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Numbers 3:18 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּֽנֵי־ גֵרְשׁ֖וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם לִבְנִ֖י וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃

BSATheseʼêl-leh [specific, particular] were the namesshêm [identities, reputations] of the sonsbên [descendants, male offspring] of GershonGêrᵉshôwn [a son of Levi, an ancestor of the Levites] by their clansmishpâchâh [families, tribes] LibniLibnîy [meaning white, a son of Gershon] and ShimeiShimʻîy [a common Israelite name, meaning famous, renowned]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 18 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 (ve.shim.'I) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 3:18quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse lists the names of Gershon's sons, identifying them by their clans.
Who is speakingThe narrator, detailing the lineage of the Levites.
Where we areIn the context of the genealogical records of the Levites.
The hard wordגֵרְשׁוֹן
Take awayThe verse emphasizes the importance of family lineage.
3 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 3:18

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 Genealogy of the Levitesgenerated

17These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei.
19The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.

Numbers 3:18 lists the names of Gershon's sons, Libni and Shimei, as part of the genealogical records of the Levites. This section highlights the organization of the Israelite tribes and their roles in the worship and service of God. The genealogies serve to establish the heritage and responsibilities of the Levites, who were set apart for sacred duties, as seen in Numbers 3:17.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 3:21From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans.
2Exodus 6:17–19The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans.
31 Chronicles 6:17–20These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.
41 Chronicles 23:7–11The Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
51 Chronicles 25:4From the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.Numbers 3:21 Exodus 6:17–19 1 Chronicles 6:17–20 1 Chronicles 23:7–11 1 Chronicles 25:4 1 Chronicles 26:1–32 Nehemiah 12:1–26

The Key Word אֵלֶּה, ve.'E.lehgenerated

The word אֵלֶּה (eleh) means 'these' and is used to specify particular items or people. It indicates a direct reference to those being named, in this case, Gershon's sons.

This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often to draw attention to specific subjects, as seen in various contexts. It serves to clarify and identify the individuals being discussed.


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 implied and governs the structure, with the subject being אֵלֶּה (these) followed by a noun phrase that identifies the sons of Gershon. The sentence is structured to list names and their familial connections.

The main clause is supported by a prepositional phrase indicating the clans, which adds context to the identification of Gershon's sons.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֵלֶּה as ταῦτα, meaning 'these things'. This choice maintains the specificity of the Hebrew term, emphasizing the direct reference to the sons of Gershon.

The Greek word ὀνόματα for שְׁמ֥וֹת highlights the importance of names and identities, consistent with the Hebrew understanding of personal and familial significance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 3:18 lists the names of Gershon's sons: Libni and Shimei. This verse is part of the genealogy of the Levites, showing their family connections and roles.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the name Gershon mean?

Gershon means 'exile' or 'refugee', reflecting his status as a son of Levi.

Why are genealogies important in the Bible?

Genealogies establish lineage, inheritance, and the roles of individuals within the community, particularly for the priestly class.

Who were Libni and Shimei?

Libni and Shimei were the sons of Gershon, part of the Levitical lineage responsible for temple service.

What role did the Levites play?

The Levites were set apart for religious duties, including the care of the tabernacle and later the temple.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do genealogies in the Bible help us understand God's plan for His people?
  2. What significance do names hold in our own families and communities?
  3. In what ways can we honor our heritage as part of God's family?
  4. How can understanding the roles of the Levites inform our view of service in the church today?

Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 3:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon, by their families,.... Or to Gershon belonged two families, called after the names of his sons, who were now numbered, namely, Libni and Shimei; and

Read John Gill on Numbers 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, Number the children of Levi.

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14–20. Summary of the Levitical families.

Read Cambridge on Numbers 3 →

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

These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei.

NETBNew English Translation2006

These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni and Shimei.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Also these are the names of the sonnes of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their families: Libni and Shimei.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon after their families: Libni, and Shimi.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The clans coming from Gershon's sons were Libni and Shimei.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The sons of Gerson: Lebni and Semei.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

These were the names of Gershon's sons by family: Libni and Shimei.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon, by their families: Libni and Shimei.

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.

וְandclausepredicateאֵ֛לֶּהthesenoun phrase · subjectשְׁמ֥וֹת[were].the.namesnoun phraseבְּֽנֵיof.the.sonsגֵרְשׁ֖וֹןof.Gershonprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑clansםtheirclausenoun phrase · predicateלִבְנִ֖יLibniוְandשִׁמְעִֽיShimei

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


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

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with 7 of the 7 words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs by one word, using משׁפחותם (clan) instead of the Masoretic לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם (to clans their). The Dead Sea Scrolls show a similar pattern, with one word partially restored.

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

וְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּֽנֵי־ גֵרְשׁ֖וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם לִבְנִ֖י וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְאֵ֛לֶּהταῦταשְׁמ֥וֹתὀνόματαבְּֽנֵי־υἱῶνגֵרְשׁ֖וֹןγεδσωνלְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םαὐτῶνלִבְנִ֖יλοβενιוְשִׁמְעִֽי׃σεμεϊ

7 of the 7 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

ואלה שׁמות בני גרשׁון למשׁפחותם לבני ושׁמעי

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: משׁפחותם (clan)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q23a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ואלה] שמות בני [גרשון] [למשפחת׳ם] [לבני] [ושמעי]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 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 3:18אֵ֫לֶּהand theseand theseאֵ֫לֶּהשֵׁם[were] [the[were] [the] naשֵׁםבֵּן[the] sons [the] sons ofבֵּןגֵּרְשׁוֹןGershonGershonגֵּרְשׁוֹןמִשְׁפָּחָהto clans thto clans theirמִשְׁפָּחָהלִבְנִיLibniLibniלִבְנִישִׁמְעִיand Shimeiand Shimeiשִׁמְעִיאֵלthesetheseאֵלשׂוּםto set: mato set: makeשׂוּםבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהגָּרַשׁto drive oto drive out: dגָּרַשׁשָׁפָהbe barebe bareשָׁפָהלָבֵןto whitento whitenלָבֵןשֶׁ֫מַעsoundsoundשֶׁ֫מַעתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתלִבְנִיLibniLibniלִבְנִיאַלּוּףtametameאַלּוּףקָרָאto call: cto call: call tקָרָאיָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָהעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןקְהָתKohathKohathקְהָתגֵּרְשֹׁםGershomGershomגֵּרְשֹׁםגֵּרְשׁוֹןGershonGershonגֵּרְשׁוֹןכּוֹנַנְיָ֫הוּConaniahConaniahכּוֹנַנְיָ֫הוּ
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 3:18

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.

and these [were] [the] names of [the] sons of Gershon to clans their Libni and Shimei
וְאֵ֛לֶּהve.'E.leh and these H428 Conjunction · particle
746× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.
Amplified meaning
specific, particular
Tyndale gloss
these
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.

1) these

1a) used before antecedent

1b) used following antecedent

Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tm
and these [were] [the] names of [the] sons of Gershon to clans their Libni and Shimei
שְׁמ֥וֹתshe.Mot [were] [the] names of H8034 Noun common · feminine plural construct
864× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Amplified meaning
identities, reputations
Tyndale gloss
name
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

usu. of pers.

= reputation

esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

name, as designation of God

of false gods, use forbidden

= memorial, monument

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8034 shem shame

a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea

of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an

appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by

implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,

(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

see HEBREW for 07760

see HEBREW for 08064

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁם (shem) — name.

1) name

1a) name

1b) reputation, fame, glory

1c) the Name (as designation of God)

1d) memorial, monument

Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
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…

and these [were] [the] names of [the] sons of Gershon to clans their Libni and Shimei
בְּֽנֵי־be.nei- [the] sons of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendants, male offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SON, SONS.

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…

and these [were] [the] names of [the] sons of Gershon to clans their Libni and Shimei
גֵרְשׁ֖וֹןge.re.Shon Gershon H1648 Noun proper masculine
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gershon was a son of Levi and an ancestor of the tribe of Levi, which played a key role in the priesthood and worship of the Israelites. He is mentioned in books like Genesis and Chronicles, and his name means 'exile'.
Amplified meaning
a son of Levi, an ancestor of the Levites
Tyndale gloss
Gershon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֵּרְשׁוֹן (Gershon) refers to the son of Levi, a figure from the Israelite tribes. The name is associated with the meaning 'refugee' or 'exile.' He is first mentioned in Genesis 46:11 and is noted as the brother of Kohath and Merari, and the father of Libni and Shimei. Gershon is also referred to as Gershom in several passages.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֵּרְשׁוֹן n.pr.m. son of Levi

