Numbers 26:16 — Word Study
WLCלְאָזְנִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאָזְנִ֑י לְעֵרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָעֵרִֽי׃
BSAthe OzniteʼOznîy [descendant of Ozni, from the tribe of Gad] clanmishpâchâh from OzniʼOznîy [the ancestor, father of the Oznites] the EriteʻÊrîy△ [watchful, descendant of Eri] clanmishpâchâh from EriʻÊrîy [the progenitor, of the Erites]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְאָזְנִ֕י | of Ozni | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הָאָזְנִ֑י | the Oznite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| לְעֵרִ֕י | of Eri | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הָעֵרִֽי׃ | the Erite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the Oznite clan from Ozni, the Erite clan from Eri, |
| KJV | Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites: |
| ASV | of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; |
| YLT | of Ozni the family of the Oznite; of Eri the family of the Erite: |
| WEB | of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; |
| BBE | Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites: |
The translations agree in naming the clans and their ancestors, reflecting a consistent understanding of the text.
The structure consists of two main clauses, each describing a clan and its ancestor, emphasizing their lineage.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 26:16
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 Clans of Gadgenerated
Numbers 26:16 identifies the Oznite clan from Ozni and the Erite clan from Eri as part of the tribe of Gad. This verse is part of a larger enumeration of the descendants of Gad, highlighting their family ties and lineage. The context is a census of the Israelites, where each clan is named to establish their heritage and place within the community of Israel.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 46:16 | The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אׇזְנִי, le.'a.ze.Nigenerated
The word אָזְנִי (ozni) refers to a man from the tribe of Gad, first mentioned in Genesis 46:16. The name means 'my ear' or 'hearing,' and he is noted as the ancestor of the Oznites. The parsing shows that it is a proper noun, indicating a specific individual.
As a descendant of Ozni, an Oznite is part of a family that includes notable figures from the tribe of Gad. The use of the preposition here connects the clan directly to its ancestor, emphasizing the importance of lineage in Israelite culture.
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 structure of the verse includes two main clauses, each identifying a clan and its ancestor. The finite verb is implicit in the structure, as it is a listing format common in genealogical texts.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the clans first, followed by their respective ancestors, reflecting the importance of lineage in the context of the census.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אָזְנִי as αζενι, maintaining the connection to the individual Ozni. This choice shows a direct correspondence without interpretation, preserving the original meaning.
The Greek term used reflects the same familial structure, indicating that the translators recognized the significance of clan lineage.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 26:16 lists the Oznite clan from Ozni and the Erite clan from Eri, both of whom are descendants of Gad. This verse emphasizes the importance of family and lineage among the Israelites.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
An Oznite is a descendant of Ozni, who is part of the tribe of Gad, indicating a specific family lineage within the Israelite community.
Clans represent familial ties and heritage, which are crucial for identity and organization within the tribes of Israel.
Eri is the progenitor of the Erites, another clan from the tribe of Gad, emphasizing the lineage and connection among the tribes.
This verse is part of a census that establishes the genealogies and populations of the tribes of Israel, highlighting their organization and structure.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of family and lineage from this verse?
- How do clan names reflect the identity of the tribes of Israel?
- In what ways does understanding these genealogies enhance our comprehension of Israelite history?
- Why do you think the tribe of Gad is highlighted in this census?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOf Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites: Ozni - or Ezdon (Genesis 46:16) [Septuagint, Azeni]. Eri - [Septuagint, Addi.]
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 26 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–51. 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 Bible16. Ozni is evidently a corruption of Ezbon (Genesis 46:16) by the accidental omission of beth in the first place, and the subsequent addition of a vowel at the end of the word.
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
the Oznite clan from Ozni, the Erite clan from Eri,
of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;
the Oznite clan from Ozni, the Erite clan from Eri,
from Ozni, the family of the Oznites; from Eri, the family of the Erites;
Tyndale line
Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:
of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;
of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:
Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:
Of Ozni, the familie of the Oznites: of Eri, the familie of the Erites:
Strictly literal
of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;
of Ozni the family of the Oznite; of Eri the family of the Erite:
of Ozni the family of the Oznite; of Eri the family of the Erite:
Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of 'Eri, the family of the 'Erites;
through Ozni, the clan of the Oznites, through Eri, the clan of the Erites,
From the Latin
Ozni, of him is the family of the Oznites: Her, of him is the family of the Herites:
Simplified
Ozni, ancestor of the Oznite family; Eri, ancestor of the Erite family;
Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches all six words. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words, using עדי (Eri) and עדי (Erite) instead of the Hebrew terms, while the Dead Sea Scrolls show partial restoration but align closely with the Masoretic Text.
לְאָזְנִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאָזְנִ֑י לְעֵרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָעֵרִֽי׃
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.
לאזני משׁפחת האזני לעדי משׁפחת העדי
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: עדי (Eri), עדי (Erite)
לאזני משפחת האזני [לעדי] [משפחת] [העדי]
2 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 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.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 26:16
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.
אָזְנִי (ozni) refers to a man from the tribe of Gad, first mentioned in Genesis 46:16. The name means 'my ear' or 'hearing.' He is also noted in Numbers 26:16, where his descendants are referred to as Oznites. The entries indicate that he is the brother of several other figures from the same tribe.
H244a אָזְנִי a son of Gad. H244b אָזְנִי
244 'Ozniy oz-nee'
from 241; having (quick) ears; Ozni, an Israelite; also an
Oznite (collectively), his descendant:--Ozni, Oznites.
see HEBREW for 0241
אׇזְנִי (oz.ni) — Ozni.
A man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.16;
son of: Gad (H1410);
brother of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Eri (H6179), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692); also called Ozni at Num.26.16;
Another name of ets.bon (אֶצְבּוֹן "Ezbon" H0675G)
§ Ozni = "my ear (hearing)"
son of Gad
אׇזְנִי (oz.ni) — Oznite.
Someone descended from Ozni, a man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.16;
son of: Gad (H1410);
brother of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Eri (H6179), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692); also called Ozni at Num.26.16;
Group of ets.bon (אֶצְבּוֹן "Ezbon" H0675)
§ Oznite = "my ear (hearing)"
pertaining to Ozni and his descendants
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
Ozni
Hearing, one of the sons of Gad; also called Ezbon (Gen. 46:16; Num. 26:16).
(hearing), one of the sons of Gad (Numbers 26:16) and founder of the family of the Oznites. (Numbers 26:16)
an ear; my hearkening
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.
מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan
clan
= guild
= species, kind
pl. = aristocrats
base
H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan
. = guild
. = species, kind
. pl. = aristocrats
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
מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.
1) clan, family
1a) clan
1a1) family
1a2) tribe
1a3) people, nation
1b) guild
1c) species, kind
1d) aristocrats
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
אָזְנִי (ozni) refers to a man from the tribe of Gad, first mentioned in Genesis 46:16. The name means 'my ear' or 'hearing.' He is also noted in Numbers 26:16, where his descendants are referred to as Oznites. The entries indicate that he is the brother of several other figures from the same tribe.
H244a אָזְנִי a son of Gad. H244b אָזְנִי
244 'Ozniy oz-nee'
from 241; having (quick) ears; Ozni, an Israelite; also an
Oznite (collectively), his descendant:--Ozni, Oznites.
see HEBREW for 0241
אׇזְנִי (oz.ni) — Ozni.
A man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.16;
son of: Gad (H1410);
brother of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Eri (H6179), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692); also called Ozni at Num.26.16;
Another name of ets.bon (אֶצְבּוֹן "Ezbon" H0675G)
§ Ozni = "my ear (hearing)"
son of Gad
אׇזְנִי (oz.ni) — Oznite.
Someone descended from Ozni, a man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.16;
son of: Gad (H1410);
brother of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Eri (H6179), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692); also called Ozni at Num.26.16;
Group of ets.bon (אֶצְבּוֹן "Ezbon" H0675)
§ Oznite = "my ear (hearing)"
pertaining to Ozni and his descendants
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
עֵרִי (Eriy) refers to a man from the tribe of Gad, noted in the Old Testament as a son of Gad and a progenitor of the Erites. The name is derived from a root meaning 'watchful.' He is mentioned in Genesis 46:16, alongside his brothers.
עֵרִי n.pr.m. a son of Gad
base
H6179 עֵרִי a son of Gad
6179 `Eriy ay-ree'
from 5782; watchful; Eri, an Israelite:--Eri.
see HEBREW for 05782
עֵרִי (e.ri) — Eri.
A man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.16;
son of: Gad (H1410);
brother of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Ezbon (H0675), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692)
Also named: e.ri (עֵרִי "Erite" H6180)
§ Eri = "watchful"
son of Gad and progenitor of the family of Erites
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
(watchful), son of Gad, (Genesis 46:16) and ancestor of the Erites. (Numbers 26:16)
my city
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.
מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan
clan
= guild
= species, kind
pl. = aristocrats
base
H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan
. = guild
. = species, kind
. pl. = aristocrats
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
מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.
1) clan, family
1a) clan
1a1) family
1a2) tribe
1a3) people, nation
1b) guild
1c) species, kind
1d) aristocrats
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
עֵרִי (‘Eriy) refers to the descendants of Eri, a figure from the tribe of Gad mentioned in the Old Testament. The term is used collectively to describe the Erites, who are noted as being watchful. Eri is first mentioned in Genesis 46:16, and he is identified as a son of Gad and has several brothers.
עֵרִי adj.gent. c. art. as subst. coll. Nu 26:16
ref
H6180 עֵרִי
6180 `Eriy ay-ree'
patronymically of 6179; a Erite (collectively) or descendants
of Eri:--Erites.
see HEBREW for 06179
עֵרִי (e.ri) — Erite.
Someone descended from Eri who was a man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.16;
son of: Gad (H1410);
brother of: Ziphion (H6837), Haggi (H2291), Shuni (H7764), Ezbon (H0675), Arod (H0720) and Areli (H0692)
Group of e.ri (עֵרִי "Eri" H6179)
§ Erites, of Eri "watchful"
descendants of Eri, the son of Gad
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa