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Genesis 36:32 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ בֶּאֱד֔וֹם בֶּ֖לַע בֶּן־ בְּע֑וֹר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ דִּנְהָֽבָה׃

BSABelaBelaʻ [son of a noble family] sonbên of BeorBᵉʻôwr [a man of notable lineage] reignedmâlak [to rule with authority, to advise or counsel] in EdomʼĔdôm [the region of his ancestral heritage] the nameshêm [fame, renown, reputation] of his cityʻîyr [a place of settlement and governance] was DinhabahDinhâbâh [a town of judgment, giving judgement]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 36
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 32 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (din.Ha.vah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 36:32quick helps
In a sentenceBela, son of Beor, ruled in Edom, and his city was named Dinhabah.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the history of Edom's kings.
Where we areThis verse is part of a list of Edomite kings.
The hard wordדִּנְהָבָה
Take awayBela's reign is marked by his notable lineage and the city he ruled.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbמָלַךְ The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 — Genesis 36:32

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 Kings of Edomgenerated

31These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites:
32Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
34When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.

Genesis 36:32 introduces Bela, the king of Edom, highlighting his lineage and the city he ruled. This verse is part of a broader narrative that lists the kings who reigned in Edom before Israel had a king, emphasizing the historical significance of Edom in the biblical timeline. The mention of Dinhabah as his city indicates its importance during his reign.


Cross References


The Key Word בֶּלַע, Be.la'generated

The name בֶּלַע (Bela) refers to a king of Edom, indicating a person of notable lineage. The word is a noun proper masculine, showing its use as a title rather than a common name. Its meaning, 'destruction', carries a weighty connotation in the biblical context.

Bela is mentioned as the son of Beor, linking him to a noble family. This connection is significant in understanding the royal lineage in Edom, as it reflects the importance of ancestry in leadership roles during this period.


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 וַיִּמְלֹךְ (and he reigned) governs the main clause, establishing the action of ruling. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the location of his reign and a noun phrase identifying the subject, Bela.

The sentence flows from the action of reigning to the identification of Bela and his city, illustrating the relationship between the king and his domain.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיִּמְלֹךְ as ἐβασίλευσεν (he reigned), which carries a similar meaning of ruling but may imply a more formal recognition of kingship in the Greek context.

This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the authority associated with kingship, aligning with the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 36:32 tells us that Bela, the son of Beor, was a king in Edom, and his city was called Dinhabah. This verse is part of a list of Edomite kings, showing the history of leadership in that region before Israel had its own kings.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Bela?

Bela was a king of Edom, the son of Beor, and his reign is noted in the biblical account.

What does the name Dinhabah mean?

Dinhabah means 'give thou judgement' and was the capital city of King Bela.

Why is Edom significant in the Bible?

Edom is significant as it represents the descendants of Esau and plays a role in the history of Israel.

What is the historical context of this verse?

This verse is part of a genealogy of kings in Edom, showing the lineage and governance before the establishment of kings in Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn from the lineage of kings in Edom about leadership in biblical times?
  2. How does the name Dinhabah reflect the values of justice in the context of a city?
  3. In what ways does the history of Edom relate to the story of Israel?
  4. What significance does the name Bela carry in the narrative of Edom's kings?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 36:32 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom,.... His name was not Balac, as the Septuagint version, which may lead to think of Balak king of Moab; nor is this the same with Balaam, the son of Beor, who

Read John Gill on Genesis 36 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. Dinhabah [ Dinhaabaah (H1838)] - place of plundering; i:e., robbers' den (Gesenius); probably an early haunt of the predatory Horites.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 36 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Where he was born or dwelt, and so in the rest. The diversity of their cities makes it probable, that these kings had not their power by succession, but either by election, or by usurpation, according to Isaac’ s prophecy of them, : By thy sword thou shalt live.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 36 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32. Bela the son of Beor] In the Hebrew the addition of the letter m would give us the proper name “Balaam the son of Beor” (Numbers 22:5). So Targum of Jonathan reads. Hence some have conjectured that we have here an alternative tradition respecting Balaam, as king of Edom. Bela is also the name of a town, Zoar (Genesis 14:2).

Read Cambridge on Genesis 36 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

THE KINGS OF EDOM, Genesis 36:31-39. How a monarchy arose among the Edomites we are not told, but it is noticeable that of the eight kings here mentioned, not one is said to have succeeded to his father.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 36 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Bela, the son of Beor, reigned in Edom. The name of his city was Dinhabah.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; the name of his city was Dinhabah.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then Bela the sonne of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his citie was Dinhabah.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom; and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Bela son of Beor reigneth in Edom, and the name of his city [is] Dinhabah;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Bela son of Beor reigns in Edom, and the name of his city [is] Dinhabah;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And there reigned in Edom Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Bela son of Beor, reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Bela the son of Beor, and the name of his city Denaba.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Bela, son of Beor, ruled in Edom and the name of his town was Dinhabah.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Bela, son of Beor, was king in Edom, and the name of his chief town was Dinhabah.

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.

וַandclauseverbיִּמְלֹ֣ךְhe.reignedprepositional phrase · prepositionalבֶּinאֱד֔וֹםEdomnoun phrase · subjectבֶּ֖לַעBelanoun phraseבֶּןthe.sonבְּע֑וֹרof.Beorוְandclausenoun phrase · subjectשֵׁ֥םthe.namenoun phraseעִיר֖his.cityוֹhispredicateדִּנְהָֽבָה[was].Dinhabah

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is supported by both the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agree word for word with the Hebrew text in this verse, affirming its consistency across these ancient witnesses.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ בֶּאֱד֔וֹם בֶּ֖לַע בֶּן־ בְּע֑וֹר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ דִּנְהָֽבָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְἐβασίλευσενבֶּאֱד֔וֹםεδωμבֶּ֖לַעβαλακבֶּן־υἱὸςבְּע֑וֹרβεωρוְשֵׁ֥םὄνομαעִיר֖וֹαὐτοῦדִּנְהָֽבָה׃δενναβα

8 of the 8 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

וימלך באדום בלע בן בעור ושׁם עירו דנהבה

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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.

Genesis 36:32מָלַךְand he reigand he reignedמָלַךְאֱדוֹםin Edomin Edomאֱדוֹםבֶ֫לַעBelaBelaבֶ֫לַעבֵּן[the] son o[the] son ofבֵּןבְּעוֹרBeorBeorבְּעוֹרשֵׁםand [the] nand [the] name שֵׁםעִירcity hiscity hisעִירדִּנְהָ֑בָה[was] Dinha[was] Dinhabahדִּנְהָ֑בָהאָדֹםredredאָדֹםבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהבָּעַרto burn: bto burn: burnבָּעַרשׂוּםto set: mato set: makeשׂוּםעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרבֶ֫לַעswallowingswallowingבֶ֫לַעשָׁנָהyearyearשָׁנָהתַּחַתunderneathunderneath: undתַּחַתנְצִיבgarrisongarrisonנְצִיבשֵׂעִיר(Mount) Se(Mount) SeirשֵׂעִיראַשְׁבֵּלAshbelAshbelאַשְׁבֵּלבֶּ֫כֶרBecherBecherבֶּ֫כֶרעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןפְּתוֹרPethorPethorפְּתוֹראֲרָםAram-naharAram-naharaimאֲרָםקָרָאto call: cto call: call tקָרָאיָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 36:32

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.

and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְvai.yim.Lokh and he reigned H4427 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
348× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To advise or counsel is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to reign or rule as a king. It is used in the Bible to describe the actions of leaders, like King Solomon, who sought wisdom to rule God's people. This word is found in the book of 1 Kings.
Amplified meaning
to rule with authority, to advise or counsel
Tyndale gloss
to reign
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָלַךְ (malak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to reign, become king or queen, or to counsel. It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to reign), Hiphil (to make someone king), and Niphal (to consider). The word appears in contexts related to royalty and governance, with a notable reference in Daniel 9:1 for its use in the passive form.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָלַךְ 346 vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign

Qal 296 be (become) king, reign

Hiph. make king, or queen, cause to reign

Hoph. Dn 9:1.

base

[מָלַךְ] vb. counsel, advise;—only Niph. Impf. i.e. I considered carefully, Ne 5:7.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4427a מָלַךְ vb. denom. be, or become king, or queen, reign H4427b מָלַךְ counsel, advise—only Niph. Impf.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4427 malak maw-lak'

a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the

throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by

implication) to take counsel:--consult, X indeed, be (make,

set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to)

reign(-ing), rule, X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to reign.

1) to be or become king or queen, reign

1a) (Qal) to be or become king or queen, reign

1b) (Hiphil) to make one king or queen, cause to reign

1c) (Hophal) to be made king or queen

מָלַךְ (ma.lakh) — to advise.

1) to counsel, advise

1a) (Niphal) to consider

Aramaic equivalent: me.lakh (מְלֵךְ "counsel" H4431)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
בֶּאֱד֔וֹםbe.'e.Dom in Edom H123 Preposition · noun proper masculine
100× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Edom was the twin brother of Jacob and the region where he lived. He was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and his story is told in Genesis 25. Edom is also another name for Esau.
Amplified meaning
the region of his ancestral heritage
Tyndale gloss
Edom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱדוֹם (Edom) refers to both a person and a region. It is derived from the Hebrew word for 'red' and is associated with Esau, Jacob's brother. The term encompasses the Edomites, descendants of Esau, and the land of Edom, located southeast of Palestine. It is first mentioned in Genesis 25:25.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱדוֹם († אֱדֹם Ez 25:11) n.pr.m.

Edom

coll. Edomites, Idumeans as descend. of Esau

land of Edom, Idumaea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H123 אֱדוֹם . Edom

. coll. Edomites, Idumeans as descend. of Esau

. land of Edom, Idumaea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

123 'Edom ed-ome'

or (fully) oEdowm {ed-ome'}; from 122; red (see Gen. 25:25);

Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region

(Idumaea) occupied by him:--Edom, Edomites, Idumea.

see HEBREW for 0122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱדוֹם (e.dom) — Edom.

Edom = "red"

land of Edom, Idumea-land south and south east of Palestine

אֱדוֹם (e.dom) — Edom.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.25;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Israel (H3478); married to Oholibamah (H0173), Judith (H3067), Adah (H5711H) and Mahalath (H4258);

father of: Eliphaz (H0464), Reuel (H7467), Jeush (H3266), Jalam (H3281) and Korah (H7141); also called Edom at Gen.25.30; 36.1,8,19,21; 1x,54;

Another name of e.sav (עֵשָׂו "Esau" H6215G)

§ Edom = "red"

1) Edom

2) Edomite, Idumean-descendants of Esau

3) land of Edom, Idumea-land south and south east of Palestine

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Edom

(1.) The name of Esau (q.v.), Gen. 25:30, “Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage [Heb. haadom, haadom, i.e., ‘the red pottage, the red pottage’] ...Therefore was his name called Edom”, i.e., Red.

(2.) Idumea (Isa. 34:5, 6; Ezek. 35:15). “The field of Edom” (Gen. 32:3), “the land of Edom” (Gen. 36:16), was mountainous (Obad. 1:8, 9, 19, 21). It was called the land, or “the mountain of Seir,” the rough hills on the east side of the Arabah. It extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Red, a name of Esau, Isaac’s eldest son, appropriate on account of his natural complexion, but given, it would seem, from the current name of food for which he sold his birthright-"that same red," Ge 25:25,30. See ESAU and IDUMEA.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

red, earthy; of blood

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Signifies red)

1. A name of Esau, possibly on account of his being covered with red hair Ge 25:25,30; 36:1,8,19

2. A name of the land occupied by the descendants of Esau

It extended from the Elanitic Gulf to the Red Sea, and was also called IDUMEA Ge 32:3; 36:16,17,21; Jer 40:11

Noted for its wise men Ob 1:8

Sins of Ob 1:10-14

Prophecies concerning Jer 25:21-23; 27:1-11; Da 11:41

See EDOMITES

FIGURATIVE of the foes of Zion Isa 63:1

and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
בֶּ֖לַעBe.la' Bela H1106 Noun proper masculine
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Bela is a name in the Bible, given to a place and to people, including an Edomite and Israelites. It means destruction and is also the name of a city that was spared when Lot intervened, and was later called Zoar.
Amplified meaning
son of a noble family
Tyndale gloss
Bela
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֶ֫לַע (Bela) refers to a name associated with multiple figures and a city in the Old Testament. It includes a king of Edom, the first son of Benjamin, and a Reubenite. The name also denotes a city, which is another name for Zoar, spared during Lot's intercession. The meaning of Bela is noted as "destruction."

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֶ֫לַע n.pr.m.

a king of Edom

1st son of Benjamin

a Reubenite

base

בֶּ֫לַע n.pr.loc. city = צֹעַר q.v. Gn 14:2, 6.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1106a בֶ֫לַע . a king of Edom

. 1st son of Benjamin

. a Reubenite

H1106b בֶּ֫לַע city

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1106 Bela` beh'-lah

the same as 1105; Bela, the name of a place, also of an

Edomite and of two Israelites:--Bela.

see HEBREW for 01105

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֶּ֫לַע (be.la) — Bela.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.21;

son of: Benjamin (H1144);

brother of: Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Muppim (H4649), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043);

father of: Ard (H0714H), Naaman (H5283H), Ezbon (H0675H), Uzzi (H5813I), Uzziel (H5816I), Jerimoth (H3406), Iri (H5901), Addar (H0146H), Gera (H1617I), Abihud (H0031), Abishua (H0050H) and Ahoah (H0265)

Also named: bal.i (בַּלְעִי "Belaite" H1108)

§ Bela = "destruction"

1) a king of Edom

2) first son of Benjamin

3) a son of Ahaz, a Reubenite

בֶּ֫לַע (be.la) — Bela.

Bela = "destruction"

one of the five cities of the plain which was spared at the intercession of Lot, and received the name of Zoar

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be'-la.

See ZOAR.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Bela

A thing swallowed. (1.) A city on the shore of the Dead Sea, not far from Sodom, called also Zoar. It was the only one of the five cities that was spared at Lot’s intercession (Gen. 19:20,23). It is first mentioned in Gen. 14:2,8.

(2.) The eldest son of Benjamin (Num. 26:38; “Belah,” Gen. 46:21).

(3.) The son of Beor, and a king of Edom (Gen. 36:32, 33; 1 Chr. 1:43).

(4.) A son of Azaz (1 Chr. 5:8).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(destruction). One of the five cities of the plain which was spared at the intercession of Lot, and received the name of Zoar, (Genesis 14:2; 19:22) [ZOAR] Son of Beor, who reigned over Edom in the city of Dinhabah, eight generations before Saul. (Genesis 36:31-33; 1 Chronicles 1:43,44) Eldest son of Benjamin, according to (Genesis 46:21) (Authorized Version "Belah"); (Numbers 26:38,40; 1 Chronicles 7:6; 8:1) and head of the family of the Belaites. Son of Ahaz, a Reubenite. (1 Chronicles 5:8)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
בֶּן־ben- [the] son of H1121 Noun common · masculine singular construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
בְּע֑וֹרbe.'or Beor H1160 Noun proper masculine
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Beor was a man in the Bible, the father of Balaam, a famous prophet, and also the father of Bela, an Edomite king. His name means 'burning' and he is mentioned in the book of Numbers. The KJV translates it as 'Beor'.
Amplified meaning
a man of notable lineage
Tyndale gloss
Beor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּעוֹר (Beor) means 'burning' and refers to a man from the time of the Patriarchs. He is identified as the father of Balaam and Bela, a king of Edom. The word is derived from a root meaning 'burning' and is mentioned in Genesis 36:32 and Numbers 22:5.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּעוֹר n.pr.m. (a burning; 𝔗 torch)

father of Balaam

father of a king of Edom

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1160 בְּעוֹר (a burning; torch) . father of Balaam

. father of a king of Edom

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1160 B`owr beh-ore'

from 1197 (in the sense of burning); a lamp; Beor, the name

of the father of an Edomitish king; also of that of

Balaam:--Beor.

see HEBREW for 01197

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּעוֹר (be.or) — Beor.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.32;

father of: Bela (H1106)

§ Beor = "burning"

1) father of Balaam

2) father of Bela, king of Edom

בְּעוֹר (be.or) — Beor.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.22.5;

father of: Balaam (H1109A)

Also named: Bosor, Beōr (Βοσόρ, Βεώρ "Beor" G1007)

§ Beor = "burning"

1) father of Balaam

2) father of Bela, king of Edom

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be'-or (be`or, "destroyer"(?)):

(1) Father of Bela, the first king of Edom (Ge 36:32; 1Ch 1:43).

(2) The father of the seer Balaam (Nu 22:5; 24:3,15; 31:8; De 23:4; Jos 13:22; 24:9, omitted in Septuagint; Mic 6:5; 2Pe 2:15, the King James Version and the Revised Version, margin "Bosor").

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Beor

A torch. (1.) The father of Bela, one of the kings of Edom (Gen. 36:32).

(2.) The father of Balaam (Num. 22:5; 24:3, 15; 31:8). In 2 Pet. 2:15 he is called Bosor.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(burning or torch). The father of Bela, one of the early Edomite kings. (Genesis 36:32; 1 Chronicles 1:43) Father of Balaam. (Numbers 22:5; 24:3,15; 31:8; 23:4; Joshua 13:22; 24:9; Micah 6:5) He is called BOSOR in the New Testament. (B.C. before 1450.)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

burning; foolish; mad

and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
וְשֵׁ֥םve.Shem and [the] name of H8034 Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
864× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Amplified meaning
fame, renown, reputation
Tyndale gloss
name
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

usu. of pers.

= reputation

esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

name, as designation of God

of false gods, use forbidden

= memorial, monument

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8034 shem shame

a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea

of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an

appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by

implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,

(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

see HEBREW for 07760

see HEBREW for 08064

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁם (shem) — name.

1) name

1a) name

1b) reputation, fame, glory

1c) the Name (as designation of God)

1d) memorial, monument

Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct
HC/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
עִיר֖וֹi.Ro city his H5892 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a place of settlement and governance
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

and he reigned in Edom Bela [the] son of Beor and [the] name of city his [was] Dinhabah
דִּנְהָֽבָה׃din.Ha.vah [was] Dinhabah H1838 Noun proper
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Dinhabah was a town in Edom, meaning give thou judgement, and was the capital city of King Bela.
Amplified meaning
a town of judgment, giving judgement
Tyndale gloss
Dinhabah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דִּנְהָ֑בָה (Dinhabah) refers to the capital city of King Bela in Edom. Its derivation is uncertain, and it is noted in the context of Edomitish towns. The name is interpreted as meaning "give thou judgement" according to some sources.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דִּנְהָ֑בָה n.pr.loc. capital city of king Bela in Edom

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1838 דִּנְהָ֑בָה capital city of king Bela in Edom

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1838 Dinhabah din-haw-baw'

of uncertain derivation; Dinhabah, an Edomitish

town:--Dinhaban.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דִּנְהָ֑בָה (din.ha.vah) — Dinhabah.

§ Dinhabah = "give thou judgement"

capital city of Bela, king of Edom

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

din'-ha-ba, din-ha'-ba (dinhabhah): The royal city of Bela, son of Beor; king of Edom (Ge 36:32; 1Ch 1:43). There may be a resemblance in the name of Hodbat et-Teneib. about 8 miles East of Heshbon; but this is in the land of Moab, and probably much too far to the North. No satisfactory identification has been proposed.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dinhabah

Robbers’ den, an Edomitish city, the capital of king Bela (Gen. 36:32). It is probably the modern Dibdiba, a little north-east of Petra.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Genesis 36:32; 1 Chronicles 1:43) the capital city, and probably the birthplace, of Bela, son of Beor king of Edom.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

he gives judgment

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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