Numbers 13:11 — Word Study

Depth

WLCלְמַטֵּ֥ה יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה גַּדִּ֖י בֶּן־ סוּסִֽי׃

BSAfrom the tribemaṭṭeh [group of people] of ManassehMᵉnashsheh [a grandson of Jacob, an ancestor of a large tribe] a tribemaṭṭeh [group of people] of JosephYôwçêph [Jehovah has added] GaddiGaddîy△ [an Israelite who lived during the time of the Wilderness] sonbên [a descendant, a male child] of SusiÇûwçîy△ [an Israelite who lived during the time of the wilderness]

Word

Listen & take awayNumbers 13

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The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 11 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 (su.Si) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.

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Numbers 13:11quick helps

In a sentenceThis verse lists Gaddi, a representative from the tribe of Manasseh, as part of the Israelite spies sent to explore Canaan.

Who is speakingThe narrator of the book of Numbers, detailing the leaders chosen from each tribe.

Where we areIn a section that names the leaders of the tribes of Israel during their wilderness journey.

The hard wordמַטֶּה

Take awayGaddi is identified as a specific individual from a significant tribe.

Greek	English	Parsing
לְמַטֵּ֥ה	for [the] tribe of	Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct
יוֹסֵ֖ף	Joseph	Noun proper masculine
לְמַטֵּ֣ה	for [the] tribe of	Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct
מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה	Manasseh	Noun proper masculine
גַּדִּ֖י	Gaddi	Noun proper masculine
בֶּן־	[the] son of	Noun common, masculine singular construct
סוּסִֽי׃	Susi	Noun proper masculine

Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.

4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Cambridge & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›

How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

2 of 7 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.

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 13:11

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 the Tribesgenerated

10from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;

11from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;

12from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;

13from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;

Numbers 13:11 identifies Gaddi as a leader from the tribe of Manasseh, which is one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This verse is part of a larger narrative that lists the leaders chosen from each tribe to scout the land of Canaan, demonstrating the organization and structure of the Israelite community during their journey in the wilderness. Each tribe is represented by a leader, emphasizing their collective mission and responsibility.

Cross References

Nave’s Topical Bible — the subjects this verse is filed under

GaddiOne of the twelve spies who explored CanaanSpiesSent to investigateIsrael(TRIBES OF ISRAEL were named after the sons of Jacob)SusiA Manassite

The Key Word — מַטֶּה, le.ma.Tehgenerated

The word מַטֶּה (maṭṭeh) translates to 'tribe' but can also mean 'staff' or 'rod'. It is derived from a root meaning to extend, indicating both a literal and figurative sense of support or leadership. In this context, it refers specifically to the tribe of Manasseh, one of the descendants of Joseph, highlighting the importance of tribal identity in Israel's history.

The parsing as a noun in the singular construct form indicates that it is functioning to define the specific group of people, the tribe, from which Gaddi comes. This word connects the individual to a larger community, emphasizing the tribal structure of Israelite society.

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 structured around the prepositional phrase לְמַטֵּ֥ה, for the tribe, which introduces the subject, Gaddi, and connects him to the tribe of Manasseh. The sentence flows from the general identification of the tribe to the specific individual, illustrating the hierarchical nature of the listing.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between the tribe and its representative, with the prepositional phrases indicating both the tribe's identity and the individual leader's role within that context.

Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מַטֶּה as φυλῆς (phylēs), which means 'of the tribe'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning but may reflect a more general understanding of tribal affiliation in the Greek context.

The use of φυλῆς indicates a focus on the group identity rather than the individual, which is consistent with the communal nature of the Israelites during their wilderness journey.

In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 13:11 tells us that Gaddi was chosen as a leader from the tribe of Manasseh, which is part of the larger tribe of Joseph. This verse is part of a list of leaders from each tribe who were sent to explore the land of Canaan. Each name represents the community and their role in the journey.

Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Gaddi?

Gaddi was a leader from the tribe of Manasseh, chosen by Moses to be one of the spies sent to explore Canaan.

What does the tribe of Manasseh represent?

The tribe of Manasseh is one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Joseph, and represents a significant portion of the Israelite community.

Why were leaders chosen from each tribe?

Leaders were chosen to represent their tribes in the scouting of Canaan, ensuring that all tribes had a voice in the exploration of the promised land.

What is the significance of tribal identity in Israel?

Tribal identity was crucial for social structure, inheritance, and governance among the Israelites, shaping their community and relationships.

Reflection Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to belong to a tribe or community in today's context?
How can understanding the roles of leaders in the Bible inform our view of leadership today?
In what ways do we see tribal or community identities represented in our lives?
How can we learn from Gaddi's example as a representative of his tribe?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 13:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Of the tribe of Joseph, [namely], of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. [See comments on Numbers 13:4].

Read John Gill on Numbers 13 →

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 13 →

Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

i.e. Of that part of the tribe of Joseph which is peculiarly called the tribe of Manasseh, as the other part of it was called the tribe of Ephraim, . The name of Joseph is elsewhere appropriated to Ephraim, as ,19 Revelation 7:8; here to Manasseh; possibly to aggravate the sin of the ruler of this tribe, who did so basely degenerate from his noble ancestor, Joseph.

Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 13 →

CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1–24. The spies are sent out, and search the land.

Read Cambridge on Numbers 13 →

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

from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Of the tribe of Joseph, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;

NETBNew English Translation2006

from the tribe of Joseph, namely, the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi son of Susi;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Of the tribe of Joseph, namely , of the tribe of Manassah, Gaddi the son of Susi.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the sone of Sodi:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

for the tribe of Joseph, for the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For the tribe of Joseph, (for the tribe of Manasseh,) Gaddi son of Susi.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

for the tribe of Joseph (for the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi son of Susi;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Of the tribe of Joseph, of the tribe of Menasseh, Gaddi the son of Sussi.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

from the tribe of Joseph (that is to say, from the tribe Manasseh), Gaddi son of Susi;

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Of the tribe of Zabulon, Geddiel the son of Sodi.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Gaddi, son of Susi, from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph).

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Of the tribe of Joseph, that is of the family of Manasseh, Gaddi, the son of Susi.

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.

clauseprepositional phrase · predicateprepositional phraseלְfornoun phraseמַטֵּ֥הthe.tribeיוֹסֵ֖ףof.Josephprepositional phraseלְfornoun phraseמַטֵּ֣הthe.tribeמְנַשֶּׁ֑הof.Manassehnoun phrase · subjectגַּדִּ֖יGaddinoun phraseבֶּןthe.sonסוּסִֽיof.Susi

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

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

All ancient witnesses agree with the Masoretic Text in Numbers 13:11. The Septuagint matches the Hebrew word-for-word, although its word order is different. The Samaritan Pentateuch also aligns perfectly with the Masoretic Text, presenting the same wording. The Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q27) contain a partially restored version of the text, with some words supplied by an editor, but the essential components are consistent with the Masoretic Text.

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

לְמַטֵּ֥ה יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה גַּדִּ֖י בֶּן־ סוּסִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word

לְמַטֵּ֥הφυλῆςיוֹסֵ֖ףιωσηφלְמַטֵּ֣הυἱῶνמְנַשֶּׁ֑הμανασσηגַּדִּ֖יγαδδιבֶּן־υἱὸςסוּסִֽי׃σουσι

7 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

למטה יוסף למטה מנשׁה גדי בן סוסי

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q27a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

למטי [יוסף] [למטי] [מנשה] [גדי] [בן] [סוסי]

nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

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 Numbers 13:11

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.

לְמַטֵּ֥ה for [the] tribe of יוֹסֵ֖ף Joseph לְמַטֵּ֣ה for [the] tribe of מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה Manasseh גַּדִּ֖י Gaddi בֶּן־ [the] son of סוּסִֽי׃ Susi

“for [the] tribe of Joseph for [the] tribe of Manasseh Gaddi [the] son of Susi”

לְמַטֵּ֥הle.ma.Teh for [the] tribe of H4294 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct ¶

252× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

In the Bible, this word can mean a tribe, like the 12 tribes of Israel, or a staff, like the one Moses used to lead his people in Exodus 4:2.

Amplified meaning

group of people

Tyndale gloss

tribe

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַטֶּה (mat-teh) refers to a staff, rod, or branch, and can also denote a tribe. It is derived from a root meaning to extend, and its uses include both literal and figurative meanings, such as a support or a means of correction. The lexicons consistently highlight its association with leadership and community.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַטֶּה 251 n.m.

staff, rod, shaft

branch

tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4294 מַטֶּה . staff, rod, shaft

. branch

. tribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4294 matteh mat-teh'

or (feminine) mattah {mat-taw'}; from 5186; a branch (as

extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for

chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre),

throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a

support of life, e.g. bread):--rod, staff, tribe.

see HEBREW for 05186

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: rod.

: rod/staff

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe.

: tribe

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: arrow.

: arrow

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: stick.

: stick

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: supply.

: supply

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant

Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

מַטֶּהtribe×מִשְׁפָּחָהfamily×אָבfather×נָשִׂיאleader×נַחֲלָהinheritance×מְנַשֶּׁהMoses×חֲצִיhalf×יְהוּדָה(Baalah of)Judah×

“for [the] tribe of Joseph for [the] tribe of Manasseh Gaddi [the] son of Susi”

יוֹסֵ֖ףyo.Sef Joseph H3130 Noun proper masculine ¶

213× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

Joseph means Jehovah has added, a name given to several Israelites, including the son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph was a significant figure in the book of Genesis and the story of his brothers. He became a leader in Egypt.

Amplified meaning

Jehovah has added

Tyndale gloss

Joseph

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹסֵף (Yowceph) means 'he adds' or 'increases' and refers primarily to Joseph, the eldest son of Jacob and Rachel. The name appears in various contexts, including other individuals named Joseph, such as a man of Issachar, a son of Asaph, and a priest. The entries highlight his familial relationships and roles during different periods, including the Exile and Return.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹסֵף 212 and יְהוֹסֵף n.pr.m. (he adds, increases)

elder son of Jacob and Rachael

a man of Issachar

a son of Asaph

one of those who took strange wives

a priest

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3130 יוֹסֵף and יְהוֹסֵף (he adds, increases) . elder son of Jacob and Rachael

. a man of Issachar

. a son of Asaph

. one of those who took strange wives

. a priest

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3130 Yowceph yo-safe'

future of 3254; let him add (or perhaps simply active

participle adding); Joseph, the name of seven

Israelites:--Joseph. Compare 3084.

see HEBREW for 03254

see HEBREW for 03084

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹסֵף (yo.seph) — Joseph.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.24;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Benjamin (H1144);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); married to Asenath (H0621);

father of: Manasseh (H4519) and Ephraim (H0669); also called Zaphenath-paneah at Gen.41.45;

§ Joseph = "Jehovah has added"

1) the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel

2) father of Igal, who represented the tribe of Issachar among the spies

3) a son of Asaph

4) a man who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

5) a priest of the family of Shebaniah in the time of Nehemiah

יוֹסֵף (yo.seph) — Joseph.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.7;

father of: Igal (H3008)

Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joseph

Remover or increaser. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 30:23, 24), who, on the occasion of his birth, said, “God hath taken away [Heb. ‘asaph] my reproach.” “The Lord shall add [Heb. yoseph] to me another son” (Gen. 30:24). He was a child of probably six years of age when his father returned from Haran to Canaan and took up his residence in the old patriarchal town of Hebron. “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age,” and he “made him a long garment with sleeves” (Gen. 37:3, R.V. marg.), i.e., a garment long and full, such as was worn by the children of nobles. This seems to be the correct rendering of the words. The phrase, however, may also be…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(increase). The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel. He was born in Padan-aram (Mesopotamia), probably about B.C. 1746. He is first mentioned when a youth, seventeen years old. Joseph brought the evil report of his brethren to his father, and they hated him because his father loved him more than he did them, and had shown his preference by making a dress which appears to have been a long tunic with sleeves, worn by youths and maidens of the richer class. (Genesis 37:2) He dreamed a dream foreshadowing his future power, which increased the hatred of his brethren. (Genesis 37:5-7) He was sent by his father to visit his brothers, who were tending flocks in the fields of Dothan. They resolved to kill him, but he was saved by Reuben, who persuaded the brothers to cast Joseph into…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The son of Jacob and his beloved Rachel, born in Mesopotamia, Ge 30:22-24, B. C. 1747. He is memorable for the wonderful providence of God, which raised him from a prison to be the grandvizier of Egypt, and made him the honored means of saving countless human lives. His history is one of the most pleasing and instructive in the Bible; and is related in language inimitably natural, simple, and touching. It is too beautiful for abridgment, and too familiar to need rehearsal. It throws much light on the superintending providence of God, as embracing all things, great and small in the perpetual unfolding of his universal plan. No narrative in the Bible more strikingly illustrates the protective and elevating power of the fear of God, and its especial value for the young. To behold this lovely image of filial piety and unwavering…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

increase; addition

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

אָחbrother: male-sibling×פַּרְעֹהPharaoh×מְנַשֶּׁהMoses×מִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) Egypt×אֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraim×יַעֲקֹבJacob×חֲלוֹםdream×בִּנְיָמִין(Gate of) Benjamin×

“for [the] tribe of Joseph for [the] tribe of Manasseh Gaddi [the] son of Susi”

לְמַטֵּ֣הle.ma.Teh for [the] tribe of H4294 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct ¶

252× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

In the Bible, this word can mean a tribe, like the 12 tribes of Israel, or a staff, like the one Moses used to lead his people in Exodus 4:2.

Amplified meaning

group of people

Tyndale gloss

tribe

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַטֶּה 251 n.m.

staff, rod, shaft

branch

tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4294 מַטֶּה . staff, rod, shaft

. branch

. tribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4294 matteh mat-teh'

or (feminine) mattah {mat-taw'}; from 5186; a branch (as

extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for

chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre),

throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a

support of life, e.g. bread):--rod, staff, tribe.

see HEBREW for 05186

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: rod.

: rod/staff

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe.

: tribe

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: arrow.

: arrow

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: stick.

: stick

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: supply.

: supply

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

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.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

מַטֶּהtribe×מִשְׁפָּחָהfamily×אָבfather×נָשִׂיאleader×נַחֲלָהinheritance×מְנַשֶּׁהMoses×חֲצִיhalf×יְהוּדָה(Baalah of)Judah×

“for [the] tribe of Joseph for [the] tribe of Manasseh Gaddi [the] son of Susi”

מְנַשֶּׁ֑הme.na.Sheh Manasseh H4519 Noun proper masculine ¶

146× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

Manasseh was a grandson of Jacob and the ancestor of a large tribe in the Bible, mentioned in Genesis 41:51 and throughout the book of Numbers.

Amplified meaning

a grandson of Jacob, an ancestor of a large tribe

Tyndale gloss

Moses

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְנַשֶּׁה (Mnashsheh) means 'causing to forget' and refers to several figures in the Old Testament. Primarily, it denotes the eldest son of Joseph and the tribe descended from him, as well as the territory they occupied. Additionally, it identifies a king of Judah, son of Hezekiah, and several individuals mentioned during the Exile and Return. The entries consistently highlight these connections without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְנַשֶּׁה 136 n.pr.m. et trib. Manasseh

Manasseh, eldest son of Joseph

of tribe

son of Hezekiah

two who had taken strange wives

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4519 מְנַשֶּׁה Manasseh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4519 Mnashsheh men-ash-sheh'

from 5382; causing to forget; Menashsheh, a grandson of

Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its

territory:--Manasseh.

see HEBREW for 05382

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְנַשֶּׁה (me.nash.sheh) — Manasseh.

A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.51;

son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621);

brother of: Ephraim (H0669); married to Aramitess (H0761);

father of: Machir (H4353) and Asriel (H0844H)

§ Manasseh = "causing to forget"

1) the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh

1a) the tribe descended from Manasseh

1b) the territory occupied by the tribe of Manasseh

2) son of king Hezekiah of Judah and himself king of Judah; he was the immediate and direct cause for the exile

3) a descendant of Pahath-moab who put away a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

4) a descendant of Hashum who put away a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

מְנַשֶּׁה (me.nash.sheh) — Manasseh.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.20.21;

Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Manasseh

Who makes to forget. “God hath made me forget” (Heb. nashshani), Gen. 41:51. (1.) The elder of the two sons of Joseph. He and his brother Ephraim were afterwards adopted by Jacob as his own sons (48:1). There is an account of his marriage to a Syrian (1 Chr. 7:14); and the only thing afterwards recorded of him is, that his grandchildren were “brought up upon Joseph’s knees” (Gen. 50:23; R.V., “born upon Joseph’s knees”) i.e., were from their birth adopted by Joseph as his own children.

The tribe of Manasseh was associated with that of Ephraim and Benjamin during the wanderings in the wilderness. They encamped on the west side of the tabernacle. According to the census taken at Sinai, this tribe then…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(forgetting). The thirteenth king of Judah, son of Hezekiah, (2 Kings 21:1) ascended the throne at the age of twelve, and reigned 55 years, from B.C. 608 to 642. His accession was the signal for an entire change in the religious administration of the kingdom. Idolatry was again established to such an extent that every faith was tolerated but the old faith of Israel. The Babylonian alliance which the king formed against Assyria resulted in his being made prisoner and carried off to Babylon in the twenty-second year of his reign, according to a Jewish tradition. There his eyes were opened and he repented, and his prayer was heard and the Lord delivered him, (2 Chronicles 33:12,13) and he returned after some uncertain interval of time to Jerusalem. The altar of the Lord was again…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The eldest son of Joseph, born in Egypt. His descendants constituted a full tribe. This was divided in the promised land: one part having settled east of the Jordan, in the country of Bashan, from the river Jabbok northwards; and the other west of the Jordan, between Ephraim and Issachar, extending from the Jordan to the Mediterranean. It was far inferior to Ephraim in wealth and power, according to the prediction of Jacob, Ge 41:50,51 48:1-22 Jos 16:10.

2. The son and impious successor of the good Hezekiah, king of Judah. He began to reign at twelve years old, B. C. 698, and reigned fifty-five years. For his shocking idolatries, tyranny, and cruelties, God suffered him to be carried as a prisoner to Babylon in the twenty-second year of his reign, probably by Esarhaddon king…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

forgetfulness; he that is forgotten

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

בֵּןson: child×אֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraim×חֲצִיhalf×מַטֶּהtribe×שֵׁ֫בֶטtribe×יוֹסֵףJoseph×גִּלְעָד(Mount) Gilead×מָכִירMachir×

“for [the] tribe of Joseph for [the] tribe of Manasseh Gaddi [the] son of Susi”

גַּדִּ֖יga.Di Gaddi H1426 Noun proper masculine ¶

1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

Gaddi was an Israelite who lived during the time of the Wilderness, as mentioned in Numbers 13:11. He was the son of Susi and was chosen by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan. The name Gaddi means 'my fortune' in Hebrew.

Amplified meaning

an Israelite who lived during the time of the Wilderness

Tyndale gloss

Gaddi

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גַּדִּי (Gaddiy) refers to a male name meaning 'my fortune.' It is associated with Gaddi, an Israelite mentioned in Numbers 13:11 as a spy from the tribe of Manasseh, son of Susi. The word is derived from a more basic form, H1424, but the entries do not provide further details on its usage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גַּדִּי n.pr.m. (my fortune) a man of Manasseh Nu 13:11.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1426 גַּדִּי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1426 Gaddiy gad-dee'

intensive for 1424; Gaddi, an Israelite:--Gaddi.

see HEBREW for 01424

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גַּדִּי (gad.di) — Gaddi.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.11;

son of: Susi (H5485)

§ Gaddi = "my fortune"

the son of Susi, spy from the tribe of Manasseh sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gad'-i (gaddi, "my fortune"):

One of the twelve spies, son of Susi, and a chief of Manasseh (Nu 13:11).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gaddi

Fortunate, the representative of the tribe of Manasseh among the twelve “spies” sent by Moses to spy the land (Num. 13:11).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(fortunate), son of Susi; the Manassite spy sent by Moses to explore Canaan. (Numbers 13:11) (B.C. 1490.)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

my troop; a kid

“for [the] tribe of Joseph for [the] tribe of Manasseh Gaddi [the] son of Susi”

בֶּן־ben- [the] son of H1121 Noun common · masculine singular construct ¶

4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.

Amplified meaning

a descendant, a male child

Tyndale gloss

son: child

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

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.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance

אַהֲרֹןAaron×מִשְׁפָּחָהfamily×עַמּוֹןAmmon×מְנַשֶּׁהMoses×בִּנְיָמִין(Gate of) Benjamin×רְאוּבֵןReuben×גָּדGad×

“for [the] tribe of Joseph for [the] tribe of Manasseh Gaddi [the] son of Susi”

סוּסִֽי׃su.Si Susi H5485 Noun proper masculine ¶

1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×

In plain English

Meaning

Susi was an Israelite who lived during the time of the wilderness, mentioned in Numbers 13:11 as the father of Gaddi, a spy for the tribe of Manasseh. His name means 'my horse' in Hebrew.

Amplified meaning

an Israelite who lived during the time of the wilderness

Tyndale gloss

Susi

Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers

Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סוּסִי (su.si) refers to a personal name meaning 'my horse.' It identifies Susi as an Israelite from the tribe of Manasseh, specifically mentioned in Numbers 13:11 as the father of Gaddi, one of the spies sent into Canaan. The word is derived from the root for 'horse' (סוּס, sus), indicating a horse-like quality.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סוּסִי n.pr.m.;—a Manassite Nu 13:11

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5485 סוּסִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5485 Cuwciy soo-see'

from 5483; horse-like; Susi, an Israelite:--Susi.

see HEBREW for 05483

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סוּסִי (su.si) — Susi.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.11;

father of: Gaddi (H1426)

§ Susi = "my horse"

father of Gaddi, the spy for the tribe of Manasseh

Morphologythe parsing behind the code

Berean parsing

N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm

Bible dictionarieson the English sense

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

su'-si, soo'-si (cuci): Father of Gaddi, one of the spies, who represented the tribe of Manasseh (Nu 13:11). See Gray, HPN, 92.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Susi

The father of Gaddi, who was one of the twelve spies (Num. 13:11).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

the father of Gaddi the Manassite spy. (Numbers 13:11)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

horse; swallow; moth

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.

Numbers 13:11 — Word Study

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Deep Study — Numbers 13:11

Context — The Leaders of the Tribesgenerated

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Nave’s Topical Bible — the subjects this verse is filed under

The Key Word — מַטֶּה, le.ma.Tehgenerated

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Sentence Structuregenerated

Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

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Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Modern formal

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Strictly literal

From the Latin

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The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

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

The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

Lexicons — every word in Numbers 13:11