1 Chronicles 25:16 — Word Study
WLCהַתְּשִׁיעִ֣י מַתַּנְיָ֔הוּ בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
BSAthe ninthtᵉshîyʻîy to MattaniahMattanyâh [gift of Jehovah] his sonsbên [descendants, offspring] and his brothersʼâch [male siblings, close relatives, a dozen, twelve] 12 [in all]shᵉnayim
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַתְּשִׁיעִ֣י | the ninth | Particle |
| מַתַּנְיָ֔הוּ | Mattaniah | Noun proper masculine |
| בָּנָ֥יו | sons his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| וְאֶחָ֖יו | and relatives his | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| שְׁנֵ֥ים | two [plus] | Noun common, both dual absolute |
| עָשָֽׂר׃ | ten | Noun common, both singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all; |
| KJV | The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: |
| ASV | the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: |
| YLT | the ninth [to] Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; |
| WEB | the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
| BBE | The ninth Mattaniah, with his sons and his brothers, twelve; |
Translations agree on the main elements of the verse, particularly regarding Mattaniah and his family.
The structure of the verse includes a main clause with additional phrases that provide details about the subjects and the total count.
1 commentators on this verse
Gill & 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 25:16
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 Organization of Temple Musiciansgenerated
1 Chronicles 25:16 describes the assignments of the Levites in the temple service, specifically noting the ninth group led by Mattaniah. This section emphasizes the structure and order within the temple, reflecting the importance of proper worship and service to God. The chronicler meticulously records these divisions to preserve the heritage and responsibilities of the Levites, ensuring each family's role is recognized and honored.
Cross References
The Key Word — מַתַּנְיָ֔הוּ, ma.tan.Ya.hugenerated
The name מַתַּנְיָהוּ (Mattaniah) means 'gift of Jehovah' and is a proper noun referring to several individuals in the Old Testament, including the last king of Judah, Zedekiah. The name signifies a divine blessing and connection to God.
Mattaniah's role in this verse highlights his importance in the temple service, as he is entrusted with responsibilities alongside his sons and brothers. This reflects the communal aspect of worship and the significance of family in serving God.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase the ninth to Mattaniah.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause of the verse is centered around the assignment of duties, with מַתַּנְיָ֔הוּ (Mattaniah) as the subject. The structure includes phrases that specify his sons and brothers, culminating in the total number of participants.
The syntax emphasizes the hierarchical organization of the Levites, with the numeral phrase indicating the total count, which is a crucial aspect of the temple's operational structure.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מַתַּנְיָ֔הוּ as μανθανιας, maintaining the name while adapting it to Greek phonetics. This choice reflects the translators' intention to preserve the original meaning while making it accessible to a Greek-speaking audience.
The Greek term used does not alter the significance of the name but rather confirms the continuity of Mattaniah's role across different linguistic traditions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 25:16 tells us that the ninth group of temple workers was assigned to Mattaniah, along with his sons and brothers, totaling twelve individuals. This verse is part of a larger list that organizes the Levites' duties in the temple.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Mattaniah means 'gift of Jehovah' and signifies a divine blessing.
The number twelve often represents completeness and is significant in biblical contexts, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mattaniah and his family were assigned specific duties in the temple service, highlighting their importance in worship.
This verse is part of a detailed account of the organization of the Levites, emphasizing the structure and order necessary for temple worship.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to serve in a community like the Levites did?
- How can understanding the roles of families in worship enhance our appreciation for community service today?
- In what ways can we recognize and honor those who serve in our own communities?
- How does the concept of being a 'gift of God' apply to our lives and the roles we play?
Commentators on this verse — 1 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 25:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleVer. 16 [See comments on 1 Chronicles 25:9]
Read John Gill on 1 Chronicles 25 →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 ninth to Mattaniah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;
the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;
the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,
Tyndale line
The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve:
The ninth to Mattaniah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The ninth, to Mattaniah, he, his sonnes and his brethren twelue.
Strictly literal
The ninth to Mattaniah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
the ninth [to] Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
the ninth, Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers—twelve;
The ninth was Matthanyahu, his sons, and his brethren, being twelve;
the ninth fell to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve persons in number;
From the Latin
The ninth to Mathanaias, to his sons and his brethren twelve.
Simplified
The ninth fell to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, 12 in total.
The ninth Mattaniah, with his sons and his brothers, twelve;
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, with all six words matched in the Septuagint translation. This alignment indicates a consistent understanding of the text across these traditions.
הַתְּשִׁיעִ֣י מַתַּנְיָ֔הוּ בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
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 25:16
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.
תְּשִׁיעִי (tshiy`iy) means 'ninth' and is an ordinal number. It is derived from the root word for 'nine' and is used in both masculine and feminine forms. The entries consistently define it as relating to the number nine.
תְּשִׁיעִי, תְּשִׁעִי m. תְּשִׁיעִית f. adj.num.ord. 18 ninth
base
H8671 תְּשִׁיעִי, תְּשִׁעִי, תְּשִׁיעִית ninth
8671 tshiy`iy tesh-ee-ee'
ord. from 8672; ninth:--ninth.
see HEBREW for 08672
תְּשִׁיעִי (te.shi.i) — ninth.
ninth (as ordinal number)
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aomsa
The Hebrew word מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ (*Mattanyah*) means 'gift of Jah' and refers to various individuals in the Old Testament, including the last king of Judah, Zedekiah. It is derived from the roots for 'gift' and 'Jah.' The entries highlight multiple Levites named Mattaniah, involved in temple service and significant events during the Exile and Return.
מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ, מַתַּנְיָה n.pr.m.
last king of Judah, name changed to Zedekiah
Levite name
Levite name
name of several who took strange wives
base
H4983 מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ, מַתַּנְיָה
4983 Mattanyah mat-tan-yaw'
or Mattanyahuw {mat-tan-yaw'-hoo}; from 4976 and 3050; gift
of Jah; Mattanjah, the name of ten Israelites:--Mattaniah.
see HEBREW for 04976
see HEBREW for 03050
מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ (mat.tan.yah) — Mattaniah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at 1Ch.9.15;
son of: Mica (H4316)
§ Mattaniah = "gift of Jehovah"
1) the original name of the last king of Judah before the captivity; also known as 'Zedekiah'
2) a Levite, son of Heman, whose office was to blow the horns in the temple service as appointed by David
3) a Levite of the family of Asaph
4) a Levite of the family of Asaph who assisted in the purification of the temple in the reign of Hezekiah
5) a Levite of the family of Asaph who took part in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem; leader of the temple choir
6) a Levite, descendant of Asaph and ancestor of Jahaziel in the time of Jehoshaphat
7) another Levite in the time of Nehemiah
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
mat-a-ni'-a (mattanyaha, "gift of Yah"):
(1) King Zedekiah's original name, but changed by Nebuchadnezzar when he made him king over Judah instead of his nephew Jehoiachin (2Ki 24:17).
(2) A descendant of Asaph (1Ch 9:15), leader of the temple choir (Ne 11:17; 12:8). Mentioned among the "porters," keepers of "the storehouses of the gates" (Ne 12:25), and again in Ne 12:35 as among the "priests' sons with trumpets."
(3) May be the same as (2), though in 2Ch 20:14 he is mentioned as an ancestor of that Jahaziel whose inspired words in the midst of the congregation…
Mattaniah
Gift of Jehovah. (1.) A Levite, son of Heman, the chief of the ninth class of temple singers (1 Chr. 25:4, 16).
(2.) A Levite who assisted in purifying the temple at the reformation under Hezekiah (2 Chr. 29:13).
(3.) The original name of Zedekiah (q.v.), the last of the kings of Judah (2 Kings 24:17). He was the third son of Josiah, who fell at Megiddo. He succeeded his nephew Jehoiakin.
(gift of Jehovah). The original name of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was changed when Nebuchadnezzar placed him on the throne. (2 Kings 24:17) A Levite singer of the sons of Asaph. (1 Chronicles 9:15) He was leader of the temple choir after its restoration, (Nehemiah 11:17; 12:8) in the time of Nehemiah, and took part in the musical service which accompanied the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 12:25,35) A descendant of Asaph, and ancestor of Jahaziel the Levite, in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 20:14) One of the sons of Elam. (Ezra 10:26)…
gift, or hope, of the Lord
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 | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.
אָח 630 n.m. brother
brother, born of same mother (& father)
indef. = relative
fig. of resemblance
in phr. one … another
base
H251 אָח brother
251 'ach awkh
a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of
literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance
(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.
Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".
see HEBREW for 01
אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.
: male-sibling
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.
: male-relative
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.
: compatriot
1) brother
1a) brother of same parents
1b) half-brother (same father)
1c) relative, kinship, same tribe
1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)
1e) (fig.) of resemblance
Conj | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.
שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two
base
H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two
8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim
dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also
(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +
twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
see HEBREW for 08145
שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.
1) two
1a) two (the cardinal number)
1a1) two, both, double, twice
1b) second (the ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
1d) both (a dual number)
Adj — Noun common · both dual absoluteHNcbda
עָשָׂר (asar) means 'ten' and is used exclusively in combination with other numbers to form the teen numbers (11-19), both as cardinal and ordinal forms. The entries indicate that it is derived from another Hebrew root, but do not elaborate on its etymology.
עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
base
H6240 עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
6240 `asar aw-sawr'
for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also
(ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-,
six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, +
twelve(-th).
see HEBREW for 06235
עָשָׂר (a.sar) — ten.
1) ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers)
1a) used only in combination to make the numbers 11-19
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa