1 Chronicles 11:37 — Word Study
WLCחֶצְרוֹ֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י נַעֲרַ֖י בֶּן־ אֶזְבָּֽי׃ ס
BSAHezroChetsrôw [the Carmel city resident] the CarmeliteKarmᵉlîy [inhabitant of Mount Carmel] NaaraiNaʻăray△ [a brave warrior] sonbên [descendant, offspring] of EzbaiʼEzbay△ [the father of a mighty man]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חֶצְרוֹ֙ | Hezro | Noun proper masculine |
| הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י | the Carmelite | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| נַעֲרַ֖י | Naarai | Noun proper masculine |
| בֶּן־ | [the] son of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| אֶזְבָּֽי׃ ס | Ezbai | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, |
| KJV | Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, |
| ASV | Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, |
| YLT | Hezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, |
| WEB | Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, |
| BBE | Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai, the son of Ezbai, |
Where they part company is in the rendering of הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses present the names of notable warriors in a straightforward manner.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
2 of 5 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 — 1 Chronicles 11:37
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 Mighty Men of Davidgenerated
1 Chronicles 11:37 identifies Hezro and Naarai as part of the elite warriors serving under King David. This passage highlights the strength and valor of David's followers, emphasizing their roles in his military exploits. The context of this verse is a broader account of David's mighty men, showcasing their bravery and loyalty during his reign.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Samuel 23:35 | Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֶצְרוֹ, chetz.Rogenerated
The name חֶצְרוֹ (chetz.Ro) refers to Hezro, an Israelite warrior known for his association with King David. The name is derived from a term meaning 'enclosure', suggesting a geographical or familial connection.
Hezro is also called Hezrai in some texts, indicating an orthographical variation. His identification as a Carmelite links him to the region of Mount Carmel, known for its beauty and fertility.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term Carmelite for הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י, while the KJV and ASV also use Carmelite but may vary in other contexts.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with a series of noun phrases: חֶצְרוֹ (Hezro), הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י (the Carmelite), נַעֲרַ֖י (Naarai), בֶּן־ (son of), and אֶזְבָּֽי (Ezbai).
This construction emphasizes the identity and lineage of these warriors without complex clauses, presenting a clear list of notable figures in David's military.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חֶצְרוֹ as ησεραι, indicating a direct correspondence with the Hebrew name, though the Greek word order differs.
The translation maintains the identification of Hezro as a Carmelite, reflecting the same regional connection found in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 11:37 lists Hezro the Carmelite and Naarai son of Ezbai as part of King David's mighty men. These men were known for their bravery and loyalty, serving in David's army during his reign.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Hezro was an Israelite warrior known for being one of David's mighty men, specifically identified as a Carmelite.
A Carmelite is an inhabitant of Mount Carmel, a region known for its beauty and fertility.
Naarai was a brave warrior and the son of Ezbai, also listed among David's mighty men.
This verse highlights the names of notable warriors in David's military, emphasizing their importance and the strength of David's army.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What qualities do you think made Hezro and Naarai valuable members of David's army?
- How can we apply the example of loyalty and bravery from these warriors in our own lives?
- What does it mean to be part of a community or team, like David's mighty men?
- How can we honor the contributions of those who have served in leadership roles, similar to how David honored his warriors?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 11:37 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryIthai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 11 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(37) Hezro.—Syriac, “Hezri” and so perhaps Samuel, margin; but Samuel, text, “Hezro.” Carmelite.—Of Carmel (Karmul), a town south of Hebron (Joshua 15:55). Naarai the son of Ezbai.—Samuel, “Paarah the Arbite.” Arab also was a town south of Hebron, in the hill country of Judah (Joshua 15:52).
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 11 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges37. Hezro] So 2 Samuel 23:35 (R.V. following the C’thîb); but Hezrai (A.V. following the Krî). the Carmelite] i.e. inhabitant of Carmel, a town in the hill country of Judah (1 Samuel 25:2 ff). Naarai] In 2 Samuel 23:35, “Paarai.” The true form of the name is lost. the son of Ezbai] In 2 Sam. “the Arbite” (simply), i.e. (probably) “inhabitant of Arab” (Joshua 15:52), a town in the hill country of Judah.
Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 11 →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
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
Tyndale line
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai;
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the sonne of Ezbai,
Strictly literal
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
Hezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
Hezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
Chezro the Carmelite, Na'arai the son of Ezbai,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
From the Latin
Hesro a Carmelite, Naarai the son of Azbai,
Simplified
Hezro the Carmelite; Naarai, son of Ezbai;
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai, the son of Ezbai,
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 reads "חֶצְרוֹ֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י נַעֲרַ֖י בֶּן־ אֶזְבָּֽי׃ ס" which translates to "Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all five words in a word-by-word correspondence, although the order and articles may differ. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong consistency across these ancient witnesses.
חֶצְרוֹ֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י נַעֲרַ֖י בֶּן־ אֶזְבָּֽי׃ ס
5 of the 5 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 11:37
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.
חֶצְרוֹ (Chetsrow) refers to Hezro, an Israelite mentioned as one of David's mighty warriors in 2 Samuel 23:35. The name is derived from a term meaning 'enclosure.' The entries indicate that Hezro is also referred to as Hezrai, highlighting an orthographical variation.
חֶצְרוֹ, חֶצְרַי (n.pr.m.)—one of David’s heroes, called the Carmelite
base
H2695 חֶצְרוֹ, חֶצְרַי
2695 Chetsrow khets-ro'
by an orthographical variation for 2696; enclosure; Chetsro,
an Israelite:--Hezro, Hezrai.
see HEBREW for 02696
חֶצְרוֹ (chets.ro) — Hezro.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.35; also called in KJV: Hezrai;
§ Hezro or Hezrai = "enclosed"
the Carmelite, one of David's 30 mighty warriors in his guard
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Hezro
A Carmelite, one of David’s warriors (1 Chr. 11:37).
→ See HEZRAI
כַּרְמְלִי (Karmliy) refers to a Carmelite, an inhabitant of the town of Carmel. It is derived from the root word כַּרְמֶל (Karmel), meaning 'garden-land.' The term can also refer specifically to individuals like Nabal and Abigail, with a feminine form הַכַּרְמְלִית (hakarmelit) for a Carmelitess.
כַּרְמְלִי adj.gent., c. art., the Carmelite, of Nabal. f. הַכַּרְמְלִית the Carmelitess, of Abigail.
base
H3761 כַּרְמְלִי, כַּרְמְלִית
3761 Karmliy kar-mel-ee'
patron from 3760; a Karmelite or inhabitant of Karmel (the
town):--Carmelite.
see HEBREW for 03760
כַּרְמְלִי (kar.me.li) — Carmelite.
Carmelite, of Carmel "garden-land"
an inhabitant of Carmel
Another spelling of kar.mel (כַּרְמֶל "Carmel" H3760)
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
kar'-mel-it (karmeli; Karmelios, Karmelites): A native of the Judean Carmel. Those who are thus named are Nabal, the husband of Abigail (1Sa 30:5, etc.), and Hezro (the King James Version Hezrai), one of David's mighty men (2Sa 23:35). In 2Sa 3:3 Septuagint reads tes Abigaias tes Karmelias, "of Abigail the Carmelitess" (1Sa 27:3; 1Ch 3:1).
See following article, CARMELITESS.
נַעֲרַי (Na`aray) refers to a man named Naarai, identified as one of David's mighty warriors in 1 Chronicles 11:37. The name is derived from the root meaning 'youthful' and is associated with the term for 'handmaid.' The entries confirm his lineage as the son of Ezbai.
נַעֲרַי n.pr.m. one of David’s heroes, 1 Ch 11:37
ref
H5293 נַעֲרַי
5293 Na`aray nah-ar-ah'-ee
from 5288; youthful; Naarai, an Israelite:--Naarai.
see HEBREW for 05288
נַעֲרַי (na.a.ray) — Naarai.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.11.37;
son of: Ezbai (H0229)
§ Naarai = "handmaid"
the Arbite, son of Ezbai and one of David's mighty warriors
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Naarai
Youthful, a military chief in David’s army (1 Chr. 11:37), called also Paarai (2 Sam. 23:35).
(handmaid), one of the valiant men of David’s armies. (1 Chronicles 11:37) In 1 Chron. he is called the son of Ezbai, but in (2 Samuel 23:35) he appears as "Paarai the Arbite." Kennicott decides that the former is correct. (B.C. about 1015.)
→ Also called PAARAI
→ One of David's heroes 1Ch 11:37
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.
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
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
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
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)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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…
אֶזְבָּ֑י (Ezbay) is a proper name, likely derived from a root meaning related to humility. It refers to an Israelite mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11:37 as the father of Naarai, one of David's mighty men. The name is associated with the idea of 'my humblings'.
אֶזְבָּ֑י n.pr.m. father of one of David’s men 1 Ch 11:37
ref
H229 אֶזְבָּ֑י
229 'Ezbay ez-bah'ee
probably from 231; hyssop-like; Ezbai, an Israelite:--Ezbai.
see HEBREW for 0231
אֶזְבָּ֑י (ez.bay) — Ezbai.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.11.37;
father of: Naarai (H5293)
§ Ezbai = "my humblings"
father of one of David's mighty men
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(shining), father of Naarai, who was one of David’s thirty mighty men. (1 Chronicles 11:37) (B.C. 1046.)