Numbers 26:31 — Word Study
WLCוְאַ֨שְׂרִיאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאַשְׂרִֽאֵלִ֑י וְשֶׁ֕כֶם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁכְמִֽי׃
BSAthe AsrieliteʼAsriʼêlîy△ [descendant of Asriel, from the tribe of Manasseh] clanmishpâchâh from AsrielʼAsrîyʼêl [ancestor of the family] the ShechemiteShikmîy△ [of the family of Shechem, a Hivite and an Israelite] clanmishpâchâh from ShechemShekem [a man of the tribe of Manasseh]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְאַ֨שְׂרִיאֵ֔ל | and Asriel | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הָֽאַשְׂרִֽאֵלִ֑י | the Asrielite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| וְשֶׁ֕כֶם | and Shechem | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַשִּׁכְמִֽי׃ | the Shechemite[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 Asrielite clan from Asriel, the Shechemite clan from Shechem, |
| KJV | And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites: |
| ASV | and of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; |
| YLT | and [of] Asriel the family of the Asrielite; and [of] Shechem the family of the Shechemite; |
| WEB | and Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; |
| BBE | And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites: |
Where they part company is in the spelling of אַשְׂרִיאֵל — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses with noun phrases identifying the clans. The structure emphasizes the lineage of each clan.
2 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
2 of 6 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words 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 26:31
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 Manassehgenerated
Numbers 26:31 lists the clans of the tribe of Manasseh, highlighting the descendants of Asriel and Shechem. This census serves to establish the family connections and heritage of the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. It emphasizes the significance of lineage and tribal identity within the Israelite community.
Cross References
The Key Word — אַשְׂרִיאֵל, Asriy'elgenerated
The name אַשְׂרִיאֵל (*Asriy'el*) refers to a notable figure from the tribe of Manasseh, whose name means 'I shall be prince of God.' This word is a proper noun, indicating a specific individual and is used here to denote the clan descended from him.
Asriel's mention in this context highlights the importance of familial ties among the Israelites, as clans were essential for maintaining tribal identity and social structure. The term אַשְׂרִיאֵלִי (*Asri'eliy*) identifies the descendants of Asriel, further emphasizing their connection to his legacy.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term Asrielite to refer to the descendants of Asriel, while the KJV and ASV also use Asrielite.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with two main clauses connected by conjunctions. The finite verbs are אַשְׂרִיאֵל and שֶׁכֶם, serving as the predicates for the respective clans.
Each clause identifies a clan, followed by its lineage, demonstrating how the Hebrew language constructs familial relationships in a clear and orderly manner.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אַשְׂרִיאֵל as εσριηλ, which maintains the name's integrity but does not provide additional context. This choice reflects a direct transliteration rather than an interpretive translation.
The Greek rendering of שֶׁכֶם as συξεμ similarly preserves the original name, indicating a focus on maintaining the identity of the clans as they are known in Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 26:31 lists the Asrielite clan from Asriel and the Shechemite clan from Shechem, both belonging to the tribe of Manasseh. This verse highlights the importance of family and clan identity among the Israelites.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Asriel was an Israelite from the tribe of Manasseh, and his name means 'I shall be prince of God'.
An Asrielite refers to a descendant of Asriel, indicating their lineage and connection to the tribe of Manasseh.
Clans were crucial for maintaining social structure, identity, and inheritance among the Israelites.
Shechem refers to both a person and a location significant in Israelite history, representing a clan from the tribe of Manasseh.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding family lineage affect our view of community today?
- In what ways do we see the importance of clan or family ties in our own lives?
- What can we learn from the way the Israelites valued their ancestry?
- How does this verse encourage us to reflect on our own heritage and identity?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites: Asriel - [Septuagint, Esraeel.] Shechem - [Septuagint, Suchem] (cf. Joshua 17:2).
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 →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 Asrielite clan from Asriel, the Shechemite clan from Shechem,
and Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;
the Asrielite clan from Asriel, the Shechemite clan from Shechem,
from Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; from Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;
Tyndale line
And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
and of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;
and of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
Of Asriel, the familie of the Asrielites: of Shechem, the familie of Shichmites.
Strictly literal
and of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;
and [of] Asriel the family of the Asrielite; and [of] Shechem the family of the Shechemite;
and of Asriel the family of the Asrielite; and of Shechem the family of the Shechemite;
And of Assriel, the family of the Assrielites; and of Shechem, the family of the Shichmites;
through Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites, through Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites,
From the Latin
And Asriel, of whom is the family of the Asrielites: and Sechem, of whom is the family of the Sechemites:
Simplified
Asriel, ancestor of the Asrielite family; Shechem, ancestor of the Shechemite family;
And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:
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 in the verse. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly in the spelling of Asriel and Asrielite, indicating a variation in tradition but not in meaning. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some damage, but the words that are legible align closely with the Masoretic Text.
וְאַ֨שְׂרִיאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאַשְׂרִֽאֵלִ֑י וְשֶׁ֕כֶם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁכְמִֽי׃
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.
ואשׂרואל משׁפחת האשׂרואלי ושׁכם משׁפחת השׁכמי
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: אשׂרואל (Asriel), אשׂרואלי (Asrielite)
[ואשראל] משפחת האשראלי ושכם [משפחת] [השכמי]
3 words on the leather — 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 26:31
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.
The Hebrew word אַשְׂרִיאֵל (*Asriy'el*) refers to Asriel, a name associated with two Israelites from the tribe of Manasseh. It is derived from an orthographical variation of another name and means 'I shall be prince of God.' The entries note Asriel's family connections, including his lineage as a great-grandson of Manasseh and his brothers.
אַשְׂרִיאֵל n.pr.m. a Manassite
base
H844 אַשְׂרִיאֵל
844 'Asriy'el as-ree-ale'
an orthographical variation for 840; Asriel, the name of two
Israelites:--Ashriel, Asriel.
see HEBREW for 0840
אַשְׂרִיאֵל (as.ri.el) — Asriel.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.26.31;
son of: Gilead (H1568H);
brother of: Abiezer (H0044I), Helek (H2507), Shechem (H7928), Shemida (H8061) and Hepher (H2660A)
Also named: as.ri.e.li (אַשְׂרִיאֵלִי "Asrielite" H0845)
§ Ashriel or Asriel = "I shall be prince of God"
1) a great-grandson of Manasseh, and son of Gilead
2) a son of Manasseh
אַשְׂרִיאֵל (as.ri.el) — Asriel.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.14;
son of: Manasseh (H4519);
brother of: Machir (H4353)
§ Ashriel or Asriel = "I shall be prince of God"
1) a great-grandson of Manasseh, and son of Gilead
2) a son of Manasseh
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
the son of Gilead and great-grandson of Manasseh. (Numbers 26:31; Joshua 17:2) He was the founder of the family of the Asrielites. (B.C. 1444.)
help of God
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…
The Hebrew word אַשְׂרִיאֵלִי (*Asri'eliy*) refers to an Asrielite, a descendant of Asriel, who belonged to the tribe of Manasseh. This term is a patronymic derived from the root word for Asriel. It is mentioned in Numbers 26:31, where Asrielites are identified as a clan descended from Asriel.
אַשְׂרִיאֵלִי adj.gent. הָא׳ as n.coll. Nu 26:31.
done
H845 אַשְׂרִיאֵלִי
845 'Asri'eliy as-ree-ale-ee'
patronymic from 844; an Asrielite (collectively) or
descendant of Asriel:--Asrielites.
see HEBREW for 0844
אַשְׂרִיאֵלִי (as.ri.e.li) — Asrielite.
Someone descended from Asriel who was a man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.26.31;
son of: Gilead (H1568H);
brother of: Abiezer (H0044I), Helek (H2507), Shechem (H7928), Shemida (H8061) and Hepher (H2660A)
Group of as.ri.el (אַשְׂרִיאֵל "Asriel" H0844)
§ Asrielites = "I shall be prince of God"
the clan descended from Ashriel
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
שֶׁ֫כֶם (shekem) refers to a name associated with a Hivite and two Israelites from the tribe of Manasseh. The term is linked to the meaning "back" or "shoulder." It is primarily noted in the context of individuals, such as a son of Gilead and a Manassite, with references in Numbers and Chronicles.
שֶׁ֫כֶם n.pr.m. in Manasseh
base
H7928 שֶׁ֫כֶם
7928 Shekem sheh'-kem
for 7926; Shekem, the name of a Hivite and two
Israelites:--Shechem.
see HEBREW for 07926
שֶׁ֫כֶם (she.khem) — Shechem.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.26.31;
son of: Gilead (H1568H);
brother of: Abiezer (H0044I), Helek (H2507), Asriel (H0844), Shemida (H8061) and Hepher (H2660A)
Also named: shikh.mi (שִׁכְמִי "Shechemite" H7930)
§ Shechem = "back" or "shoulder"
1) son of Gilead and grandson of Manasseh
2) a Manassite, son of Shemida
שֶׁ֫כֶם (she.khem) — Shechem.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.19;
son of: Shemida (H8061);
brother of: Ahian (H0291), Likhi (H3949) and Aniam (H0593)
§ Shechem = "back" or "shoulder"
1) son of Gilead and grandson of Manasseh
2) a Manassite, son of Shemida
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
she'-kem (shekhem, "shoulder"; Suchem, he Sikima, ta Sikima, etc.; the King James Version gives "Sichem" in Ge 12:6; and "Sychem" in Ac 7:16):
1. Historical:
This place is first mentioned in connection with Abraham's journey from Haran. At the oak of Moreh in the vicinity he reared his first altar to the Lord in Palestine (Ge 12:6 f). It was doubtless by this oak that Jacob, on his return from Paddan-aram, buried "the strange (the American Standard Revised Version "foreign") gods" (Ge 35:4). Hither he had come after his meeting with Esau (Ge 33:18). Eusebius, in Onomasticon, here identifies Shechem with Shalem; but see…
Shechem
Shoulder. (1.) The son of Hamor the Hivite (Gen. 33:19; 34).
(2.) A descendant of Manasseh (Num. 26:31; Josh. 17:2).
(3.) A city in Samaria (Gen. 33:18), called also Sichem (12:6), Sychem (Acts 7:16). It stood in the narrow sheltered valley between Ebal on the north and Gerizim on the south, these mountains at their base being only some 500 yards apart. Here Abraham pitched his tent and built his first altar in the Promised Land, and received the first divine promise (Gen. 12:6, 7). Here also Jacob “bought a parcel of a field at the hands of the children of…
(back or shoulder). An important city in central Palestine, in the valley between mounts Ebal and Gerizim, 34 miles north of Jerusalem and 7 miles southeast of Samaria. Its present name, Nablus , is a corruption of Neapolis, which succeeded the more ancient Shechem, and received its new name from Vespasian. On coins still extant it is called Flavia Neapolis. The situation of the town is one of surpassing beauty. It lies in a sheltered valley, protected by Gerizim on the south and Ebal on the north. The feet of these mountains, where they rise from the town, are not more than five hundred yards apart. The bottom of the valley is about 1800 feet above the level of the sea, and the top of Gerizim 800 feet higher still. The sit of the present city, which was also that of the Hebrew city, occurs exactly on the water-summit; and streams issuing from the numerous springs there flow down the…
1. A Canaanite prince, at the town of the same name, who abducted Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and was soon afterwards treacherously slain, with many of his people, by Simeon and Levi, Ge 34:1-31.
2. A city of central Canaan, between the mountains Gerizim and Ebal, thirty-four miles north of Jerusalem; called also Sychar and Sychem, Ac 7:16. It is first mentioned in the history of Abraham, who here erected his first altar in Canaan, and took possession of the country in the name of Jehovah, Ge 12:6 33:18,19 35:4. Jacob bought a field in its neighborhood, which by way of overplus, he gave to his son Joseph, who was buried here, Ge 48:22
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…
שִׁכְמִי (Shikmiy) refers to a Shechemite, a descendant of Shechem. It is derived from the root word for Shechem and is used in the context of the tribe of Manasseh, specifically mentioning individuals in Numbers 26:31. The term is patronymic, indicating lineage from Shechem.
שִׁכְמִי adj.gent. c. art. as n.coll. Nu 26:31.
ref
H7930 שִׁכְמִי
7930 Shikmiy shik-mee'
patronymic from 7928; a Shikmite (collectively), or
descendants of Shekem:--Shichemites.
see HEBREW for 07928
שִׁכְמִי (shikh.mi) — Shechemite.
Someone descended from Shechem who was a man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.26.31;
son of: Gilead (H1568H);
brother of: Abiezer (H0044I), Helek (H2507), Asriel (H0844), Shemida (H8061) and Hepher (H2660A)
Group of she.khem (שֶׁ֫כֶם "Shechem" H7928)
§ Shechemites = "shoulder"
descendants of Shechem
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa