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Numbers 13:4 — Word Study

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WLCוְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֑ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֔ן שַׁמּ֖וּעַ בֶּן־ זַכּֽוּר׃

BSAand theseʼêl-leh [specific individuals, those men] were their namesshêm From the tribemaṭṭeh [family group, ancestral division] of ReubenRᵉʼûwbên [the firstborn son of Jacob] ShammuaShammûwaʻ [a leader] sonbên [descendant, offspring] of ZaccurZakkûwr [mindful, one who remembers]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 13
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 4 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 (za.Kur) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 13:4quick helps
In a sentenceMoses lists the names of the leaders sent to explore the land of Canaan.
Who is speakingMoses, following God's command.
Where we areThe context is the sending of spies from the tribe of Reuben.
The hard wordשַׁמּ֖וּעַ
Take awayThese names identify the leaders chosen for the task.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Numbers 13:4

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 Sending of the Spiesgenerated

3So at the consent of the LORD, Moses sent them out from the Wilderness of Paran. All the men were leaders of the Israelites,
4and these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;
5from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;
6from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

Numbers 13:4 presents the names of the leaders from each tribe of Israel who were sent to scout the land of Canaan. This passage is part of a larger narrative where Moses, under God's direction, chooses representatives from each tribe to gather information about the Promised Land. This act reflects the importance of leadership and accountability within the community of Israel as they prepare to enter the land God promised to them.


Cross References


The Key Word אֵלֶּה, ve.'E.lehgenerated

The word אֵלֶּה (el-leh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'these.' It is used to specify particular individuals or items, indicating proximity or relevance. In this verse, it introduces the names of the leaders, marking them as significant figures in the narrative.

This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in contexts where specific people or things are being highlighted. Its grammatical role as a conjunction emphasizes the connection between the leaders named and their purpose in the mission.


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 finite verb שְׁמוֹתָם, [are] names their, governs the sentence, with a noun phrase and a prepositional phrase following it. The structure emphasizes the names as the subject of the sentence.

The word order places the subject at the beginning, drawing attention to the names of the leaders, which is central to the verse's purpose.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

אֵלֶּה is rendered as ταῦτα in the Septuagint, which translates to 'these things.' This choice indicates a similar emphasis on specificity and identification.

The Greek word ὀνόματα for 'names' aligns with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on the identity of the leaders chosen for the mission.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 13:4 tells us that Moses listed the names of the leaders from the tribes of Israel who were sent to explore the land of Canaan. From the tribe of Reuben, the leader was Shammua, son of Zaccur. This naming highlights the importance of these individuals in the mission to scout the Promised Land.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Shammua?

Shammua was a leader from the tribe of Reuben, chosen to be one of the spies sent to explore Canaan.

What does the name Zaccur mean?

Zaccur means 'mindful' and is associated with several individuals in the Old Testament.

Why were leaders chosen from each tribe?

Leaders were chosen to represent their tribes and gather information about the land God promised to Israel.

What is the significance of naming the leaders?

Naming the leaders emphasizes their roles and responsibilities in the mission, highlighting the importance of leadership in the Israelite community.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you think are important for a leader, based on the names mentioned in this verse?
  2. How can understanding the names and roles of these leaders help us in our own community?
  3. What does it mean to be 'mindful' in the context of leadership, as seen in the name Zaccur?
  4. In what ways can we identify and support leaders in our own lives or communities?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 13:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And these [were] their names, of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

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 →
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

and these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

WEBWorld English Bible2000

These were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

and these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

NETBNew English Translation2006

Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And these were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And these were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then Moses sent them out of the wildernesse of Paran at the commandement of the Lord: all those men were heades of the children of Israel.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And these are their names: for the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and these their names: For the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and these [are] their names: for the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And these are their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

These were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Moses did what the Lord had commanded, sending from the desert of Pharan, principal men, whose names are these:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Their names were: Shammua son of Zaccur, from the tribe of Reuben.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua, the son of Zaccur.

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.

וְandclausepredicateאֵ֖לֶּהthesenoun phrase · subjectשְׁמוֹתָ֑namesם[are].theirclauseprepositional phrase · predicateלְfornoun phraseמַטֵּ֣הthe.tribeרְאוּבֵ֔ןof.Reubennoun phrase · subjectשַׁמּ֖וּעַShammuanoun phraseבֶּןthe.sonזַכּֽוּרof.Zaccur

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 consistent with the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agree word for word in this verse. This agreement indicates a strong preservation of the text across these ancient witnesses.

