1 Chronicles 2:8 — Word Study
WLCוּבְנֵ֥י אֵיתָ֖ן עֲזַרְיָֽה׃
BSAThe sonbên [or descendant, offspring] of EthanʼÊythân [a Levite in the United Monarchy] AzariahʻĂzaryâh [a name signifying God's help, one of nineteen Israelites with this name]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּבְנֵ֥י | and [the] sons of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| אֵיתָ֖ן | Ethan | Noun proper masculine |
| עֲזַרְיָֽה׃ | Azariah | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The son of Ethan: Azariah. |
| KJV | And the sons of Ethan; Azariah. |
| ASV | And the sons of Ethan: Azariah. |
| YLT | And sons of Ethan: Azariah. |
| WEB | The son of Ethan: Azariah. |
| BBE | And the son of Ethan: Azariah. |
Where they part company is in the transliteration of names, but all versions agree on the essential names presented.
The sentence is straightforward, presenting a clear relationship between Ethan and Azariah.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & 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 2:8
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 — Genealogy of Judahgenerated
1 Chronicles 2:8 is part of a genealogical listing that traces the lineage of Judah, focusing on the descendants of key figures. This verse succinctly notes Azariah as the son of Ethan, contributing to the broader narrative of Israel's heritage and the importance of family lines in the biblical context.
Cross References
The Key Word — עֲזַרְיָה, 'a.zar.Yahgenerated
The name עֲזַרְיָה (Azaryah) is a masculine proper noun meaning 'Jehovah has helped.' It is derived from the roots that convey the idea of assistance or help, indicating a divine favor.
Azariah is a common name in the Old Testament, borne by multiple individuals, including a king of Judah and a friend of Daniel. This highlights the significance of the name in the Israelite community, as it reflects a connection to God's support.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we refer to the Berean Standard Bible, which uses Azariah consistently, as do the KJV and ASV, maintaining the same name throughout.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a main clause with a subject noun phrase: וּבְנֵ֥י אֵיתָ֖ן (and the sons of Ethan) followed by the predicate עֲזַרְיָֽה (Azariah). This structure emphasizes the relationship of Azariah to Ethan.
The simplicity of the structure reflects the straightforward nature of genealogical records, where clarity of lineage is paramount.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֲזַרְיָה as αζαρια, maintaining the name while adapting it to Greek phonetics. This choice shows continuity in the identity of Azariah across translations.
The consistency in naming across both the Hebrew and Greek texts underscores the importance of these figures in the genealogical narrative.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 2:8 identifies Azariah as the son of Ethan. This verse is part of a genealogy that traces the descendants of Judah, showing the importance of family lines in the biblical narrative.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The name Azariah means 'Jehovah has helped,' indicating a connection to divine assistance.
Genealogies establish lineage, heritage, and fulfillments of God's promises through specific families.
There are nineteen different individuals named Azariah mentioned in the Bible.
Ethan is noted as a Levite during the United Monarchy, contributing to the priestly lineage.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can I learn from the genealogies about the importance of family and heritage in my own life?
- How does understanding the meaning of names like Azariah deepen my appreciation for the biblical text?
- In what ways can I reflect on the help I have received from God in my own life?
- Why do you think the chronicler emphasized certain names in the genealogy?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 2:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the sons of Ethan; Azariah. Including his posterity, see Genesis 46:23, the posterity of the other three sons of Zerah are not mentioned, either because the writer could not find the genealogy of
Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the sons of Ethan; Azariah. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Chronicles 2:8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.Ver. 8. And the sons of Ethan.] Sons, that is, son: synecdoche.
Read John Trapp on 1 Chronicles 2 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) The sons of Ethan.—Nothing is known of this Ethanite Azariah. It seems plain that the writer wished to name only the historically famous members of the Zarhite branch of Judah—in 1 Chronicles 2:6, the four proverbial sages; in 1 Chronicles 2:7, Achar who brought woe upon Israel by taking of the devoted spoils of Jericho.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 2 →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
The son of Ethan: Azariah.
The son of Ethan: Azariah.
The son of Ethan: Azariah.
The son of Ethan: Azariah.
Tyndale line
And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
And the sons of Ethan: Azariah.
And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
The sonne also of Ethan, Azariah.
Strictly literal
And the sons of Ethan: Azariah.
And sons of Ethan: Azariah.
And sons of Ethan: Azariah.
And the sons of Ethan: 'Azaryah.
Ethan's son was Azariah.
From the Latin
The sons of Ethan: Azarias,
Simplified
The son of Ethan: Azariah.
And the son of Ethan: Azariah.
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 wording of this verse, confirming that Azariah is indeed listed as the son of Ethan without variation in the key terms.
וּבְנֵ֥י אֵיתָ֖ן עֲזַרְיָֽה׃
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 2:8
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.
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)
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
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…
אֵיתָן (Eythan) refers to a wise man and is associated with the meaning 'enduring.' The term identifies several individuals in the Old Testament, including an Ezrahite known for his wisdom and various descendants of Levi. The entries note that Ethan is mentioned in contexts related to the United and Divided Monarchy, with specific references in 1 Kings and 1 Chronicles.
אֵיתָן n.pr.m. a wise man
base
H387 אֵיתָן a wise man
387 'Eythan ay-thawn'
the same as 386; permanent; Ethan, the name of four
Israelites:--Ethan.
see HEBREW for 0386
אֵיתָן (e.tan) — Ethan.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.4.31;
son of: Mahol (H4235);
brother of: Heman (H1968), Calcol (H3633) and Darda (H1862)
§ Ethan = "enduring"
1) an Ezrahite known for his wisdom
2) a grandson of Judah, father of Azariah
3) a Kohathite descendant of Levi
4) a Merarite son of Kushaiah, descendant of Levi
אֵיתָן (e.tan) — Ethan.
A man of the tribe of Judah living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.6;
son of: Zerah (H2226I);
brother of: Zabdi (H2067), Heman (H1968H), Calcol (H3633H) and Dara (H1873);
father of: Azariah (H5838I)
§ Ethan = "enduring"
1) an Ezrahite known for his wisdom
2) a grandson of Judah, father of Azariah
3) a Kohathite descendant of Levi
4) a Merarite son of Kushaiah, descendant of Levi
אֵיתָן (e.tan) — Ethan.
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
e'-than ('ethan, "firm," "enduring"; Gaithan):
(1) A wise man with whom Solomon is compared (1Ki 4:31). Called there "Ethan the Ezrahite," to whom the title of Ps 89 ascribes the authorship of that poem.
(2) A "son of Kishi," or "Kishaiah," of the Merari branch of the Levites, and, along with Heman and Asaph, placed by David over the service of song (1Ch 6:44; 15:17,19).
See JEDUTHUN.
(3) An ancestor of Asaph of the Gershomite branch of the Levites (1Ch 6:42).
Ethan
Firm. (1.) “The Ezrahite,” distinguished for his wisdom (1 Kings 4:31). He is named as the author of the 89th Psalm. He was of the tribe of Levi.
(2.) A Levite of the family of Merari, one of the leaders of the temple music (1 Chr. 6:44; 15:17, 19). He was probably the same as Jeduthun. He is supposed by some to be the same also as (1).
(enduring). Ethan the Ezrahite, one of the four sons of Mahol, whose wisdom was excelled by Solomon. (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 2:6) His name is in the title of (Psalms 89:1) Son of Kishi or Kushaiah; a Merarite Levite, head of that family in the time of King David, (1 Chronicles 6:44) and spoken of as a "singer." With Heman and Asaph, the heads of the other two families of Levites, Ethan was appointed to sound with cymbals. (1 Chronicles 15:17,19) A Gershonite Levite, one of the ancestors of Asaph the singer. (1 Chronicles 6:42) Hebr 27. (B.C. 1420.)
1. One of four men renowned for wisdom, though excelled by Solomon, 1Ki 4:31 1Ch 2:6. He appears to have been a son of Zerah or Ezra, and grandson of the patriarch Judah.
2. A Levite, son of Kishi, and one of the three masters of the temple music, 1Ch 6:44 15:17-19. He would seem to be the same as Jeduthun, 1Ch 25:1 2Ch 35:15.
3. A person to whom Ps 89:1-52 is inscribed.
The Hebrew word עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ (*Azaryah*) means 'Jah has helped' and is a personal name associated with numerous figures in the Old Testament, including kings, priests, and Levites. It is derived from the roots meaning 'to help' and 'Yah' (God). The entries highlight various individuals named Azariah, including a king of Judah and a friend of Daniel, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ, עֲזַרְיָה n.pr.m. (י׳ hath helped); Azariah
king of Judah
officer of Sol.
id. prophet
sons of Jehosh.
priests
Levites
a temple captain
wall-builder
one with Zerub.
12:33.
Ephraimite
name in Judah
base
H5838 עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ, עֲזַרְיָה
5838 `Azaryah az-ar-yaw'
or mAzaryahuw {az-ar-yaw'-hoo}; from 5826 and 3050; Jah has
helped; Azarjah, the name of nineteen Israelites:--Azariah.
see HEBREW for 05826
see HEBREW for 03050
עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ (a.zar.yah) — Azariah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.4.2;
son of: Ahimaaz (H0290H);
father of: Johanan (H3110J)
§ Azariah = "Jehovah has helped"
1) son of king Amaziah of Judah and king of Judah himself for 52 years; also 'Uzziah'
2) the godly friend of Daniel who Nebuchadnezzar renamed Abednego; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king's table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord
2a) also, 'Abednego' (H5664 or H5665)
3) son of Nathan and an officer of Solomon; perhaps David's grandson and Solomon's nephew
4) a prophet in the days of king Asa of Judah
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Azariah
Whom Jehovah helps. (1.) Son of Ethan, of the tribe of Judah (1 Chr. 2:8).
(2.) Son of Ahimaaz, who succeeded his grandfather Zadok as high priest (1 Chr. 6:9; 1 Kings 4:2) in the days of Solomon. He officiated at the consecration of the temple (1 Chr. 6:10).
(3.) The son of Johanan, high priest in the reign of Abijah and Asa (2 Chr. 6:10, 11).
(4.) High priest in the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 26:17-20). He was contemporary with the prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Joel.
(whom the Lord helps) a common name in Hebrew, and especially in the families of the priests of the line of Eleazar, whose name has precisely the same meaning as Azariah. It is nearly identical, and is often confounded, with Ezra as well as with Zerahiah and Seraiah. The principal persons who bore this name were-- Son of Ahimaaz. (1 Chronicles 6:9) He appears from (1 Kings 4:2) to have succeeded Zadok, his grandfather, in the high priesthood, in the reign of Solomon, Ahimaaz having died before Zadok. (B.C. About 1000.) [AHIMAAZ] A chief officer of Solomon’s, the son of Nathan, perhaps David’s grandson. (1 Kings 4:5) Tenth king of Judah, more frequently called Uzziah. (2 Kings…
A king of Judah, 2Ki 15:1-7. In 2Ch 26:1-23, and elsewhere, he is called Uzziah. He began to reign at sixteen years of age, B. C. 806. The first part of his reign was prosperous and happy; but afterwards, presuming to offer incense in the temple, he was smitten with leprosy, and continued a leper till his death, 2Ch 26:16- 23. This name was very common among the Jews, and was borne by many briefly referred to in Scripture.