Ezra 10:41 — Word Study
WLCעֲזַרְאֵ֥ל וְשֶׁלֶמְיָ֖הוּ שְׁמַרְיָֽה׃
BSAAzarelʻĂzarʼêl [or Azareel] ShelemiahShelemyâh [repaid by Jehovah] ShemariahShᵉmaryâh [kept by Jehovah, protected by the Lord]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עֲזַרְאֵ֥ל | Azarel | Noun proper masculine |
| וְשֶׁלֶמְיָ֖הוּ | and Shelemiah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| שְׁמַרְיָֽה׃ | Shemariah | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
| KJV | Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
| ASV | Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
| YLT | Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
| WEB | Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
| BBE | Azarel and Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
The translations agree on the names listed in this verse.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing three names.
2 commentators on this verse
Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
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 — Ezra 10:41
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 Restoration of Israelgenerated
Ezra 10:41 presents a list of names of men who played a role in the return of the Israelites from Babylonian exile. This verse highlights the importance of these individuals in the restoration process, emphasizing their connection to God through their names, which reflect divine assistance and protection. The context is crucial as it shows the community's effort to reestablish their identity and faith after a period of displacement.
Cross References
The Key Word — עֲזַרְאֵל, 'a.zar.'Elgenerated
The name עֲזַרְאֵל (*Azar'el*) means "God has helped" and is associated with several figures in the Old Testament. It is a compound of elements meaning 'help' and 'God,' indicating divine assistance. This name appears in contexts related to warriors and priests, particularly during the time of David and the return from exile.
Similarly, שֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ (*Shelemyah*) means 'repaid by Jehovah,' reflecting God's faithfulness. The name is linked to a Levite who played roles in repairing the wall of Jerusalem and managing the treasury. Lastly, שְׁמַרְיָה (*Shmaryah*) translates to 'kept by Jehovah,' indicating protection, and refers to several individuals, including a Benjamite and a son of King Rehoboam.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the names are rendered as Azarel, Shelemiah, and Shemariah, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of this verse is straightforward, consisting of a noun phrase that serves as the subject. The names are presented in a simple list format, indicating they are part of a larger enumeration of individuals involved in the restoration effort.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the names themselves, reflecting their importance in the context of the narrative.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֲזַרְאֵל as εζερηλ, which shows a consistent recognition of the name's significance, though the Greek form may reflect a different phonetic adaptation.
The names שֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ and שְׁמַרְיָה do not have direct equivalents in the Septuagint, indicating a possible variation in the transmission of these names.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 10:41 lists three men: Azarel, Shelemiah, and Shemariah. Each name reflects a relationship with God, indicating help, repayment, and protection. These names are part of a larger list of individuals who returned from exile and played a role in restoring Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Azarel means 'God has helped' and signifies divine assistance.
Shelemiah was a Levite mentioned in the Old Testament, meaning 'repaid by Jehovah'.
Shemariah means 'kept by Jehovah' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, indicating protection.
These names reflect the individuals' relationships with God and their roles in the restoration of Israel after exile.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do the meanings of these names reflect the character of God?
- What role do you think these individuals played in the community after returning from exile?
- How can understanding the significance of names in the Bible enhance our reading of Scripture?
- In what ways can we see God's help and protection in our own lives today?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 10:41 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18-44) List of the transgressors. (19) They gave their hands.—The four members of the high priest’s family were peculiarly dealt with. They gave their distinct pledge, and offered each a special trespass offering. It is one among a multitude of similar tokens of authenticity in the history; and inventor would have given some reason for the peculiarity. (22) Pashur.—Comparing Ezra 2:36-39, we find that all the priestly families that returned with Zerub-babel were implicated in the national offence. (25) Of Israel.—Of the laity eighty-six are mentioned, belonging to ten races which returned with Zerubbabel. (34) Bani.—Probably this should be some other name, as Bani occurs before. The…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezra 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges18–44. The List of those who ‘had married strange women’The record of the names was probably one of the documents officially preserved. The publicity of such a list was in itself a punishment to the offenders and a warning to others. As in chap. 2, the list falls into the three groups of Priests, Levites, and Israel (or Laity), i.e. 17 Priests, 10 Levites, 86 ‘of Israel’—113 in all.
