Ezra 10:42 — Word Study
WLCשַׁלּ֥וּם אֲמַרְיָ֖ה יוֹסֵֽף׃ ס
BSAShallumShallûwm [a personal name, meaning peace] AmariahʼĂmaryâh [exalted by God, a high priest] and JosephYôwçêph [Jehovah has added, a blessed name]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שַׁלּ֥וּם | Shallum | Noun proper masculine |
| אֲמַרְיָ֖ה | Amariah | Noun proper masculine |
| יוֹסֵֽף׃ ס | Joseph | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. |
| KJV | Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. |
| ASV | Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. |
| YLT | Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. |
| WEB | Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. |
| BBE | Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. |
There are no significant differences in translations regarding the names listed in this verse.
The verse consists of a simple list of names, emphasizing the individuals' significance without additional clauses.

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 10:42
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 Return from Exilegenerated
Ezra 10:42 lists the names of men who were part of the community returning from Babylonian exile. This verse is part of a larger narrative that addresses the issue of intermarriage with foreign women, emphasizing the need for the community to return to their covenantal identity. The names mentioned reflect the lineage and roles of these individuals within the restored community.
Cross References
The Key Word — שַׁלּוּם, sha.Lumgenerated
The name שַׁלּוּם (sha.Lum) is a proper masculine noun meaning 'peace'. It is associated with various figures in the Old Testament, including a king of Judah and members of priestly families. The parsing indicates it is a noun, showing its role as a personal name.
In this verse, Shallum represents one of the individuals returning from exile, embodying the hope for peace in the restored community after a period of turmoil.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered consistently across translations, including the Berean Standard Bible, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse centers around a noun phrase that serves as the subject: שַׁלּ֥וּם אֲמַרְיָ֖ה יוֹסֵֽף — Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. The simplicity of the structure emphasizes the listing of names without additional clauses or modifiers.
This straightforward construction highlights the importance of each individual mentioned, as they are key figures in the narrative of the returning exiles.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שַׁלּוּם as Σαλλούμ, אֲמַרְיָ֖ה as Αμαρία, and יוֹסֵֽף as Ιωσηφ. This shows a direct correspondence with the Hebrew names, preserving their identities in the Greek translation.
The choice of names in the Septuagint indicates an effort to maintain the original meaning and significance of these individuals within the context of the returning community.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 10:42 lists the names Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph as part of the community returning from exile. These names reflect the heritage and roles of individuals in the restored community, emphasizing their significance in the narrative of returning to their covenantal identity.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
They are individuals mentioned in the context of the return from exile, representing the community's restoration.
Shallum means 'peace' and is associated with several figures in the Old Testament.
These names highlight the diverse heritage of the returning exiles and their roles in the restored community.
The issue is addressed to emphasize the importance of maintaining covenantal identity among the returning exiles.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the name Shallum suggest about the hopes of the returning community?
- How do the names listed in this verse reflect the broader narrative of Ezra?
- In what ways can we see the importance of heritage in our own communities today?
- What lessons can we learn from the challenges faced by the returning exiles regarding identity and community?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 10:42 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
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Tyndale line
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, Ioseph.
Strictly literal
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
Shallum, Amaryah, and Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
From the Latin
Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.
Simplified
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
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 שַׁלּ֥וּם אֲמַרְיָ֖ה יוֹסֵֽף, and the Septuagint matches two of the three names. The agreement between these texts shows consistency in the transmission of these names across traditions.
שַׁלּ֥וּם אֲמַרְיָ֖ה יוֹסֵֽף׃ ס
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 10:42
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.
שַׁלּוּם (Shalluwm) refers to a name associated with several figures in the Old Testament, including a king of Israel and a son of Josiah, king of Judah. The name is linked to various roles, such as a husband, uncle, and members of priestly and Levitical families. It is noted that Shallum means 'retribution' and is mentioned in contexts involving political intrigue and temple service.
שַׁלּוּם (less oft. שַׁלֻּם)
n.pr.m.king of N. Israel
son of Josiah, and king of Judah
husband of Huldah
uncle of Jeremiah
in Simeon
in Jerahmeel
in Ephr.
in Napht.
father of threshhold-keeper
wall-builder
priests
Levites
v
base
H7967 שַׁלּוּם (less oft. שַׁלֻּם) . king of N. Israel
. son of Josiah, and king of Judah
. husband of Huldah
. uncle of Jeremiah
. in Simeon
. in Jerahmeel
. in Ephr.
. in Napht.
. father of threshhold-keeper
. wall-builder
. priests
. Levites
. v
7967 Shalluwm shal-loom'
or (shorter) Shallum {shal-loom'}; the same as 7966; Shallum,
the name of fourteen Israelites:--Shallum.
see HEBREW for 07966
שַׁלּוּם (shal.lum) — Shallum.
A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.15.10;
son of: Jabesh (H3003H)
§ Shallum = "retribution"
1) son of Jabesh, conspirator and slayer of king Zachariah of the northern kingdom of Israel ending the dynasty of Jehu; assumed the throne and became the 15th king of the northern kingdom; reigned for one month and was killed by Menahem
2) the 3rd son of king Josiah of Judah and subsequent king of Judah; reigned for 3 months before he was taken captive to Egypt where he was placed in chains and later died
2a) also 'Jehoahaz'
3) husband of Huldah the prophetess in the reign of king Josiah of Judah. Maybe the same as 4
4) uncle of Jeremiah the prophet. Maybe the same as 3
5) a Simeonite, son of Shaul and grandson of Simeon
6) a Judaite, son of Sisamai and father of Jekamiah in the family of Jerahmeel
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Shallum
Retribution. (1.) The son of Jabesh, otherwise unknown. He “conspired against Zachariah, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 15:10). He reigned only “a month of days in Samaria” (15:13, marg.). Menahem rose up against Shallum and put him to death (2 Kings 15:14, 15, 17), and became king in his stead.
(2.) Keeper of the temple vestments in the reign of Josiah (2 Kings 22:14).
(3.) One of the posterity of Judah (1 Chr. 2:40, 41).
(4.) A descendant of Simeon (1 Chr. 4:25).
(retribution). The fifteenth king of Israel, son of Jabesh, conspired against Zachariah, killed him, and brought the dynasty of Jehu to a close, B.C. 770. Shallum, after reigning in Samaria for a month only, was in his turn dethroned and killed by Menahem. (2 Kings 15:10-14) The husband of Huldah the prophetess, (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:23) in the reign of Josiah. (B.C. 830.) A descendant of Shesham. (1 Chronicles 2:40,41) The third son of Josiah king of Judah, known in the books of Kings and Chronicles as Jehoahaz. (1 Chronicles 3:15; Jeremiah 22:11)…
1. Son of Jabesh, or a native of Jebesh, who treacherously killed Zechariah King of Israel and usurped his kingdom, B. C. 772. He held it only one month, when Menahem son of Gadi killed him in Samaria. Scripture says that Shallun was the executioner of the threatenings of the Lord against the house of Jehu, 2Ki 15:10-15.
2. See JEHOAHAZ 2.
3. The husband of Huldah the prophetess in the time of Josiah, 2Ki 22:14.
perfect; agreeable
The Hebrew word אֲמַרְיָ֫הוּ (*Amaryah*) means 'Jehovah speaks' or 'Yah(u) has promised.' It refers to several individuals from the tribe of Levi, including a chief priest under Jehoshaphat and a Levite during the time of Ezra. The entries indicate that this name appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting its significance in priestly lineage.
אֲמַרְיָ֫הוּ, אֲמַרְיָה n.pr.m. (Yah(u) hath promised)
a Levite
also
.
chief priest under Jehosh.
Levite under Hezekiah
son of Hezekiah & great-grandfather of Zephaniah
a priest
a man of Judah
base
H568 אֲמַרְיָ֫הוּ, אֲמַרְיָה
568 'Amaryah am-ar-yaw'
or prolonged tAmaryahuw {am-ar-yaw'-hoo}; from 559 and 3050;
Jah has said (i.e. promised); Amarjah, the name of nine
Israelites:--Amariah.
see HEBREW for 0559
see HEBREW for 03050
אֲמַרְיָ֫הוּ (a.mar.yah) — Amariah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.6.7;
son of: Meraioth (H4812);
father of: Ahitub (H0285H)
§ Amariah = "Jehovah speaks" or "Yah(u) has promised"
1) Zadok's grandfather
2) a head priest's son in Solomon's time
3) a chief priest under Jehoshaphat
4) Hezekiah's son, great-grandfather of Zephaniah
5) a Levite in Ezra's time
6) a Levite under Hezekiah
7) a priest in Nehemiah's time
אֲמַרְיָ֫הוּ (a.mar.yah) — Amariah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.6.11;
son of: Azariah (H5838K);
father of: Ahitub (H0285I)
§ Amariah = "Jehovah speaks" or "Yah(u) has promised"
1) Zadok's grandfather
2) a head priest's son in Solomon's time
3) a chief priest under Jehoshaphat
4) Hezekiah's son, great-grandfather of Zephaniah
5) a Levite in Ezra's time
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
am-a-ri'-a ('amaryah and 'amaryahu, "the Lord has said"; compare HPN, 180, 285).
(1) A Levite in the line of Aaron-Eleazar; a son of Meraioth and grandfather of Zadok (1Ch 6:7,52) who lived in David's time. Compare Zadok (2Sa 15:27, etc.) also Ant, VIII, i, 3 and X, viii, 6.
(2) A Levite in the line of Kohath-Hebron referred to in 1Ch 23:19 and 24:23 at the time when David divided the Levites into courses.
Amariah
Said by Jehovah. (1.) One of the descendants of Aaron by Eleazar (1 Chr. 6:7,52). He was probably the last of the high priests of Eleazar’s line prior to the transfer of that office to Eli, of the line of Ithamar.
(2.) A Levite, son of Hebron, of the lineage of Moses (1 Chr. 23:19; 24:23).
(3.) A “chief priest” who took an active part in the reformation under Jehoshaphat (2 Chr. 19:11); probably the same as mentioned in 1 Chr. 6:9.
(4.) 1 Chr. 6:11; Ezra 7:3. (5.) One of the high priests in the time of Hezekiah (
(the Lord says , i.e. promises). Father of Ahitub according to (1 Chronicles 6:7,52) and son of Meraioth, in the line of the high priests. The high priest in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 19:11) He was the son of Azariah. The head of a Levitical house of the Kohathites. (1 Chronicles 23:13; 24:23) The head of one of the twenty-four courses of priest. (2 Chronicles 31:15; Nehemiah 10:3; 12:2,13) One of the sons of Bani in the time of Ezra. (Ezra 10:42) A priest who returned with Zerubbabel. (Nehemiah…
1. Son of Meraioth, a descendant of Aaron in the line of Eleazar. He was the father of Ahitub, (See AHITUB 2.) and grandfather of Zadok, in whose person the high priesthood was restored to that line, 1Ch 6:7
2. High priest at a later period, a son of Azariah, and father of another Ahitub, 1Ch 6:11. In like manner, in the same list there are three persons named Azariah.
יוֹסֵף (Yowceph) means 'he adds' or 'increases' and refers primarily to Joseph, the eldest son of Jacob and Rachel. The name appears in various contexts, including other individuals named Joseph, such as a man of Issachar, a son of Asaph, and a priest. The entries highlight his familial relationships and roles during different periods, including the Exile and Return.
יוֹסֵף 212 and יְהוֹסֵף n.pr.m. (he adds, increases)
elder son of Jacob and Rachael
a man of Issachar
a son of Asaph
one of those who took strange wives
a priest
base
H3130 יוֹסֵף and יְהוֹסֵף (he adds, increases) . elder son of Jacob and Rachael
. a man of Issachar
. a son of Asaph
. one of those who took strange wives
. a priest
3130 Yowceph yo-safe'
future of 3254; let him add (or perhaps simply active
participle adding); Joseph, the name of seven
Israelites:--Joseph. Compare 3084.
see HEBREW for 03254
see HEBREW for 03084
יוֹסֵף (yo.seph) — Joseph.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.24;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);
brother of: Benjamin (H1144);
half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); married to Asenath (H0621);
father of: Manasseh (H4519) and Ephraim (H0669); also called Zaphenath-paneah at Gen.41.45;
§ Joseph = "Jehovah has added"
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel
2) father of Igal, who represented the tribe of Issachar among the spies
3) a son of Asaph
4) a man who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
5) a priest of the family of Shebaniah in the time of Nehemiah
יוֹסֵף (yo.seph) — Joseph.
A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.7;
father of: Igal (H3008)
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Joseph
Remover or increaser. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 30:23, 24), who, on the occasion of his birth, said, “God hath taken away [Heb. ‘asaph] my reproach.” “The Lord shall add [Heb. yoseph] to me another son” (Gen. 30:24). He was a child of probably six years of age when his father returned from Haran to Canaan and took up his residence in the old patriarchal town of Hebron. “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age,” and he “made him a long garment with sleeves” (Gen. 37:3, R.V. marg.), i.e., a garment long and full, such as was worn by the children of nobles. This seems to be the correct rendering of the words. The phrase, however, may also be…
(increase). The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel. He was born in Padan-aram (Mesopotamia), probably about B.C. 1746. He is first mentioned when a youth, seventeen years old. Joseph brought the evil report of his brethren to his father, and they hated him because his father loved him more than he did them, and had shown his preference by making a dress which appears to have been a long tunic with sleeves, worn by youths and maidens of the richer class. (Genesis 37:2) He dreamed a dream foreshadowing his future power, which increased the hatred of his brethren. (Genesis 37:5-7) He was sent by his father to visit his brothers, who were tending flocks in the fields of Dothan. They resolved to kill him, but he was saved by Reuben, who persuaded the brothers to cast Joseph into…
1. The son of Jacob and his beloved Rachel, born in Mesopotamia, Ge 30:22-24, B. C. 1747. He is memorable for the wonderful providence of God, which raised him from a prison to be the grandvizier of Egypt, and made him the honored means of saving countless human lives. His history is one of the most pleasing and instructive in the Bible; and is related in language inimitably natural, simple, and touching. It is too beautiful for abridgment, and too familiar to need rehearsal. It throws much light on the superintending providence of God, as embracing all things, great and small in the perpetual unfolding of his universal plan. No narrative in the Bible more strikingly illustrates the protective and elevating power of the fear of God, and its especial value for the young. To behold this lovely image of filial piety and unwavering…
increase; addition
