Nehemiah 12:33 — Word Study
WLCוַעֲזַרְיָ֥ה עֶזְרָ֖א וּמְשֻׁלָּֽם׃
BSAalong with AzariahʻĂzaryâh [a priest and scribe, a leader in Israel] EzraʻEzrâʼ [a common Israelite name] MeshullamMᵉshullâm
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַעֲזַרְיָ֥ה | and Azariah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| עֶזְרָ֖א | Ezra | Noun proper masculine |
| וּמְשֻׁלָּֽם׃ | and Meshullam | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, |
| KJV | And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, |
| ASV | and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, |
| YLT | and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, |
| WEB | and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, |
| BBE | And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, |
All translations agree on the names listed in this verse.
The structure is simple, listing the names of the leaders in a straightforward manner.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Ellicott & 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 — Nehemiah 12:33
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 Leaders of Judahgenerated
Nehemiah 12:33 lists key figures in the leadership of Israel during the restoration period after the Exile. This verse emphasizes the collaboration of leaders as they worked together to rebuild and restore the community in Jerusalem. The context of this verse is part of a larger narrative that outlines the roles of various leaders and priests in the re-establishment of the Jewish community, as seen in related passages like Nehemiah 10:2–7.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 10:2–7 | Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֶזְרָא, 'ez.Ra'generated
The name עֶזְרָא (*Ezra*) is a noun that signifies a prominent figure in the Old Testament, specifically a priest and scribe who played a crucial role in the reforms of the returned exiles in Jerusalem. The name means 'help' and reflects his role in assisting the people during a pivotal time in their history.
Ezra's contributions are foundational to the post-exilic community, as he worked alongside Nehemiah to restore the Law and lead the people in spiritual renewal. His presence in this verse underscores the importance of leadership in the community's restoration efforts.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the names listed in this verse, providing a consistent rendering of the leaders mentioned.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with a main clause listing the subjects: וַעֲזַרְיָ֥ה, עֶזְרָ֖א, and וּמְשֻׁלָּֽם. Each name is presented as a noun phrase, contributing to the overall subject of the sentence.
The word order emphasizes the collective identity of these leaders, highlighting their roles in the community's leadership during the restoration period.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֶזְרָא as εσδρας, maintaining the connection to the Hebrew name. This choice reflects the continuity of Ezra's identity across both texts.
The names are rendered consistently in the Septuagint, indicating that the Greek translators recognized the significance of these figures in the narrative.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 12:33 mentions three leaders: Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam. These individuals were significant figures during the restoration of Jerusalem after the Exile, highlighting the leadership structure of the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The verse mentions Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, who were leaders in Israel during the restoration period.
Ezra was a priest and scribe who led reforms and helped restore the Law among the returned exiles.
Their inclusion underscores the collaborative effort in rebuilding the community and restoring worship after the Exile.
Azariah means 'Jehovah has helped' and was a common name among several figures in the Old Testament.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the leadership styles of Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam?
- How can we apply the principles of collaboration seen in this verse to our communities today?
- In what ways can we support leaders in our own communities, similar to how these figures supported one another?
- What does the significance of names in the Bible teach us about identity and purpose?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 12:33 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam. Not Ezra the priest and the scribe, for he has another place assigned him in this procession, Ne 12:36, but this seems to be one of the princes.
Read John Gill on Nehemiah 12 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi; No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 12 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleEzra; not the scribe, as is evident from , but another Ezra.
Read Matthew Poole on Nehemiah 12 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(33) Ezra.—Probably the same as the Azariah preceding.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 12 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges33. Azariah, Ezra] From a comparison of Neh 12:1; Nehemiah 12:13 with Nehemiah 10:2, we might suppose that these were the names of the same priestly house. Meshullam] Cf. Nehemiah 10:8.
Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 12 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible32-34. Hoshaiah was probably a leading chief among these princes of Judah.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 12 →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
along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
Tyndale line
And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
And Azariah, Ezra and Meshullam,
Strictly literal
and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
And 'Azaryah, 'Ezra, and Meshullam,
and after them went Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
From the Latin
And Azarias, Esdras, and Mosollam, Judas, and Benjamin, and Semeia, and Jeremias.
Simplified
with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
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 agree on the names listed in this verse, with all three individuals matched in both texts. This consistency underscores the importance of these leaders in the historical context.
וַעֲזַרְיָ֥ה עֶזְרָ֖א וּמְשֻׁלָּֽם׃
3 of the 3 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 Nehemiah 12:33
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.
The Hebrew word עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ (*Azaryah*) means 'Jah has helped' and is a personal name associated with numerous figures in the Old Testament, including kings, priests, and Levites. It is derived from the roots meaning 'to help' and 'Yah' (God). The entries highlight various individuals named Azariah, including a king of Judah and a friend of Daniel, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ, עֲזַרְיָה n.pr.m. (י׳ hath helped); Azariah
king of Judah
officer of Sol.
id. prophet
sons of Jehosh.
priests
Levites
a temple captain
wall-builder
one with Zerub.