Read Cambridge on Ezra 10 →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
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Tyndale line
Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah;
Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Strictly literal
Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
'Asar'el, and Shelemyahu, Shemaryah,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
From the Latin
Ezrel, and Selemiau, Semeria,
Simplified
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Azarel and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
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 lists the names as עֲזַרְאֵל וְשֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ שְׁמַרְיָה. The Septuagint matches two of the three names, showing some consistency in the transmission of these figures, though its wording differs.
עֲזַרְאֵ֥ל וְשֶׁלֶמְיָ֖הוּ שְׁמַרְיָֽה׃
2 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 Ezra 10:41
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 עֲזַרְאֵל (*Azar'el*) means "God has helped" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament. It is composed of elements meaning 'help' and 'God.' The name appears in contexts related to warriors, musicians, and priests, specifically during the time of David and the return from exile. Notably, it is mentioned in 1 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah.
עֲזַרְאֵל n.pr.m. (Ēl hath helped)
warrior of David
Levite musician
a Danite
one with foreign wife
priestly name
base
H5832 עֲזַרְאֵל
5832 `Azar'el az-ar-ale'
from 5826 and 410; God has helped; Azarel, the name of five
Israelites:--Azarael, Azareel.
see HEBREW for 05826
see HEBREW for 0410
עֲזַרְאֵל (a.zar.el) — Azarel.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.6
§ Azarael or Azareel = "God has helped"
1) a Korhite warrior of David who joined him at Ziklag
2) a Levite musician of the family of Heman in the time of David
3) a Danite, son of Jeroham and a prince of the tribe at the census of David
4) one of the sons of Bani who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
5) a priest, ancestor of Maasiai or Amashai, a priest in Jerusalem after the return from exile
6) a priest and musician in the time of Nehemiah
עֲזַרְאֵל (a.zar.el) — Azarel.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.27.22;
son of: Jeroham (H3395L)
§ Azarael or Azareel = "God has helped"
1) a Korhite warrior of David who joined him at Ziklag
2) a Levite musician of the family of Heman in the time of David
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
The Hebrew word שֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ (*Shelemyah*) means 'repaid by Jehovah' and refers to several individuals mentioned in the Old Testament, particularly during the Exile and Return periods. It is derived from roots meaning 'thank-offering' and 'Jah' (God). The entries note that Shelemyah was a Levite and a priest, involved in various roles including repairing the wall of Jerusalem and managing the treasury.
שֶׁלֶמְיָה(וּ) n.pr.m.
Jeremiah’s time
Levite
post-ex. names
base
H8018 שֶׁלֶמְיָה(וּ), שֶׁלֶמְיָה, שֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ
8018 Shelemyah shel-em-yaw'
or Shelemyahuw {shel-em-yaw'-hoo}; from 8002 and 3050;
thank-offering of Jah; Shelemjah, the name of nine
Israelites:--Shelemiah.
see HEBREW for 08002
see HEBREW for 03050
שֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ (she.lem.yah) — Shelemiah.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.39
§ Shelemiah = "repaid by Jehovah"
1) a son of Bani who put away his foreign wife in the time of Ezra
2) another son of Bani who put away his foreign wife in the time of Ezra
3) father of Hananiah who repaired part of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
4) a priest in the time of Nehemiah in charge of the treasury
5) father of Jehucal or Jucal in the time of Zedekiah
6) Levite upon whom the lot for the East Gate fell; in the time of David
6a) also 'Meshelemiah' and 'Shallum'
7) father of Nethaniah and grandfather of Jehudi, who was the messenger sent to Baruch the scribe of Jeremiah
8) son of Abdeel and one the men commanded by king Jehoiakim of Judah to seize the prophet Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
shel-e-mi'-a, she-lem'-ya (shelemyah; Codex Vaticanus Selemia, Codex Alexandrinus (Selemias):
(1) One of the sons of Bani who married foreign wives in the time of Ezra (Ezr 10:39), called "Selemias" in 1 Esdras 9:34.
