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Numbers 13:7 — Word Study

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WLCלְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר יִגְאָ֖ל בֶּן־ יוֹסֵֽף׃

BSAfrom the tribemaṭṭeh [a tribe of Israel] of IssacharYissâˢkâr [there is recompense] IgalYigʼâl [He redeems] sonbên [a descendant, or offspring] of JosephYôwçêph [Jehovah has added]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 13
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 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 (yo.Sef) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 13:7quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse lists a leader from the tribe of Issachar, named Igal, who is identified as the son of Joseph.
Who is speakingThe narrator of the book of Numbers, recounting the leaders chosen from each tribe.
Where we areIn a section detailing the leaders selected to scout the land of Canaan.
The hard wordיִגְאָ֖ל
Take awayThe verse emphasizes the lineage and tribal affiliation of Igal.
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 13:7

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

6from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;
7from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;
8from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;
9from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;

Numbers 13:7 identifies Igal as a leader from the tribe of Issachar. This verse is part of a larger narrative where leaders from each of the twelve tribes of Israel are appointed to explore the Promised Land. The context highlights the importance of tribal representation and leadership in the Israelite community as they prepare to enter Canaan.


Cross References


The Key Word יִשָּׂשכָר, yi.so.sh.Khargenerated

The name יִשָּׂשכָר (yi.so.sh.Khar) means 'there is recompense'. It refers to both the ninth son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. The parsing as a proper masculine noun indicates its specific identity as a tribe and its historical significance.

Issachar's role in the narrative is significant as it represents one of the tribes of Israel, emphasizing the collective identity and responsibilities of the tribes in the conquest of Canaan.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the rendering of יִשָּׂשכָר as 'Issachar'.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is structured around the prepositional phrase לְמַטֵּ֣ה (le.ma.Teh), which indicates the tribe, followed by the noun phrases that specify the tribe of Issachar and the individual Igal. This structure emphasizes the tribal identity first, placing it at the forefront of the sentence.

The syntax shows a clear hierarchical relationship: the tribe is presented as the primary subject, with Igal's identity as a subordinate detail, indicating the importance of tribal affiliation in the Israelite culture.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates לְמַטֵּ֣ה as φυλῆς (phulēs), meaning 'of the tribe'. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may reflect a broader understanding of tribal identity in the Greek-speaking world.

The Greek rendering for Issachar is ισσαξαρ (Issachar), which retains the original name, indicating continuity in the identity of the tribe across languages.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 13:7 tells us that Igal, son of Joseph, comes from the tribe of Issachar. This verse is part of a list of leaders chosen from each tribe of Israel to scout the land of Canaan, highlighting the importance of each tribe's representation.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the name Issachar mean?

Issachar means 'there is recompense', reflecting the blessings and roles associated with this tribe in Israel's history.

Who was Igal?

Igal was a leader from the tribe of Issachar, chosen to represent his tribe in the exploration of Canaan.

Why are tribal leaders significant in this context?

Tribal leaders are significant as they represent the collective identity and responsibilities of their tribes in the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land.

What is the significance of being a son of Joseph?

Being a son of Joseph connects Igal to a prominent family within Israel, emphasizing the importance of lineage and heritage.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean for a tribe to have a representative leader in the context of community?
  2. How does understanding the tribal affiliations of leaders help us grasp the history of Israel?
  3. In what ways can we see the importance of lineage and heritage in our own communities today?
  4. What lessons can we learn from the leadership structure of the tribes of Israel?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 13:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. [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 →
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 Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

NETBNew English Translation2006

from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Of the tribe of Iudah, Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

for the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

for the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Of the tribe of Issachar, Yigal the son of Joseph.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Of the tribe of Juda, Caleb the son of Jephone.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Igal, son of Joseph, from the tribe of Issachar.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal, the son of Joseph.

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 · predicateלְfornoun phraseמַטֵּ֣הthe.tribeיִשָּׂשכָ֔רof.Issacharnoun phrase · subjectיִגְאָ֖לIgalnoun phraseבֶּןthe.sonיוֹסֵֽףof.Joseph

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 confirmed by the Septuagint, which matches all five words, and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration but maintain the essential content, affirming the consistency of this verse across different textual traditions.

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

לְמַטֵּ֣ה יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר יִגְאָ֖ל בֶּן־ יוֹסֵֽף׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְמַטֵּ֣הφυλῆςיִשָּׂשכָ֔רισσαξαρיִגְאָ֖לιγααλבֶּן־υἱὸςיוֹסֵֽף׃ιωσηφ

5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

למטה ישׂשׂכר יגאל בן יוסף

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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

[למטי] יששכר יגאל בן יוסף

3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 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.

Numbers 13:7מַטֶּהfor [the] tfor [the] tribeמַטֶּהיִשָּׂשכָרIssacharIssacharיִשָּׂשכָריִגְאָלIgalIgalיִגְאָלבֵּן[the] son o[the] son ofבֵּןיוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָהנָשָׂאto lift: rto lift: raiseנָשָׂאגָּאַלto redeem:to redeem: redeגָּאַלבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהיָסַףto addto addיָסַףיוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵףנָשִׂיאleaderleaderנָשִׂיאצוּעָרZuarZuarצוּעָרזְבוּלֻןZebulunZebulunזְבוּלֻןבֵּןson: childson: childבֵּןעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹםמְנַשֶּׁהMosesMosesמְנַשֶּׁה
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 13:7

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.

for [the] tribe of Issachar Igal [the] son of Joseph
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
a tribe of Israel
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…

for [the] tribe of Issachar Igal [the] son of Joseph
יִשָּׂשכָ֔רyi.so.sh.Khar Issachar H3485 Noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Issachar means 'there is recompense' and refers to the 9th son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. He was the 5th son of Leah, Jacob's first wife. The tribe of Issachar is mentioned in 1 Chronicles and other books.
Amplified meaning
there is recompense
Tyndale gloss
Issachar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשָּׂשכָר (Yissaskar) refers to Issachar, the ninth son of Jacob and Leah, and the progenitor of the tribe named after him. The name means 'there is recompense' and is associated with a territory in Canaan. Additionally, there is a Korahite Levite named Issachar, mentioned in the context of temple duties.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשָּׂשכָר 43 n.pr.m. Issachar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3485 יִשָּׂשכָר Issachar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3485 Yissaskar yis-saw-kawr'

(strictly yis-saws-kawr'); from 5375 and 7939; he will bring

a reward; Jissaskar, a son of Jacob:--Issachar.

see HEBREW for 05375

see HEBREW for 07939

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשָּׂשכָר (yis.sa.s.khar) — Issachar.

A man of the tribe of Issachar living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.18;

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

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

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

father of: Tola (H8439), Puah (H6312), Jashub (H3437H) and Shimron (H8110B)

Also named: Isachar (Ἰσαχάρ "Issachar" G2466)

§ Issachar = "there is recompense"

1) the 9th son of Jacob and the 5th by Leah his first wife and the progenitor of a tribe by his name

2) a Korahite Levite and the 7th son of Obed-edom and doorkeeper to the temple

3) the tribe descended from Issachar the son of Jacob

4) the territory allocated to the descendants of Issachar when they entered the land of Canaan

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

is'-a-kar (yissa(se)khar; Septuagint, Swete Issachar; Tischendorf, Issachar, so also in the New Testament, Tregelles, and Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek):

(1) The 9th son of Jacob, the 5th borne to him by Leah (Ge 30:17 f).

1. The Name:

His birth is in this passage connected with the strange story of Reuben and his mandrakes, and the name given him is apparently conceived as derived from 'ish sakhar, "a hired workman." There is a play upon the name in this sense in Ge 49:15, "He bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under taskwork." Wellhausen (Textder Buch. Sam., 95) thinks that the second element of the name may denote a deity; and Sokar, an Egyptian god, has been suggested. The name in that case would mean "worshipper of Sokar." Practically nothing is…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Issachar

Hired (Gen. 30:18). “God hath given me,” said Leah, “my hire (Heb. sekhari)...and she called his name Issachar.” He was Jacob’s ninth son, and was born in Padan-aram (comp. 28:2). He had four sons at the going down into Egypt (46:13; Num. 26:23, 25).

Issachar, Tribe of, during the journey through the wilderness, along with Judah and Zebulun (Num. 2:5), marched on the east of the tabernacle. This tribe contained 54,400 fighting men when the census was taken at Sinai. After the entrance into the Promised Land, this tribe was one of the six which stood on Gerizim during the ceremony of the blessing and cursing (Deut. 27:12). The allotment of Issachar is…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(reward). I. The ninth son of Jacob and the fifth of Leah. (Genesis 30:17,18) (B.C. 1753-45) At the descent into Egypt four sons are ascribed to him, who founded the four chief families of the tribes. (Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23,25; 1 Chronicles 7:1) The number of the fighting men of Issachar, when taken in the census at Sinai, was 54,400. During the journey they seem to have steadily increased. The allotment of Issachar lay above that of Manasseh. (Joshua 19:17-23) In the words of Josephus, "it extended in length from Carmel to the Jordan, in breadth to Mount Tabor." This territory was, as it still is, among the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Recompense, so named by Leah his mother, Ge 30:18, the ninth son of Jacob, born B. C. 1749. The character of his posterity was foretold by Jacob and by Moses, Ge 49:14,15 De 33:18,19.

The TRIBE OF ISSACHAR numbered fifty-four thousand men in the desert, and on entering Canaan was the third in population, Nu 1:28 26:25. Their portion, having the Jordan on the east, Manasseh on the west, Zebulun north, and Ephraim south, included a considerable part of the fine plain Esdraelon, the most fertile in the country. They were industrious agriculturists, and are mentioned with honor for their brave and wise patriotism, Jud 5:15

for [the] tribe of Issachar Igal [the] son of Joseph
יִגְאָ֖לyig.'Al Igal H3008 Noun proper masculine
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Igal was a common name in the Bible, meaning He redeems, given to three different Israelites, including a son of Joseph and a warrior of King David. They lived during the time of the Divided Monarchy and the United Monarchy.
Amplified meaning
He redeems
Tyndale gloss
Igal
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִגְאָל (yig'al) means "He redeems" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament. Notable figures include a spy from the tribe of Issachar, a warrior of David, and a descendant of Zerubbabel. The name appears in Numbers 13:7, 2 Samuel 23:36, and 1 Chronicles 3:22.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִגְאָל n.pr.m. (He redeems)

one of the spies

one of David’s heroes

descendant of Zerubbabel

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3008 יִגְאָל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3008 Yig'al yig-awl'

from 1350; avenger; Jigal, the name of three

Israelites:--Igal, Igeal.

see HEBREW for 01350

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִגְאָל (yig.al) — Igal.

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

son of: Joseph (H3130H)

§ Igal or Igeal = "He redeems"

1) son of Joseph and a spy from the tribe of Issachar

2) son of Nathan of Zobah, one of David's mighty warriors

3) a son of Shemaiah and descendant of Zerubbabel

יִגְאָל (yig.al) — Igal.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Sa.23.36;

son of: Nathan (H5416I)

§ Igal or Igeal = "He redeems"

1) son of Joseph and a spy from the tribe of Issachar

2) son of Nathan of Zobah, one of David's mighty warriors

3) a son of Shemaiah and descendant of Zerubbabel

יִגְאָל (yig.al) — Igal.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.3.22;

son of: Shemaiah (H8098B);

brother of: Hattush (H2407), Bariah (H1282), Neariah (H5294) and Shaphat (H8202I)

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

i'-gal (yigh'al, "he (God) redeems"; Septuagint variously Igal, Gaal, Ieol):

(1) One of the twelve spies sent by Moses from the wilderness of Paran; son of Joseph, tribe of Issachar (Nu 13:7).

(2) One of David's heroes, son of Nathan of Zobah (2Sa 23:36). In 1Ch 11:38 he is "Joe (yo'el), the brother of Nathan."

(3) Son of Shemaiah of the royal house of David, descendant of Zerubbabel (1Ch 3:22, the King James Version "Igeal").

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Igal

Avengers. (1.) Num. 13:7, one of the spies of the tribe of Issachar. (2.) Son of Nathan of Zobah, and one of David’s warriors (2 Sam. 23:36). (3.) 1 Chr. 3:22.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(whom God will avenge). One of the spies, son of Joseph, of the tribe of Issachar. (Numbers 13:7) (B.C. 1490.) One of the heroes of David’s guard, son of Nathan of Zobah. (2 Samuel 23:36) (B.C. 1046.)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

redeemed; defiled

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for [the] tribe of Issachar Igal [the] son of Joseph
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, or 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…

for [the] tribe of Issachar Igal [the] son of Joseph
יוֹסֵֽף׃yo.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

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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