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Numbers 26:13 — Word Study

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WLCלְזֶ֕רַח מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַזַּרְחִ֑י לְשָׁא֕וּל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁאוּלִֽי׃

BSAthe ZerahiteZarchîy [descendant of Zerach, from the tribe of Simeon] clanmishpâchâh from ZerahZerach [ancestor of the Zerahite family] [and] the ShauliteShâʼûwlîy [of Shaul, a Benjamite] clanmishpâchâh from ShaulShâʼûwl [meaning desired, a personal name]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 26
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 13 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 (ha.sha.'u.Li) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 26:13quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse lists two clans from the tribes of Simeon and Benjamin.
Who is speakingThe narrator, providing genealogical details.
Where we areIn the context of the census of the Israelites in the wilderness.
The hard wordזַרְחִי
Take awayThe verse emphasizes the lineage and family structure of the tribes.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Poole, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word 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 26:13

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Census of the Israelitesgenerated

12These were the descendants of Simeon by their clans: The Nemuelite clan from Nemuel, the Jaminite clan from Jamin, the Jachinite clan from Jachin,
13the Zerahite clan from Zerah, and the Shaulite clan from Shaul.
14These were the clans of Simeon, and there were 22,200 men.
15These were the descendants of Gad by their clans: The Zephonite clan from Zephon, the Haggite clan from Haggi, the Shunite clan from Shuni,

Numbers 26:13 is part of a larger account detailing the descendants of Simeon and other tribes during the census taken in the wilderness. This section highlights the importance of family lineage among the Israelites, illustrating how clans were organized and recognized within the tribes. It connects to earlier genealogies found in Genesis 46:10, which also lists the descendants of Jacob's sons.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 46:10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word זֶרַח, le.Ze.rachgenerated

The word זֶרַח (ze.rach) refers to a specific individual in the Bible, a son of Simeon. It is a proper noun that emphasizes the identity of the ancestor of the Zerahite family. The name means 'rising', suggesting a connection to brightness or dawn, and is used for various figures in the Old Testament.

In this verse, it functions as a prepositional phrase indicating the clan's origin, linking the Zerahite clan directly to their ancestor Zerah, thereby establishing their heritage and identity within the larger context of the Israelite tribes.


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 is absent here; the structure consists of two prepositional phrases that describe the clans: לְזֶ֕רַח and לְשָׁא֕וּל. Each phrase identifies a clan and its ancestor, maintaining a parallel structure that emphasizes the connection between the clan and its founding figure.

The Hebrew word order places the clans first, followed by their respective ancestors, which highlights the importance of lineage in this genealogical context.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates זֶרַח as ζαρα, maintaining the connection to the ancestral name but possibly narrowing its focus to the individual rather than the broader family context.

This choice reflects a common practice in the Septuagint to simplify or clarify names for a Greek-speaking audience, while still preserving the essential genealogical information.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 26:13 lists the Zerahite clan from Zerah and the Shaulite clan from Shaul. These clans are part of the family tree of the Israelites, showing their lineage and connection to their ancestors.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to be a Zerahite?

A Zerahite is a descendant of Zerah, a son of Simeon, indicating a specific family within the tribe of Simeon.

Why are clans important in this context?

Clans represent the family structure and heritage of the Israelites, emphasizing their identity and connections to their ancestors.

What does the name Shaul signify?

The name Shaul means 'desired' and is associated with several biblical figures, including the first king of Israel.

How does this verse connect to earlier genealogies?

This verse builds on genealogical traditions established in earlier texts, such as Genesis, reinforcing the continuity of family lines among the tribes of Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does understanding my own family lineage help me appreciate my identity?
  2. What can I learn from the way the Israelites valued their clans and ancestry?
  3. In what ways can I honor my heritage while also embracing the future?
  4. How does this emphasis on family connections reflect in my community today?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. Zerah - or Zohar (Genesis 46:10; Exodus 6:15; 1 Chronicles 4:26) [Septuagint, Zara].

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 26 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Zerah, called also Zohar, . There is another of his sons, Ohad, mentioned , not here, possibly because his family was extinct before this time.

Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 26 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5–51. The twelve secular tribes are numbered, the sacred tribe of Levi being omitted. The names are based upon Genesis 46:8-27, but with the addition of Ephraim and Manasseh, who, having been born in Egypt, could not be reckoned in Gen. among those who went down into Egypt. The total number at the first census, thirty-eight years before (ch. 1) was 603,550; now it Isaiah 601,730. The order of the tribes is the same, except that Manasseh (Numbers 26:29-34) precedes Ephraim (Numbers 26:35-37). Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Ephraim and Naphtali have decreased in numbers, while the other seven have increased. The impossibility of the figures is shewn in note on Numbers 1:46.

Read Cambridge on Numbers 26 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

13. Zerah is the same as Zohar. Genesis 46:10.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 26 →

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

the Zerahite clan from Zerah, and the Shaulite clan from Shaul.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

the Zerahite clan from Zerah, and the Shaulite clan from Shaul.

NETBNew English Translation2006

from Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; and from Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

RVARevised Version, American1894

of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Of Zerah, the familie of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the familie of the Shaulites.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Saul, the family of the Saulites.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

of Zerah the family of the Zarhite; of Shaul the family of the Shaulite.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

of Zerah the family of the Zerahite; of Shaul the family of the Shaulite.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Of Zerach, the family of the Zarchites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

through Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites, through Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Zare, of him is the family of the Zarites: Saul, of him is the family of the Saulites.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Zerah, ancestor of the Zerahite family; and Shaul, ancestor of the Shaulite family.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

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 · predicateלְofזֶ֕רַחZerahnoun phrase · subjectמִשְׁפַּ֖חַתthe.clannoun phraseהַofזַּרְחִ֑יthe.Zerahite[s]clauseprepositional phrase · predicateלְofשָׁא֕וּלShaulnoun phrase · subjectמִשְׁפַּ֖חַתthe.clannoun phraseהַofשָּׁאוּלִֽיthe.Shaulite[s]

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


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

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word, and the Dead Sea Scrolls, where the words are supplied by an editor. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this genealogical information across different textual traditions.

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

לְזֶ֕רַח מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַזַּרְחִ֑י לְשָׁא֕וּל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁאוּלִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְזֶ֕רַחζαραמִשְׁפַּ֖חַתδῆμοςהַזַּרְחִ֑יζαραϊלְשָׁא֕וּלσαουλמִשְׁפַּ֖חַתδῆμοςהַשָּׁאוּלִֽי׃σαουλι

6 of the 6 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

לזרח משׁפחת הזרחי לשׁאול משׁפחת השׁאולי

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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

[לזרח] [משפחת] [הזרחי] [לשאול] [משפחת] [השאולי]

nothing on the leather here — 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.

Numbers 26:13זֶ֫רַחof Zerahof Zerahזֶ֫רַחמִשְׁפָּחָה[the] clan [the] clan ofמִשְׁפָּחָהזַרְחִיthe Zerahitthe Zerahite[s]זַרְחִישָׁאוּלof Shaulof Shaulשָׁאוּלמִשְׁפָּחָה[the] clan [the] clan ofמִשְׁפָּחָהשָׁאוּלִיthe Shaulitthe Shaulite[s]שָׁאוּלִישָׁפָהbe barebe bareשָׁפָהזֶ֫רַחZerahZerahזֶ֫רַחשִׂטְנָהSitnahSitnahשִׂטְנָהזֶ֫רַחdawningdawningזֶ֫רַחשָׁאַלto askto askשָׁאַלתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתנַ֫חַתNahathNahathנַ֫חַתשַׁמָּהShammahShammahשַׁמָּהמַחֲלֹ֫קֶתdivisiondivisionמַחֲלֹ֫קֶתאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁתIsh-boshetIsh-boshethאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁתיְהוֹנָתָןJonathanJonathanיְהוֹנָתָן
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 26:13

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.

of Zerah [the] clan of the Zerahite[s] of Shaul [the] clan of the Shaulite[s]
לְזֶ֕רַחle.Ze.rach of Zerah H2226 Preposition · noun proper masculine
21× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zerach was a man in the Bible, mentioned in Genesis and Numbers. He was a son of Simeon and had several brothers. The name Zerach means 'rising' and is also used for other people in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
ancestor of the Zerahite family
Tyndale gloss
Zerah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זֶ֫רַח (ze.rach) refers to several figures in the Old Testament, including a son of Judah and Tamar, a grandson of Esau, and a Cushite invader of Judah. The name means "rising" and is associated with various descendants and families, such as the Zarhites and Ezrahites. Notably, there is some overlap in the identities of Edomite leaders mentioned.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זֶ֫רַח n.pr.m.

son of Judah and Tamar

Edomites

Levites

head of Simeonite family

a Cushite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2226 זֶ֫רַח . son of Judah and Tamar

. Edomites

. Levites

. head of Simeonite family

. a Cushite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2226 Zerach zeh'-rakh

the same as 2225; Zerach, the name of three Israelites, also

of an Idumaean and an Ethiopian prince:--Zarah, Zerah.

see HEBREW for 02225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זֶ֫רַח (ze.rach) — Zerah.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.13;

son of: Reuel (H7467);

brother of: Nahath (H5184), Shammah (H8048) and Mizzah (H4199)

§ Zerah or Zarah = "rising"

1) a son of Reuel and grandson of Esau, one of the dukes of the Edomites

2) twin brother of Pharez, sons of Judah and Tamar; descendants are called Zarhites, Ezrahites, and Izrahites

3) son of Simeon; also called 'Zohar'

4) a Gershonite Levite, son of Iddo of Adaiah

5) the Ethiopian or Cushite, invader of Judah in the reign of Asa who defeated the invaders; probably the same as the Egyptian king Usarken I, second king of the Egyptian 22nd dynasty or perhaps more probably Usarken II, his 2nd successor

6) another Edomite leader; possibly same as 1

זֶ֫רַח (ze.rach) — Zerah.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.33;

father of: Jobab (H3103H)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ze'-ra (zerach, meaning uncertain):

(1) In Ge 38:30; 46:12; Nu 26:20; Jos 7:1,18,24; 22:20; 1Ch 2:4,6; 9:6; Ne 11:24; Mt 1:3, younger twin-son of Judah and Tamar, and an ancestor of Achan. In Nu 26:20; Jos 7:17 f he is the head of the Zerahites (also 1Ch 27:11,13). the King James Version has "Zarah" in Ge 38:30; 46:12, and "Zarhites" for "Zerahites" in…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zerah

Sunrise. (1.) An “Ethiopian,” probably Osorkon II., the successor of Shishak on the throne of Egypt. With an enormous army, the largest we read of in Scripture, he invaded the kingdom of Judah in the days of Asa (2 Chr. 14:9-15). He reached Zephathah, and there encountered the army of Asa. This is the only instance “in all the annals of Judah of a victorious encounter in the field with a first-class heathen power in full force.” The Egyptian host was utterly routed, and the Hebrews gathered “exceeding much spoil.” Three hundred years elapsed before another Egyptian army, that of Necho (B.C. 609), came up against Jerusalem.

(2.) A son of Tamar (Gen. 38:30); called also Zara (Matt. 1:3).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(rising (of the sun)). A son of Reuel, son of Esau, (Genesis 36:13; 1 Chronicles 1:37) and one of the "dukes" or phylarchs of the Edomites. (Genesis 36:17) (B.C. after 1760.) Less properly, Zarah, twin son, with his elder brother Pharez, of Judah and Tamar. (Genesis 38:30; 1 Chronicles 2:4; Matthew 1:3) (B.C. about 1728.) His descendants were called Zarhites, Ezrahites and Izrahites. (Numbers 26:20; 1 Kings 4:31;

1. The son of Reuel, and grandson of Esau, Ge 36:13,17.

2. Son of Judah and Tamar, Ge 38:30; called Zara in Mt 1:3.

3. Son of Simeon, and founder of the Zarhites, Nu 26:13; called Zohar in Ge 46:10.

4. A Cushite king who invaded Judah with an immense army in the reign of Asa, 2Ch 14:9-13. It is not agreed by interpreters whether he came from Southern Arabia or from Egypt and Ethiopia. Many, however, follow Champollion, who identifies him with Osorchon and Osoroth of the Egyptian monuments and history, the son and successor of Shishak.

of Zerah [the] clan of the Zerahite[s] of Shaul [the] clan of the Shaulite[s]
מִשְׁפַּ֖חַתmish.Pa.chat [the] clan of H4940 Noun common · feminine singular construct
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Tyndale gloss
family
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah) refers to a clan or family, encompassing a circle of relatives and extending to tribes or peoples. It can also denote a class of persons, species of animals, or kinds of things. The entries highlight its various uses, including guilds and aristocrats, but do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

clan

= guild

= species, kind

pl. = aristocrats

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan

. = guild

. = species, kind

. pl. = aristocrats

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4940 mishpachah mish-paw-khaw'

from 8192 (compare 8198); a family, i.e. circle of relatives;

figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or

sort (of things); by extens. a tribe or people:--family,

kind(-red).

see HEBREW for 08192

see HEBREW for 08198

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.

1) clan, family

1a) clan

1a1) family

1a2) tribe

1a3) people, nation

1b) guild

1c) species, kind

1d) aristocrats

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

of Zerah [the] clan of the Zerahite[s] of Shaul [the] clan of the Shaulite[s]
הַזַּרְחִ֑יha.zar.Chi the Zerahite[s] H2227 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
6× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Zerahite is a descendant of Zerach, a man from the tribe of Simeon. The Zerahites are mentioned in the Bible as a family group. In the KJV, they're referred to as 'Zarchites'.
Amplified meaning
descendant of Zerach, from the tribe of Simeon
Tyndale gloss
Zerahite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זַרְחִי (zar-chiy) refers to a Zarchite, a descendant of Zerah, who was part of the tribe of Simeon. This term is used in a patronymic sense, indicating lineage from Zerah, and is associated with several biblical figures mentioned in Genesis and Numbers. The entries collectively highlight its genealogical significance without notable disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זַרְחִי adj.gent. alw. c. art. as subst. coll.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2227 זַרְחִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2227 Zarchiy zar-khee'

patronymically from 2226; a Zarchite or descendant of

Zerach:--Zarchite.

see HEBREW for 02226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זַרְחִי (zar.chi) — Zerahite.

Someone descended from Zerah who was a man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.10;

son of: Simeon (H8095);

brother of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199) and Shaul (H7586H); also called Zerah at Num.26.13,20; 2x27.11,13;

Group of ze.rach (זֶ֫רַח "Zerah" H2226L)

§ Zarhites , of Zerah

descendants of Zerah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
of Zerah [the] clan of the Zerahite[s] of Shaul [the] clan of the Shaulite[s]
לְשָׁא֕וּלle.sha.'Ul of Shaul H7586 Preposition · noun proper masculine
407× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shaul is a personal name meaning desired, given to several individuals in the Bible, including a Benjamite who became the first king of Israel and a Levite living during the time of the Divided Monarchy. He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles and 1 Samuel.
Amplified meaning
meaning desired, a personal name
Tyndale gloss
Shaul
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאוּל (Sha'uwl) means 'asked' and is associated with several figures in the Old Testament, most notably Saul, the first king of Israel from the tribe of Benjamin. The entries indicate that the name can refer to multiple individuals, including an early king of Edom and a Levite. The name is derived from a passive participle form, suggesting a connection to the act of asking.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאוּל n.pr.m. (= asked)

397 1st king of Isr.

a king of Edom

a son of Simeon

a Levite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7586 שָׁאוּל (= asked)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7586 Sha'uwl shaw-ool'

passive participle of 7592; asked; Shaul, the name of an

Edomite and two Israelites:--Saul, Shaul.

see HEBREW for 07592

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) — Saul.

A king of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.2;

son of: Kish (H7027); married to Ahinoam (H0293) and Rizpah (H7532);

father of: Jonathan (H3083H), Abinadab (H0041H), Malchi-shua (H4444), Merab (H4764), Michal (H4324), Ish-bosheth (H0378), Armoni (H0764), Mephibosheth (H4648H)

§ Saul or Shaul = "desired"

1) a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the 1st king of Israel

2) an early king of Edom and a successor of Samlah

3) a son of Simeon

4) a Levite, son of Uzziah

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) — Shaul.

A man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.10;

son of: Simeon (H8095) and Canaanite_woman (H3669);

brother of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199) and Zerah (H2226L);

father of: Shallum (H7967K)

Also named: sha.u.li (שָׁאוּלִי "Shaulite" H7587)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

(asked). The son of Simeon by a Canaanitish woman, (Genesis 48:10; Exodus 6:15; Numbers 26:13; 1 Chronicles 4:24) and founder of the family of the Shaulites. (B.C. 1712.) One of the kings of Edom. (1 Chronicles 1:48,49) In the Authorized Version of (Genesis 36:37) he is less accurately called SAUL.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Saul, asked; lent; a grave

Nave's Topical Bible

1. Son of Simeon Ge 46:10; Ex 6:15; Nu 26:13; 1Ch 4:24

2. An ancient king of Edom 1Ch 1:48,49

Called SAUL Ge 36:37

3. Son of Uzziah 1Ch 6:24

of Zerah [the] clan of the Zerahite[s] of Shaul [the] clan of the Shaulite[s]
מִשְׁפַּ֖חַתmish.Pa.chat [the] clan of H4940 Noun common · feminine singular construct
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Tyndale gloss
family
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah) refers to a clan or family, encompassing a circle of relatives and extending to tribes or peoples. It can also denote a class of persons, species of animals, or kinds of things. The entries highlight its various uses, including guilds and aristocrats, but do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

clan

= guild

= species, kind

pl. = aristocrats

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan

. = guild

. = species, kind

. pl. = aristocrats

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4940 mishpachah mish-paw-khaw'

from 8192 (compare 8198); a family, i.e. circle of relatives;

figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or

sort (of things); by extens. a tribe or people:--family,

kind(-red).

see HEBREW for 08192

see HEBREW for 08198

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.

1) clan, family

1a) clan

1a1) family

1a2) tribe

1a3) people, nation

1b) guild

1c) species, kind

1d) aristocrats

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
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…

of Zerah [the] clan of the Zerahite[s] of Shaul [the] clan of the Shaulite[s]
הַשָּׁאוּלִֽי׃ha.sha.'u.Li the Shaulite[s] H7587 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Shaulite is a descendant of Shaul, a man of the tribe of Simeon, as listed in Genesis and Exodus. The Shaulites are part of the tribe's genealogy, tracing back to Jacob's son Simeon.
Amplified meaning
of Shaul, a Benjamite
Tyndale gloss
Shaulite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁאוּלִי (Sha'uwliy) refers to a descendant of Shaul, specifically a Shaulite. The term is derived from the root שָׁאוּל (Shaul), meaning 'desired.' It is associated with the tribe of Simeon and is mentioned in Numbers 26:13. The entries indicate that it is a patronymic term used to denote lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁאוּלִי adj.gent. c. art. = n.pr.coll. Nu 26:13 (P).

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7587 שָׁאוּלִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7587 Sha'uwliy shaw-oo-lee'

patronymic from 7856; a Shaulite or descendant of

Shaul:--Shaulites.

see HEBREW for 07856

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁאוּלִי (sha.u.li) — Shaulite.

Someone descended from Shaul who was a man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.10;

son of: Simeon (H8095) and Canaanite_woman (H3669);

brother of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199) and Zerah (H2226L);

father of: Shallum (H7967K)

Group of sha.ul (שָׁאוּל "Shaul" H7586H)

§ Shaulites, of Saul "desired"

descendants of Saul or Shaul

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
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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