Ezra 2:21 — Word Study
WLCבְּנֵ֣י בֵֽית־ לָ֔חֶם מֵאָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס
BSAthe menbên [children, sons, descendants] of BethlehemBêyth Lechem [house of bread, a hundred twenty and three, one hundred twenty-three] 123mêʼâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵ֣י | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| בֵֽית־ | Beth- | Noun proper |
| לָ֔חֶם | -lehem | Noun proper |
| מֵאָ֖ה | one hundred | Adj |
| עֶשְׂרִ֥ים | twenty | |
| וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס | and three | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the men of Bethlehem, 123; |
| KJV | The children of Beth-lehem, an hundred twenty and three. |
| ASV | The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three. |
| YLT | Sons of Beth-Lehem, a hundred twenty and three. |
| WEB | The children of Bethlehem, one hundred twenty-three. |
| BBE | The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred and twenty-three. |
Where they part company is in the details of the numerical representation — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, identifying a group and their count without additional clauses.
4 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Poole, AdamClarke, 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 2:21
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 2:21 records the number of men from Bethlehem who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. This verse is part of a larger list detailing the various groups of exiles who returned, emphasizing their lineage and the importance of their ancestral homes. Bethlehem, known as the 'house of bread,' holds significant historical and prophetic importance, especially in relation to King David and later, Jesus.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 2:50–52 | These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בְּנֵ֣י, be.Neigenerated
The word בְּנֵי (be.Nei) means 'sons' or 'descendants.' It is a masculine plural noun that indicates familial relationships and lineage. In this context, it specifies the descendants of Bethlehem, highlighting their heritage as part of the returning exiles.
This term is often used in genealogies to establish connections between individuals and their ancestral lines, as seen in other passages like 1 Chronicles 2:50. The use of this word underscores the importance of family and identity in the biblical narrative.
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 finite verb is absent, as this verse is structured as a noun phrase followed by a numeral phrase. The subject is the noun phrase בְּנֵי בֵֽית־ לָ֔חֶם (the men of Bethlehem), with the numeral phrase מֵאָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה (123) indicating their number.
The structure emphasizes the identity of the group before stating their number, which is typical in Hebrew lists, placing importance on the subjects being counted.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the term υἱοὶ (huioi), meaning 'sons' or 'children,' to translate בְּנֵי. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on lineage.
The translation reflects a consistent understanding of familial ties, which is central to the identity of the returning exiles.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 2:21 lists the men from Bethlehem who returned from exile, numbering 123. This verse emphasizes their identity as descendants of a significant location, known as the 'house of bread.'
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Bethlehem is significant as it is associated with King David and later, Jesus. It symbolizes heritage and fulfillment of God's promises.
The number 123 represents the count of men from Bethlehem who returned from exile, emphasizing the community's restoration.
This verse connects to other genealogies by highlighting the importance of lineage and heritage, which is a common theme in biblical narratives.
The term 'house of bread' signifies a place known for its food production, which later became famous as the birthplace of Jesus.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding my heritage shape my identity today?
- In what ways can I recognize the significance of my community's history?
- How can I apply the lessons of restoration seen in the return from exile to my own life?
- What role does family play in my understanding of faith and community?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 2:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three. The children of Beth-lehem - [Septuagint, Beethlaem].
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleEither of a man called Beth-lehem, or the Beth-lehemite, by way of eminency; or of the place so called. And so these were the remainders of the inhabitants of that city. And the like may be said of the two following names, Netophah and Anathoth, or others of the like nature.
Read Matthew Poole on Ezra 2 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. The children of Beth-lehem] The inhabitants: see before.
Read AdamClarke on Ezra 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21. Beth-lehem] or ‘the house of bread’: sometimes called Bethlehem of Judah to distinguish it from the Bethlehem in Zebulon (Joshua 19:15). Its name implies the fruitfulness of the soil. The name of Ephrath or Ephratah by which it was known in earlier times has also the meaning of plenty (cf. Genesis 35:19; Micah 5:1; Rth 1:2). The story of Ruth lies in Bethlehem. Ibzan the Judge was a native of Bethlehem (Judges 12:8). Its greatest fame in the O. T. is derived from its having been the birthplace of David (1 Samuel 17:12) and of the sons of Zeruiah (2 Samuel 2:32). It was only a village, but the prophet predicted its glory in the Messianic future (Micah 5:1), in words, of which the literal…
Read Cambridge on Ezra 2 →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
the men of Bethlehem, 123;
The children of Bethlehem, one hundred twenty-three.
the men of Bethlehem, 123;
The men of Bethlehem: 123;
Tyndale line
The children of Beth-lehem, an hundred twenty and three.
The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
The children of Beth-lehem, an hundred twenty and three.
The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
The sonnes of Beth-lehem, an hundreth and three and twentie:
Strictly literal
The children of Bethlehem, a hundred and twenty-three.
Sons of Beth-Lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
sons of Beth-Lehem, one hundred twenty-three;
The people of Beth-lechem, one hundred twenty and three.
The men of Bethlehem: 123.
From the Latin
The children of Bethlehem, a hundred twenty-three.
Simplified
the people from Bethlehem, 123;
The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred and twenty-three.
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 states 'בְּנֵ֣י בֵֽית־ לָ֔חֶם מֵאָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס', which translates to 'the men of Bethlehem, 123;'. The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation, matches 4 of the 6 words from the Masoretic Text, indicating a degree of agreement in content. However, the Septuagint's word order and articles differ from the Hebrew text, suggesting some variation in how the passage was understood or rendered in Greek. No significant differences are noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, reinforcing the consistency of the number and the reference to Bethlehem across these ancient witnesses.
בְּנֵ֣י בֵֽית־ לָ֔חֶם מֵאָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס
4 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.
Lexicons — every word in Ezra 2:21
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.
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.
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
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
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
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)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
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.
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…
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (Beyth Lechem) means 'house of bread' and refers to two locations in ancient Palestine: one in Judah, known as the birthplace of David, and another in Zebulun, northwest of Nazareth. The word is built from the roots for 'house' and 'bread'.
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם 41 n.pr.loc.
in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
base
H1035 בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם . in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
. in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
1035 Beyth Lechem bayth leh'-khem
from 1004 and 3899; house of bread; Beth- Lechem, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-lehem.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 03899
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a city in Judah, birthplace of David
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a place in Zebulun
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Beth
Occurs frequently as the appellation for a house, or dwelling-place, in such compounds as the words immediately following:
the most general word for a house or habitation. It has the special meaning of a temple or house of worship Beth is more frequently employed in compound names of places than any other word.
House, forms a part of many compounds names of places, and sometimes means the place or dwelling; and at others the temple. This word becomes Beit in modern Arabic.
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (Beyth Lechem) means 'house of bread' and refers to two locations in ancient Palestine: one in Judah, known as the birthplace of David, and another in Zebulun, northwest of Nazareth. The word is built from the roots for 'house' and 'bread'.
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם 41 n.pr.loc.
in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
base
H1035 בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם . in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
. in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
1035 Beyth Lechem bayth leh'-khem
from 1004 and 3899; house of bread; Beth- Lechem, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-lehem.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 03899
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a city in Judah, birthplace of David
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a place in Zebulun
HNpl — Noun properHNpl
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
Adj — AdjHAcfsa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
עֶשְׂרִים (esriym) means 'twenty' and can also refer to the ordinal 'twentieth.' It is derived from the root word for 'ten' and has an Aramaic equivalent, עֶשְׂרִין (es.rin). The entries consistently define the term without significant disagreement.
עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
base
H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
6242 `esriym es-reem'
from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,
twenty(-ieth).
see HEBREW for 06235
עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.
twenty, twentieth
Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)
HAcmpa — HAcmpa
twen'-ti.
See NUMBER.
The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.
שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad
base
H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad
7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'
or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};
or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;
occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,
+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.
Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07991
שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.
1) three, triad
1a) 3, 300, third
Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)
HC/Acbsa — ConjunctionHC/Acbsa
(shalosh; treis).
See NUMBER.
The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.