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Joshua 19:17 — Word Study

Depth

WLCלְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔ר יָצָ֖א הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הָֽרְבִיעִ֑י לִבְנֵ֥י יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃

BSAThe fourthrᵉbîyʻîy [next in sequence, following the third] lotgôwrâl [allotted portion, inheritance] came outyâtsâʼ [was drawn, fell to them] for the clansmishpâchâh [families, tribes] of the tribebên [descendants, people] of IssacharYissâˢkâr [there is recompense, rewarded]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 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 (le.mish.pe.cho.Tam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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Joshua 19:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe fourth lot was drawn for the clans of Issachar.
What is happeningThe process of allotting land to the tribes of Israel.
Who is involvedThe tribe of Issachar, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The hard wordיִשָּׂשכָר
Take awayThe inheritance process is underway, marking the distribution of land.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause verbיָצָא 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 — Joshua 19:17

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 Allotment of the Tribes of Israelgenerated

16This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Zebulun, including these cities and their villages.
17The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar:
18Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
19Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,

Joshua 19:17 describes the drawing of lots to allocate land among the tribes of Israel. This specific verse mentions the fourth lot, which was designated for the clans of Issachar, indicating the systematic approach to land distribution among the tribes. The context emphasizes the importance of each tribe's inheritance as part of God's promise to Israel.


Cross References


The Key Word יִשָּׂשכָר, le.Yi.so.sh.Khargenerated

The name יִשָּׂשכָר (Yissaskar) refers to Issachar, the ninth son of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of the tribe that bears his name. The meaning 'there is recompense' reflects the tribe's character and role within Israel.

As a proper noun, it signifies both the individual and the collective identity of the tribe. This word appears frequently in the context of genealogies and territorial allocations, highlighting its significance in Israel's history.


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 main verb is יָצָא, it came out, which governs the entire clause. The structure follows a straightforward sequence: the numeral phrase הָֽרְבִיעִ֑י, the fourth, precedes the noun phrase הַגּוֹרָ֣ל, the lot, indicating the order of the allotment.

The prepositional phrases לְיִשָּׂשכָ֔ר and לִבְנֵ֥י provide clarity on the recipients of the lot, establishing the relationship between the lot and the tribe of Issachar.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the term ισσαξαρ to translate יִשָּׂשכָר, indicating a direct correspondence between the Hebrew name and its Greek equivalent. This shows a consistent understanding of the tribe's identity across both languages.

The translation of יָצָא as ἐχῆλθεν further emphasizes the action of the lot being drawn, maintaining the same narrative flow as the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 19:17 tells us that the fourth lot was drawn for the clans of Issachar. This verse is part of the process of dividing the land among the tribes of Israel, showing how each tribe received its inheritance.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the term 'lot' refer to in this context?

In this context, 'lot' refers to a method of decision-making used by the Israelites, often involving casting stones or pebbles to determine the allocation of land or responsibilities.

Why is Issachar significant among the tribes of Israel?

Issachar is significant as one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob's son, and plays a role in the heritage and identity of the Israelite people.

What does the word 'fourth' indicate in this verse?

The word 'fourth' indicates the sequence of the lots being drawn, showing that this was the fourth allocation in the process of dividing the land among the tribes.

How does this verse fit into the larger narrative of land distribution?

This verse fits into the larger narrative by detailing the systematic approach to land distribution among the tribes of Israel, emphasizing God's promise of inheritance to His people.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What significance does the tribe of Issachar hold in the history of Israel?
  2. How does the method of casting lots reflect the Israelites' reliance on God for guidance?
  3. In what ways can we see the importance of inheritance and family ties in our own lives?
  4. How does this process of land distribution relate to God's promises to His people?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 19:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

[And] the fourth lot came out to Issachar,.... The fourth of the seven drawn at Shiloh: for the children of Issachar, according to their families: among whom the inheritance that came to them by the

Read John Gill on Joshua 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. The fourth lot came out to Issachar.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) The fourth lot . . . to Issachar.—These two tribes were located next to the house of Joseph on the north. It should be remembered that Issachar and Zebulun had been associated with Judah to form the same camp and division of the army in the wilderness. This association, lasting forty years, must have created many ties between these two tribes and their leader Judah. It was no ordinary wisdom that placed the descendants of Rachel (Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh) between Judah on the south and Judah’s two associates on the north—to cement the union of all Israel, and as far as possible to prevent discord. With regard to Judah and Zebulun, it is noticeable that we find their union…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Joshua 19 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 17. The fourth lot came out to Issachar] It is remarkable, that though Issachar was the eldest brother, yet the lot of Zebulun was drawn before his lot; and this is the order in which Jacob himself mentions them, Genesis 49:13-14, though no reason appears, either here or in the place above, why this preference should be given to the younger; but that the apparently fortuitous lot should have distinguished them just as the prophetic Jacob did, is peculiarly remarkable. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning: he has reasons for his conduct, which in many cases are too great for any of his creatures to comprehend, but he works all things after the counsel of his own will…

Read AdamClarke on Joshua 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17–23. Inheritance of the Tribe of Issachar 17. And the fourth lot] came forth to the tribe of Issachar, whose place during the journey to Canaan had been on the east of the tabernacle, side by side with his brothers Judah and Zebulun, the group moving foremost in the march (Numbers 2:5; Numbers 10:15).

Read Cambridge on Joshua 19 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

’S LOT, Joshua 19:17-23.The territory of this tribe was bounded on the north by Zebulun, on the east by the Jordan, and on the south and west by Manasseh.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 19 →

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

The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar:

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The fourth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Issachar:

NETBNew English Translation2006

The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar by its clans.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The fourth lot came out to Issachar, euen for the children of Issachar according to their families.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The fourth lot came forth to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For Issachar hath the fourth lot gone out, for the sons of Issachar, for their families;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The fourth lot has gone out for Issachar, for the sons of Issachar, for their families;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

For Issachar came out the fourth lot, for the children of Issachar according to their families.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The fourth casting of lots fell to Issachar, clan by clan.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The fourth lot came out to Issachar by their kindreds.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The fourth lot cast went to the tribe of Issachar, by families.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For Issachar the fourth heritage came out, for the children of Issachar by their families;

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.

clauseclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְforיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔רIssacharclauseverbיָצָ֖אit.came.outnoun phrase · subjectהַthenoun phraseגּוֹרָ֣לlotnumeral phraseהָֽ(the)רְבִיעִ֑יfourthprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִfornoun phraseבְנֵ֥יthe.descendantsיִשָּׂשכָ֖רof.Issacharprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽclansםtheir

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


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

The Masoretic Text reads לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔ר יָצָ֖א הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הָֽרְבִיעִ֑י לִבְנֵ֥י יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃, while the Septuagint matches four of the seven words in a different order. This indicates a close relationship between the two texts, though the Septuagint's phrasing reflects its own stylistic choices.

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

לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔ר יָצָ֖א הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הָֽרְבִיעִ֑י לִבְנֵ֥י יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔רισσαξαρיָצָ֖אἐχῆλθενהַגּוֹרָ֣לκλῆροςהָֽרְבִיעִ֑יτέταρτος

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.

Joshua 19:17יִשָּׂשכָרfor Issachafor Issacharיִשָּׂשכָריָצָאit came outit came outיָצָאגּוֹרָלthe lotthe lotגּוֹרָלרְבִיעִיfourthfourthרְבִיעִיבֵּןfor [the] dfor [the] desceבֵּןיִשָּׂשכָרIssacharIssacharיִשָּׂשכָרמִשְׁפָּחָהto clans thto clans theirמִשְׁפָּחָהנָשָׂאto lift: rto lift: raiseנָשָׂארָבַעto squareto squareרָבַעבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהשָׁפָהbe barebe bareשָׁפָהצוּעָרZuarZuarצוּעָרזְבוּלֻןZebulunZebulunזְבוּלֻןקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלמַטֶּהtribetribeמַטֶּההִיןhinhinהִיןיְהוֹיָקִיםJehoiakimJehoiakimיְהוֹיָקִיםעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹת
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 Joshua 19:17

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.

for Issachar it came out the lot fourth for [the] descendants of Issachar to clans their
לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔רle.Yi.so.sh.Khar for Issachar H3485 Preposition · noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Issachar means 'there is recompense' and refers to the 9th son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. He was the 5th son of Leah, Jacob's first wife. The tribe of Issachar is mentioned in 1 Chronicles and other books.
Amplified meaning
there is recompense, rewarded
Tyndale gloss
Issachar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשָּׂשכָר (Yissaskar) refers to Issachar, the ninth son of Jacob and Leah, and the progenitor of the tribe named after him. The name means 'there is recompense' and is associated with a territory in Canaan. Additionally, there is a Korahite Levite named Issachar, mentioned in the context of temple duties.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשָּׂשכָר 43 n.pr.m. Issachar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3485 יִשָּׂשכָר Issachar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3485 Yissaskar yis-saw-kawr'

(strictly yis-saws-kawr'); from 5375 and 7939; he will bring

a reward; Jissaskar, a son of Jacob:--Issachar.

see HEBREW for 05375

see HEBREW for 07939

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשָּׂשכָר (yis.sa.s.khar) — Issachar.

A man of the tribe of Issachar living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Tola (H8439), Puah (H6312), Jashub (H3437H) and Shimron (H8110B)

Also named: Isachar (Ἰσαχάρ "Issachar" G2466)

§ Issachar = "there is recompense"

1) the 9th son of Jacob and the 5th by Leah his first wife and the progenitor of a tribe by his name

2) a Korahite Levite and the 7th son of Obed-edom and doorkeeper to the temple

3) the tribe descended from Issachar the son of Jacob

4) the territory allocated to the descendants of Issachar when they entered the land of Canaan

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

is'-a-kar (yissa(se)khar; Septuagint, Swete Issachar; Tischendorf, Issachar, so also in the New Testament, Tregelles, and Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek):

(1) The 9th son of Jacob, the 5th borne to him by Leah (Ge 30:17 f).

1. The Name:

His birth is in this passage connected with the strange story of Reuben and his mandrakes, and the name given him is apparently conceived as derived from 'ish sakhar, "a hired workman." There is a play upon the name in this sense in Ge 49:15, "He bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under taskwork." Wellhausen (Textder Buch. Sam., 95) thinks that the second element of the name may denote a deity; and Sokar, an Egyptian god, has been suggested. The name in that case would mean "worshipper of Sokar." Practically nothing is…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Issachar

Hired (Gen. 30:18). “God hath given me,” said Leah, “my hire (Heb. sekhari)...and she called his name Issachar.” He was Jacob’s ninth son, and was born in Padan-aram (comp. 28:2). He had four sons at the going down into Egypt (46:13; Num. 26:23, 25).

Issachar, Tribe of, during the journey through the wilderness, along with Judah and Zebulun (Num. 2:5), marched on the east of the tabernacle. This tribe contained 54,400 fighting men when the census was taken at Sinai. After the entrance into the Promised Land, this tribe was one of the six which stood on Gerizim during the ceremony of the blessing and cursing (Deut. 27:12). The allotment of Issachar is…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(reward). I. The ninth son of Jacob and the fifth of Leah. (Genesis 30:17,18) (B.C. 1753-45) At the descent into Egypt four sons are ascribed to him, who founded the four chief families of the tribes. (Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23,25; 1 Chronicles 7:1) The number of the fighting men of Issachar, when taken in the census at Sinai, was 54,400. During the journey they seem to have steadily increased. The allotment of Issachar lay above that of Manasseh. (Joshua 19:17-23) In the words of Josephus, "it extended in length from Carmel to the Jordan, in breadth to Mount Tabor." This territory was, as it still is, among the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Recompense, so named by Leah his mother, Ge 30:18, the ninth son of Jacob, born B. C. 1749. The character of his posterity was foretold by Jacob and by Moses, Ge 49:14,15 De 33:18,19.

The TRIBE OF ISSACHAR numbered fifty-four thousand men in the desert, and on entering Canaan was the third in population, Nu 1:28 26:25. Their portion, having the Jordan on the east, Manasseh on the west, Zebulun north, and Ephraim south, included a considerable part of the fine plain Esdraelon, the most fertile in the country. They were industrious agriculturists, and are mentioned with honor for their brave and wise patriotism, Jud 5:15

for Issachar it came out the lot fourth for [the] descendants of Issachar to clans their
יָצָ֖אya.Tza' it came out H3318 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
1,067× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to go out or come out, and it's used in many different ways, like leaving a place or starting a new journey, as seen in Genesis and Exodus.
Amplified meaning
was drawn, fell to them
Tyndale gloss
to come out: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

go or come out or forth

from (מִן) a place

go forth from (the presence of) a person

in technical senses

of flight, involving escape

depart

of inanimate things

with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

of children as going forth from loins (of father)

go forth to a place

go forward, proceed to or toward something

come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

of combinations

Hiph.

cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

bring out animals

inanimate obj.

fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place

. go forth from (the presence of) a person

. in technical senses

. of flight, involving escape

. depart

. of inanimate things

. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

. . go forth to a place

. go forward, proceed to or toward something

. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

. of combinations

. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

. bring out animals

. inanimate obj.

. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

. be brought forth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'

a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great

variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct

and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X

begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come

(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,

depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,

fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,

out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),

going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,

lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X

scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring

out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any

time, X to (and fro), utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.

: come/go_out/escape

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.

: send/take_out/release

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
for Issachar it came out the lot fourth for [the] descendants of Issachar to clans their
הַגּוֹרָ֣לha.go.Ral the lot H1486 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
78× 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 pebble or small stone used for making decisions by casting lots. It symbolizes a portion or destiny assigned by chance, like the drawing of lots to determine an outcome. This concept is central to ancient Israelite decision-making practices.
Amplified meaning
allotted portion, inheritance
Tyndale gloss
allotted
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹרָל (goral) refers to a 'lot' or 'portion,' often associated with decision-making through casting pebbles. It encompasses the idea of something assigned or apportioned, including land division and duties. The term can also imply recompense or retribution. The entries indicate that it is derived from a root meaning 'to be rough,' suggesting its connection to the physical stones used in the practice.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹרָל 77 n.m. & f. lot

lot for dividing land

lot for assigning to service, duty or punishment

thing assigned, apportioned, allotted

portion = recompence, retribution

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1486 גּוֹרָל lot

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1486 gowral go-rawl'

or (shortened) goral {go-ral'}; from an unused root meaning

to be rough (as stone); properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small

stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion

or destiny (as if determined by lot):--lot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹרָל (go.ral) — allotted.

1) lot

1a) lot-pebbles used for systematically making decisions

2) portion

2a) lot, portion (thing assigned by casting lots)

2b) recompense, retribution

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lot

(Heb. goral, a “pebble”), a small stone used in casting lots (Num. 33:54; Jonah 1:7). The lot was always resorted to by the Hebrews with strictest reference to the interposition of God, and as a method of ascertaining the divine will (Prov. 16:33), and in serious cases of doubt (Esther 3:7). Thus the lot was used at the division of the land of Canaan among the serveral tribes (Num. 26:55; 34:13), at the detection of Achan (Josh. 7:14, 18), the election of Saul to be king (1 Sam. 10:20, 21), the distribution of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(literally a pebble). The custom of deciding doubtful questions by lot is one of great extent and high antiquity. Among the Jews lots were used with the expectation that God would so control them as to give a right direction to them. They were very often used by God’s appointment. "As to the mode of casting lots, we have no certain information. Probably several modes were practiced." "Very commonly among the Latins little counters of wood were put into a jar with so narrow a neck that only one could come out at a time. After the jar had been filled with water and the contents shaken, the lots were determined by the order in which the bits of wood, representing the several parties, came out with the water. in other cases they were put into a wide open jar, and the counters were drawn out by the hand. Sometimes again they were cast in the manner of dice. The soldiers who cast lots for…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Haran, and nephew of Abraham, followed his uncle from Ur, and afterwards from Haran, to settle in Canaan, Ge 11:31 12:4-6 13:1. Abraham always had a great affection for him, and when they could not continue longer together in Canaan, because they both had large flocks and their shepherds sometimes quarreled, Ge 13:5-7, he gave Lot the choice of his abode. Lot chose the plain of Sodom, which appears then to have been the most fertile parts of the land. Here he continued to dwell till the destruction of Sodom and the adjacent cities. He was a righteous man even in Sodom, 2Pe 2:7; but the calamities consequent upon his choice of this residence-his capture by eastern marauders, the molestation caused by his ungodly and…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Lotan, wrapt up; hidden; covered; myrrh; rosin

for Issachar it came out the lot fourth for [the] descendants of Issachar to clans their
הָֽרְבִיעִ֑יha.re.vi.'I fourth H7243 Particle
57× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means fourth, and is used to describe something that is four-sided or divided into four parts, like a square or a quarter.
Amplified meaning
next in sequence, following the third
Tyndale gloss
fourth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רְבִיעִי (rbiy`iy) means 'fourth' and can also refer to a 'fourth part' or describe something as 'foursquare.' It is derived from the root word for 'four' and has both masculine and feminine forms. The term appears in contexts where ordinal numbers are used.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רְבִיעִי m., רְבִיעִית f., adj.num.ordin. fourth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7243 רְבִיעִי, רְבִיעִית fourth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7243 rbiy`iy reb-ee-ee'

or rbiiy {reb-ee-ee'}; from 7251; fourth; also

(fractionally) a fourth:--foursquare, fourth (part).

see HEBREW for 07251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רְבִיעִי (re.vi.i) — fourth.

1) fourth

1a) fourth

1b) four square

1c) fourth part

Aramaic equivalent: re.vi.ay (רְבִיעִי "fourth" H7244)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aomsa
for Issachar it came out the lot fourth for [the] descendants of Issachar to clans their
לִבְנֵ֥יliv.Nei for [the] descendants of H1121 Preposition · noun common masculine plural 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.
Amplified meaning
descendants, people
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
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct
HR/Ncmpc
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…

for Issachar it came out the lot fourth for [the] descendants of Issachar to clans their
יִשָּׂשכָ֖רyi.so.sh.Khar Issachar H3485 Noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Issachar means 'there is recompense' and refers to the 9th son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. He was the 5th son of Leah, Jacob's first wife. The tribe of Issachar is mentioned in 1 Chronicles and other books.
Tyndale gloss
Issachar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשָּׂשכָר (Yissaskar) refers to Issachar, the ninth son of Jacob and Leah, and the progenitor of the tribe named after him. The name means 'there is recompense' and is associated with a territory in Canaan. Additionally, there is a Korahite Levite named Issachar, mentioned in the context of temple duties.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשָּׂשכָר 43 n.pr.m. Issachar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3485 יִשָּׂשכָר Issachar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3485 Yissaskar yis-saw-kawr'

(strictly yis-saws-kawr'); from 5375 and 7939; he will bring

a reward; Jissaskar, a son of Jacob:--Issachar.

see HEBREW for 05375

see HEBREW for 07939

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשָּׂשכָר (yis.sa.s.khar) — Issachar.

A man of the tribe of Issachar living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Tola (H8439), Puah (H6312), Jashub (H3437H) and Shimron (H8110B)

Also named: Isachar (Ἰσαχάρ "Issachar" G2466)

§ Issachar = "there is recompense"

1) the 9th son of Jacob and the 5th by Leah his first wife and the progenitor of a tribe by his name

2) a Korahite Levite and the 7th son of Obed-edom and doorkeeper to the temple

3) the tribe descended from Issachar the son of Jacob

4) the territory allocated to the descendants of Issachar when they entered the land of Canaan

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

is'-a-kar (yissa(se)khar; Septuagint, Swete Issachar; Tischendorf, Issachar, so also in the New Testament, Tregelles, and Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek):

(1) The 9th son of Jacob, the 5th borne to him by Leah (Ge 30:17 f).

1. The Name:

His birth is in this passage connected with the strange story of Reuben and his mandrakes, and the name given him is apparently conceived as derived from 'ish sakhar, "a hired workman." There is a play upon the name in this sense in Ge 49:15, "He bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under taskwork." Wellhausen (Textder Buch. Sam., 95) thinks that the second element of the name may denote a deity; and Sokar, an Egyptian god, has been suggested. The name in that case would mean "worshipper of Sokar." Practically nothing is…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Issachar

Hired (Gen. 30:18). “God hath given me,” said Leah, “my hire (Heb. sekhari)...and she called his name Issachar.” He was Jacob’s ninth son, and was born in Padan-aram (comp. 28:2). He had four sons at the going down into Egypt (46:13; Num. 26:23, 25).

Issachar, Tribe of, during the journey through the wilderness, along with Judah and Zebulun (Num. 2:5), marched on the east of the tabernacle. This tribe contained 54,400 fighting men when the census was taken at Sinai. After the entrance into the Promised Land, this tribe was one of the six which stood on Gerizim during the ceremony of the blessing and cursing (Deut. 27:12). The allotment of Issachar is…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(reward). I. The ninth son of Jacob and the fifth of Leah. (Genesis 30:17,18) (B.C. 1753-45) At the descent into Egypt four sons are ascribed to him, who founded the four chief families of the tribes. (Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23,25; 1 Chronicles 7:1) The number of the fighting men of Issachar, when taken in the census at Sinai, was 54,400. During the journey they seem to have steadily increased. The allotment of Issachar lay above that of Manasseh. (Joshua 19:17-23) In the words of Josephus, "it extended in length from Carmel to the Jordan, in breadth to Mount Tabor." This territory was, as it still is, among the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Recompense, so named by Leah his mother, Ge 30:18, the ninth son of Jacob, born B. C. 1749. The character of his posterity was foretold by Jacob and by Moses, Ge 49:14,15 De 33:18,19.

The TRIBE OF ISSACHAR numbered fifty-four thousand men in the desert, and on entering Canaan was the third in population, Nu 1:28 26:25. Their portion, having the Jordan on the east, Manasseh on the west, Zebulun north, and Ephraim south, included a considerable part of the fine plain Esdraelon, the most fertile in the country. They were industrious agriculturists, and are mentioned with honor for their brave and wise patriotism, Jud 5:15

for Issachar it came out the lot fourth for [the] descendants of Issachar to clans their
לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃le.mish.pe.cho.Tam to clans their H4940 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Amplified meaning
families, tribes
Tyndale gloss
family
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah) refers to a clan or family, encompassing a circle of relatives and extending to tribes or peoples. It can also denote a class of persons, species of animals, or kinds of things. The entries highlight its various uses, including guilds and aristocrats, but do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

clan

= guild

= species, kind

pl. = aristocrats

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan

. = guild

. = species, kind

. pl. = aristocrats

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4940 mishpachah mish-paw-khaw'

from 8192 (compare 8198); a family, i.e. circle of relatives;

figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or

sort (of things); by extens. a tribe or people:--family,

kind(-red).

see HEBREW for 08192

see HEBREW for 08198

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.

1) clan, family

1a) clan

1a1) family

1a2) tribe

1a3) people, nation

1b) guild

1c) species, kind

1d) aristocrats

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
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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