Ezra 2:35 — Word Study
WLCבְּנֵ֣י סְנָאָ֔ה שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁלֹשִֽׁים׃ ס
BSAand the descendantsbên [sons, children, or posterity] of SenaahÇᵉnâʼâh [Hassenaah, a place in Palestine and also the name of a man] 3,630shâlôwsh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵ֣י | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| סְנָאָ֔ה | Senaah | Noun proper masculine |
| שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת | three | Adj |
| אֲלָפִ֔ים | thousand | |
| וְשֵׁ֥שׁ | and six | Conjunction |
| מֵא֖וֹת | hundred | |
| וּשְׁלֹשִֽׁים׃ ס | and thirty | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | and the descendants of Senaah, 3,630. |
| KJV | The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. |
| ASV | The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. |
| YLT | Sons of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. |
| WEB | The children of Senaah, three thousand six hundred thirty. |
| BBE | The children of Senaah, three thousand, six hundred and thirty. |
Where they part company is in the translation of בְּנֵי — see How Translations Differ.
The structure 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 2:35
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 Census of Returning Exilesgenerated
Ezra 2:35 provides a record of the descendants of Senaah, who were part of the larger group returning from exile in Babylon. This census emphasizes the importance of lineage and family in the restoration of Israel, as seen in the lists that follow, which include various families and their numbers. This verse serves to document the community that would rebuild Jerusalem and its temple, fulfilling God's promises to His people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 7:38 | and the descendants of Senaah, 3,930. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בְּנֵ֣י, be.Neigenerated
The word בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'descendant' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including children and posterity. It indicates familial relationships and is often used to denote lineage or inheritance, as seen in contexts throughout the Old Testament.
In this verse, it specifically refers to the descendants of Senaah, highlighting their role in the returning community. The plural form indicates a larger family or clan, emphasizing the collective identity of those who returned.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree that the verse refers to the descendants of Senaah and their number, 3,630.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is introduced by the subject בְּנֵ֣י, the descendants of, followed by the proper noun סְנָאָ֔ה, Senaah, and concludes with the numeral phrase indicating their count: 3,630. This structure emphasizes the identity of the group and their numerical significance.
The Hebrew syntax places the subject first, establishing the descendants as the focus of the verse, followed by their specific name and numerical representation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the term υἱοὶ (huioi) to translate בְּנֵי, indicating 'sons' or 'children.' This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but broadens the interpretation to include all descendants.
The translation reflects a common practice in the Septuagint to render familial terms in a way that resonates with Greek-speaking audiences, emphasizing lineage.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 2:35 lists the descendants of Senaah, totaling 3,630. This count is part of a larger census of those returning from exile, showing the importance of family and lineage in the restoration of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In this verse, 'descendants' refers to the sons, children, or posterity of Senaah, indicating a familial lineage.
The count of descendants highlights the size of the returning community and emphasizes the restoration of Israel after exile.
Senaah means 'thorny' and refers both to a place in Palestine and to a man who was an ancestor of a family returning from exile.
This verse is part of a census that documents the families returning from Babylonian exile, emphasizing the importance of lineage in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to be part of a lineage or family in the context of faith?
- How can understanding our spiritual heritage influence our community today?
- In what ways can we support the restoration of our communities, similar to those returning from exile?
- What role does family play in your understanding of faith and community?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 2:35 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. The children of Senaah - (cf.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges35. Senaah] The name of this place occurs elsewhere only in the lists of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:3, Nehemiah 7:38). It was identified by Eusebius and Jerome with ‘Megdalsenna’ or ‘Magdalsenna’ about 5 miles N. of Jericho. three thousand and six hundred and thirty] Neh. gives a larger number by 300. The numbers here mentioned are surprisingly great considering that the town is quite unknown to us. The difficulty has been met by a variety of explanations. (a) It has been said that we need not attach much importance to the figures, which may easily have suffered from corruptions in the text. (b) It is suggested that the numbers comprise the population of a considerable adjoining district. (c) It…
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
and the descendants of Senaah, 3,630.
The children of Senaah, three thousand six hundred thirty.
and the descendants of Senaah, 3,630.
the descendants of Senaah: 3,630.
Tyndale line
The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The sonnes of Senaah, three thousand, sixe hundreth and thirtie.
Strictly literal
The children of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.
Sons of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
sons of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The people of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The men of Senaah: 3,630.
From the Latin
The children of Senaa, three thousand six hundred thirty.
Simplified
the sons of Senaah, 3,630.
The children of Senaah, three thousand, six hundred and thirty.
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 largely agree in this verse, with four of the seven words matched. The differences in word order and articles in the Septuagint reflect its unique grammatical structure rather than a variation in meaning.
בְּנֵ֣י סְנָאָ֔ה שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁלֹשִֽׁים׃ ס
4 of the 7 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 2:35
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.
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…
סְנָאָה (sen-ah) refers to a place name in Palestine, associated with the meaning 'thorny.' It is linked to a family that returned from exile with Zerubbabel and is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:7 and Nehemiah 3:3. The term may also imply 'sons of a hated woman,' suggesting a connection to the poorer classes of Jerusalem.
סְנָאָה appar. n.pr.m. = sons of hated (rejected) woman, i.e. the poorer classes of Jerusalem.
base
H5570 סְנָאָה
5570 Cna'ah sen-aw-aw'
from an unused root meaning to prick; thorny; Senaah, a place
in Palestine:--Senaah, Hassenaah (with the article).
סְנָאָה (se.na.ah) — Senaah.
§ Senaah or Hassenaah [with the article] = "thorny"
ancestor of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel
סְנָאָה (se.na.ah) — Hassenaah.
A man descended from Senaah (H5570) of the tribe of Levi before time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at 1Ch.9.7; including Hodaviah (H1938I) and Judah (H3063I); also called Hassenaah at Neh.3.3
Another name of se.nu.ah (סְנוּאָה "Hassenuah" H5574)
§ Senaah or Hassenaah [with the article] = "thorny"
ancestor of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
se-na'-a, sen'-a-a (cena'ah; Codex Vaticanus Sanana; Sananat; Codex Alexandrinus Sanana, Sennaa, Hasan): The children of Senaah are mentioned as having formed part of the company returning from the captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:35; Ne 7:38). The numbers vary as given by Ezr (3,630) and Ne (3,930), while 1 Esdras 5:23 puts them at 3,330. In the last place the name is Sanaas, the King James Version "Annaas" (Codex Vaticanus Sama; Codex Alexandrinus Sanaas). In Ne 3:3 the name occurs with the definite article, ha-senaah. The people may be identical with the Benjamite clan Hassenuah (1Ch 9:7). Eusebius, in Onomasticon, speaks of Magdalsenna a village about 7 miles North of…
(thorny). The "children (i.e. the inhabitants) of Senaah" are enumerated among the "people of Israel" who returned from the captivity with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:35; Nehemiah 7:38) (B.C. 536.) The Magdal Senna of Eusebius and Jerome denotes a town seven miles north of Jericho ("Senna").
bramble; enemy
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)
Adj — AdjHAcbsc
(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.
אֶ֫לֶף (eleph) means 'thousand' in Hebrew. It can refer to the numeral itself or denote a company or clan, particularly a group of men under one leader. The word is built from the concept of a thousand, and it is associated with the ox's head, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
אֶ֫לֶף n.m. thousand
base
H505 אֶ֫לֶף thousand
505 'eleph eh'-lef
prop, the same as 504; hence (the ox's head being the first
letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral)
a thousand:--thousand.
see HEBREW for 0504
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand.
: thousand
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand: clan.
: clan
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
HAcbpa — HAcbpa
thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).
See NUMBER.
The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ, transliterated as shesh, means 'six' and can function as both a cardinal and ordinal number, indicating the sixth position. It is a primitive number that signifies an excess beyond five, as noted in the entries. The Aramaic equivalent is שֵׁת (shet).
שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה 216 n.m. et f. six
base
H8337 שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה six
8337 shesh shaysh
masculine shishshah {shish-shaw'}; a primitive number; six
(as an overplus (see 7797) beyond five or the fingers of the
hand); as ord. sixth:--six((-teen, -teenth)), sixth.
see HEBREW for 07797
שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — six.
1) six
1a) six (cardinal number)
1b) sixth (ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: shet (שֵׁת "six" H8353)
HC/Acbsc — ConjunctionHC/Acbsc
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)
HAcfpa — HAcfpa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
שְׁלֹשִׁים (*shlowshiym*) means 'thirty' and can also refer to 'thirtieth' as an ordinal number. It is an indeclinable noun and is derived from the root word for 'three.' The entries indicate that it is used in various contexts, but there are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.
שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) 174 n.indecl. thirty
bef. n. sg.
as ordin.
base
H7970 שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) n. indecl. thirty . bef. n. sg.
. as ordin.
7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem'
or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or
(ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth. Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07969
see HEBREW for 07991
שְׁלֹשִׁים (she.lo.shim) — thirty.
thirty, thirtieth
Aramaic equivalent: te.la.tin (תְּלָתִין "thirty" H8533)
HC/Acmpa — ConjunctionHC/Acmpa