Numbers 26:27 — Word Study
WLCאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַזְּבוּלֹנִ֖י לִפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם שִׁשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ ס
BSAThese [were]ʼêl-leh [the specific clans, families] the clansmishpâchâh [families, tribes] of ZebulunZᵉbûwlônîy [a descendant of Zebulun, one of the twelve tribes of Israel] and their registration numberedpâqad [reckoned, counted, sixty thousand and, threescore thousand and five hundred, a large company] . . . 60,500shishshîym
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֵ֛לֶּה | these | Particle |
| מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת | [were] [the] clans of | Noun common, feminine plural construct |
| הַזְּבוּלֹנִ֖י | the Zebulunite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| לִפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם | to enrolled [men] their | Preposition, verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common, suffix |
| שִׁשִּׁ֥ים | sixty | Adj |
| אֶ֖לֶף | thousand | |
| וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ | and five | Conjunction |
| מֵאֽוֹת׃ ס | hundred |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | These were the clans of Zebulun, and their registration numbered 60,500. |
| KJV | These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred. |
| ASV | These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred. |
| YLT | These [are] families of the Zebulunite by their numbered ones, sixty thousand and five hundred. |
| WEB | These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were counted of them, sixty thousand five hundred. |
| BBE | These are the families of the Zebulunites as they were numbered, sixty thousand, five hundred. |
Where they part company is לִפְקֻדֵיהֶן — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with supporting phrases detailing the clans and their total count.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Poole, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֵלֶּה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 26:27
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 Zebulungenerated
Numbers 26:27 records the clans of Zebulun, highlighting their importance among the twelve tribes of Israel. This census reflects the organization and structure of the Israelite community as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, emphasizing family and tribal identities. The mention of specific clans illustrates the continuity of lineage and the fulfillment of God's promises to the descendants of Jacob.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 1:30–31 | From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, |
| 2 | Numbers 2:7–8 | Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — לִפְקֻדֵיהֶן, lif.ku.dei.Hemgenerated
The word לִפְקֻדֵיהֶן (lifkudeihen) is derived from the root פָּקַד (paqad), which means to visit or oversee. In this context, it refers to the act of counting or registering individuals, specifically the men of the clans of Zebulun.
The parsing as a preposition combined with a verb in the participle form indicates that this action is ongoing or has been completed in the past. The term conveys the idea of an official enumeration, which was crucial for organizing the community.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is נִסְפָּרוּ (nisparu), meaning were numbered, which governs the entire sentence. The structure includes a subject phrase identifying the clans, followed by the predicate that provides their total count.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the clans of Zebulun first, indicating their significance, followed by the numerical count, which serves as a conclusion to the statement.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew term לִפְקֻדֵיהֶן is rendered as αὐτῶν (autōn), which means of them. This choice indicates a more general reference to the individuals counted rather than a specific act of registration.
This translation reflects a broader understanding of the community being addressed, emphasizing the collective identity of the tribes rather than individual enumeration.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 26:27 tells us that these were the clans of Zebulun, and their total number was 60,500. This census highlights the importance of family and tribe among the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It represents the total number of men from the clans of Zebulun who were registered in the census.
The census was crucial for organizing the Israelite community and ensuring that each tribe received its proper inheritance in the Promised Land.
The clans signify the familial and tribal identities of the Israelites, emphasizing their lineage from the twelve tribes established by Jacob.
This verse connects to earlier census accounts in the Torah, such as in Numbers 1:30–31, which also detail the organization of the Israelite tribes.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding the tribes and clans help us appreciate the structure of ancient Israel?
- What significance do you think the number of men from Zebulun has for the tribe's identity?
- In what ways can we see the importance of family and lineage in our own communities today?
- How does this passage inform our understanding of God's promises to His people?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThese are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 26 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhereas before they were but 57,400 in 2:8. So that Judah’ s camp was much increased, as Reuben’ s was much diminished.
Read Matthew Poole 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 →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
These were the clans of Zebulun, and their registration numbered 60,500.
These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were counted of them, sixty thousand five hundred.
These were the clans of Zebulun, and their registration numbered 60,500.
These were the families of the Zebulunites, according to those numbered of them, 60,500.
Tyndale line
These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.
These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.
These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.
These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, sixty thousand and five hundred.
These are the families of the Zebulunites, after their nombers, three score thousande and fiue hundreth.
Strictly literal
These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, sixty thousand five hundred.
These [are] families of the Zebulunite by their numbered ones, sixty thousand and five hundred.
These [are] families of the Zebulunite by their numbered ones—sixty thousand and five hundred.
These are the families of the Zebulonites according to those that were numbered of them, sixty thousand and five hundred.
These were the clans of the Zebulunites, who numbered 60,500 men.
From the Latin
These are the kindreds of Zabulon, whose number was sixty thousand five hundred.
Simplified
These were the families descended from Zebulun, and they numbered 60,500.
These are the families of the Zebulunites as they were numbered, sixty thousand, five hundred.
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 aligns closely with the Septuagint, with all words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words, using משׁפחות for clans and זבולן for Zebulun, indicating a variation in terminology but not in the overall meaning.
אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַזְּבוּלֹנִ֖י לִפְקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם שִׁשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ ס
8 of the 8 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.
אלה משׁפחות זבולן לפקדיהם שׁשׁים אלף וחמשׁ מאות
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: משׁפחות (clan), זבולן (Zebulun)
אלה [משפחות] [זבולון] [לפקודי׳הם] [ששים] [אלף] [וחמש] [מאות]
1 word on the leather — 7 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 26:27
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.
אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.
אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these
in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)
repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those
with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)
with preps.
base
H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)
. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those
. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)
. with preps.
428 'el-leh ale'-leh
prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one
sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,
thus, which, who(-m).
see HEBREW for 0411
אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.
1) these
1a) used before antecedent
1b) used following antecedent
Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)
Pron — ParticleHTm
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-fp — Noun common · feminine plural constructHNcfpc
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…
זְבוּלֹנִי (zebuloni) refers to a Zebulonite, a descendant of Zebulun, one of the tribes of Israel. The term is derived from the root word for Zebulun and denotes someone belonging to this tribe, which is first mentioned in Genesis 30:20. It is used as both an adjective and a noun to describe members of this group.
זְבוּלֹנִי adj.gent.; c. art. = n. coll. the Zebulonites
base
H2075 זְבוּלֹנִי
2075 Zbuwloniy zeb-oo-lo-nee'
patronymically from 2074; a Zebulonite or descendant of
Zebulun:--Zebulonite.
see HEBREW for 02074
זְבוּלֹנִי (ze.vu.lo.ni) — Zebulunite.
Someone from the tribe of Zebulun living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.20;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);
father of: Sered (H5624), Elon (H0356H) and Jahleel (H3177)
Group of ze.vu.lun (זְבוּלֻן "Zebulun" H2074)
§ Zebulonite , of Zebulun
a descendant of Zebulun and member of the tribe of Zebulun
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
פָּקַד (paqad) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses a range of meanings including to attend to, visit, muster, appoint, and punish. It can imply oversight or care, as well as the act of seeking or lacking something. The word can also be used in various grammatical forms, indicating actions such as being appointed or being visited upon. The plural form פְּקוּדִים refers to musterings or expenses.
פָּקַד 303 vb. attend to, visit, muster, appoint
Qal
pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)
attend to, in act, see to
seek (with interest, desire)
seek in vain, need, miss, lack
specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes
c. עַל pers., visit upon
pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.
appoint
Niph.
be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking
be visited (graciously)
be visited upon, עַל pers.
be appointed
Pi. (intens.) muster a host
Pu. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived
Hithp. be mustered
Hothp. id.
Hiph.
c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer
c. acc. rei (implic.)
commit, entrust
deposit
Hoph.
be visited in punishment
be deposited
be made overseer
base
[פְּקוּדִים] n.pl.[m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses;—cstr. Ex 38:21
ref
H6485a פָּקַד attend to, visit, muster, appoint .. . . pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)
. attend to, in act, see to
. seek (with interest, desire)
. seek in vain, need, miss, lack
. specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes
. c. עַל pers., visit upon
. pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.
. appoint
. . be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking
. be visited (graciously)
. be visited upon, עַל pers.
. be appointed
. (intens.) muster a host
. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived
. be mustered
. id.
. . c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer
. c. acc. rei (implic.) . commit, entrust
. deposit
. . be visited in punishment
. be deposited
. be made overseer
H6485b פְּקוּדִים n. pl. [m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses
6485 paqad paw-kad'
a primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent);
by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss,
deposit, etc.:--appoint, X at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint
to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep,
be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up,
look, make, X by any means, miss, number, officer, (make)
overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to)
remember(-brance), set (over), sum, X surely, visit, want.
פָּקַד (pa.qad) — to reckon: list.
: list/count
1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pay attention to, observe
1a2) to attend to
1a3) to seek, look about for
1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack
1a5) to visit
1a6) to visit upon, punish
1a7) to pass in review, muster, number
1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking
1b2) to be visited
1b3) to be visited upon
1b4) to be appointed
1b5) to be watched over
1c) (Piel) to muster, call up
1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer
1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit
1f) (Hophal)
1f1) to be visited
1f2) to be deposited
1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted
1g) (Hithpael) numbered
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-c | Suff — Preposition · verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffixHR/Vqsmpc/Sp3mp
שִׁשִּׁים (shishshiym) means 'sixty' in Hebrew. It is a numeral derived from the root associated with the number 8337. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament to denote the quantity of sixty, also referred to as 'three score.' There is an Aramaic equivalent, שִׁתִּין (shit.tin), which also means sixty.
שִׁשִּׁים 59 n.indecl. sixty
base
H8346 שִׁשִּׁים sixty
8346 shishshiym shish-sheem'
multiple of 8337; sixty:--sixty, three score.
see HEBREW for 08337
שִׁשִּׁים (shish.shim) — sixty.
sixty, three score
Aramaic equivalent: shit.tin (שִׁתִּין "sixty" H8361)
Adj — AdjHAcmpa
siks'-ti (shishshim; hexekonta).
See NUMBER.
אֶ֫לֶף (eleph) means 'thousand' in Hebrew. It can refer to the numeral itself or denote a company or clan, particularly a group of men under one leader. The word is built from the concept of a thousand, and it is associated with the ox's head, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
אֶ֫לֶף n.m. thousand
base
H505 אֶ֫לֶף thousand
505 'eleph eh'-lef
prop, the same as 504; hence (the ox's head being the first
letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral)
a thousand:--thousand.
see HEBREW for 0504
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand.
: thousand
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand: clan.
: clan
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
HAcbsa — HAcbsa
thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).
See NUMBER.
חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.
חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five
base
H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five
2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'
masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;
five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).
חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.
1) five
1a) five (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of five (with another number)
1c) fifth (ordinal number)
HC/Acbsc — ConjunctionHC/Acbsc
fiv (chamesh; pente).
See NUMBER.
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
HAcfpa — HAcfpa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.