2 Samuel 23:35 — Word Study
WLCחֶצְרַי֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י פַּעֲרַ֖י הָאַרְבִּֽי׃ ס
BSAHezroChetsrôw [Hezrai, the enclosed one] the CarmeliteKarmᵉlîy [inhabitant of Mount Carmel] PaaraiPaʻăray△ [meaning unclear, possibly a reference to a specific location or tribe] the ArbiteʼArbîy△ [from the region of Arabia, an area now known as Saudi Arabia]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חֶצְרַי֙ | Hezrai | Noun proper masculine |
| הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י | the Carmelite | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| פַּעֲרַ֖י | Paarai | Noun proper masculine |
| הָאַרְבִּֽי׃ ס | the Arbite | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| KJV | Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| ASV | Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| YLT | Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| WEB | Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| BBE | Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite, |
The translations agree on the names and titles presented in this verse.
The sentence is a straightforward listing of names, emphasizing the individuals' identities.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
2 of 4 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words 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 23:35
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 Mighty Warriors of Davidgenerated
2 Samuel 23:35 lists some of King David's mighty men, highlighting their diverse backgrounds and contributions to his reign. This verse emphasizes the importance of these warriors in supporting David during his rule, showcasing their valor and loyalty. The context is a broader account of David's elite group, which includes various individuals from different tribes and regions, reflecting the unity and strength of his leadership.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 11:37 | Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֶצְרַי, chetz.rogenerated
The name חֶצְרַי (Hezrai) is a proper noun referring to an Israelite warrior, specifically one of David's mighty men. It is derived from a root meaning 'enclosure', suggesting a sense of protection or containment. The parsing indicates it is a masculine noun, highlighting Hezro's role as a male warrior in King David's guard.
Hezro is also known as Hezrai, indicating an orthographical variation in the name. This variation does not change the identity of the person but reflects the different ways the name has been recorded in biblical texts.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the names listed in this verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with a series of noun phrases listing the names of David's warriors. The main focus is on the individuals identified: חֶצְרַי (Hezro) and פַּעֲרַי (Paarai), each followed by their respective identifiers.
This construction emphasizes the collective identity of David's mighty men, presenting them in a list format that underscores their significance as a group.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חֶצְרַי as ασαραι and פַּעֲרַי as φαραϊ, maintaining the identification of these warriors. The choice of Greek terms reflects the translators' intent to convey the same identities in a different linguistic context.
The consistency in naming across the Hebrew and Greek texts indicates a shared understanding of these figures' roles in the biblical narrative.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 23:35 lists Hezro the Carmelite and Paarai the Arbite as two of King David's mighty warriors. Hezro's name means 'enclosed', and he is also known as Hezrai. Paarai's name is less clear but may refer to a specific location or tribe. Both men played important roles in supporting David.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Hezro and Paarai were warriors in King David's elite group, known for their bravery and loyalty.
Hezro's name means 'enclosed', suggesting a protective or contained nature.
A Carmelite is an inhabitant of Mount Carmel, indicating Hezro's geographical origin.
Paarai's name may reference a specific location or tribe, but its exact meaning is not definitively established.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What qualities do you think made Hezro and Paarai valuable warriors for David?
- How does the diversity of David's mighty men reflect the unity of Israel during his reign?
- In what ways can we learn from the loyalty and bravery of David's warriors in our own lives?
- How does understanding the backgrounds of these warriors enhance our reading of the biblical narrative?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 23:35 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHezrai the Carmelite,.... Of Mount Carmel; or from Carmela, as the Targum, see 1 Samuel 25:2; he is called Hezro, 1 Chronicles 11:37; Paarai the Arbite; or from Arab, as the Targum, a city in the
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Hezrai the Carmelite - or Hezro (1 Chronicles 11:37). Kennicott decides, on the almost unanimous authority of MSS., in favour of the name in this passage being the true one.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 23 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(35) Hezrai.—So the Hebrew margin; but the text has Hezro, as in Chronicles. He was of Carmel, seven miles S.S.E. of Hebron, famous in David’s early history. Paarai the Arbite.—In Chronicles “Naarai the son of Ezbai.” It is impossible to decide whether Paarai or Naarai is the correct form, but the son of Ezbai is evidently a scribe’s error for the Arbite, which it must resemble in the original.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 23 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges35. Hezrai the Carmelite] The Kthîbh agrees with 1 Chronicles 11:37 in reading Hezro. He belonged to Carmel in the mountainous country of Judah, now Kurmul, about seven miles S. S. E. of Hebron. Cp. 1 Samuel 25:2. Paarai the Arbite] Of Arab, a city also in the neighbourhood of Hebron (Joshua 15:52), perhaps er-Rabîyeh, about five miles S. of Hebron. Chron. reads “Naarai the son of Ezbai.”
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
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Tyndale line
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite;
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezrai the Carmelite: Paarai the Arbite:
Strictly literal
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Chezrai, the Carmelite, Pa'arai the Arbite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
From the Latin
Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,
Simplified
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,
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 and their order, with no significant variations. Both texts preserve the identities of Hezro and Paarai as part of David's elite group of warriors.
חֶצְרַי֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י פַּעֲרַ֖י הָאַרְבִּֽי׃ ס
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 2 Samuel 23:35
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.
חֶצְרוֹ (Chetsrow) refers to Hezro, an Israelite mentioned as one of David's mighty warriors in 2 Samuel 23:35. The name is derived from a term meaning 'enclosure.' The entries indicate that Hezro is also referred to as Hezrai, highlighting an orthographical variation.
חֶצְרוֹ, חֶצְרַי (n.pr.m.)—one of David’s heroes, called the Carmelite
base
H2695 חֶצְרוֹ, חֶצְרַי
2695 Chetsrow khets-ro'
by an orthographical variation for 2696; enclosure; Chetsro,
an Israelite:--Hezro, Hezrai.
see HEBREW for 02696
חֶצְרוֹ (chets.ro) — Hezro.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.35; also called in KJV: Hezrai;
§ Hezro or Hezrai = "enclosed"
the Carmelite, one of David's 30 mighty warriors in his guard
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(enclosed), one of the thirty heroes of David’s guard. (2 Samuel 23:35) (B.C. 1046.) In the parallel list, (1 Chronicles 11:37) the name appears as HEZRO.
an entry or vestibule
כַּרְמְלִי (Karmliy) refers to a Carmelite, an inhabitant of the town of Carmel. It is derived from the root word כַּרְמֶל (Karmel), meaning 'garden-land.' The term can also refer specifically to individuals like Nabal and Abigail, with a feminine form הַכַּרְמְלִית (hakarmelit) for a Carmelitess.
כַּרְמְלִי adj.gent., c. art., the Carmelite, of Nabal. f. הַכַּרְמְלִית the Carmelitess, of Abigail.
base
H3761 כַּרְמְלִי, כַּרְמְלִית
3761 Karmliy kar-mel-ee'
patron from 3760; a Karmelite or inhabitant of Karmel (the
town):--Carmelite.
see HEBREW for 03760
כַּרְמְלִי (kar.me.li) — Carmelite.
Carmelite, of Carmel "garden-land"
an inhabitant of Carmel
Another spelling of kar.mel (כַּרְמֶל "Carmel" H3760)
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
kar'-mel-it (karmeli; Karmelios, Karmelites): A native of the Judean Carmel. Those who are thus named are Nabal, the husband of Abigail (1Sa 30:5, etc.), and Hezro (the King James Version Hezrai), one of David's mighty men (2Sa 23:35). In 2Sa 3:3 Septuagint reads tes Abigaias tes Karmelias, "of Abigail the Carmelitess" (1Sa 27:3; 1Ch 3:1).
See following article, CARMELITESS.
פַּעֲרַי (Pa`aray) refers to a personal name, specifically an Israelite mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:35. The name is derived from a root meaning 'to yawn' or 'to open wide.' It identifies Paarai as one of David's mighty warriors, known as the Arbite, son of Ezbai.
פַּעֲרַי n.pr.m. open wide (the mouth)
base
H6474 פַּעֲרַי
6474 Pa`aray pah-ar-ah'-ee
from 6473; yawning; Paarai, an Israelite:--Paarai.
see HEBREW for 06473
פַּעֲרַי (pa.a.ray) — Paarai.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Sa.23.35
§ Paarai = "gaping"
the Arbite, son of Ezbai and one of David's mighty warriors
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Paarai
Opening of the Lord, “the Arbite,” one of David’s heroes (2 Sam. 23:35); called also Naarai, 1 Chr. 11:37.
In the list of (2 Samuel 23:35) "Paarai the Arbite" is one of David’s men. In (1 Chronicles 11:37) he is Naarai the son of Ezbai." (B.C. 1015.)
opening
אַרְבִּי (Arbiy) refers to an Arbite, a native of Arabia. It is derived from the root associated with Arabia and is noted in 2 Samuel 23:35. The term suggests a connection to ambush, but the entries do not provide extensive detail.
אַרְבִּי adj.gent. הָא׳ 2 S 23:35 (but cf. Dr).
done
H701 אַרְבִּי
701 'Arbiy ar-bee'
patrial from 694; an Arbite or native of Arab:--Arbite.
see HEBREW for 0694
אַרְבִּי (ar.bi) — Arbite.
Group of a.rav (עֲרָב "Arabia" H6152B)
§ Arbite = "an ambush"
a native of Arabia
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
a native of Arab. Paarai the Arbite was one of David’s guard. (2 Samuel 23:35)