1 Chronicles 1:25 — Word Study
WLCעֵ֥בֶר פֶּ֖לֶג רְעֽוּ׃
BSAEberʻÊbêr [a great-grandson of Shem, ancestor of Abraham] PelegPeleg [meaning division, son of Eber] ReuRᵉʻûw [father of Serug, an ancestor of Abraham, meaning friend or companion]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עֵ֥בֶר | Eber | Noun proper masculine |
| פֶּ֖לֶג | Peleg | Noun proper masculine |
| רְעֽוּ׃ | Reu | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Eber, Peleg, Reu, |
| KJV | Eber, Peleg, Reu, |
| ASV | Eber, Peleg, Reu, |
| YLT | Eber, Peleg, Reu, |
| WEB | Eber, Peleg, Reu, |
| BBE | Eber, Peleg, Reu, |
Where they part company is in the use of the names — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing three names, reflecting the structure typical of genealogical records.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
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 — 1 Chronicles 1:25
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 Shemgenerated
1 Chronicles 1:25 is part of a genealogical account tracing the lineage from Shem to Abraham. This verse specifically highlights Eber, Peleg, and Reu, three significant figures in the ancestry of the Israelites. Their inclusion underscores the continuity of God's promise through generations, linking the past to the future of the covenant people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke 3:35 | the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, |
| 2 | Luke 3:35 | the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, |
| 3 | Luke 3:35 | the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֵבֶר, 'E.vergenerated
The name עֵ֫בֶר (*Eber*) is a proper noun referring to a great-grandson of Shem and an important figure in the genealogical history of the Israelites. The parsing as a masculine noun indicates its function as a name in this context.
Eber's name means 'the region beyond,' which reflects a geographical or cultural significance. He is noted for being the father of Peleg and is mentioned in various genealogies throughout the Old Testament.
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 structure of this verse is straightforward, consisting of a noun phrase that lists three proper names: עֵ֥בֶר, פֶּ֖לֶג, and רְעֽוּ. This simple listing emphasizes the importance of these figures in the lineage.
The verb is absent, as the verse is a simple enumeration of names, characteristic of genealogical records that prioritize lineage over narrative.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֵ֥בֶר as εβερ, פֶּ֖לֶג as φαλεκ, and רְעֽוּ as ραγαυ. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew names, maintaining their significance in the genealogical context.
The use of these Greek equivalents shows that the translators preserved the identity of these patriarchs while making them accessible to a Greek-speaking audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 1:25 lists three ancestors of Abraham: Eber, Peleg, and Reu. Eber is a great-grandson of Shem, Peleg means division and is the son of Eber, and Reu, meaning friend, is the son of Peleg. This verse is part of a genealogy that connects these figures to the broader story of God's covenant with Abraham.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Eber is a great-grandson of Shem, an important figure in the genealogies of the Israelites, and his name means 'the region beyond.'
Peleg means 'division' and is the son of Eber, noted for living during a significant period in the genealogical line.
Reu is the son of Peleg and father of Serug, and his name means 'friend.' He is part of the lineage leading to Abraham.
These names establish the ancestry of Abraham, highlighting the fulfillment of God's promises through generations.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does Eber's name tell us about his significance in the biblical narrative?
- How does understanding the meaning of Peleg deepen our knowledge of the genealogical divisions in the Bible?
- In what ways does Reu's connection to Abraham impact our understanding of God's covenant?
- Why is it important to trace genealogies in the context of biblical history?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 1:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryEber, Peleg, Reu, of the Arabs in the present day.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 1 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersTEN FROM SHEM TO ABRAHAM; AN OF Genesis 11:10-26, ALL NOTICES (1 Chronicles 1:24-27). Between Arphaxad aud Shelah the LXX., at Genesis 11:12, insert Καίναν = Heb. Kκnan (1 Chronicles 1:2, above). The name is not contained in our present Hebrew text of Genesis. Kenan may have been dropped originally, in order to make Abraham the tenth from Shem, as Noah is tenth from Adam. The artificial symmetry of these ancient lists is evidently designed. Comp. the thrice fourteen generations in the genealogy of our Lord (Matthew 1). 1 Chronicles 1:28-42 enumerate a second series of seventy tribes or peoples, derived from Abraham through the three representative names of Ishmael, Keturah, and Isaac; just…
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges24–27. The Descent of Abraham from Shem These verses are compressed within the smallest limits from Genesis 11:10-26. For another example of this extreme compression compare 1 Chronicles 1:1-4.
Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 1 →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
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Tyndale line
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu;
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Rehu,
Strictly literal
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
'Eber, Peleg, Re'u,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
From the Latin
Heber, Phaleg, Ragau,
Simplified
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
Eber, Peleg, Reu,
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 and the Septuagint agree on the names listed in this verse, confirming the continuity of the genealogical record. The Septuagint's word order differs but retains the same names, indicating a consistent tradition in the transmission of this genealogy.
עֵ֥בֶר פֶּ֖לֶג רְעֽוּ׃
3 of the 3 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.
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 1 Chronicles 1:25
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 עֵ֫בֶר (*Eber*) refers to a name associated with several individuals in the Old Testament, including a patriarch, a Gadite chief, and various Benjamites. It is derived from a root meaning 'the region beyond.' Notably, Eber is the son of Shelah and the father of Peleg and Joktan, appearing in genealogies and historical contexts.
עֵ֫בֶר n.pr.m. Eber (perh. eponym of Hebrews)
‘son’ of Shelaḥ, and ‘grandson’ of Arpachshad
a Gadite chief
Benjamite names
a priest
base
H5677 עֵ֫בֶר Eber (perh. eponym of Hebrews) . ‘son’ of Shelaḥ, and ‘grandson’ of Arpachshad
. a Gadite chief
. Benjamite names
. a priest
5677 `Eber ay'-ber
the same as 5676; Eber, the name of two patriarchs and four
Israelites:--Eber, Heber.
see HEBREW for 05676
עֵ֫בֶר (e.ver) — Eber.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.21;
son of: Shelah (H7974);
father of: Peleg (H6389) and Joktan (H3355)
Also named: Eber (Ἐβέρ "Eber" G1443)
§ Eber or Heber = "the region beyond"
1) son of Salah, great grandson of Shem, father of Peleg and Joktan
2) a Gadite chief
3) a Benjamite, son of Elpaal and descendant of Sharahaim
4) a Benjamite, son of Shashak
5) a priest in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua
עֵ֫בֶר (e.ver) — Eber.
A man of the tribe of Gad living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.5.13;
son of: Abihail (H0032I);
brother of: Michael (H4317H), Meshullam (H4918I), Sheba (H7652), Jorai (H3140), Jacan (H3275) and Zia (H2127)
§ Eber or Heber = "the region beyond"
1) son of Salah, great grandson of Shem, father of Peleg and Joktan
2) a Gadite chief
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
e'-ber (`ebher; Eber, in Gen; Obed, in Ch):
(1) Occurs in the genealogies (Ge 10:21,25; 11:14 ff) as the great-grandson of Shem and father of Peleg and Joktan. The word means "the other side," "across," and the form "Hebrew," which is derived from it, is intended to denote the people or tribe who came "from the other, side of the river" (i.e. the Euphrates), from Haran (Ge 11:31), whence Abraham and his dependents migrated to Canaan.
Eber
Beyond. (1.). The third post-duluvian patriach after Shem (Gen. 10:24; 11:14). He is regarded as the founder of the Hebrew race (10:21; Num. 24:24). In Luke 3:35 he is called Heber.
(2.) One of the seven heads of the families of the Gadites (1 Chr. 5:13).
(3.) The oldest of the three sons of Elpaal the Benjamite (8:12).
(4.) One of the heads of the familes of Benjamites in Jerusalem (22).
(5.) The head of the priestly family of Amok in the time of Zerubbabel (Neh. 12:20).
(the region beyond). Son of Salah, and great-grandson of Shem. (Genesis 10:24; 1 Chronicles 1:19) (B.C. 2277-1813.) [For confusion between Eber and Heber see HEBER] Son of Elpaal and descendant of Sharahaim of the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 8:12) (B.C. 1400). A priest in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua. (Nehemiah 12:20) (B.C. 445.)
See HEBER.
פֶּ֫לֶג (Peleg) refers to a man from the time of the Patriarchs, specifically a son of Eber and brother of Joktan. The name is associated with the concept of 'division' and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:25. It is linked to the Hebrew root for 'earthquake,' suggesting a possible thematic connection.
פֶּ֫לֶג n.pr.m. son of Eber
base
H6389 פֶּ֫לֶג son of Eber
6389 Peleg peh'-leg
the same as 6388; earthquake; Peleg, a son of Shem:--Peleg.
see HEBREW for 06388
פֶּ֫לֶג (pe.leg) — Peleg.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.25;
son of: Eber (H5677);
brother of: Joktan (H3355);
father of: Reu (H7466)
Also named: Phalek (Φάλεκ "Peleg" G5317)
§ Peleg = "division"
son of Eber and brother of Joktan
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
pe'-leg (pelegh, "watercourse," "division"): A son of Eber, and brother of Joktan. The derivation of the name is given: "for in his days was the earth divided" (niphleghah) (Ge 10:25; compare Lu 3:35, the King James Version "Phalec"). This probably refers to the scattering of the world's population and the confounding of its language recorded in Ge 11:1-9. In Aramaic pelagh and Arabic phalaj mean "division"; in Hebrew pelegh means "watercourse." The name may really be due to the occupation by this people of some well-watered (furrowed), district (e.g. in Babylonia), for these patronymics represent races, and the derivation in Ge 10:25 is a later editor's remark.
S. F. Hunter
Peleg
Division, one of the sons of Eber; so called because “in his days was the earth divided” (Gen. 10:25). Possibly he may have lived at the time of the dispersion from Babel. But more probably the reference is to the dispersion of the two races which sprang from Eber, the one spreading towards Mesopotamia and Syria, and the other southward into Arabia.
(division, part), son of Eber and brother of Joktan. (Genesis 10:25; 11:16) The only incident connected with his history is the statement that "in his days was the earth divided." an event embodied in the meaning of his name --"division." The reference is to a division of the family of Eber himself, the younger branch of which (the Joktanids) migrated into southern Arabia, while the elder remained in Mesopotamia.
Son of Eber, and fourth in descent from Shem. He was called Peleg, division, because in his time the earth was divided, Ge 10:25; 11:16.
רְעוּ (Reu) is a proper name referring to a postdiluvian patriarch, specifically the son of Peleg and father of Serug. The name is associated with the meaning 'friend.' It first appears in Genesis 11:18. The entries consistently identify Reu as a significant figure in the genealogical line leading to Abraham.
רְעוּ n.pr.m. son of Peleg
base
H7466 רְעוּ son of Peleg
7466 R`uw reh-oo'
for 7471 in the sense of 7453; friend; Reu, a postdiluvian
patriarch:--Reu.
see HEBREW for 07471
see HEBREW for 07453
רְעוּ (re.u) — Reu.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.18;
son of: Peleg (H6389);
father of: Serug (H8286)
Also named: Rhagau (Ῥαγαῦ "Reu" G4466)
§ Reu = "friend"
son of Peleg and an ancestor of Abraham
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(friend), son of Peleg, in the line of Abraham’s ancestors. (Genesis 11:18,19,20,21; 1 Chronicles 1:25) (B.C. about 2213.)
his friend; his shepherd
→ Son of Peleg and an ancestor of Abraham Ge 11:18-21; 1Ch 1:25