Ezra 2:29 — Word Study
WLCבְּנֵ֥י נְב֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס
BSAthe descendantsbên [sons, children, or offspring] of NeboNᵉbôw [a mountain in Moab, or a Babylonian deity, fifty and two, or two and fifty] 52chămishshîym
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵ֥י | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| נְב֖וֹ | Nebo | Noun proper masculine |
| חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים | fifty | Adj |
| וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס | and two | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the descendants of Nebo, 52; |
| KJV | The children of Nebo, fifty and two. |
| ASV | The children of Nebo, fifty and two. |
| YLT | Sons of Nebo, fifty and two. |
| WEB | The children of Nebo, fifty-two. |
| BBE | The children of Nebo, fifty-two. |
Where they part company is in the structuring of the numbers — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, with a main clause followed by a numeral phrase indicating the count.
2 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, 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 2:29
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 List of Returneesgenerated
Ezra 2:29 is part of a larger passage that enumerates the families returning from exile to Jerusalem. This list highlights the importance of lineage and heritage among the returning Israelites, emphasizing their connection to the land and their ancestors.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 32:3 | “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 32:49 | “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo, in the land of Moab across from Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites as their own possession. |
| 3 | Nehemiah 7:33 | the men of the other Nebo, 52; |
| 4 | Isaiah 15:2 | Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 48:1–22 | Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בֵּן, be.Neigenerated
The word בֵּן (ben) is a noun meaning 'son' or 'descendant.' It can refer to a male child, but also extends to include broader meanings such as children or offspring, indicating a lineage or family connection. This word is often used in genealogies throughout the Old Testament.
In this verse, it establishes the descendants of Nebo, linking them to their ancestor and underscoring their identity as part of the Israelite community returning to their homeland.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the phrase the descendants of Nebo and the number 52.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with a main noun phrase בְּנֵי נְב֖וֹ (the descendants of Nebo) followed by a numeral phrase indicating their count: חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם (fifty-two).
This simple construction emphasizes the identity of the group and their numerical representation, fitting within the genealogical context of the chapter.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בְּנֵי as υἱοὶ (huioi), meaning 'sons.' This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the familial connection.
However, the Septuagint does not provide a direct equivalent for the number, which may indicate a difference in how the genealogical data was recorded or understood.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 2:29 lists the descendants of Nebo, totaling fifty-two. This verse is part of a larger genealogical record that documents the families returning from exile to Jerusalem, emphasizing their heritage.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The descendants of Nebo were part of the returning exiles from Babylon, indicating their lineage and connection to the Israelite community.
The number fifty-two represents the total count of Nebo's descendants returning, emphasizing the community's size and participation in the return to Jerusalem.
Genealogy is crucial as it establishes identity, heritage, and the fulfillment of God's promises to restore His people to their land.
Nebo refers to a mountain in Moab, highlighting geographical and historical connections, as well as possibly referencing a deity associated with learning.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to be a descendant of someone in my own life?
- How can understanding my heritage impact my identity today?
- Why is it important to remember our ancestors and their stories?
- In what ways can I contribute to my community's legacy?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 2:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe children of Nebo, fifty and two. The children of Nebo - [Septuagint, Vatican, Nabou; Alexandrine, Naboo] - the Bethoannaba of Eusebius and Jerome ('Onomast.,' article 'Anob;' Reland, 'Palaestina,' p.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges29. Nebo] not to be confused with the Moabite town (Numbers 32:3; Numbers 32:38), to distinguish it from which it is perhaps called in Nehemiah 7:33 ‘the other Nebo’. Its situation has not been accurately determined. Some identify it with Nob, the well-known priestly town (see 1 Samuel 21:1; 1 Samuel 22:9 &c.), and in favour of this view it may be noticed that while Nob is mentioned along with Geba, Michmash, Ai, Bethel and Anathoth in Nehemiah 11:31-32, and after Ai, Michmash, Geba, Ramah and Anathoth in Isaiah 10:28-32, Nebo is not mentioned in either passage. The position of Nob is still uncertain. Nebo and Nob have been recognised in Beit Nuba, a village on a hill about 16 miles N. W.…
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 descendants of Nebo, 52;
The children of Nebo, fifty-two.
the descendants of Nebo, 52;
the descendants of Nebo: 52;
Tyndale line
The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
The sonnes of Nebo, two and fiftie:
Strictly literal
The children of Nebo, fifty-two.
Sons of Nebo, fifty and two.
sons of Nebo, fifty-two;
The people of Nebo, fifty and two.
The men of Nebo: fifty-two.
From the Latin
The children of Nebo, fifty-two.
Simplified
the sons of Nebo, 52;
The children of Nebo, fifty-two.
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 show agreement on the core elements of the verse, with the Masoretic Text stating בְּנֵ֥י נְב֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס, while the Septuagint matches three of the four words but has its own structure.
בְּנֵ֥י נְב֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס
3 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 Ezra 2:29
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…
נְבוֹ (nevo) refers to several locations and a deity. It denotes a city in Moab, a city in Judah, and a mountain in Moab where Moses died. Additionally, it represents a Babylonian god associated with learning, akin to Hermes and Mercury. The name is linked to the meaning 'prophet'.
נְבוֹ n.pr.loc.
city in Moab
city in Judah
mt. in Moab, where Moses died
base
נְבוֹ n.pr.div. Nebo;—Babylonian god Is 46:1.
ref
H5015a נְבוֹ . . city in Moab
. city in Judah
. mt. in Moab, where Moses died
H5015b נְבוֹ Nebo;—Babylonian god
5015 Nbow neb-o'
probably of foreign derivation; Nebo, the name of a
Babylonian deity, also of a mountain in Moab, and of a place
in Palestine:--Nebo.
נְבוֹ (ne.vo) — Nebo.
§ Nebo = "prophet"
a city in Moab and at one time assigned to Reuben; probably located on or near Mount Nebo
נְבוֹ (ne.vo) — Nebo.
§ Nebo = "prophet"
a Babylonian deity who presided over learning and letters; corresponds to Greek Hermes, Latin Mercury, and Egyptian Thoth
נְבוֹ (ne.vo) — Nebo.
§ Nebo = "prophet"
a city in Judah (maybe Benjamin) from which the families of some exiles, who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel, originally came
נְבוֹ (ne.vo) — (Mount) Nebo.
Nebo = "prophet"
the mountain where Moses died; located east of the Jordan opposite Jericho
Also named: a.va.rim (עֲבָרִים "Abarim" H5682)
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Nebo
Proclaimer; prophet. (1.) A Chaldean god whose worship was introduced into Assyria by Pul (Isa. 46:1; Jer. 48:1). To this idol was dedicated the great temple whose ruins are still seen at Birs Nimrud. A statue of Nebo found at Calah, where it was set up by Pul, king of Assyria, is now in the British Museum.
(2.) A mountain in the land of Moab from which Moses looked for the first and the last time on the Promised Land (Deut. 32:49; 34:1). It has been identified with Jebel Nebah, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, near its northern end, and about 5 miles south-west of Heshbon. It was the summit of the ridge of Pisgah (q.v.), which was a part of the range of the “mountains of Abarim.” It is about 2,643 feet in height, but…
A town of Reuben on the east side of Jordan. (Numbers 32:3,38) In the remarkable prophecy adopted by Isaiah, (Isaiah 15:2) and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 48:1,26) concerning Moab, Nebo is mentioned in the same connection as before, but in the hands of Moab. Eusebius and Jerome identify it with Nobah or Kerrath, and place it eight miles South of Heshbon, where the ruins of el-Habis appear to stand at present. (Prof. Paine identifies it with some ruins on Mount Nebo, a mile south of its summit, and Dr. Robinson seems to agree with this. --ED.) The children of Nebo returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:29; 10:43; Nehemiah 7:33) The name occurs between Bethel and Ai and Lydda…
1. A town in the vicinity of Bethel and Ai, Ezr 2:29 Ne 7:33.
2. A city of Reuben, Nu 32:38, taken by the Moabites, who held it in the time of Jeremiah, Isa 15:2 Jer 48:1.
3. A mountain of Moab, whence Moses had a view of the promised land, and where he died. It is a summit of the range Abarim, "over against Jericho." Seetzen, Burckhardy, etc., identify it with Mount Attarus, about ten miles north of the Arnon. Travelers do not observe any very prominent summit in the rage immediately opposite Jericho; but it has not yet fully explored, De 32:49 34:1-12.
that speaks or prophesies
חֲמִשִּׁים (chamishshiym) means 'fifty' and is a cardinal number. It can also refer to a multiple of fifty or the ordinal number 'fiftieth.' The entries consistently define it as a numerical term without significant variation.
חֲמִשִּׁים 164 n.pl. (a) fifty
base
H2572 חֲמִשִּׁים (a) fifty
2572 chamishshiym kham-ish-sheem'
multiple of 2568; fifty:--fifty.
see HEBREW for 02568
חֲמִשִּׁים (cha.mish.shim) — fifty.
1) fifty
1a) fifty (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of fifty (with other numbers)
1c) fiftieth (ordinal number)
Adj — AdjHAcmpa
שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.
שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two
base
H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two
8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim
dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also
(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +
twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
see HEBREW for 08145
שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.
1) two
1a) two (the cardinal number)
1a1) two, both, double, twice
1b) second (the ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
1d) both (a dual number)
HC/Acbda — ConjunctionHC/Acbda
too.
See NUMBER.