Nehemiah 7:21 — Word Study
WLCבְּנֵֽי־ אָטֵ֥ר לְחִזְקִיָּ֖ה תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ ס
BSAthe descendantsbên [sons, children, or clan] of AterʼÂṭêr [binder, or one who binds] through HezekiahChizqîyâh [of or belonging to, a king of Judah, faithful servant of Jehovah, ninety eight, a large quantity] 98tishʻîym
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵֽי־ | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| אָטֵ֥ר | Ater | Noun proper masculine |
| לְחִזְקִיָּ֖ה | of Hezekiah | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| תִּשְׁעִ֥ים | ninety | Adj |
| וּשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ ס | and eight | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98; |
| KJV | The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. |
| ASV | The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. |
| YLT | Sons of Ater of Hezekiah: ninety and eight. |
| WEB | The children of Ater: of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. |
| BBE | The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. |
Where they part company is אָטֵ֥ר — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause identifies the descendants, with a prepositional phrase specifying lineage and a numeral phrase quantifying them.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Nehemiah 7:21
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 Genealogy of Those Returning from Exilegenerated
Nehemiah 7:21 provides a record of the descendants of various families returning from Babylonian exile, emphasizing their lineage and numbers. This context highlights the importance of family heritage in Israel's restoration, as seen throughout the book of Nehemiah and echoed in Ezra 2:16.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezra 2:16 | the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בֵּן, be.nei-generated
The word בֵּן (ben) is a common noun meaning 'son' or 'descendant', indicating familial relationships. It can refer to a son, grandson, or even a member of a tribe, emphasizing lineage and inheritance.
In this verse, it indicates that the descendants of Ater are being counted, showing their connection to Hezekiah and their role in the community.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the rendering of בֵּן as 'the descendants of' and תִּשְׁעִ֥ים as 'ninety'.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is structured around the noun phrase בְּנֵי־ (the descendants of), with a prepositional phrase indicating lineage (לְחִזְקִיָּ֖ה, of Hezekiah) and a numeral phrase that quantifies the descendants (תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנָֽה, ninety-eight).
This structure emphasizes the familial connection and the specific number of descendants, reflecting the importance of lineage in the context of the returning exiles.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, בֵּן is translated as υἱοὶ, meaning 'sons', which maintains the familial aspect of the term.
The translation of אָטֵ֥ר as ατηρ suggests a direct rendering of the name without additional interpretation, preserving its identity.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 7:21 lists the descendants of Ater through Hezekiah, totaling ninety-eight. This record emphasizes the importance of lineage for those returning from exile.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In this context, 'descendants' refers to the sons or children of Ater, indicating a familial lineage.
Hezekiah was a king of Judah known for his faithfulness to Jehovah and his efforts to remove idolatry.
The number signifies the size of the family returning from exile, highlighting their role in the restoration of Israel.
Ater means 'binder', which may suggest a role in holding the community together or signifies a family connection.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding my own family lineage help me connect with my community?
- In what ways can I honor the legacy of my ancestors?
- What role does family play in my faith and spiritual journey?
- How can I contribute to the unity of my community like Ater may have done?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 7:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThese are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 7 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5-73) The genealogical reckoning of the people, as the first step towards increasing the population of the metropolis, is determined on, not without express Divine suggestion; the allusion to this inspiration from God, is, as in Nehemiah 2:12, very emphatic. The original register of Zerubbabelis found and copied. The express language of both Ezra and Nehemiah makes it plain that this is no other than the list of those who came up with Zerubbabel and Joshua after the decree of Cyrus, in B.C. 538. Nehemiah’s own census follows, in Nehemiah 11. The exposition, especially as compared with Ezra 2, has been given on that chapter.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21–23. Ater … Hashum … Bezai … Hariph] In Ezra the order is Ater, Bezai, Jorah (= Hariph), Hashum. For Hariph see Nehemiah 10:19.
Read Cambridge on Nehemiah 7 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;
The children of Ater: of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.
the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;
the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;
Tyndale line
The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety eight.
The sonnes of Ater of Hizkiah, ninetie and eight.
Strictly literal
The children of Ater of [the family of] Hezekiah, ninety-eight.
Sons of Ater of Hezekiah: ninety and eight.
sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;
The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
The descendants of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98.
From the Latin
The children of Ater, children of Hezechias, ninety-eight.
Simplified
The sons of Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98;
The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.
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 is supported by the Septuagint, which matches four of the five words in this verse, confirming the lineage and count of Ater's descendants.
בְּנֵֽי־ אָטֵ֥ר לְחִזְקִיָּ֖ה תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ ס
4 of the 5 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 7:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word אָטֵר (*Ater*) refers to a name associated with three Israelites mentioned during the Exile and Return period. It is derived from the root meaning 'binder.' The entries highlight Ater as a chief Israelite and a Levite porter, with references to Ezra 2:16, Ezra 2:42, and Nehemiah 10:17.
אָטֵר n.pr.m. (binder?) a chief of Jews
base
H333 אָטֵר
333 'Ater aw-tare'
from 332; maimed; Ater, the name of three Israelites:--Ater.
see HEBREW for 0332
אָטֵר (a.ter) — Ater.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.16;
father of: Hezekiah (H2396I)
§ Ater = "binder"
an exiled relative of Hezekiah
אָטֵר (a.ter) — Ater.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.42
§ Ater = "binder"
an exiled Levite porter
אָטֵר (a.ter) — Ater.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.10.17
§ Ater = "binder"
a chief Israelite who sealed Nehemiah's covenant
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
a'-ter ('aTer, "bound" (?)):
(1) The ancestor of a family of 98 persons who returned from Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:16; Ne 7:21). the King James Version has "Ater of Hezekiah"; the Revised Version (British and American) of 1 Esdras 5:15 has "Ater of Ezekias," margin, "Ater of Hezekiah." the King James Version has "Aterezias."
(2) The head of a family of porters who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezr 2:42; Ne 7:45).
Ater
Shut; lame. (1.) Ezra 2:16. (2.) Neh. 10:17. (3.) Ezra 2:42.
(shut up). The children of Ater were among the porters or gate-keepers of the temple who returned with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:42; Nehemiah 7:45) The children of ATER OF HEZEKIAH to the number of 98 returned with Zerubbabel, (Ezra 2:16; Nehemiah 7:21) and were among the heads of the people who signed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:17)
left hand; shut
חִזְקִיָּהוּ (Hizqiyahu) means "Jehovah is my strength" and refers primarily to Hezekiah, the 12th king of Judah, known for his religious reforms. The name is derived from the roots meaning 'to strengthen' and 'Jah' (a form of Jehovah). Hezekiah is noted for his lineage as a descendant of David and is mentioned in various contexts, including his role during the Divided Monarchy and the Exile.
חִזְקִיָּהוּ, חִזְקִיָּה, יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, יְחִזְקִיָּה n.pr.m. (י׳ hath strengthened, י׳ strengtheneth)
son of Ahaz, King of Judah
great-great-grandson pf proph. Zephaniah
man of royal Davidic line
head of a family of returned exiles
an Ephraimite, Ahaz’s time
base
H2396 חִזְקִיָּהוּ, חִזְקִיָּה, יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, יְחִזְקִיָּה (י׳ hath strengthened, י׳ strengtheneth)
2396 Chizqiyah khiz-kee-yaw'
or Chizqiyahuw {khiz-kee-yaw'-hoo}; also Ychizqiyah
{yekh-iz-kee-yaw'}; or Ychizqiyahuw {yekh-iz-kee-yaw'-hoo};
from 2388 and 3050; strengthened of Jah; Chizkijah, a king of
Judah, also the name of two other Israelites:--Hezekiah,
Hizkiah, Hizkijah. Compare 3169.
see HEBREW for 02388
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03169
חִזְקִיָּהוּ (chiz.qiy.yah) — Hezekiah.
A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.16.20;
son of: Ahaz (H0271) and Abi (H0021);
brother of: Maaseiah (H4641J); married to Hephzibah (H2657);
father of: Manasseh (H4519H)
§ Hezekiah or Hizkiah or Hizkijah = "Jehovah is my strength"
1) 12th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices
2) great-great-grandfather of Zephaniah the prophet
3) son of Neariah, a descendant of David
4) head of a family of returning exiles in the time of Nehemiah
חִזְקִיָּהוּ (chiz.qiy.yah) — Hizkiah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.3.23;
son of: Neariah (H5294);
brother of: Elioenai (H0454B) and Azrikam (H5840)
§ Hezekiah or Hizkiah or Hizkijah = "Jehovah is my strength"
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
Hezekiah
Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chr. 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B.C. 726-697). The history of this king is contained in 2 Kings 18:20, Isa. 36-39, and 2 Chr. 29-32. He is spoken of as a great and good king. In public life he followed the example of his great-granfather Uzziah. He set himself to abolish idolatry from his kingdom, and among other things which he did for this end, he destroyed the “brazen serpent,” which had been removed to Jerusalem, and had become an object of idolatrous worship (Num. 21:9). A great reformation was wrought in the kingdom of Judah in…
(the might of Jehovah). Twelfth king of Judah, son of the apostate Ahaz and Abi or Abijah, ascended the throne at the age of 25, B.C. 726. Hezekiah was one of the three most perfect kings of Judah. (2 Kings 18:5) Ecclus. 49:4. His first act was to purge and repair and reopen with splendid sacrifices and perfect ceremonial the temple. He also destroyed a brazen serpent, said to have been the one used by Moses in the miraculous healing of the Israelites, (Numbers 21:9) which had become an object of adoration. When the kingdom of Israel had fallen, Hezekiah invited the scattered inhabitants to a peculiar passover, which was continued for the unprecedented period of fourteen days. (2 Chronicles 29:30,31) At the head of a repentant…
A pious king of Judah, succeeded his father Ahaz about 726 B. C., and died about 698 B. C. His history is contained in 2Ki 18:12-21 2Ch 29:1-32:33. Compare Isa 36:1-38:22. His reign is memorable for his faithful efforts to restore the worship of Jehovah; for his pride and presumption towards the Assyrians; for the distractions of their invading host in answer to his prayer; for his sickness and humiliation, and the prolonging of his life fifteen years of peace. He was succeeded by the unworthy Manasseh.
strength of the Lord
תִּשְׁעִים (tish`iym) means 'ninety' and is derived from the root word for 'nine.' It is used as a numeral in the Old Testament, specifically denoting the quantity ninety. The entries consistently define it as a number without any significant disagreement.
תִּשְׁעִים 20 n.indecl. ninety
base
H8673 תִּשְׁעִים ninety
8673 tish`iym tish-eem'
multiple from 8672; ninety:--ninety.
see HEBREW for 08672
תִּשְׁעִים (tish.im) — ninety.
ninety
Adj — AdjHAcmpa
שְׁמֹנֶה (shmoneh) means 'eight' and can also denote 'eighth' as an ordinal number. It is derived from the idea of plumpness, suggesting a surplus beyond seven, which is considered a perfect number. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations with other numbers.
שְׁמֹנֶה, (less oft. שְׁמוֹנֶה), שְׁמֹנָה 109 n.m. et f. eight
base
H8083 שְׁמֹנֶה, (less oft. שְׁמוֹנֶה), שְׁמֹנָה eight
8083 shmoneh shem-o-neh'
or shmowneh {shem-o-neh'}; feminine shmonah {shem-o-naw'}; or
shmownah {shem-o-naw'}; apparently from 8082 through the idea
of plumpness; a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above
the "perfect" seven); also (as ordinal)
eighth:--eight((-een, -eenth)), eighth.
see HEBREW for 08082
שְׁמֹנֶה (she.mo.neh) — eight.
1) eight, eighth
1a) eight (as cardinal number)
1b) eighth (as ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
HC/Acbsa — ConjunctionHC/Acbsa