Numbers 4:48 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּהְי֖וּ פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם שְׁמֹנַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁמֹנִֽים׃
BSAAndhâyâh▸ the number of menpâqad [total count, sum total, individuals, persons] was 8,580shᵉmôneh [amounted to, came to]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּהְי֖וּ | and they were | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם | enrolled [men] their | Verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common, suffix |
| שְׁמֹנַ֣ת | eight | Adj |
| אֲלָפִ֔ים | thousand | |
| וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ | and five | Conjunction |
| מֵא֖וֹת | hundred | |
| וּשְׁמֹנִֽים׃ | and eighty | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | And the number of men was 8,580. |
| KJV | Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. |
| ASV | even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. |
| YLT | even their numbered ones are eight thousand and five hundred and eighty; |
| WEB | even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty. |
| BBE | Came to eight thousand, five hundred and eighty. |
Where they part company is שְׁמֹנַ֣ת — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is straightforward, with one main clause and two supporting phrases that clarify the subject and the count.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
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 4:48
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 Census of the Levitesgenerated
Numbers 4:48 records the total number of men counted among the Levites, who were designated for service in the Tent of Meeting. This census is part of a larger organizational effort by Moses and Aaron, as they prepare the Israelites for their journey and service. The number reflects the community's structure and readiness for their tasks as they move forward.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 3:39 | The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000. |
| 2 | Matthew 7:14 | But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. |
| 3 | Matthew 20:16 | So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” |
| 4 | Matthew 22:15 | Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הָיָה, vai.yih.Yugenerated
The verb הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become. In this verse, it indicates that the men were counted and emphasizes their existence as a distinct group within the community.
The parsing reveals that it is in the sequential imperfect tense, suggesting an ongoing action in the narrative. This form is often used to describe events that occur in succession, fitting the context of a census.
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. The BSB has was, and so do the KJV and the ASV: all three maintain the straightforward reporting of the count.
Where others part company with the BSB they part company over the rendering of שְׁמֹנַ֣ת — eight (ASV, KJV) versus came to (BBE). The difference is in how the translations handle the numerical expression.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb וַיִּהְי֖וּ (vai.yih.Yu) governs the entire clause, with a noun phrase as the subject and a numeral phrase as the object. The structure is straightforward, presenting a clear statement of the count.
The word order emphasizes the subject and the count, making it clear that the focus is on the total number of men.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַיִּהְי֖וּ as ἐγενήθησαν, which means 'they became' or 'they were made.' This choice suggests a focus on the process of becoming part of the community, rather than merely existing.
This translation adds a layer of interpretation, emphasizing the transition from individual to collective identity within the Israelite community.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 4:48 tells us that the total number of men counted among the Levites was 8,580. This number is part of a larger effort to organize the Israelites for their service in the Tent of Meeting.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It represents the total count of men among the Levites who were eligible for service.
The census helps to organize the Israelite community for their journey and service, ensuring that everyone has a role.
It concludes a section detailing the process of numbering the Levites and their readiness for service.
It shows the importance of structure and order in community life, especially in fulfilling responsibilities.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does the organization of the Levites reflect the importance of community roles in my life?
- What steps can I take to ensure that I am fulfilling my responsibilities within my community?
- In what ways can I support others in their roles, just as the Levites supported the worship of God?
- How does understanding the context of this census enhance my reading of the Bible?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 4:48 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleEven those that were numbered of them,.... [See comments on Numbers 4:34].
Read John Gill on Numbers 4 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers, Moses and Aaron ... This enumeration was made on
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 4 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhich number was much inferior to any other tribe, for the reasons mentioned on .
Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 4 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsNumbers 4:48 Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.Ver. 48. Eight thousand, &c.] What a poor few were these to the other tribes! God’ s portion is ever the least.
Read John Trapp on Numbers 4 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(48) Eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.—This number of men between the ages of twenty and fifty bears a just proportion to that of all the males from a month old and upwards—viz., 22,000.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 4 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges34–49. A detailed statement that Moses and Aaron numbered the men between the ages of 30 and 50 in the three Levitical families, as had been commanded.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 4 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleCENSUS OF LEVITES, Numbers 4:34-49.The results of the enumeration of Levites between thirty and fifty years are here tabulated, together with the number of incompetents and the
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 4 →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
And the number of men was 8,580.
even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.
And the number of men was 8,580.
those of them numbered were 8,580.
Tyndale line
Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and eighty.
So the nombers of them were eight thousand, fiue hundreth and foure score.
Strictly literal
even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand five hundred and eighty.
even their numbered ones are eight thousand and five hundred and eighty;
even their numbered ones are eight thousand and five hundred and eighty;
Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and eighty.
They counted 8,580 men.
From the Latin
Were in all eight thousand five hundred and eighty.
Simplified
The sum total was 8,580.
Came to eight thousand, five hundred and eighty.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 confirmed by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word. The Septuagint matches four of the seven words, but its word order differs. The Dead Sea Scrolls show damage, with some words restored by an editor, but they align with the Masoretic Text in meaning.
וַיִּהְי֖וּ פְּקֻדֵיהֶ֑ם שְׁמֹנַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁמֹנִֽים׃
4 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.
ויהיו פקדיהם שׁמנת אלפים וחמשׁ מאות ושׁמנים
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
[ויהיו] [פקדי׳הם] [שמנת] [אלפים] [וחמש] [מאות] [ושמנים]
nothing on the leather here — 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 4:48
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 הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
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
V-Qal-Inf-c | Suff — Verb qal participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffixHVqsmpc/Sp3mp
שְׁמֹנֶה (shmoneh) means 'eight' and can also denote 'eighth' as an ordinal number. It is derived from the idea of plumpness, suggesting a surplus beyond seven, which is considered a perfect number. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations with other numbers.
שְׁמֹנֶה, (less oft. שְׁמוֹנֶה), שְׁמֹנָה 109 n.m. et f. eight
base
H8083 שְׁמֹנֶה, (less oft. שְׁמוֹנֶה), שְׁמֹנָה eight
8083 shmoneh shem-o-neh'
or shmowneh {shem-o-neh'}; feminine shmonah {shem-o-naw'}; or
shmownah {shem-o-naw'}; apparently from 8082 through the idea
of plumpness; a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above
the "perfect" seven); also (as ordinal)
eighth:--eight((-een, -eenth)), eighth.
see HEBREW for 08082
שְׁמֹנֶה (she.mo.neh) — eight.
1) eight, eighth
1a) eight (as cardinal number)
1b) eighth (as ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
Adj — AdjHAcbsc
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
HAcbpa — HAcbpa
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.
שְׁמֹנִים (shmoniym) means eighty, derived from the root for eight. It serves as both a cardinal number (eighty) and an ordinal number (eightieth), and can also combine with other numbers. The entries confirm its usage in contexts related to counting.
שְׁמֹנִים 38 n.pl.indecl. an eighty
base
H8084 שְׁמֹנִים an eighty
8084 shmoniym shem-o-neem'
or shmowniym {shem-o-neem'}; mult. from 8083; eighty, also
eightieth:--eighty(-ieth), fourscore.
see HEBREW for 08083
שְׁמֹנִים (she.mo.nim) — eighty.
1) eighty, fourscore
1a) eighty (as cardinal number)
1b) eightieth (as ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
HC/Acmpa — ConjunctionHC/Acmpa