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1648 גֵּרְשׁוֹן son of Levi

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1648 Gershown gay-resh-one'

or Gershowm {gay-resh-ome'}; from 1644; a refugee; Gereshon

or Gereshom, an Israelite:--Gershon, Gershom.

see HEBREW for 01644

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גֵּרְשׁוֹן (ge.re.shon) — Gershon.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11;

son of: Levi (H3878);

brother of: Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115);

father of: Libni (H3845) and Shimei (H8096); also called Gershom at 1Ch.6.16,17,20,43,62,71; 15.7;

§ Gershon or Gershom = "exile"

firstborn son of Levi born before Jacob's family went to Egypt

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gershon

=Ger’shom expulsion, the eldest of Levi’s three sons (Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16).

In the wilderness the sons of Gershon had charge of the fabrics of the tabernacle when it was moved from place to place, the curtains, veils, tent-hangings (Num. 3: 21-26). Thirteen Levitical cities fell to the lot of the Gershonites (Josh. 21:27-33).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(exile). The eldest of the three sons of Levi, born before the descent of Jacob’s family into Egypt. (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16) (B.C. before 1706.) But, though the eldest born, the families of Gershon were outstripped in fame by their younger brethren of Kohath, from whom sprang Moses and the priestly line of Aaron.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The eldest son of Levi, and head of one of the three branches of the Levitical tribe, Ge 46:11; Ex 6:16. The Gershonites encamped west of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and carried its curtains and other parts form station to station, Nu 3:17,25; 4:24-28,38- 41; 10:17. Thirteen cities were assigned to them in northern Canaan, Jos 21:6; 1Ch 6:62,71.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

his banishment; the change of pilgrimage

and these [were] [the] names of [the] sons of Gershon to clans their Libni and Shimei
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םle.mish.pe.cho.Tam to clans their H4940 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
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.
Amplified meaning
families, tribes
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
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
and these [were] [the] names of [the] sons of Gershon to clans their Libni and Shimei
לִבְנִ֖יliv.Ni Libni H3845 Noun proper masculine
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Libni was an Israelite from the tribe of Levi, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 6:29 as the son of Mahli. His name means white. Libni was a key figure in the tribe's history.
Amplified meaning
meaning white, a son of Gershon
Tyndale gloss
Libni
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לִבְנִי (Libni) refers to a Levite, specifically the son of Gershom, and is noted for meaning 'white.' He is mentioned in Exodus 6:17 and is identified as the eldest son of Gershon. Additionally, another Libni is mentioned as the son of Mahli, with references in 1 Chronicles. The name appears to signify a connection to purity or brightness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לִבְנִי n.pr.m. a Levite, son of Gershom

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3845 לִבְנִי a Levite, son of Gershom

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3845 Libniy lib-nee'

from 3835; white; Libni, an Israelite:--Libni.

see HEBREW for 03835

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לִבְנִי (liv.ni) — Libni.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.17;

son of: Gershon (H1648);

brother of: Shimei (H8096G);

father of: Jehieli= Jehiel (H3171H), Zetham (H2241), Joel (H3100O); also called Jahath at 1Ch.6.43; Ladan (KJV: Laadan) at 1Ch.23.7,9; 26.21;

§ Libni = "white"

the eldest son of Gershon and grandson of Levi

לִבְנִי (liv.ni) — Libni.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at 1Ch.6.29;

son of: Mahli (H4249);

brother of: Eleazar (H0499J) and Kish (H7027H);

father of: Shimei (H8096M)

§ Libni = "white"

the eldest son of Gershon and grandson of Levi

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lib'-ni (libhni):

(1) Son of Gershon (Ex 6:17; Nu 3:18; 1Ch 6:17,20). Families who traced their descent from Libni are called Libnites (Nu 3:21; 26:58).

(2) A son of Merari (1Ch 6:29).

See LADAN.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Libni

White, one of the two sons of Gershon, the son of Levi (Ex. 6:17; Num. 3:18, 21). (See LAADAN.)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(white). The eldest son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Exodus 6:17; Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,20) and ancestor of the family of the Libnites. (B.C. after 1700.) The son of Mahli or Mahali, son of Merari, (1 Chronicles 6:29) as the text at present stands. It is probable, however, that he is the same with the preceding, and that something has been omitted. Comp. ver. (1 Chronicles 6:29) with 1Chr 6:20,42

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

same as Libnah

and these [were] [the] names of [the] sons of Gershon to clans their Libni and Shimei
וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃ve.shim.'I and Shimei H8096 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shimei was a common name among Israelites, with at least 20 people having this name. One notable Shimei was the brother of David and son of Jesse, who lived during the United Monarchy.
Amplified meaning
a common Israelite name, meaning famous, renowned
Tyndale gloss
Shimei
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שִׁמְעִי (*Shim'i*) means 'renowned' and refers to various individuals in the Old Testament, primarily from the tribes of Benjamin and Levi. It is associated with several notable figures, including a Levite and a Benjamite, and appears in contexts ranging from the time of David to the post-exilic period. The entries highlight multiple bearers of the name, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁמְעִי 43 n.pr.m.

in Benj.

a Ramathite

Levites

brother of Zerub.

in Simeon

in Reuben

1

post-ex. names

grandfather of Mordecai

2

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8096 שִׁמְעִי . in Benj.

. a Ramathite

. Levites

. brother of Zerub.

. in Simeon

. in Reuben

. 1

. post-ex. names

. grandfather of Mordecai

. 2

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8096 Shim`iy shim-ee'

from 8088; famous; Shimi, the name of twenty

Israelites:--Shimeah (from the margin), Shimei, Shimhi,

Shimi.

see HEBREW for 08088

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁמְעִי (shim.i) — Shimei.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.17;

son of: Gershon (H1648);

brother of: Libni (H3845G);

father of: Jahath (H3189I), Zizah (H2126), Jeush (H3266J) and Beriah (H1283J)

Also named: shim.i (שִׁמְעִי "Shimeite" H8097)

§ Shimei or Shimhi or Shimi or Shimea = "renowned"

1) a Benjamite, son of Gera of the house of Saul in the time of David

2) a Benjamite, son of Elah and commissariat officer in the time of Solomon

3) the Ramathite in charge of the vineyards of David

4) son of Gershon and grandson of Levi

5) a Levite, son of Jeduthun and chief of the 10th division of singers in the time of David

6) a Levite of the sons of Heman who took part in the purification of the temple in the time of king Hezekiah of Judah

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

shim'-e-i (shim`i, possibly "hear me (El)" or "(Jah)"; Semeei, Semei): A name of frequent occurrence throughout the Old Testament records, sometimes varying slightly in form in English Versions of the Bible. The King James Version has "Shimi" in Ex 6:17; "Shimhi" in 1Ch 8:21; "Shimeah" in 2Sa 21:21. the Revised Version (British and American) has "Shimeites" in Zec 12:13, where the King James Version has "Shimei," and Nu 3:21 for the King James Version "Shimites." English Versions of the Bible has "Shema" in 1Ch 8:13,21 margin for the "Shimei" of 8:21. In all others…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Shimei

Famous. (1.) A son of Gershon, and grandson of Levi (Num. 3:18; 1 Chr. 6:17, 29); called Shimi in Ex. 6:17.

(2.) A Benjamite of the house of Saul, who stoned and cursed David when he reached Bahurim in his flight from Jerusalem on the occasion of the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. 16:5-13). After the defeat of Absalom he “came cringing to the king, humbly suing for pardon, bringing with him a thousand of his Benjamite tribesmen, and representing that he was heartily sorry for his crime, and had hurried the first of all the house of Israel to offer homage to the king” (19:16-23). David forgave him; but on his death-bed he gave Solomon special instructions regarding Shimei…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(renowned). Son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,29; 23:7,9,10; Zechariah 12:13) called SHIMI in (Exodus 6:17) (B.C. after 1706.) Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of the house of Saul, who lived at Bahurim. (B.C. 1023.) When David and his suite were seen descending the long defile, on his flight from Absolom, (2 Samuel 16:5-13) the whole feeling of the clan of Benjamin burst forth without restraint in the person of Shimei. He ran along the ridge, cursing and throwing stones at the king and is companions. The next meeting was very different. The king was now returning from his successful…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Shimi, that hears or obeys; my reputation; my fame

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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