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

וְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמוֹתָ֑ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה רְאוּבֵ֔ן שַׁמּ֖וּעַ בֶּן־ זַכּֽוּר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאֵ֖לֶּהταῦταשְׁמוֹתָ֑םὀνόματαלְמַטֵּ֣הφυλῆςרְאוּבֵ֔ןρουβηνשַׁמּ֖וּעַσαλαμιηλבֶּן־υἱὸςזַכּֽוּר׃ζακξουρ

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

ואלה שׁמותם למטה ראובן שׁמוע בן זכור

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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.

Numbers 13:4אֵ֫לֶּהand theseand theseאֵ֫לֶּהשֵׁם[are] names[are] names theשֵׁםמַטֶּהfor [the] tfor [the] tribeמַטֶּהרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןשַׁמּוּעַShammuaShammuaשַׁמּוּעַבֵּן[the] son o[the] son ofבֵּןזַכּוּרZaccurZaccurזַכּוּראֵלthesetheseאֵלשׂוּםto set: mato set: makeשׂוּםנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָהבֵּןson: childson: childבֵּןשָׁמֵםbe desolatbe desolate: deשָׁמֵםבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהזָכַרto remembeto rememberזָכַררָאָהProviderProviderרָאָהתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתאַלּוּףtametameאַלּוּףקָרָאto call: cto call: call tקָרָאיָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָהנָשִׂיאleaderleaderנָשִׂיאגָּדGadGadגָּדחֲנוֹךְHanochHanochחֲנוֹךְשׁוֹבָבShobabShobabשׁוֹבָבנָתָןNathanNathanנָתָןעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹן
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 13:4

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.

and these [are] names their for [the] tribe of Reuben Shammua [the] son of Zaccur
וְאֵ֖לֶּהve.'E.leh and these H428 Conjunction · particle
746× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.
Amplified meaning
specific individuals, those men
Tyndale gloss
these
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these

in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

with preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

. with preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

428 'el-leh ale'-leh

prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one

sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,

thus, which, who(-m).

see HEBREW for 0411

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.

1) these

1a) used before antecedent

1b) used following antecedent

Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tm
and these [are] names their for [the] tribe of Reuben Shammua [the] son of Zaccur
שְׁמוֹתָ֑םshe.mo.Tam [are] names their H8034 Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
864× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Tyndale gloss
name
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

usu. of pers.

= reputation

esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

name, as designation of God

of false gods, use forbidden

= memorial, monument

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8034 shem shame

a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea

of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an

appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by

implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,

(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

see HEBREW for 07760

see HEBREW for 08064

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁם (shem) — name.

1) name

1a) name

1b) reputation, fame, glory

1c) the Name (as designation of God)

1d) memorial, monument

Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HNcfpc/Sp3mp
and these [are] names their for [the] tribe of Reuben Shammua [the] son of Zaccur
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
family group, ancestral division
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…

and these [are] names their for [the] tribe of Reuben Shammua [the] son of Zaccur
רְאוּבֵ֔ןre.'u.Ven Reuben H7205 Noun proper masculine
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben. He is mentioned in Genesis as the brother of Simeon, Levi, and Judah, and the father of Hanoch and Pallu.
Amplified meaning
the firstborn son of Jacob
Tyndale gloss
Reuben
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רְאוּבֵן (Reuben) refers to the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, meaning 'behold a son.' He is the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben, which is mentioned in the context of the Old Testament. The name is derived from the imperative of the verb for 'see' and the word for 'son.' Reuben is first mentioned in Genesis 29:32.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רְאוּבֵן 71 n.pr.m. Reuben

eldest son of Jacob and Leah

as name of clan or tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7205 רְאוּבֵן Reuben

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7205 R'uwben reh-oo-bane'

from the imperative of 7200 and 1121; see ye a son; Reuben, a

son of Jacob:--Reuben.

see HEBREW for 07200

see HEBREW for 01121

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רְאוּבֵן (re.u.ven) — Reuben.

A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32;

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

brother of: Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

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

father of: Hanoch (H2585J), Pallu (H6396), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756)

§ Reuben = "behold a son"

1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Reuben

3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

roo'-ben, ru'-ben (re'ubhen; Rhouben): The eldest son of Jacob, born to him by Leah in Paddan-aram (Ge 29:32).

1. Jacob's Oldest Son:

This verse seems to suggest two derivations of the name. As it stands in Massoretic Text it means "behold a son"; but the reason given for so calling him is "The Lord hath looked upon my affliction," which in Hebrew is ra'ah be`onyi, literally, "He hath seen my affliction." Of his boyhood we have only the story of the mandrakes (Ge 30:14). As the firstborn he should really have been leader among his father's sons. His birthright was forfeited by a deed of peculiar infamy (Ge 35:22), and as far as we know his tribe never took the lead in Israel. It is named first, indeed, in

Reuben

Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21,22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3,4.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(behold a son), Jacob’s firstborn Child, (Genesis 29:32) the son of Leah. (B.C. 1753.) The notices of the patriarch Reuben give, on the whole a favorable view of his disposition. To him and him alone the preservation of Joseph’s life appears to have been due and afterward he becomes responsible for his safety. (Genesis 37:18-30; 42:37) Of the repulsive crime which mars his history, and which turned the blessing of his dying father into a curse --his adulterous connection with Bilhah-- we know from the Scriptures only the fact. (Genesis 35:22) He was of an ardent, impetuous, unbalanced but not ungenerous nature; not crafty and cruel, as were Simeon and Levi, but rather, to use the metaphor of the dying patriarch, boiling up…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Behold, a son! The eldest son of Jacob and Leah, so-called in reference to the sentiment of his mother, "The Lord hath looked on my affliction," Ge 29:32. Reuben, having defiled his father’s concubine Bilhah, lost his birthright and all the privileges of primogeniture, the preeminence in the family being given to Judah, and the double portion to the two sons of Joseph, Ge 35:22 48:5 49:3,4,8,10 1Ch 5:1,2. He shared in his brother’s jealousy of Joseph, and yet interposed to save his life at Dothan with the design of restoring him privately to his father, Ge 37:18-30. See also his well-meant proposal in Ge 42:27. His…

and these [are] names their for [the] tribe of Reuben Shammua [the] son of Zaccur
שַׁמּ֖וּעַsha.Mu.a' Shammua H8051 Noun proper masculine
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shammua was a man from the tribe of Levi who lived during the time of Exile and Return. He was the son of Galal and the father of Obadiah, and is also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:16 and Nehemiah 11:17.
Amplified meaning
a leader
Tyndale gloss
Shammua
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁמּוּעַ (Shammuwa) means 'renowned' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament. It includes a spy from the tribe of Reuben, a son of David by Bathsheba, and various Levites and priests. The name appears in contexts ranging from the wilderness period to the time of Nehemiah, indicating its use across different generations.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁמּוּעַ n.pr.m.

son of David

Reubenite

Levite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8051 שַׁמּוּעַ

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8051 Shammuwa` sham-moo'-ah

from 8074; renowned; Shammua, the name of four

Israelites:--Shammua, Shammuah.

see HEBREW for 08074

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁמּוּעַ (sham.mu.a) — Shammua.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.4;

son of: Zaccur (H2139)

§ Shammua = "renowned"

1) son of Zaccur and the spy from the tribe of Reuben

2) son of David by his wife Bathsheba

2a) also 'Shammuah' and 'Shimea'

3) aLevite, son of Galal and father of Abda who lived in Jerusalem after the return from exile in the time of Nehemiah

3a) also 'Shemaiah'

4) a priest, head of the family of Bilgah in the time of Joiakim after the return from exile

שַׁמּוּעַ (sham.mu.a) — Shammua.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.5.14;

son of: David (H1732) and Bathsheba (H1339);

brother of: Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416) and Solomon (H8010);

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

Shammua

Heard. (1.) One of the spies sent out by Moses to search the land (Num. 13:4). He represented the tribe of Reuben.

(2.) One of David’s sons (1 Chr. 14:4; 3:5, “Shimea;” 2 Sam. 5:14).

(3.) A Levite under Nehemiah (11:17).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(renowned). Reubenite spy, son of Zaccur. (Numbers 13:4) (B.C. 1490.) Son of David, by his wife Bathsheba. (1 Chronicles 14:4) (B.C. 1045.) A Levite, the father of Abda. (Nehemiah 11:17) The same as SHEMAIAH, 6. The representative of the priestly family of Bilgah or Bilgai, in the days of Joiakim. (Nehemiah 12:18) (B.C. about 500.)

Nave's Topical Bible

1. The representative of the tribe of Reuben among the twelve spies sent into Canaan Nu 13:4

2. SHAMMUA

See SHAMMUAH

3. A Levite, father of Abda Ne 11:17

Called SHEMAIAH 1Ch 9:16

4. A priest Ne 12:18

and these [are] names their for [the] tribe of Reuben Shammua [the] son of Zaccur
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
descendant, offspring
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:

(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…

and these [are] names their for [the] tribe of Reuben Shammua [the] son of Zaccur
זַכּֽוּר׃za.Kur Zaccur H2139 Noun proper masculine
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zaccur means mindful, and was the name of seven Israelites, including a man who helped Nehemiah rebuild the wall in Nehemiah 13:13.
Amplified meaning
mindful, one who remembers
Tyndale gloss
Zaccur
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זַכּוּר (zakkuwr) means "mindful" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including a Reubenite spy, a Simeonite, and Levites associated with the rebuilding of the wall in Nehemiah's time. The name appears in contexts related to the tribes of Israel, particularly in Numbers and Chronicles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זַכּוּר n.pr.m.

a Reubenite

a Simeonite

Levites

companion of Ezra

contemp. of Nehemiah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2139 זַכּוּר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2139 Zakkuwr zaw-koor'

from 2142; mindful; Zakkur, the name of seven

Israelites:--Zaccur, Zacchur.

see HEBREW for 02142

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זַכּוּר (zak.kur) — Zaccur.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.4;

father of: Shammua (H8051)

§ Zaccur or Zacchur = "mindful"

1) father of Shammua, the Reubenite spy

2) a Simeonite of the family of Mishma

3) a Merarite Levite, son of Jaaziah

4) son of Asaph the singer

5) the son of Imri who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the wall

6) a Levite, or family of Levites, who signed the covenant with Nehemiah

7) a Levite whose son or descendant Hanan was one of the treasurers over the treasuries appointed by Nehemiah

זַכּוּר (zak.kur) — Zaccur.

A man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.26;

son of: Hammuel (H2536);

father of: Shimei (H8096K)

§ Zaccur or Zacchur = "mindful"

1) father of Shammua, the Reubenite spy

2) a Simeonite of the family of Mishma

3) a Merarite Levite, son of Jaaziah

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

zak'-ur (zakkur, perhaps "ventriloquist" (Gray, Nu, 137)):

(1) Father of Shammua the Reubenite spy (Nu 13:4).

(2) A Simeonite (1Ch 4:26); the King James Version "Zacchur."

(3) Levites: (a) a Merarite (1Ch 24:27); (b) a "son" of Asaph (1Ch 25:2,10; Ne 12:35); (c) Ne 10:12 (Hebrew verse 13), and probably the same as in Neb 13:13, father of Hanan.

(4) A marginal reading in Ezr 8:14 for Zabbud where Kethibh is really "Zabud".

See ZABBUD.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zaccur

Mindful. (1.) Father of Shammua, who was one of the spies sent out by Moses (Num. 13:4).

(2.) A Merarite Levite (1 Chr. 24:27).

(3.) A son of Asaph, and chief of one of the courses of singers as arranged by David (1 Chr. 25:2, 10).

(4.) Son of Imri (Neh. 3:2).

(5.) A Levite (Neh. 10:12).

(6.) The son of Mattaniah (Neh. 13:13).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(mindful). Father of Shammua, the Reubenite spy. (Numbers 13:4) (B.C. 1451.) A Merarite Levite, son of Jaaziah. (1 Chronicles 24:27) Son of Asaph the singer. (1 Chronicles 25:2,10; Nehemiah 12:35) The son of Imri who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the city wall. (Nehemiah 3:2) (B.C. 446.) A Levite, or family of Levites, who signed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:18) (B.C. 410.) A Levite whose son or descendant Hanan was one of the treasurers over the treasuries appointed by Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 13:13)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

of the male kind; mindful

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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