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1 Chronicles 12:34 — Word Study

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WLCוּמִנַּפְתָּלִ֖י שָׂרִ֣ים אָ֑לֶף וְעִמָּהֶם֙ בְּצִנָּ֣ה וַחֲנִ֔ית שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה אָֽלֶף׃ ס

BSAcommandersʼeleph [leaders, captains]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 12
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 34 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 ('A.lef) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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1 Chronicles 12:34quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse lists the military leaders from the tribe of Naphtali, detailing their numbers and equipment.
Who is speakingThe chronicler, recounting the military preparations for David's reign.
Where we areIn a section detailing the support David received from various tribes of Israel.
The hard wordשָׂרִ֣ים
Take awayThe numbers reflect the strength and readiness of the tribe of Naphtali.
2 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott & 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 — 1 Chronicles 12:34

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 Support for Davidgenerated

33From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David.
34From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.
35From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.
36From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.

1 Chronicles 12:34 details the military contributions of the tribes of Israel to King David. The verse highlights Naphtali's warriors, emphasizing their readiness and equipment, which is significant for the unification of Israel under David's rule. This context shows how each tribe played a vital role in supporting David, illustrating the collective effort in establishing his kingship.


Cross References


The Key Word נַפְתָּלִי, Nafthaligenerated

The name נַפְתָּלִי (Nafthali) refers to one of Jacob's sons and the tribe that descended from him. The tribe is associated with the region of Galilee, and its name means 'my wrestling,' reflecting the struggles faced by Jacob's family.

In this verse, נַפְתָּלִי signifies not just the tribe but also their military leaders and their readiness to support David. This highlights the importance of tribal alliances in ancient Israel.


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 1,000 commanders, and so do the KJV and ASV, keeping the focus on the leaders of the tribe.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the subject וּמִנַּפְתָּלִ֖י (and of Naphtali), which introduces the tribe, followed by a series of phrases detailing their military strength. The structure emphasizes the number of commanders and their accompanying forces.

The sentence flows with a clear hierarchy: it starts with the tribe, followed by the commanders, and concludes with the details of their equipment. This order highlights the significance of leadership in the military context.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates נַפְתָּלִי as ἐκπορευόμενοι (ekporeuomenoi), meaning 'coming out' or 'going forth.' This choice emphasizes the active role of the tribe in supporting David, suggesting a readiness to engage in battle.

The Greek translation indicates a more dynamic interpretation of the tribe's involvement, focusing on their action rather than just their numbers.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 12:34 tells us that from the tribe of Naphtali, there were 1,000 commanders and 37,000 men ready for battle, equipped with shields and spears. This highlights the military strength and support that David received from this tribe as he established his reign.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Naphtali contributed 1,000 commanders?

This indicates that Naphtali had a significant military presence and leadership, showcasing their readiness to support David in his kingship.

Why is the number of warriors important?

The number signifies the strength and readiness of the tribe, reflecting their commitment to David and the united effort of Israel's tribes.

What role did shields and spears play in this context?

Shields and spears were essential weapons for protection and offense in battle, symbolizing the preparedness of Naphtali's warriors.

How does this verse connect to the broader narrative of David's reign?

It illustrates the support David received from various tribes, emphasizing the importance of unity among Israel's tribes during his rise to power.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the importance of leadership from Naphtali's commanders?
  2. How does this verse illustrate the concept of unity among the tribes of Israel?
  3. In what ways can we apply the idea of being prepared and equipped in our own lives?
  4. What does this passage teach us about the significance of military support in establishing leadership?

Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 12:34 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand. Of Naphtali a thousand captains , [ saariym (H8269), princes] - (cf. Ps. 67:27 .)

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 12 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(34) Spear (hãnîth).—A different word from that in 1 Chronicles 12:24 (rômah). Perhaps the former was thrown, the latter thrust.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 12 →

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

From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Of Naphtali: one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.

NETBNew English Translation2006

From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers, along with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And of Naphtali a thousand captaines, and with them with shielde and speare seuen and thirtie thousande.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And of Naphtali, a thousand heads, and with them, with target and spear, [are] thirty and seven thousand.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And of Naphtali, one thousand heads, and with them, with buckler and spear, [are] thirty-seven thousand.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them were with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

From Naphtali there were one thousand officers, and with them thirty-seven thousand men with shields and spears.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And of Nephtali, a thousand leaders: and with them seven and thirty thousand, furnished with shield and spear.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

From the tribe of Naphtali, 1,000 officers and 37,000 warriors carrying shields and spears.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And of Naphtali, a thousand captains with thirty-seven thousand spearmen.

Word by word, the decisions they made

אָ֑לֶף'A.lef one thousand H505 3 different renderings
captainsASV BBE DBY KJV NWB RVA
one thousandILT LSV ULB WEB
leadersDRA

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.

וּandclauseprepositional phrase · predicateמִofנַּפְתָּלִ֖יNaphtalinoun phrase · subjectשָׂרִ֣יםcommandersאָ֑לֶףone.thousandוְand.[were]clauseprepositional phrase · predicateעִמָּwithהֶם֙themprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwithnoun phraseצִנָּ֣הshieldוַandחֲנִ֔יתspearnoun phrase · subjectnumeral phrasenumeral phraseשְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםthirtyוְandשִׁבְעָ֖הsevenאָֽלֶףthousand

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 share similarities, with five of the nine words matched. However, the Septuagint's word order and articles differ, indicating a distinct interpretative approach in the Greek translation.

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

וּמִנַּפְתָּלִ֖י שָׂרִ֣ים אָ֑לֶף וְעִמָּהֶם֙ בְּצִנָּ֣ה וַחֲנִ֔ית שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה אָֽלֶף׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּמִנַּפְתָּלִ֖יἐκπορευόμενοιשָׂרִ֣יםπαράταχινוְעִמָּהֶם֙πᾶσινבְּצִנָּ֣הπολεμικοῖςוַחֲנִ֔יתξιλιάδες

5 of the 9 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.

1 Chronicles 12:34נַפְתָּלִיand of Naphand of Naphtaliנַפְתָּלִישַׂרcommanderscommandersשַׂראֶ֫לֶףone thousanone thousandאֶ֫לֶףעִםand with thand with themעִםצִנָּהwith shieldwith shieldצִנָּהחֲניִתand spearand spearחֲניִתשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtythirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםשֶׁ֫בַעand sevenand sevenשֶׁ֫בַעאֶ֫לֶףthousandthousandאֶ֫לֶףפָּתַלto twistto twistפָּתַלשָׂרַרto ruleto ruleשָׂרַראֶ֫לֶףcattlecattleאֶ֫לֶףעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםחָנָהto campto campחָנָהשָׁבַעto swearto swearשָׁבַעצֵןthornthornצֵןשָׁלֹשׁthreethreeשָׁלֹשׁשָׁלִthirdthirdשָׁלִמֵאָהhundredhundredמֵאָהחָמֵשׁfivefiveחָמֵשׁקֶ֫דֶשׁKedeshKedeshקֶ֫דֶשׁאָשֵׁרAsherAsherאָשֵׁרחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַרשָׁחַטbeatenbeatenשָׁחַטרֹ֫מַחspearspearרֹ֫מַח
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 1 Chronicles 12:34

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 of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
וּמִנַּפְתָּלִ֖יu.mi.naf.ta.Li and of Naphtali H5321 Conjunction · preposition · noun proper masculine
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Naphtali was a son of Jacob and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born to Bilhah, Rachel's servant, and is first mentioned in Genesis 30:8. Naphtali's descendants lived in the region of Galilee.
Tyndale gloss
Naphtali
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נַפְתָּלִי (Naphtali) refers to a son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him, as well as the territory assigned to that tribe. The name is derived from a root meaning 'my wrestling.' He is first mentioned in Genesis 30:8, and is noted to be the second son of Jacob by Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נַפְתָּלִי 61 n.pr.m. et trib. Naphtali

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5321 נַפְתָּלִי Naphtali

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5321 Naphtaliy naf-taw-lee'

from 6617; my wrestling; Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the

tribe descended from him, and its territory:--Naphtali.

see HEBREW for 06617

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נַפְתָּלִי (naph.ta.li) — Naphtali.

A man of the tribe of Naphtali living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.8;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Bilhah (H1090A);

brother of: Dan (H1835H);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Jahzeel (H3183), Guni (H1476), Jezer (H3337) and Shillem (H8006)

Also named: Nephthaleim (Νεφθαλείμ "Naphtali" G3508)

§ Naphtali = "wrestling"

1) the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel

2) the tribe descended from Naphtali the son of Jacob

3) the territory assigned to the tribe of Naphtali

נַפְתָּלִי (naph.ta.li) — (Kedesh)-naphtali.

Combined with qe.desh (קֶ֫דֶשׁ "Kedesh" H6943)

§ Naphtali = "wrestling"

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

naf'-ta-li (naphtali; Nephthaleim):

I. THE PATRIARCH

1. Name

2. Circumstances of His Birth

3. Historical and Traditional Details

II. TRIBE OF NAPHTALI

1. Its Relative Position

2. Its Location in Palestine

3. Physical Features

4. Distinction of the Tribe

5. Sites and Inhabitants

6. Labors of Jesus in This District

I. The Patriarch.

1. Name:

The 5th son of Jacob, and the 2nd born to him by Rachel's handmaid, Bilhah. He was full brother of Da (Ge 30:7).

At his birth Rachel is said to have exclaimed, naphtule 'Elohim niphtalti, "wrestlings of God"--i.e. "mighty wrestlings"--"have I wrestled."

2. Circumstances of His Birth:

Her sister's fruitfulness was a sore trial to the barren Rachel. By her artifice she had obtained children, the offspring of her maid ranking as her own; and thus her reproach of childlessness was removed. The name Naphtali given to…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Naphtali

My wrestling, the fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid (Gen. 30:8). When Jacob went down into Egypt, Naphtali had four sons (Gen. 46:24). Little is known of him as an individual.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(wrestling), the fifth son of Jacob; the second child name to him by Bilhah, Rachel’s slave. His birth and the bestowal of his name are recorded in (Genesis 30:8) When the census was taken at Mount Sinai the tribe of Naphtali numbered no less than 53,400 fighting men, (Numbers 1:43; 2:50) but when the borders of the promised land were reached, its numbers were reduced to, 45,400. (Numbers 26:48-50) During the march through the wilderness Naphtali occupied a position on the north of the sacred tent with Dan and Asher. (Numbers 2:25-31) In the apportionment of the land, the lot of Naphtali was enclosed on three sides by those of other tribes. On the west lay Asher, on the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The sixth son of Jacob, by Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, Ge 30:8. We know but few particulars of the lie of Naphtali. His sons were four, Ge 46:24. The patriarch Jacob, when he gave his blessing, said, as it is in the English Bible, "Naphtali is a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words," Ge 49:21. For an illustration of this passage, see HIND.

The tribe of Naphtali, called Nephtalim in Mt 4:15, were located in a rich and fertile portion of northern Palestine; having Asher on the west, the upper Jordan and part of the sea of Tiberias on the east; and running north into the Lebanon range, some lower offshoots of which prolonged to the south formed the "mountains of Naphtali,"…

and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
שָׂרִ֣יםsa.Rim commanders H8269 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
אָ֑לֶף'A.lef one thousand H505 Noun common · both singular absolute
506× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A thousand, as in Exodus 20:6 where God shows love to thousands of people. It represents a large number or a company of people under one leader, like an army or a group of soldiers.
Amplified meaning
leaders, captains
Tyndale gloss
thousand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫לֶף n.m. thousand

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H505 אֶ֫לֶף thousand

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).

See NUMBER.

and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
וְעִמָּהֶם֙ve.'i.ma.Hem and with them H5973 Conjunction · preposition · suffix
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/R/Sp3mp — Conjunction · preposition · suffix
HC/R/Sp3mp
and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
בְּצִנָּ֣הbe.tzi.Nah with shield H6793 Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word for shield refers to a protective device used in battle, like a buckler. It appears in the Bible as a symbol of God's protection, as in Psalm 5:12. The word also means cold, as in piercing or biting.
Tyndale gloss
hook
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word צִנָּה (*tsinnah*) has meanings related to a hook or barb, coolness, and a large shield. It is derived from a root meaning 'to prick' and can refer to something piercing or protective. The entries highlight its use in contexts like Amos 4:2 for a hook and Proverbs 25:13 for coolness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[צִנָּה] n.f. appar. hook, or barb (of fishing-spear?);—pl. Am 4:2

ref

[צִנָּה] n.f. coolness;—cstr. Pr 25:13

ref

צִנָּה n.f. large shield (covering whole body)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6793a צִנָּה appar. hook, or barb (of fishing-spear?) H6793b צִנָּה coolness H6793c צִנָּה large shield (covering whole body)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6793 tsinnah tsin-naw'

feminine of 6791; a hook (as pointed); also a (large) shield

(as if guarding by prickliness); also cold (as piercing):--

buckler, cold, hook, shield, target.

see HEBREW for 06791

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִנָּה (tsin.nah) — hook.

1) something piercing, hook, barb

1a) meaning uncertain

צִנָּה (tsin.nah) — coolness.

coolness, cold (of snow)

צִנָּה (tsin.nah) — shield.

1) shield, large shield, buckler

1a) shield

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncfsa — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HR/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sheld.

See ARMOR, IV, 1.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Shield

Used in defensive warfare, varying at different times and under different circumstances in size, form, and material (1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 1:21; 1 Kings 10:17; 1 Chr. 12:8, 24, 34; Isa. 22:6; Ezek. 39:9; Nahum 2:3).

Used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of their people (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29; Ps. 33:20; 84:11). Faith is…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The ordinary shield consisted of a framework of wood covered with leather; it thus admitted of being burnt. (Ezekiel 39:9) It was frequently cased with metal, either brass or copper; its appearance in this case resembled gold when the sun shone on it, 1 Macc. 6:39 and to this, rather than to the practice of smearing blood on the shield we may refer the redness noticed by. Nahum. (Nahum 2:3) The surface of the shield was kept bright by the application of oil as implied in (Isaiah 21:5) The shield was worn on the left arm, to which it was attached by a strap. Shields of state were covered with beaten gold. Shields were suspended about public buildings for ornamental purposes. (1 Kings 10:17) In the metaphorical language of the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A piece of defensive armor. God is often called the shield of his people, Ge 15:1 Ps 5:12 84:11, as are also princes and great men, 2Sa 1:21 Ps 47:9. See ARMOR.

and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
וַחֲנִ֔יתva.cha.Nit and spear H2595 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
47× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a spear or lance used for thrusting, like a tent pole. It appears in the stories of Saul and Jonathan, where they use spears in battle. The word is also used to describe a shaft or spear-head.
Tyndale gloss
spear
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֲנִית (chaniyth) refers to a spear or lance, emphasizing its use for thrusting. The term encompasses various parts of the spear, including the shaft and spear-head. Additionally, it is noted metaphorically in relation to the teeth of lions. The word is derived from חָנָה (chanah), suggesting a connection to flexibility.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲנִית n.f. spear (as flexible?)

spear, as hurled

shaft of spear

spear-head

butt of spear

metaph. of teeth of lions

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2595 חֲניִת spear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2595 chaniyth khan-eeth'

from 2583; a lance (for thrusting, like pitching a

tent):--javelin, spear.

see HEBREW for 02583

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲנִית (cha.nit) — spear.

1) spear

1a) spear

1a1) shaft of a spear

1a2) spear-head

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncfsa — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

[ARMS, ARMOR]

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (An implement of war)

→ (Spears and javelins differed in weight and size, but had similar uses)

→ Goliath' s 1Sa 17:7

→ Saul' s 1Sa 18:10,11

→ Stored in the tabernacle 2Ch 23:9

→ Changed into pruning-hooks Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3

→ Pruning-hooks beat into Joe 3:10

→ Plunged into Jesus' side Joh 19:34; 20:27; Zec 12:10; Re 1:7

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- An offensive weapon

2Sa 23:8,18

- First mention of, in Scripture

Jos 8:18

- PARTS OF MENTIONED

. The staff of wood

1Sa 17:7

. The head of iron or brass

1Sa 17:7; 2Sa 21:16

- Probably pointed at both ends

2Sa 2:23

- Called the glittering spear

Job 39:23; Hab 3:11

- DIFFERENT KINDS OF

. Lances

Jer 50:42

. Javelins

and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםshe.lo.Shim thirty H7970 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
173× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Thirty is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also be used as an ordinal to describe something as thirtieth. It is used to count quantities in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
thirty
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁלֹשִׁים (*shlowshiym*) means 'thirty' and can also refer to 'thirtieth' as an ordinal number. It is an indeclinable noun and is derived from the root word for 'three.' The entries indicate that it is used in various contexts, but there are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) 174 n.indecl. thirty

bef. n. sg.

as ordin.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7970 שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) n. indecl. thirty . bef. n. sg.

. as ordin.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem'

or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or

(ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth. Compare 7991.

see HEBREW for 07969

see HEBREW for 07991

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁלֹשִׁים (she.lo.shim) — thirty.

thirty, thirtieth

Aramaic equivalent: te.la.tin (תְּלָתִין "thirty" H8533)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
וְשִׁבְעָ֖הve.shiv.'Ah and seven H7651 Conjunction · noun common both singular absolute
395× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means the number seven, which was considered a special or sacred number. It can also mean seven times or a week, and is used in the Bible to describe completeness or perfection. The KJV translates it as seven or sevenfold.
Tyndale gloss
seven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫בַע (sheba`) means 'seven' and is a cardinal number. It can also imply 'seven times' or refer to a week. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations like 17 or 700. Its Aramaic equivalent is שִׁבְעָה (shiv.ah), also meaning 'seven'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה 394 n.m. et f. seven

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7651 שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה seven

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7651 sheba` sheh'-bah

or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from 7650; a primitive

cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also

(adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by

extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s,

(-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare 7658.

see HEBREW for 07650

see HEBREW for 07658

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫בַע (she.va) — seven.

1) seven (cardinal number)

1a) as ordinal number

1b) in combination-17, 700 etc

Aramaic equivalent: shiv.ah (שִׁבְעָה "seven" H7655)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Ncbsa — Conjunction · noun common both singular absolute
HC/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sev'-'-n (shebha`; hepta).

See NUMBER.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Seven

This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. “Jacob’s seven years’ service to Laban; Pharaoh’s seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days’ siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number” (see Lev. 25:4;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The frequent recurrence of certain numbers in the sacred literature of the Hebrews is obvious to the most superficial reader, but seven so far surpasses the rest, both in the frequency with which it recurs and in the importance of the objects with which it is associated, that it may fairly be termed the representative symbolic number. The influence of the number seven was not restricted to the Hebrews; it prevailed among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not simply in that of seen. The Sabbath being the seventh day suggested the adoption of seven as the coefficient, so to say, for their appointment of all sacred periods; and we thus find the 7th month ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets, and signalized by the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Great Day of Atonement; 7…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

As from the beginning this was the number of days in the week, so it often has in Scripture a sort of emphasis attached to it, and is very generally used as a round or perfect number. Clean beasts were taken into the ark by sevens, Ge 7:1-24. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens, Ge 41:1-57. With the Jews, not only was there a seventh day Sabbath, but every seventh year was a Sabbath, and after every seven times seven years came a jubilee. Their great feasts of unleavened bread and of tabernacles were observed for seven days; the number of animals in many of their sacrifices was limited to seven. The golden candlestick had seven branches. Seven priests with seven trumpets went around the walls of Jericho seven days, and seven times on the seventh day. In…

and of Naphtali commanders one thousand and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand
אָֽלֶף׃ ס'A.lef thousand H505 Noun common · both singular absolute
506× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A thousand, as in Exodus 20:6 where God shows love to thousands of people. It represents a large number or a company of people under one leader, like an army or a group of soldiers.
Tyndale gloss
thousand
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫לֶף n.m. thousand

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H505 אֶ֫לֶף thousand

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).

See NUMBER.

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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