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1 Chronicles 23:15 — Word Study

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WLCבְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה גֵּרְשֹׁ֖ם וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃

BSAThe sonsbên [descendants, offspring] of MosesMôsheh [the Israelite leader, lawgiver] GershomGêrᵉshôm [son of Moses and Zipporah] and EliezerʼĔlîyʻezer [meaning God is help, a name signifying divine assistance]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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 (ve.'e.li.'E.zer) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 23:15quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse lists the sons of Moses, highlighting Gershom and Eliezer.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the lineage of Moses.
Where we areThis verse is part of a genealogical record in the context of the Levites.
The hard wordבְּנֵי
Take awayMoses had two notable sons, each with significance in Israel's history.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & 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 23:15

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 Lineage of Mosesgenerated

14As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.
15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.
16The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first.
17The descendants of Eliezer: Rehabiah was the first. Eliezer did not have any other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.

1 Chronicles 23:15 provides a brief mention of Moses' sons, Gershom and Eliezer, as part of the genealogical listings that establish the heritage of the Levite tribe. This context emphasizes the importance of lineage in Israel's history and the roles that these individuals played in the community.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 2:22And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”
2Exodus 4:20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
3Exodus 18:3–4along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בְּנֵי, be.Neigenerated

The word בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'descendant' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including grandsons and figurative uses. It indicates familial relationships and is often used in genealogical contexts throughout the Old Testament.

In this verse, it highlights the direct descendants of Moses, establishing their significance within the broader narrative of Israel's history.


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 finite verb is absent in this simple declarative sentence, which consists of a noun phrase serving as the subject, בְּנֵי מֹשֶׁ֔ה (the sons of Moses), followed by the predicate naming the sons. The structure is straightforward, presenting the information clearly.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the sons of Moses, indicating their importance in the genealogical context.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בְּנֵי as υἱοὶ (huioi), meaning 'sons.' This translation maintains the familial connection present in the Hebrew, emphasizing the lineage.

The choice of υἱοὶ shows a direct correspondence to the Hebrew term, preserving the meaning of descendants.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 23:15 states that Moses had two sons: Gershom and Eliezer. Gershom's name means 'foreigner,' while Eliezer means 'God is help.' This verse highlights their significance in the lineage of the Israelites.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who were the sons of Moses?

The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer, each playing roles in the history of Israel.

What does the name Gershom mean?

Gershom means 'foreigner,' reflecting Moses' experience as an outsider in Midian.

What does the name Eliezer signify?

Eliezer means 'God is help,' indicating divine assistance.

Why is the lineage of Moses important?

The lineage establishes the heritage of the Levite tribe and highlights the roles of Moses' descendants in Israel's history.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What significance do you think Gershom and Eliezer had in the history of Israel?
  2. How does understanding Moses' family help us comprehend his leadership?
  3. In what ways can we see the importance of lineage in our own families?
  4. How can the meanings of Gershom and Eliezer inspire us in our faith?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 23:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. See Exodus 18:3.

Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 23 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) The sons of Moses.—See Exodus 2:22 for “Gershom,” Exodus 18:3-4 for both. Gershom means “expulsion” (comp Genesis 3:24), and is a variant form of Gcrshon. What is said in Exodus 2:22 is an allusive play on the name, not a derivation of it. “Eliezer,” God is help, a distinct name from “Eleazar” (1 Chronicles 23:22), God hath helped, or, is a helper.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. Gershom and Eliezer] Cp. Exodus 18:3-4.

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 23 →

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

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The sons of Moses; Gershom and Eliezer.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The sons of Moses were , Gershom, and Eliezer.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The sonnes of Moses were Gershom, and Eliezer,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eli'ezer.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Moses' sons were Gershom and Eliezer.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

The sons of Moses were Gersom and Eliezer:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectבְּנֵ֣יthe.sonsמֹשֶׁ֔הof.Mosesnoun phrase · predicateגֵּרְשֹׁ֖ם[were].GershomוֶandאֱלִיעֶֽזֶרEliezer

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all four words matched in the Septuagint, reflecting a consistent understanding of Moses' sons.

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

בְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה גֵּרְשֹׁ֖ם וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
בְּנֵ֣יυἱοὶמֹשֶׁ֔הμωυσῆגֵּרְשֹׁ֖םγηρσαμוֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃ελιεζερ

4 of the 4 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 23:15בֵּן[the] sons [the] sons ofבֵּןמֹשֶׁהMosesMosesמֹשֶׁהגֵּרְשֹׁםGershomGershomגֵּרְשֹׁםאֱלִיעֶ֫זֶרand Eliezerand Eliezerאֱלִיעֶ֫זֶרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהמָשָׁהto drawto drawמָשָׁהאֵלgodgodאֵלגֵּרְשׁוֹןGershonGershonגֵּרְשׁוֹןעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןאַהֲרֹןAaronAaronאַהֲרֹןצָוָהto commandto commandצָוָהלִבְנִיLibniLibniלִבְנִייַ֫חַתJahathJahathיַ֫חַתרְחַבְיָהRehabiahRehabiahרְחַבְיָהשְׁמַעְיָ֫הShemaiahShemaiahשְׁמַעְיָ֫ה
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 23:15

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] sons of Moses Gershom and Eliezer
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei [the] sons of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendants, offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SON, SONS.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

[the] sons of Moses Gershom and Eliezer
מֹשֶׁ֔הmo.Sheh Moses H4872 Noun proper masculine
766× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Moses, the Israelite leader, was born to Amram and Jochebed and led the Exodus from Egypt. He received the law from God and is considered a key figure in the Bible. Moses means 'drawn' in Hebrew.
Amplified meaning
the Israelite leader, lawgiver
Tyndale gloss
Moses
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) refers to Moses, the prominent Hebrew leader, prophet, and lawgiver. The name is derived from the root meaning 'drawing out,' indicating his rescue from water. He is a key figure in the Old Testament, first mentioned in Exodus 2:10, and is known for leading the Israelites during the Exodus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4872 מֹשֶׁה Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4872 Mosheh mo-sheh'

from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh,

the Israelite lawgiver:--Moses.

see HEBREW for 04871

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֹשֶׁה (mo.sheh) — Moses.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.10;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Aaron (H0175) and Miriam (H4813); married to Zipporah (H6855);

father of: Gershom (H1647) and Eliezer (H0461H); also called Manasseh at Jdg.18.30(?)

§ Moses = "drawn"

the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mo'-zez, mo'-ziz (mosheh; Egyptian mes, "drawn out," "born"; Septuagint Mouse(s)). The great Hebrew national hero, leader, author, law-giver and prophet.

I. LIFE

1. Son of Levi

2. Foundling Prince

3. Friend of the People

4. Refuge in Midian

5. Leader of Israel

II. WORK AND CHARACTER

1. The Author

2. The Lawgiver

3. The Prophet

LITERATURE

The traditional view of the Jewish church and of the Christian church, that Moses was a person and that the narrative with which his life-story is interwoven is real history, is in the main sustained by commentators and critics of all classes.

It is needless to mention the old writers among whom these questions were hardly under discussion. Among the advocates of the current radical criticism may be mentioned Stade and Renan, who minimize the historicity of the Bible narrative at this point. Renan thinks the narrative "may be very probable." Ewald, Wellhausen…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Moses

Drawn (or Egypt. mesu, “son;” hence Rameses, royal son). On the invitation of Pharaoh (Gen. 45:17-25), Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt. This immigration took place probably about 350 years before the birth of Moses. Some centuries before Joseph, Egypt had been conquered by a pastoral Semitic race from Asia, the Hyksos, who brought into cruel subjection the native Egyptians, who were an African race. Jacob and his retinue were accustomed to a shepherd’s life, and on their arrival in Egypt were received with favour by the king, who assigned them the “best of the land”, the land of Goshen, to dwell in. The Hyksos or “shepherd” king who thus showed favour to Joseph and his family was in all probability the Pharaoh Apopi (or Apopis).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. Mosheh , "drawn," i.e. from the water; in the Coptic it means "saved from the water"), the legislator of the Jewish people, and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion. The immediate pedigree of Moses is as follows: Levi was the father of: Gershon -- Kohath -- Merari Kohath was the father of: Amram = Jochebed Amram = Jochebed was the father of: Hur = Miriam -- Aaron = Elisheba -- Moses = Zipporah Aaron = Elisheba was the father of: Nadab -- Abihu -- Eleazar -- Ithamar Eleazar was the father of: Phineas Moses = Zipporah was the father of: Gershom -- Eliezer Gershom was the father of: Jonathan The history of Moses naturally divides itself into three periods of 40 years each. Moses was born at Goshen, In Egypt, B.C. 1571. The story of his birth is thoroughly Egyptian in its scene. His mother made extraordinary efforts for his preservation from the general destruction of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The name of the illustrious prophet and legislator of the Hebrews, who led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Having been originally imposed by a native Egyptian princess, the word is no doubt Egyptian in its origin, and Josephus gives its true derivation—from the two Egyptian words, MO, water, and USE, saved. With this accords the Septuagint form, MOUSES. The Hebrews by a slight change accommodated it to their own language, as they did also in the case of some other foreign words; calling it MOSHIE, from the verb MASHA, to draw. See Ex 2:10. Moses was born about 15.71 B. C., the son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, and the younger brother of Miriam and Aaron. His history is too extensive to permit insertion here, and in general too well known to need it. It is enough simply to remark, that it is divided into three…

[the] sons of Moses Gershom and Eliezer
גֵּרְשֹׁ֖םge.re.Shom Gershom H1647 Noun proper masculine
13× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Gershom was the name of several Israelites, including the son of Moses and Zipporah, who played important roles in the Bible. The name means 'foreigner' and is mentioned in books like Exodus and Ezra.
Amplified meaning
son of Moses and Zipporah
Tyndale gloss
Gershom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גֵּרְשֹׁם (Gershom) refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, primarily the firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah, and also a son of Levi. The name is associated with the meaning 'foreigner.' The entries note that Gershom is mentioned in contexts related to the Exodus and the priestly lineage, including references in Exodus and Ezra.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גֵּרְשֹׁם n.pr.m.

son of Moses and Ṣipporah

a son of Levi

a son of Phinehas

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1647 גֵּרְשֹׁם . son of Moses and Ṣipporah

. a son of Levi

. a son of Phinehas

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1647 Gershom gay-resh-ome'

for 1648; Gereshom, the name of four Israelites:--Gershom.

see HEBREW for 01648

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גֵּרְשֹׁם (ge.re.shom) — Gershom.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.2.22;

son of: Moses (H4872) and Zipporah (H6855);

brother of: Eliezer (H0461H);

father of: Jonathan (H3083)(?) and Shebuel (H7619)

§ Gershom = "foreigner"

1) firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah

2) firstborn son of Levi

3) a son of the priestly family of Phinehas who returned from exile with Ezra

גֵּרְשֹׁם (ge.re.shom) — Gershom.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11;

son of: Levi (H3878);

brother of: Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115);

father of: Libni (H3845G) and Shimei (H8096G); also called Gershom at 1Ch.6.16,17,20,43,62,71; 15.7;

Another spelling of ge.re.shon (גֵּרְשׁוֹן "Gershon" H1648)

§ Gershom = "foreigner"

1) firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gur'-shom (gereshom, from garash, "to cast out"; explained, however, in Ex 2:22 and 18:3 as from gur, "For he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land"):

(1) Firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah. The only details of his life contained in the Pentateuch are the account of his circumcision (Ex 4:25), and his remaining under the care of Jethro, while Moses was in Egypt leading the Exodus. His descendants were numbered among the tribes of Levi (1Ch 23:14). One of them apparently was the Jonathan who officiated as priest of the idolatrous sanctuary at Dan, and whose descendants held the office until the captivity. The Massoretic Text inserts a suspended nun, "n," in the name of Moses (mosheh), causing it to be lead Manasseh…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Gershom

Expulsion. (1.) The eldest son of Levi (1 Chr. 6:16, 17, 20, 43, 62, 71; 15:7)=GERSHON (q.v.).

(2.) The elder of the two sons of Moses born to him in Midian (Ex. 2:22; 18:3). On his way to Egypt with his family, in obedience to the command of the Lord, Moses was attacked by a sudden and dangerous illness (4:24-26), which Zipporah his wife believed to have been sent because he had neglected to circumcise his son. She accordingly took a “sharp stone” and circumcised her son Gershom, saying, “Surely a bloody husband art thou to me”, i.e., by the blood of her child she had, as it were, purchased her husband, had won him back again.

(3.) A descendant of Phinehas who returned with Ezra from Babylon (Ezra 8:2).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a stranger or exile). The first-born son of Moses and Zipporah. (Exodus 2:22; 18:3) (B.C. 1530.) The form under which the name GERSHON--the eldest son of Levi--is given in several passages of Chronicles, viz., (1 Chronicles 6:16,17,20,43,62,71; 15:7) The representative of the priestly family of Phinehas, among those who accompanied Ezra from Babylon. (Ezra 8:2) (B.C. 536.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A stranger there, one of the two sons of Moses and Zipporah, in the land of Midian, Ex 2:22; 18:3. Moses appears to have given them no rank or emoluments but those of simple Levites, 1Ch 23:15.

[the] sons of Moses Gershom and Eliezer
וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃ve.'e.li.'E.zer and Eliezer H461 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Eliezer means God is help, the name of Abraham's servant and several Israelites, including a prophet and a priest. It appears in Ezra 10:31 and other biblical accounts. Eliezer played significant roles in Israel's history.
Amplified meaning
meaning God is help, a name signifying divine assistance
Tyndale gloss
Eliezer
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר (Eliy'ezer) means "God is help" and refers to various individuals in the Old Testament, including Abraham's servant, a son of Moses, and several priests. It is built from the roots for "God" and "help." The name appears in multiple contexts, with mentions in Genesis, Exodus, and Chronicles.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר n.pr.m. (God is help)

Abraham’s steward, a Damascene

son of Moses

Benjamite

several priests

Reubenite

prophet in time of Jehoshaphat

Levite chief

son of Harim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H461 אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר (God is help)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

461 'Eliy`ezer el-ee-eh'-zer

from 410 and 5828; God of help; Eliezer, the name of a

Damascene and of ten Israelites:--Eliezer.

see HEBREW for 0410

see HEBREW for 05828

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר (e.li.e.zer) — Eliezer.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, only mentioned at Gen.15.2

§ Eliezer = "God is help"

1) Abraham's Damascene servant

2) a son of Moses

3) a Benjamite

4) a priest who helped move the ark

5) a Reubenite

6) a prophet who spoke to Jehoshaphat

7) a Levite chief

8) son of Harim

9) priest with foreign wife

אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר (e.li.e.zer) — Eliezer.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.18.4;

son of: Moses (H4872) and Zipporah (H6855);

brother of: Gershom (H1647);

father of: Rehabiah (H7345)

§ Eliezer = "God is help"

1) Abraham's Damascene servant

2) a son of Moses

3) a Benjamite

4) a priest who helped move the ark

5) a Reubenite

6) a prophet who spoke to Jehoshaphat

7) a Levite chief

8) son of Harim

9) priest with foreign wife

אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר (e.li.e.zer) — Eliezer.

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

el-i-e'-zer, e-li-e'-zer ('eli`ezer; Eliezer, "God is help"):

(1) The chief servant of Abram (Ge 15:2); the American Standard Revised Version "Eliezer of Damascus," the English Revised Version "Dammesek Eliezer." The Hebrew is peculiar: literally, "And the son of the possession (mesheq) of my house is Dammeseq (of) Eliezer." A possible but unlikely meaning is that his property would become the possession of Damascus, the city of Eliezer. Targum Syriac (Revised Version margin) read "Eliezer the Damascene": this supposes a reading, "Eliezer ha- dammasqi" or "mid-dammeseq." The text may be corrupt: the assonance between mesheq and Dammeseq is suspicious. Abram calls Eliezer "one born in my house" i.e. a dependant, a member of his household, and so regards him as his heir, Lot having gone from him (Ge 13). Eliezer is probably the servant…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Eliezer

God his help. (1.) “Of Damascus,” the “steward” (R.V., “possessor”) of Abraham’s house (Gen. 15:2, 3). It was probably he who headed the embassy sent by Abraham to the old home of his family in Padan-aram to seek a wife for his son Isaac. The account of this embassy is given at length in Gen. 24.

(2.) The son of Becher, and grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 7:8).

(3.) One of the two sons of Moses, born during his sojourn in Midian (Ex. 18:4; 1 Chr. 23:15, 17). He remained with his mother and brother Gershom with Jethro when Moses returned to Egypt. (Ex. 18:4). They were restored to Moses when Jethro heard of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Of Damascus, the lawful heir of Abraham, should he die childless, Ge 15:2. He is generally assumed to be the "eldest servant," who was sent, sixty-five years afterwards, to obtain a wife for Isaac, Ge 24:1-67. But as the name of the latter is not given; as Abraham had near relatives, Lot and others; and as there is no evidence that he ever lived in Damascus, some think Eliezer must have been a near relative of Abraham residing at Damascus; and that "steward of my house" and "born in my house"-literally son of my house, Ge 15:2,3-mean the same thing, the lawful family heir.

2. Several others of this name are mentioned, Ex 18:4

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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