12:33.
Ephraimite
name in Judah
base
H5838 עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ, עֲזַרְיָה
5838 `Azaryah az-ar-yaw'
or mAzaryahuw {az-ar-yaw'-hoo}; from 5826 and 3050; Jah has
helped; Azarjah, the name of nineteen Israelites:--Azariah.
see HEBREW for 05826
see HEBREW for 03050
עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ (a.zar.yah) — Azariah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.4.2;
son of: Ahimaaz (H0290H);
father of: Johanan (H3110J)
§ Azariah = "Jehovah has helped"
1) son of king Amaziah of Judah and king of Judah himself for 52 years; also 'Uzziah'
2) the godly friend of Daniel who Nebuchadnezzar renamed Abednego; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king's table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord
2a) also, 'Abednego' (H5664 or H5665)
3) son of Nathan and an officer of Solomon; perhaps David's grandson and Solomon's nephew
4) a prophet in the days of king Asa of Judah
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Azariah
Whom Jehovah helps. (1.) Son of Ethan, of the tribe of Judah (1 Chr. 2:8).
(2.) Son of Ahimaaz, who succeeded his grandfather Zadok as high priest (1 Chr. 6:9; 1 Kings 4:2) in the days of Solomon. He officiated at the consecration of the temple (1 Chr. 6:10).
(3.) The son of Johanan, high priest in the reign of Abijah and Asa (2 Chr. 6:10, 11).
(4.) High priest in the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 26:17-20). He was contemporary with the prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Joel.
(whom the Lord helps) a common name in Hebrew, and especially in the families of the priests of the line of Eleazar, whose name has precisely the same meaning as Azariah. It is nearly identical, and is often confounded, with Ezra as well as with Zerahiah and Seraiah. The principal persons who bore this name were-- Son of Ahimaaz. (1 Chronicles 6:9) He appears from (1 Kings 4:2) to have succeeded Zadok, his grandfather, in the high priesthood, in the reign of Solomon, Ahimaaz having died before Zadok. (B.C. About 1000.) [AHIMAAZ] A chief officer of Solomon’s, the son of Nathan, perhaps David’s grandson. (1 Kings 4:5) Tenth king of Judah, more frequently called Uzziah. (2 Kings…
A king of Judah, 2Ki 15:1-7. In 2Ch 26:1-23, and elsewhere, he is called Uzziah. He began to reign at sixteen years of age, B. C. 806. The first part of his reign was prosperous and happy; but afterwards, presuming to offer incense in the temple, he was smitten with leprosy, and continued a leper till his death, 2Ch 26:16- 23. This name was very common among the Jews, and was borne by many briefly referred to in Scripture.
עֶזְרָא (Ezra) refers to a prominent figure in the Old Testament, specifically a priest and scribe who played a key role in the reforms of the returned exiles in Jerusalem. The name means 'help' and is associated with several individuals, including a priest with Zerubbabel. Ezra is first mentioned in Ezra 7:1 and Nehemiah 12:1.
base
H5830 עֶזְרָא
5830 `Ezra' ez-raw'
a variation of 5833; Ezra, an Israelite:--Ezra.
see HEBREW for 05833
עֶזְרָא (ez.ra) — Ezra.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.7.1;
son of: Seraiah (H8304H);
brother of: Jehozadak (H3087)
Also named: ez.ra (עֶזְרָא "Ezra" H5831)
§ Ezra = "help"
1) the priest and scribe who led the reforms of the returned exiles in Jerusalem; co-worker with Nehemiah
2) a priest with Zerubbabel
3) another post-exilic Jew
עֶזְרָא (ez.ra) — Ezra.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.12.1
§ Ezra = "help"
1) the priest and scribe who led the reforms of the returned exiles in Jerusalem; co-worker with Nehemiah
2) a priest with Zerubbabel
3) another post-exilic Jew
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ez'-ra (Aramaic or Chaldee, `ezra', "help"; a hypocoristicon, or shortened form of Azariah, "Yahweh has helped." The Hebrew spells the name `ezrah, as in 1Ch 4:17, or uses the Aramaic spelling of the name, as in Ezr 7:1. The Greek form is Esdras):
(1) A priest who returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon (Ne 12:1). In Ne 10:2, Azariah, the full form of the name, is found.
(2) A descendant of Judah and father of Jethro and other sons (1Ch 4:17).
(3) The distinguished priest who is the hero of the Book of Ezra and co-worker with Nehemiah.
1. Family:
Ezra
Help. (1.) A priest among those that returned to Jerusalem under Zerubabel (Neh. 12:1).
(2.) The “scribe” who led the second body of exiles that returned from Babylon to Jerusalem B.C. 459, and author of the book of Scripture which bears his name. He was the son, or perhaps grandson, of Seraiah (2 Kings 25:18-21), and a lineal descendant of Phinehas, the son of Aaron (Ezra 7:1-5). All we know of his personal history is contained in the last four chapters of his book, and in Neh. 8 and 12:26.
In the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus (see DARIUS), he obtained leave to go up to Jerusalem and to take with him a company of Israelites (Ezra 8). Artaxerxes manifested great interest in Ezra’s undertaking…
(help), called ESDRAS in the Apocrypha, the famous scribe and priest. He was a learned and pious priest residing at Babylon in the time of Artaxerxes Longimanus. The origin of his influence with the king does not appear, but in the seventh year of his reign he obtained leave to go to Jerusalem, and to take with him a company of Israelites. (B.C. 457.) The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem took just four months; and the company brought with them a large freewill offering of gold and silver, and silver vessels. It appears that Ezra’s great design was to effect a religious reformation among the Palestine Jews. His first step was to enforce separation upon all who had married foreign wives. (Ezra 10:1) ... This was effected in little more than six months after his arrival at Jerusalem. With the detailed account of this important…
A celebrated priest and leader of the Jewish nation. He was "a ready scribe in the law," a learned, able, and faithful man, and appears to have enjoyed great consideration in the Persian court. During the eighty years embraced in his narrative, most of the reign of Cyrus passed, and the whole reign of Cambyses, Smerdis, Darius Hystaspis, Xerxes, and eight years of Artaxerxes Longimanus. From this last king he received letters, money, and every desirable help, and went at the head of a large party of returning exiles to Jerusalem, B. C. 457. Here he instituted many reforms in the conduct of the people, and in the public worship, Ezr 8:1-10:44 Ne 8:1-18. After this he is generally believed to have collected and revised all the books of the Old Testament Scripture, which form the…
מְשֻׁלָּם (Mshullam) is a Hebrew name meaning 'friend.' It refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including a grandfather of Shaphan, a son of Zerubbabel, and various Benjamites and Levites involved in rebuilding Jerusalem. The name appears in contexts related to the Divided Monarchy and post-exilic restoration, notably in 2 Kings 22:3 and Ezra 10:29.
מְשֻׁלָּם n.pr.m.
grandfather of Shaphan
son of Zerub.
in Benj.
in Gad
wall-builders
a chief
H4918 מְשֻׁלָּם
4918 Mshullam mesh-ool-lawm'
from 7999; allied; Meshullam, the name of seventeen
Israelites:--Meshullam.
see HEBREW for 07999
מְשֻׁלָּם (me.shul.lam) — Meshullam.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ki.22.3;
father of: Azaliah (H0683)
§ Meshullam = "friend"
1) grandfather of Shaphan, the scribe
2) son of Zerubbabel
3) a Benjamite of the sons of Elpaal
4) a Benjamite, father of Sallu
5) a Benjamite who lived at Jerusalem after the captivity
6) a Benjamite
6a) perhaps the same as 3 or 4
7) a Gadite in the reign of king Jotham of Judah
8) son of Berechiah who assisted in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem
9) son of Besodeiah who assisted Jehoiada the son of Paseah in restoring the old gate of Jerusalem
10) a chief of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah
11) father of Hilkiah and high priest probably in the reign of king Amon of Judah
11a) perhaps the same as 'Shallum'
12) a priest, son of Meshillemith or Meshillemoth, son of Immer, and ancestor of Maasiai or Amashai
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Meshullam
Befriended. (1.) One of the chief Gadites in Bashan in the time of Jotham (1 Chr. 5:13).
(2.) Grandfather of Shaphan, “the scribe,” in the reign of Josiah (2 Kings 22:3).
(3.) A priest, father of Hilkiah (1 Chr. 9:11; Neh. 11:11), in the reign of Ammon; called Shallum in 1 Chr. 6:12.
(4.) A Levite of the family of Kohath (2 Chr. 34:12), in the reign of Josiah.
(5.) 1 Chr. 8:17.
(6.) 1 Chr. 3:19.
(friend). Ancestor of Shaphan the scribe. (2 Kings 22:3) The son of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:19) A Gadite in the reign of Jotham king of Judah. (1 Chronicles 5:13) A Benjamite, of the sons of Elpaal. (1 Chronicles 8:17) A Benjamite, father of Sallu. (1 Chronicles 9:7; Nehemiah 11:7) A Benjamite who lived at Jerusalem after the captivity. (1 Chronicles 9:8) The same as Shallum, who was high priest probably in the reign of Amon, and father of Hilkiah. (1 Chronicles…
peaceable; perfect; their parables