriteיִתְרִיעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןתְּקוֹעִיTekoaTekoaתְּקוֹעִי
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 2 Samuel 23:26

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

Helez the Paltite Ira [the] son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
חֶ֚לֶץChe.letz Helez H2503 Noun proper masculine
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Helez was an Israelite, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:39, and also one of David's mighty warriors. His name means 'he has saved'.
Amplified meaning
the warrior, descendant of Palti
Tyndale gloss
Helez
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֶ֫לֶץ (Chelets) refers to a name associated with two individuals in the Old Testament, both named Helez. One was an Ephraimite and a leader among David's mighty warriors, while the other was a man from Judah, son of Azariah. The name is linked to the meaning 'he has saved' and is derived from a root suggesting strength.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֶ֫לֶץ n.pr.m. (viqour).

one of David’s heroes

man of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2503 חֶ֫לֶץ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2503 Chelets kheh'-lets

or Chelets {khay'-lets; from 2502; perhaps, strength;

Chelets, the name of two Israelites:--Helez.

see HEBREW for 02502

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֶ֫לֶץ (che.lets) — Helez.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.26

§ Helez = "he has saved"

1) an Ephraimite, one of the 30 of David's mighty warriors, leader of the 7th monthly course

2) a man of Judah, son of Azariah

חֶ֫לֶץ (che.lets) — Helez.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.39;

son of: Azariah (H5838J);

father of: Eleasah (H0501)

§ Helez = "he has saved"

1) an Ephraimite, one of the 30 of David's mighty warriors, leader of the 7th monthly course

2) a man of Judah, son of Azariah

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

he'-lez (chelets "vigor"; Septuagint Selles, Chelles):

(1) 2Sa 23:26; 1Ch 11:27; 27:10. One of David's mighty men; according to 1Ch 27:10, he belonged to the sons of Ephraim and was at the head of the 7th course in David's organization of the kingdom.

(2) Septuagint Chelles, 1Ch 2:39. A man of Judah of the clan of the Jerahmeelites.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Helez

Strong, or loin (?) (1.) One of Judah’s posterity (1 Chr. 2:39).

(2.) One of David’s warriors (2 Sam. 23:26).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(strength). One of "the thirty" of David’s guard, (2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:27) an Ephraimite, and captain of the seventh monthly course. (1 Chronicles 27:10) (B.C. 1016.) A man of Judah, son of Azariah. (1 Chronicles 2:39)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

armed; set free

Helez the Paltite Ira [the] son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
הַפַּלְטִ֔יha.pal.Ti the Paltite H6407 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Paltite is a descendant of Palti, an Israelite who lived during the time of King David. The name means escape, and it is used to identify a group of people who were related to Palti.
Amplified meaning
a descendant of Palti, one who escapes
Tyndale gloss
Paltite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט refers to a location in southern Judah, meaning 'place of escape.' The term is associated with the Paltites, descendants of Palti, as noted in 2 Samuel 23:26. The word is built from the root for 'escape' and is linked to the group of Pelonites. There is some uncertainty about the exact lineage of the Paltites.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט n.pr.loc. (place of escape) in south of Judah; cf. adj.gent. הַפַּלְטִי

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6407 בֵּית פָּ֑לֶט, פַּלְטִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6407 Paltiy pal-tee'

patronymically from 6406; a Paltite or descendant of

Palti:--Paltite.

see HEBREW for 06406

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פַּלְטִי (pal.ti) — Paltite.

Someone descended from Pelon or Palet(?), first mentioned at 2Sa.23.26; also called Paltite at 2Sa.23.26;

Group of pe.lo.ni (פְּלוֹנִי "Pelonite" H6397)

§ Paltite = "escape"

a descendant of Palti or an inhabitant of Beth-palet

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pal'-tit (palTi (as Palti); The Septuagint has: Codex Vaticanus Kelothei; Codex Alexandrinus Phellonei): The description occurs but once in this form and is then applied to Helez, one of David's 30 valiant men (2Sa 23:26). Helez' name, however, occurs in 1Ch 11:27 and 27:10 as the "Pelonite." Doubtless there is some confusion of words. The word may be given as a patronymic of Palti, or it may designate a native of the village of Beth-pelet mentioned in Jos 15:27 and Ne 11:26 as being in Lower Judah. Helez, however, is described as "of the children of Ephraim" in 1Ch 27:10.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Paltite

The designation of one of David’s heroes (2 Sam. 23:26); called also the Pelonite (1 Chr. 11:27).

Helez the Paltite Ira [the] son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
עִירָ֥א'i.Ra' Ira H5896 Noun proper masculine
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ira was the name of three different Israelites, including a great officer and a mighty warrior of King David, as listed in 2 Samuel 23:38.
Amplified meaning
a mighty warrior, great officer
Tyndale gloss
Ira
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִירָא (Iyra') refers to a name meaning 'watchful of a city.' It is associated with three individuals from the time of the United Monarchy, all of whom were notable figures in King David's circle, including one of his great officers and two of his mighty warriors. The name is derived from the root meaning 'wakefulness.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִירָא n.pr.m.

of David

heroes of David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5896 עִירָא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5896 `Iyra' ee-raw'

from 5782; wakefulness; Ira, the name of three

Israelites:--Ira.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִירָא (i.ra) — Ira.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Sa.20.26

§ Ira = "watchful of a city"

1) the Jairite, one of David's great officers

2) one of David's mighty warriors

3) a Tekoite, son of Ikkesh, and another of David's mighty warriors

עִירָא (i.ra) — Ira.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.26;

son of: Ikkesh (H6142)

§ Ira = "watchful of a city"

1) the Jairite, one of David's great officers

2) one of David's mighty warriors

3) a Tekoite, son of Ikkesh, and another of David's mighty warriors

עִירָא (i.ra) — Ira.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.38

§ Ira = "watchful of a city"

1) the Jairite, one of David's great officers

2) one of David's mighty warriors

3) a Tekoite, son of Ikkesh, and another of David's mighty warriors

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

i'-ra (`ira'; Eiras):

(1) A person referred to in 2Sa 20:26 as "priest" (so the Revised Version (British and American) correctly; the King James Version "a chief ruler," the American Standard Revised Version "chief minister") unto David. The translation of the Revised Version (British and American) is the only possible one; but, according to the text, Ira was "a Jairite," and thus of the tribe of Manasseh (Nu 32:41) and not eligible to the priesthood. On the basis of the Peshitta some would correct "Jairite" of 2Sa 20:26 into "Jattirite," referring to Jattir, a priestly city within the territory of Judah (Jos 21:14). Others point to

(3.) A Jairite and priest, a royal chaplain (2 Sam. 20:26) or confidential adviser (comp. 2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Chr. 18:17).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(watchful of a city). "The Jairite," named in the catalogue of David’s great officers. (2 Samuel 20:26) One of the heroes of David’s guard. (2 Samuel 23:38; 1 Chronicles 11:40) Another of David’s guard, a Tekoite, son of Ikkesh- (2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:28) (B.C. 1046-1014.)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

watchman; making bare; pouring out

Helez the Paltite Ira [the] son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
בֶן־ven- [the] son of H1121 Noun common · masculine singular 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
a descendant, 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-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

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…

Helez the Paltite Ira [the] son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
עִקֵּ֖שׁ'i.Kesh Ikkesh H6142 Noun proper masculine
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Ikkesh was an Israelite who lived during the time of the United Monarchy, and was the father of Ira, one of David's mighty warriors. His name means twisted, and he is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:26. The KJV translates his name as Ikkesh.
Amplified meaning
the father of a mighty warrior
Tyndale gloss
Ikkesh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִקֵּשׁ (Iqqesh) refers to a name meaning 'twisted' and identifies a man from Tekoa, mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:26 as one of David's mighty warriors and the father of Ira. The word is also associated with the adjective meaning 'perverse,' derived from a related term.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִקֵּשׁ n.pr.m. a Tekoan

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6142 עִקֵּשׁ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6142 `Iqqesh ik-kashe'

the same as 6141; perverse; Ikkesh, an Israelite:--Ikkesh.

see HEBREW for 06141

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִקֵּשׁ (iq.qesh) — Ikkesh.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.26;

father of: Ira (H5896H)

§ Ikkesh = "twisted"

father of Ira, the Tekoite, and one of David's mighty warriors

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

ik'-esh (`iqqesh, "crooked"): A Tekoite, father of Ira, one of David's "thirty" (2Sa 23:26; 1Ch 11:28; 27:9).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(perverse), the father of Ira the Tekoite. (2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 27:9) (B.C. before 1046.)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

forward; wicked

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Father of Ira 2Sa 23:26; 1Ch 11:28; 27:9

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Helez the Paltite Ira [the] son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
הַתְּקוֹעִֽי׃ סha.te.ko.'I the Tekoite H8621 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Tekoite is an inhabitant of Tekoa, a town in Judah. The word is used to describe someone from this town, such as the prophet Amos who was a Tekoite. The KJV translates it as Tekoite.
Amplified meaning
an inhabitant of Tekoa, from the town of Judah
Tyndale gloss
Tekoa
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּקוֹעִי (teqo'i) refers to a Tekoite, an inhabitant of the town of Tekoa. It is derived from the root word for Tekoa, which means 'trumpet blast.' The entries consistently identify it as an adjective related to the people of Tekoa.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּקוֹעִי, תְּקֹעִי adj.gent. of foregoing [w.bp.ad]

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8621 תְּקוֹעִי, תְּקֹעִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8621 Tqow`iy tek-o-ee'

or Tqo iy {tek-o-ee'}; patronymically from 8620; a Tekoite or

inhabitant of Tekoah:--Tekoite.

see HEBREW for 08620

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּקוֹעִי (te.qo.i) — Tekoa.

Tekoite, of Tekoa "trumpet blast"

an inhabitant of Tekoa

Another spelling of te.qo.a (תְּקוֹעַ "Tekoa" H8620)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
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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