Numbers 26:49 — Word Study
WLCלְיֵ֕צֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיִּצְרִ֑י לְשִׁלֵּ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁלֵּמִֽי׃
BSAthe JezeriteYitsrîy△ [descendant of Jezer, from the tribe of Naphtali] clanmishpâchâh [family, tribe] from JezerYêtser [meaning 'forming'] [and] the ShillemiteShillêmîy△ [of Shillem, repaid] clanmishpâchâh [family, nation] from ShillemShillêm [a son of Naphtali, meaning 'repaid']
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְיֵ֕צֶר | of Jezer | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַיִּצְרִ֑י | the Jezerite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| לְשִׁלֵּ֕ם | of Shillem | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַשִּׁלֵּמִֽי׃ | the Shillemite[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 Jezerite clan from Jezer, and the Shillemite clan from Shillem. |
| KJV | Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. |
| ASV | of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. |
| YLT | of Jezer the family of the Jezerite; of Shillem the family of the Shillemite. |
| WEB | of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. |
| BBE | Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. |
Where they part company is in the phrasing of the clans — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence presents two main clauses connected by 'and', each detailing a specific clan and its origin.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & 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 26:49
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 Naphtaligenerated
Numbers 26:49 details the clans of Naphtali, emphasizing their lineage and the importance of family ties within the Israelite tribes. This verse highlights the Jezerite clan from Jezer and the Shillemite clan from Shillem, both descendants of Naphtali, as part of the broader census of the Israelites, which serves to organize the people for their journey and settlement in the Promised Land.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 7:13 | The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum —the descendants of Bilhah. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יֵצֶר, le.Ye.tzergenerated
The Hebrew word יֵצֶר (*Ye.tzer*) refers to Jezer, a man from the tribe of Naphtali. His name means 'forming', indicating a foundational role in the lineage of the Jezerites. Jezer is noted as the third son of Naphtali and is mentioned in Genesis 46:24, establishing his significance in the Israelite genealogy.
The parsing of the word shows it as a proper masculine noun, indicating it is a specific name. The preposition לְ (*le*) indicates possession, translating to 'of Jezer', linking the clan directly to its ancestor.
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 structure is governed by the noun phrases that follow, indicating the clans and their origins. The sentence lists two clans, each introduced by a prepositional phrase that specifies their ancestral connection.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the clans themselves, with the prepositional phrases leading into the specific names, highlighting their significance in the lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יֵצֶר as ιεσερ, which carries the same referential meaning but may reflect a different pronunciation or dialectal variation in Greek. This choice shows a direct link to the Hebrew name, maintaining its identity across translations.
The term for clan, translated as δῆμος, indicates a community or people, which aligns with the Hebrew understanding of familial ties and social structure.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 26:49 lists the Jezerite clan from Jezer and the Shillemite clan from Shillem, both of which are descendants of Naphtali. This verse emphasizes the importance of family and clan identities among the Israelites.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The Jezerites were descendants of Jezer, a son of Naphtali, and are part of the Israelite clans mentioned in the census.
The name Jezer means 'forming', indicating a foundational aspect of his lineage.
Clans represented family ties and tribal affiliations, which were crucial for identity and organization within the Israelite community.
This verse is part of a census that organizes the tribes of Israel for their journey and settlement, emphasizing their lineage and heritage.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can I learn from the genealogies about the importance of family in my own life?
- How does understanding the meaning of names deepen my appreciation for the biblical text?
- In what ways can I honor my own heritage and family history?
- How does the structure of the tribes reflect God's plan for His people?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:49 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOf Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. Jezer - [Septuagint, Ieser, and Iassar (Genesis 46:24).] Shillem - or Shallum (see the note at 1 Chronicles 7:13).
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 Bible48-50. The sons of Naphtali — This record corresponds with Genesis and 1 Chronicles.
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 Jezerite clan from Jezer, and the Shillemite clan from Shillem.
of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
the Jezerite clan from Jezer, and the Shillemite clan from Shillem.
from Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; from Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
Tyndale line
Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
Of Iezer, the familie of the Izrites: of Shillem, the familie of the Shillemites.
Strictly literal
of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
of Jezer the family of the Jezerite; of Shillem the family of the Shillemite.
of Jezer the family of the Jezerite; of Shillem the family of the Shillemite.
Of Yezer, the family of the Yizrites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
through Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites, through Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites.
From the Latin
Jeser, of whom is the family of the Jeserites: Sellem, of whom is the family of the Sellemites.
Simplified
Jezer, ancestor of the Jezerite family; and Shillem, ancestor of the Sheillemite family.
Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
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 lists the clans as לְיֵ֕צֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיִּצְרִ֑י and לְשִׁלֵּ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁלֵּמִֽי׃. The Septuagint matches these words closely, indicating a consistent transmission of the text. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using שׁלום for Shillem and שׁלומי for Shillemite, showing a variation in the names used.
לְיֵ֕צֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיִּצְרִ֑י לְשִׁלֵּ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁלֵּמִֽי׃
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.
ליצר משׁפחת היצרי לשׁלום משׁפחת השׁלומי
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: שׁלום (Shillem), שׁלומי (Shillemite)
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 26:49
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 יֵ֫צֶר (*Yetser*) refers to Jezer, a man from the tribe of Naphtali. He is noted as the third son of Naphtali and the founder of the Jezerites, with connections to his brothers Jahzeel, Guni, and Shillem. This name appears in Genesis 46:24.
יֵ֫צֶר n.pr.m. son of Naphtali
base
H3337 יֵ֫צֶר son of Naphtali
3337 Yetser yay-tser
the same as 3336; Jetser, an Israelite:--Jezer.
see HEBREW for 03336
יֵ֫צֶר (ye.tser) — Jezer.
A man of the tribe of Naphtali living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.24;
son of: Naphtali (H5321);
brother of: Jahzeel (H3183), Guni (H1476) and Shillem (H8006)
Also named: yits.ri (יִצְרִי "Jezerite" H3340)
§ Jezer = "forming"
the 3rd son of Naphtali and the founder of the family of Jezerites
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
(power), the third son of Naphtali, (Genesis 46:24; Numbers 26:49; 1 Chronicles 7:13) and father of the family of Jezerites.
island of help
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…
יִצְרִי (yitsriy) refers to a Jezerite, a descendant of Jezer, who was part of the tribe of Naphtali. This term is derived from the root word for Jezer and indicates a collective group. It is noted in the context of a Levitical choir leader, highlighting its cultural significance.
יִצְרִי n.pr.m.
chief of one of the Levitical choirs of singers
adj.gent. c. art. = subst. coll.
base
H3340 יִצְרִי, יִצְרִי
3340 Yitsriy yits-ree'
: patronymically from 3337; a Jitsrite (collectively) or
descendants of Jetser:--Jezerites.
see HEBREW for 03337
יִצְרִי (yits.ri) — Jezerite.
Someone descended from Jezer who was a man of the tribe of Naphtali living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.24;
son of: Naphtali (H5321);
brother of: Jahzeel (H3183), Guni (H1476) and Shillem (H8006)
Group of ye.tser (יֵ֫צֶר "Jezer" H3337)
§ Jezerites = "imagination: form: purpose"
descendants of Jezer the son of Naphtali
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
שִׁלֵּם (*Shillem*) refers to a man from the tribe of Naphtali, mentioned in the context of the Israelite lineage. He is noted as a son of Naphtali and has siblings named Jahzeel, Guni, and Jezer. The name is associated with the meaning 'repaid' and is also referred to as Shallum in 1 Chronicles 7:13.
שִׁלֵּם n.pr.m. in Naphtali
base
H8006 שִׁלֵּם in Naphtali
8006 Shillem shil-lame'
the same as 8005; Shillem, an Israelite:--Shillem.
see HEBREW for 08005
שִׁלֵּם (shil.lem) — Shillem.
A man of the tribe of Naphtali living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.24;
son of: Naphtali (H5321);
brother of: Jahzeel (H3183), Guni (H1476) and Jezer (H3337); also called Shallum at 1Ch.7.13; Shillemite at Num.26.49;
§ Shillem = "repaid"
son of Naphtali
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
(requital), son of Naphtali and an ancestor of the family of the Shillemites. (Genesis 46:24; Numbers 26:49)
peace; perfection; retribution
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…
שִׁלֵּמִי (Shillemiy) refers to a Shillemite, a descendant of Shillem, who was a son of Naphtali. The term is used collectively to describe the group of Shillemites mentioned in the Old Testament, particularly in Numbers 26:49. It is derived from the root word שִׁלֵּם (Shillem), meaning 'recompense'.
שִׁלֵּמִי adj.gent. as n.coll. הַשּׁ׳ Nu 26:49.
done
H8016 שִׁלֵּמִי
8016 Shillemiy shil-lay-mee'
patronymically from 8006; a Shilemite (collectively) or
descendants of Shillem:--Shillemites.
see HEBREW for 08006
שִׁלֵּמִי (shil.le.mi) — Shillemite.
Someone descended from Shillem who was a man of the tribe of Naphtali living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.24;
son of: Naphtali (H5321);
brother of: Jahzeel (H3183), Guni (H1476) and Jezer (H3337); also called Shallum at 1Ch.7.13; Shillemite at Num.26.49;
Group of shil.lem (שִׁלֵּם "Shillem" H8006)
§ Shillemites, of Shillem "recompense"
descendants of Shillem, a son of Naphtali
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa