Numbers 1:9 — Word Study
WLCלִזְבוּלֻ֕ן אֱלִיאָ֖ב בֶּן־ חֵלֹֽן׃
BSAfrom ZebulunZᵉbûwlûwn [the tribe of, of Zabulon] EliabʼĔlîyʼâb [a leader] sonbên [a descendant, offspring] of HelonChêlôn [meaning strength, a father]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לִזְבוּלֻ֕ן | for Zebulun | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| אֱלִיאָ֖ב | Eliab | Noun proper masculine |
| בֶּן־ | [the] son of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| חֵלֹֽן׃ | Helon | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; |
| KJV | Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. |
| ASV | Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon. |
| YLT | 'For Zebulun — Eliab son of Helon. |
| WEB | Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon. |
| BBE | From Zebulun, Eliab, the son of Helon; |
Where they part company is אֱלִיאָב — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, presenting the tribe, leader, and lineage in a clear structure.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & 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 — Numbers 1:9
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Census of Israelgenerated
Numbers 1:9 is part of a larger section where Moses lists the leaders of each tribe of Israel as they prepare for their journey in the wilderness. This census is crucial for organizing the tribes and ensuring proper representation during their travels. Eliab, named here, represents the tribe of Zebulun, which is one of the twelve tribes descended from Jacob.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 2:7 | Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon, |
| 2 | Numbers 7:24 | On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites, drew near. |
| 3 | Numbers 10:16 | and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זְבוּלֻן, liz.vu.Lungenerated
The word זְבוּלֻן (Zebulun) is a proper noun, referring to one of Jacob's sons and the tribe that descended from him. The parsing indicates it is a masculine noun, showing its role as a significant tribal identifier.
The name Zebulun is linked to habitation and is first mentioned in Genesis 30:20. The tribe of Zebulun played a notable role in the history of Israel, reflecting its importance in the genealogies.
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 clause is introduced by the preposition לִזְבוּלֻ֕ן, for Zebulun, which sets the context for the leader being named. The structure emphasizes the tribal affiliation of Eliab.
The phrase אֱלִיאָ֖ב Eliab is the subject, and the following phrase בֶּן־ son of leads into the identification of his father, חֵלֹֽן Helon, completing the familial connection.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates זְבוּלֻן as ζαβουλων, which maintains the name's identity while reflecting the Greek linguistic context. This choice shows continuity in the recognition of Zebulun's significance.
The name אֱלִיאָב is rendered as ελιαβ, indicating a direct translation that preserves the meaning of 'God is father.'
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 1:9 lists Eliab as the leader from the tribe of Zebulun, identifying him as the son of Helon. This verse is part of a census that organizes the tribes of Israel for their journey.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Eliab was a leader from the tribe of Zebulun, mentioned in this census as a descendant of Helon.
Zebulun means habitation or dwelling, reflecting his role as a founder of a tribe.
The census helps organize the tribes of Israel for their journey in the wilderness and establishes leadership.
Tribal leaders like Eliab played a crucial role in guiding their people and maintaining order during the Exodus.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the leadership qualities of Eliab and other leaders in the Bible?
- How does understanding the tribes of Israel enhance our comprehension of their history and identity?
- In what ways can we apply the concept of tribal affiliation to our own communities today?
- What significance does the lineage of leaders hold in the context of biblical narratives?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 1:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleOf Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. [See comments on Numbers 1:5].
Read John Gill on Numbers 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOf Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1–16. Moses is directed to number the fighting men of Israel with the help of twelve princes.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 1 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleAND MUSTER OF THE ADULT MALES, Numbers 1:1-46.At the close of the third book of Moses the temple in the wilderness — the tabernacle — had been erected, the law of sacrifices instituted, the Aaronic
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 1 →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
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
Tyndale line
Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.
Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
Of Zebulun, Eliab, the sonne of Helon:
Strictly literal
for Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;
'For Zebulun — Eliab son of Helon.
for Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Chelon.
from the tribe of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
From the Latin
Of Zabulon, Eliab the son of Helon.
Simplified
from the tribe of Zebulun, Eliab, son of Helon;
From Zebulun, Eliab, the son of Helon;
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 and their order in this verse. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by using the form חילן (Helon) instead of חֵלֹן (Helon), but the meaning remains consistent.
לִזְבוּלֻ֕ן אֱלִיאָ֖ב בֶּן־ חֵלֹֽן׃
4 of the 4 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.
לזבולן אליאב בן חילן
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: חילן (Helon)
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 Numbers 1:9
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.
זְבוּלֻן (Zebulun) refers to the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, as well as his tribe and territory. The name is linked to the concept of habitation and is first mentioned in Genesis 30:20. The entries consistently identify Zebulun as a significant figure in the genealogies of Israel.
זְבוּלֻן, זְלֻבוּן n.pr.m. Zebulun
sixth son of Jacob and Leah
the tribe of Zebulun
territory of the tribe
base
H2074 זְבוּלֻן, זְלֻבוּן Zebulun
2074 Zbuwluwn zeb-oo-loon'
or Zbuluwn {zeb-oo-loon'}; or Zbuwlun {zeb-oo-loon'}; from
2082; habitation; Zebulon, a son of Jacob; also his territory
and tribe:--Zebulun.
see HEBREW for 02082
זְבוּלֻן (ze.vu.lun) — Zebulun.
A man of the tribe of Zebulun living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.20;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);
father of: Sered (H5624), Elon (H0356H) and Jahleel (H3177)
§ Zebulun = "exalted"
1) the 10th of the sons of Jacob, 6th and last of Leah; progenitor of Zebulun
2) the tribe descended from Zebulun
3) the land allocated to the tribe of Zebulun
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
zeb'-u-lun (zebhulun, also written zebuwlun and zebuluwn; the first form occurs only in Jud 1:30; the other two are frequent, and are used interchangeably; Zaboulon): In Ge 30:20 Leah exclaims, "God hath endowed me with a good dowry," which suggests a derivation of Zebulun from zabhadh, "to bestow," the (d) being replaced by (l). Again she says, "Now will my husband dwell with me (or "honor me"): and she called his name Zebulun"; the derivation being from zabhal, "to exalt" or "honor" (OHL, under the word).
Zebulun was the 10th son of Jacob, the 6th borne to him by Leah in Paddan-aram. Nothing is known of this patriarch's life, save in so far as it coincides with that of his brethren. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan says that he first of the five brethren was presented to Pharaoh by…
Zebulun
Dwelling, the sixth and youngest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 30:20). Little is known of his personal history. He had three sons (46:14).
(a habitation), the tenth of the sons of Jacob, according to the order in which their births are enumerated, the sixth and last of Leah. (Genesis 30:20; 35:23; 46:14; 1 Chronicles 2:1) His birth is mentioned in (Genesis 30:19,20) Of the individual Zebulun nothing is recorded. The list of Genesis46 ascribes to him three sons, founders of the chief families of the tribe (comp.) (Numbers 26:26) at the time of the migration to Egypt. The tribe is not recorded to have taken part, for evil or good, in any of the events of the wandering or the conquest. The statement of Josephus is probably in the main correct, that it reached on the one side to the Lake of Gennesareth and on the…
1. Or ZABULON, Re 7:8, the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, Ge 30:20. Moses gives us few particulars respecting him. His tribe was respectable for numbers, Nu 1:30 26:26; and its portion in the Holy Land accorded with the prediction of Jacob, Ge 49:13, extending from the Mediterranean sea at Carmel to the sea of Gemnesaret, between Issachar on the south, and Naphtali and Asher on the north and north-west, Jos 19:10. His posterity are often mentioned in connection with Issachar, his nearest brother, De 33:18. They were entangled with the Phoenicians…
אֱלִיאָב (Eliy'ab) means 'God is father' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including a prince of Zebulun, a prince of Reuben, and David's oldest brother. The name is derived from the Hebrew words for 'God' and 'father.' The entries collectively highlight Eliab's roles, such as a Levite musician and a Gadite warrior, but do not present any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
אֱלִיאָב n.pr.m. (God is father)
prince of Zebulon
prince of Reuben
brother of David
a Kohathite
a Gadite
Levite singer
base
H446 אֱלִיאָב (God is father) . prince of Zebulon
. prince of Reuben
. brother of David
. a Kohathite
. a Gadite
. Levite singer
446 'Eliy'ab el-ee-awb'
from 410 and 1; God of (his) father; Eliab, the name of six
Israelites:--Eliab.
see HEBREW for 0410
see HEBREW for 01
אֱלִיאָב (e.li.av) — Eliab.
A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.1.9;
son of: Helon (H2497)
§ Eliab = "my God is father" or "God is father"
1) son of Helon, leader of Zebulun in the wilderness
2) a Reubenite chief, father of Dathan and Abiram
3) David's oldest brother
4) a Levite musician
5) a Gadite warrior for David
6) a Kohathite
אֱלִיאָב (e.li.av) — Eliab.
A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.16.1;
son of: Pallu (H6396);
father of: Dathan (H1885), Abiram (H0048) and Nemuel (H5241)
§ Eliab = "my God is father" or "God is father"
1) son of Helon, leader of Zebulun in the wilderness
2) a Reubenite chief, father of Dathan and Abiram
3) David's oldest brother
4) a Levite musician
5) a Gadite warrior for David
6) a Kohathite
אֱלִיאָב (e.li.av) — Eliab.
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
e-li'-ab ('eli'abh, "God is father"):
(1) Prince of the tribe of Zebulun in the Exodus (Nu 1:9; 2:7; 7:24,29; 10:16).
(2) A Reubenite, father of Dathan and Abiram (Nu 16:11,12; 26:8 f; De 11:6).
(3) Eldest son of Jesse and brother of David (1Sa 16:6), once called Elihu (1Ch 27:18). He was of commanding appearance (1Sa 16:6) and when serving with Saul's army at the time when it was confronting the Philistines and Goliath, was inclined to lord it over his brother David (1Sa 17:28 f). His daughter Abihail became a Wife…
Eliab
To whom God is father. (1.) A Reubenite, son of Pallu (Num. 16:1, 12; 26:8, 9; Deut. 11:6).
(2.) A son of Helon, and chief of the tribe of Zebulun at the time of the census in the wilderness (Num. 1:9; 2:7).
(3.) The son of Jesse, and brother of David (1 Sam. 16:6). It was he who spoke contemptuously to David when he proposed to fight Goliath (1 Sam. 17:28).
(4.) One of the Gadite heroes who joined David in his stronghold in the wilderness (1 Chr. 12:9).
(God is my father). Son of Helon and leader of the tribe of Zebulun at the time of the census in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:9; 2:7; 7:24,29; 10:16) (B.C. 1490.) A Reubenite, father of Dathan and Abiram. (Numbers 16:1,12; 26:8,9; 11:6) One of David’s brothers, the eldest of the family. (1 Samuel 16:6; 17:13,28; 1 Chronicles 2:13) (B.C. 1063.) A Levite in the time of David, who was both a "porter" and a musician on the "psaltery." (1 Chronicles 15:18,20; 16:5) One of the warlike Gadite leaders who came over to David when he was in the wilderness taking refuge from Saul. (
The oldest brother of David, towards whom his conduct was passionate and jealous, thus confirming the judgment of Him who looks not on the appearance, but the heart, 1Sa 16:6,7; 17:28.
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-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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…
חֵלֹן (Chelon) refers to an Israelite, specifically a man from the tribe of Zebulun, who is mentioned in the context of the wilderness period following the Exodus. He is identified as the father of Eliab and is noted for the meaning 'strength.' The name appears in Numbers 1:9.
חֵלֹן n.pr.m. a man of Zebulun
base
H2497 חֵלֹן
2497 Chelon khay-lone'
from 2428; strong; Chelon, an Israelite:--Helon.
see HEBREW for 02428
חֵלֹן (che.lon) — Helon.
A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.1.9;
father of: Eliab (H0446)
§ Helon = "strength"
father of Eliab of the tribe of Zebulun
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
hel'-on (chelon, "valorous"; the Septuagint's Codex Vaticanus, Chailon): The father of Eliab, the prince of the tribe of Zebulun (Nu 1:9; 2:7; 7:24,29; 10:16).
Helon
Strong, father of Eliab, who was “captain of the children of Zebulun” (Num. 1:9; 2:7).
(strong), father of Eliab, of the tribe of Zebulun. (Numbers 1:9; 2:7; 7:24,29; 10:16) (B.C. 1491.)
window; grief