(2) Father of Hananiah who restored part of the wall of Jerusalem (Ne 3:30) (Codex Vaticanus Telemia, ..., Telemias). (3) A priest who was appointed one of the treasurers to distribute the Levitical tithes by Nehemiah (Ne 13:13).
(4) The father of Jehucal (or Jucal) in the reign of Zedekiah (Jer 37:3; 38:1; in the second passage the name is Shelemyahu).
Shelemiah
Whom Jehovah repays. (1.) Ezra 10:39.
(2.) The father of Hananiah (Neh. 3:30).
(3.) A priest in the time of Nehemiah (13:13).
(4.) Father of one of those who accused Jeremiah to Zedekiah (Jer. 37:3; 38:1).
(5.) Father of a captain of the ward (Jer. 37:13).
(6.) Jer. 36:14.
(repaid by Jehovah). One of the sons of Bani in the time of Ezra. (Ezra 10:30) (B.C. 458.) The father of Hananiah. (Nehemiah 3:30) A priest in the time of Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 13:13) The father of Jehueal, or Jucal, in the time of Zedekiah. (Jeremiah 37:3) The father of Irijah, the captain of the ward who arrested Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 37:13) (B.C. before 589.) The same as Meshelemiah and Shallum, 8. (1 Chronicles 26:14) Another of the sons of Bani in the time of Ezra. (Ezra 10:41) Ancestor of Jehudi in the time…
God is my perfection; my happiness; my peace
שְׁמַרְיָ֫הוּ (Shmaryah) means "Jah has guarded" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament. These include a Benjamite warrior who supported David, a son of King Rehoboam, and two Israelites mentioned during the time of Ezra who had foreign wives. The entries consistently highlight the name's meaning and its association with notable figures.
שְׁמַרְיָ֫ה(וּ) n.pr.m. (י׳ has kept, preserved)
a hero of David
son of Rehoboam
contemporaries of Ezra
base
H8114 שְׁמַרְיָ֫ה(וּ), שְׁמַרְיָה, שְׁמַרְיָהוּ
8114 Shmaryah shem-ar-yaw'
or Shmaryahuw {shem-ar-yaw'-hoo}; from 8104 and 3050; Jah has
guarded; Shemarjah, the name of four Israelites:--Shamariah,
Shemariah.
see HEBREW for 08104
see HEBREW for 03050
שְׁמַרְיָ֫הוּ (she.mar.yah) — Shemariah.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.5
§ Shemariah = "kept by Jehovah"
1) a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors who joined him at Ziklag
2) a son of king Rehoboam of Judah
3) an Israelite of the sons of Harim who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
4) an Israelite of the sons of Bani who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
שְׁמַרְיָ֫הוּ (she.mar.yah) — Shemariah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.11.19;
son of: Rehoboam (H7346) and Mahalath (H4258H);
brother of: Jeush (H3266K) and Zaham (H2093);
half-brother of: Abijah (H0029I), Attai (H6262I), Ziza (H2124H) and Shelomith (H8019G)
§ Shemariah = "kept by Jehovah"
1) a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors who joined him at Ziklag
2) a son of king Rehoboam of Judah
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
shem-a-ri'-a, she-mar'-ya (shemaryah and shemaryahu, "whom Jahveh guards"):
(1) A Benjamite warrior who joined David at Ziklag (1Ch 12:5, Codex Vaticanus Sammaraia; Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus Samaria; Lucian, Samarias).
(2) A son of Rehoboam (2Ch 11:19).
(3) One of the sons of Harim who had married foreign wives (Ezr 10:32, Codex Vaticanus Samareia, Lucian, Samarias; Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus Semaria).
(4) One of the sons of Bani who had married foreign wives (Ezr 10:41, Codex Alexandrinus Samareias; Codex Vaticanus Samareia; Lucian, Samarias).
Horace J. Wolf
Shemariah
Whom Jehovah guards. (1.) One who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:5).
(2.) Ezra 10:32, 41.
(kept by Jehovah). A Benjamite warrior who came to David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:5) (B.C. 1054.) One of the family of Harim, a lay man of Israel who put away his foreign wife in the time of Ezra. (Ezra 10:32) (B.C. 658.) Another who did the same. (Ezra 10:41)
God is my guard