1 Chronicles 24:28 — Word Study
WLCלְמַחְלִי֙ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר וְלֹא־ הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בָּנִֽים׃
BSAFrom MahliMachlîy [an Israelite, son of Mushi] EleazarʼElʻâzâr [God has helped] who hadhâyâh■ [existed with] nolôʼ sonsbên [descendants, male children]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְמַחְלִי֙ | for [the] Mahlite[s] | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| אֶלְעָזָ֔ר | Eleazar | Noun proper masculine |
| וְלֹא־ | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| הָ֥יָה | it belonged | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| ל֖וֹ | to him | Preposition, suffix |
| בָּנִֽים׃ | sons | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. |
| KJV | Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons. |
| ASV | Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. |
| YLT | For Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons; |
| WEB | Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. |
| BBE | Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. |
Where they part company is in the wording of Eleazar's descendants — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward, with a main clause introducing Eleazar and a subordinate clause providing additional information about him.
1 commentators on this verse
Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֶלְעָזָר
verbהָיָה
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 24:28
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Genealogy of the Levitesgenerated
1 Chronicles 24:28 is part of a broader genealogical account of the Levites, detailing the lineage and roles of various families within the tribe. This verse specifically mentions Eleazar, a descendant of Mahli, highlighting the absence of male heirs in his line. This context emphasizes the importance of lineage and inheritance in Israelite society, particularly among the priestly class.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 23:22 | Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֶלְעָזָ֔ר, 'el.'a.Zargenerated
The name אֶלְעָזָ֔ר (Eleazar) means 'God has helped' and is associated with several significant figures in the Old Testament, including a high priest and a warrior of David. The parsing as a noun proper masculine indicates that Eleazar is a specific individual within the genealogical record.
The significance of Eleazar's name reflects God's assistance in his lineage, even as this verse notes the lack of male descendants, which could impact the continuation of his family line.
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 main verb of the verse is הָיָה, it belonged, which governs the structure. The sentence includes a prepositional phrase indicating the subject's lineage and a clause describing Eleazar's lack of descendants.
The syntax emphasizes Eleazar's identity and condition, with the structure reflecting the genealogical nature of the text.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֶלְעָזָ֔ר as ελεαζαρ, maintaining the meaning 'God has helped.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew, indicating a consistent understanding of Eleazar's significance.
The LXX does not alter the essence of the original text, preserving the genealogical context and the mention of Eleazar's descendants.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 24:28 tells us about Eleazar, a descendant of Mahli, who had no sons. This verse is part of a list of Levite families, showing the importance of lineage in Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Eleazar means 'God has helped' and signifies divine assistance.
The absence of sons indicates a break in the family line, which was crucial for inheritance and priestly duties.
Mahli was an Israelite, son of Mushi, and part of the Levite lineage.
Genealogies establish lineage, inheritance rights, and the fulfillment of God's promises to His people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding Eleazar's lineage help us appreciate the importance of family in biblical narratives?
- What can we learn from the absence of male descendants in Eleazar's line?
- How do genealogies in the Bible reflect God's faithfulness to His promises?
- In what ways does the name Eleazar inspire us to recognize God's help in our lives?
Commentators on this verse — 1 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 24:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(28) Of Mahli came Eleazar.—Literally, To Mahli, Eleazar; and there became not to him sons. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 23:22.) The clan Eleazar did not branch out into new clans, but, being few in number, amalgamated with that of Kish-Jerahmeel.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 24 →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
From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
Tyndale line
Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.
Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
Of Mahli; Eleazar, who had no sons.
Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.
Of Mahli came Eleazar, which had no sonnes.
Strictly literal
Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
For Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons;
Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons;
Of Machli: El'azar, who had no sons.
From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
From the Latin
And the son of Moholi: Eleazar, who had no sons.
Simplified
From Mahli: Eleazar, who did not have any sons.
Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.
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 לְמַחְלִי֙ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר וְלֹא־ הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בָּנִֽים׃, with no variations noted between the two versions.
לְמַחְלִי֙ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר וְלֹא־ הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בָּנִֽים׃
6 of the 6 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 24:28
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.
מַחְלִי (Machliy) refers to two individuals from the tribe of Levi, specifically the son of Merari and the son of Mushi. The name means 'sick' and is linked to the family of the Mahlites. He is first mentioned in Exodus 6:19 and in 1 Chronicles 6:47, highlighting his lineage and descendants.
מַחְלִי n.pr.m.
Levite, son of Merari
son of Mushi, grandson of Merari
base
H4249 מַחְלִי . Levite, son of Merari
. son of Mushi, grandson of Merari
4249 Machliy makh-lee'
from 2470; sick; Machli, the name of two Israelites:--Mahli.
see HEBREW for 02470
מַחְלִי (mach.li) — Mahli.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.19;
son of: Merari (H4847);
brother of: Mushi (H4187) and Jaaziah (H3269);
father of: Libni (H3845H), Eleazar (H0499J) and Kish (H7027H)
Also named: mach.li (מַחְלִי "Mahlite" H4250)
§ Mahli = "sick"
1) son of Merari and grandson of Levi; progenitor of the family of the Mahlites
2) son of Mushi, grandson of Merari, and great grandson of Levi
מַחְלִי (mach.li) — Mahli.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at 1Ch.6.47;
son of: Mushi (H4187);
brother of: Eder (H5740A) and Jerimoth (H3406K);
father of: Shemer (H8106)
§ Mahli = "sick"
1) son of Merari and grandson of Levi; progenitor of the family of the Mahlites
2) son of Mushi, grandson of Merari, and great grandson of Levi
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
The Hebrew word אֶלְעָזָר (El`azar) means "God has helped" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including a high priest, a Levite, and a warrior of David. It is derived from the roots for "God" and "helper". The entries highlight various figures named Eleazar, such as the son of Aaron and the son of Abinadab, who played significant roles in Israel's history.
אֶלְעָזָר n.pr.m. (God has helped)
Eleazar the priest
son of Abinadab
one of David’s heroes
a Levite
priest of the time of Ezra
one of the line of Parosh
base
H499 אֶלְעָזָר (God has helped) . Eleazar the priest
. son of Abinadab
. one of David’s heroes
. a Levite
. priest of the time of Ezra
. one of the line of Parosh
499 'El`azar el-aw-zawr'
from 410 and 5826; God (is) helper; Elazar, the name of seven
Israelites:--Eleazar.
see HEBREW for 0410
see HEBREW for 05826
אֶלְעָזָר (el.a.zar) — Eleazar.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.6.23;
son of: Aaron (H0175) and Elisheba (H0472);
brother of: Nadab (H5070), Abihu (H0030) and Ithamar (H0385); married to daughter_of_Putiel (H6317H);
father of: Phinehas (H6372)
§ Eleazar = "God has helped"
1) the high priest son of Aaron
2) Abinadab's son who cared for the ark
3) the priest who rebuilt and dedicated the restored walls of Jerusalem in time of Ezra
4) one of David's mighty warriors
5) a Levite
6) one of the line of Parosh
אֶלְעָזָר (el.a.zar) — Eleazar.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Sa.7.1;
son of: Abinadab (H0041);
brother of: Uzzah (H5798A) and Ahio (H0283)
§ Eleazar = "God has helped"
1) the high priest son of Aaron
2) Abinadab's son who cared for the ark
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
el-e-a'-zar, e-le-a'-zar ('el-`azar; Eleazar, "God is helper"):
(1) The 3rd son of Aaron by Elisheba (Ex 6:23; Nu 3:2).
He married one of the daughters of Putiel, who bore him Phinehas (Ex 6:25). With his father and 3 brothers he was consecrated to the priest's office (Ex 28:1). After the destruction of Nadab and Abihu, he occupied a more important position, and he and Ithamar "ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father" (Le 10:6 f; Nu 3:4; 1Ch 24:2 ff). He was given the oversight of the…
Eleazar
God has helped. (1.) The third son of Aaron (Ex. 6:23). His wife, a daughter of Putiel, bore him Phinehas (Ex. 6:25). After the death of Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:12; Num. 3:4) he was appointed to the charge of the sanctuary (Num. 3:32). On Mount Hor he was clothed with the sacred vestments, which Moses took from off his brother Aaron and put upon him as successor to his father in the high priest’s office, which he held for more than twenty years (Num. 20:25-29). He took part with Moses in numbering the people (26:3, 4), and assisted at the inauguration of…
(help of God). Third son of Aaron. After the death of Nadab and Abihu without children, (Leviticus 10:6; Numbers 3:4) Eleazar was appointed chief over the principal Levites. (Numbers 3:32) With his brother Ithamar he ministered as a priest during their father’s lifetime, and immediately before his death was invested on Mount Hor with the sacred garments, as the successor of Aaron in the office of high priest. (Numbers 20:28) (B.C. 1452.) One of his first duties was in conjunction with Moses to superintend the census of the people. (Numbers 26:3) After the conquest of Canaan by Joshua he took part in the distribution of…
1. The third son of Aaron, and high priest after him, Ex 6:23; Nu 20:25-28. The high priesthood continued in his family through seven generations; till the time of Eli, when we find it transferred to the line of Ithamar. In the reigns of Saul and David, it was restored to the line of Eleazar, and so continued till after the captivity.
2. A son of Abinadab, honored with the charge of the ark while it was in his father’s house, 1Sa 7:1.
3. One of David’s champions, 2Sa 23:9; 1Ch 11:11-18.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
וֹ (o) — him.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3ms
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa