1 Chronicles 26:3 — Word Study
WLCעֵילָ֤ם הַחֲמִישִׁי֙ יְהוֹחָנָ֣ן הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַ֖י הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃
BSAElamʻÊylâm [a son of Shem, referring to a region] the fifthchămîyshîy JehohananYᵉhôwchânân [Jehovah has graced] the sixthshishshîy and EliehoenaiʼElyᵉhôwʻêynay [unto Jehovah are my eyes, Elioenai] the seventhshᵉbîyʻîy
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עֵילָ֤ם | Elam | Noun proper masculine |
| הַחֲמִישִׁי֙ | the fifth | Particle |
| יְהוֹחָנָ֣ן | Jehohanan | Noun proper masculine |
| הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י | the sixth | Particle |
| אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַ֖י | Eliehoenai | Noun proper masculine |
| הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃ | the seventh | Particle |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh. |
| KJV | Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. |
| ASV | Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. |
| YLT | Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. |
| WEB | Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh. |
| BBE | Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. |
Where they part company is יְהוֹחָנָן — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward, with each name serving as a subject in a sequence, emphasizing their order.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectעֵילָם
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 26:3
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 Sons of Meshelemiahgenerated
1 Chronicles 26:3 lists the sons of Meshelemiah, detailing their order and significance within the Levitical lineage. This verse is part of a broader genealogical record that emphasizes the roles of these individuals in the service of the temple, reflecting the importance of lineage in ancient Israelite society.
Cross References
The Key Word — יְהוֹחָנָן, ye.ho.cha.Nangenerated
The name יְהוֹחָנָן (*Yhowchanan*) means 'Jehovah has graced'. It is a proper noun referring to several individuals in the Old Testament, particularly during the Exile and Return periods. The name combines elements that signify grace and divine favor.
As a noun, it is parsed as a masculine proper noun, indicating a specific individual rather than a common name. This emphasizes the importance of the person in the genealogical context.
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 verse consists of three main clauses, each following the same structure: a subject followed by a predicate. The finite verb is implicit, as the structure is straightforward without additional modifiers.
The order of names reflects their positions: עֵילָם, יְהוֹחָנָן, and אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי are presented in a clear sequence, emphasizing their respective ranks.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֵילָם as ωλαμ, maintaining the name's identity while adapting it to Greek phonetics. This choice reflects a direct transliteration rather than a semantic interpretation.
The other names are similarly rendered, demonstrating the translators' intent to preserve the original names while making them accessible to a Greek-speaking audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 26:3 lists three individuals: Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai, in order of their positions. Each name carries meaning and significance, reflecting their roles in the Levitical lineage.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Jehohanan means 'Jehovah has graced', indicating a divine favor associated with the individual.
The order reflects their rank or position within the family of Meshelemiah, highlighting their roles in the Levitical service.
There are several individuals named Jehohanan in the Old Testament, including priests and warriors, indicating its popularity.
Genealogies serve to establish identity, heritage, and the fulfillment of God's promises through specific lineages.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the names and their meanings in this verse?
- How do genealogies help us understand the history of Israel?
- In what ways does the heritage of these individuals impact their roles in the biblical narrative?
- How might understanding these names deepen our appreciation for the Levitical priesthood?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 26:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 26 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Jehohanan (Jah bestowed), the full form of Johanan, John. Elioenai.—Heb., Elyĕ ?hô-çnai (mine eyes are towards Jehovah. Comp. Psalms 123), the full form of Elyô-çnai (1 Chronicles 3:24).
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 26 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. Elioenai] R.V. Eliehoenai. The form differs from that in 1 Chronicles 3:23, but has the same meaning, viz., “Mine eyes are towards Jehovah.”
Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 26 →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
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.
the fifth Elam, the sixth Jehohanan, and the seventh Elihoenai.
Tyndale line
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
Elam the fift, Ichohanan the sixt, and Eliehoenai the seuenth.
Strictly literal
Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
Elam the fifth, Jehochanan the sixth, Elyeho'enal the seventh,
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
From the Latin
Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
Simplified
Elam (fifth), Jehohanan (sixth), and Eliehoenai (seventh).
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
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 matching in the Hebrew and Greek texts. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of these names and their significance.
עֵילָ֤ם הַחֲמִישִׁי֙ יְהוֹחָנָ֣ן הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַ֖י הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃
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 26:3
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 Hebrew word עֵילָם (*Eylam*) refers primarily to Elam, a region and its people, descendants of Shem. It encompasses various individuals, including heads of families among the exiles, a chief in Benjamin, and a Levite. The term is linked to the concept of 'eternity' and appears in contexts related to the Exile and Return, as well as genealogies from the time of the Patriarchs.
עֵילָם n.pr.gent. et terr. Elam
base
עֵילָם n.pr.m.
heads of families of returned exiles
a chief of people
name in Benjamin
Levite name
a priest
base
H5867a עֵילָם n. pr. gent. et terr. Elam H5867b עֵילָם . heads of families of returned exiles
. a chief of people
. name in Benjamin
. Levite name
. a priest
5867 `Eylam ay-lawm'
or mOwlam (Ezra 10:2; Jeremiah 49:36) {o-lawm'}; probably
from 5956; hidden, i.e. distant; Elam, a son of Shem and his
descendants, with their country; also of six
Israelites:--Elam.
see HEBREW for 05956
עֵילָם (e.lam) — Elam.
§ Elam = "eternity"
a province east of Babylon and northeast of the lower Tigris
עֵילָם (e.lam) — Elam.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.7
§ Elam = "eternity"
1) a Korhite Levite in the time of David
2) a chief man of the tribe of Benjamin
3) ancestor of a family of exiles who returned with Zerubbabel
4) a chief of the people who signed the covenant with Nehemiah
5) another ancestor of another family of exiles who returned with Zerubbabel
6) a priest who assisted at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
7) another head of a family of returning exiles
עֵילָם (e.lam) — Elam.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.22;
son of: Shem (H8035);
brother of: Asshur (H0804H), Arpachshad (H0775), Lud (H3865) and Aram (H0758)
§ Elam = "eternity"
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Elam
Highland, the son of Shem (Gen. 10:22), and the name of the country inhabited by his descendants (14:1, 9; Isa. 11:11; 21:2, etc.) lying to the east of Babylonia, and extending to the shore of the Mediterranean, a distance in a direct line of about 1,000 miles. The name Elam is an Assyrian word meaning “high.”
“The inhabitants of Elam, or ‘the Highlands,’ to the east of Babylon, were called Elamites. They were divided into several branches, speaking different dialects of the same agglutinative language. The race to which they belonged was brachycephalic, or short-headed, like the pre-Semitic Sumerians of Babylonia.
“The earliest Elamite kingdom seems to have been that of Anzan, the exact site of which is uncertain; but in the time of Abraham, Shushan or Susa appears…
(eternity). This seems to have been originally the name of a man, the son of Shem. (Genesis 10:22; 1 Chronicles 1:17) Commonly, however, it is used as the appellation of a country. (Genesis 14:1,9; Isaiah 11:11; 21:2) The Elam of Scripture appears to be the province lying south of Assyria and east of Persia proper, to which Herodotus gives the name of Cissia (iii. 91, v. 49, etc.), and which is termed Susis or Susiana by the geographers. Its capital was Susa. This country was originally people by descendants of Shem. By the time of Abraham a very important power had been built up in the same region. It is plain that at this early time the predominant power in lower Mesopotamia was Elam, which for a while held the place…
1. The region afterwards called Persia, Ge 14:1. It was called Elam after a son of Shem, Ge 10:22. It corresponded to the Elymais of Greek and Roman writers, which comprehended a part of Susiana, now Khusistan or more probably included the whole of Susiana. The city Susa, or Shushan, was in it, Da 8:2. See also Ac 2:9.
חֲמִישִׁי (chamiyshiy) means 'fifth' and serves as an ordinal number indicating the position of five. It can also refer to a fifth part. The word is derived from a root associated with the number five, as noted in various lexicons.
חֲמִישִׁי m., חֲמִישִׁית f.adj.num.ordin. fifth
base
H2549 חֲמִישִׁי, חֲמִישִׁית fifth
2549 chamiyshiy kham-ee-shee'
or chamishshiy {kham-ish-shee'}; ord. from 2568; fifth; also
a fifth:--fifth (part).
see HEBREW for 02568
חֲמִישִׁי (cha.mi.shi) — fifth.
ordinal number, 5th
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aomsa
יְהוֹחָנָן (Yhowchanan) means 'Jehovah has graced' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including priests, a high priest, and warriors. The name combines elements meaning 'Jehovah' and 'to be gracious.' It appears in various contexts, notably during the Divided Monarchy and post-exilic periods, with multiple figures sharing this name.
יְהוֹחָנָן, יוֹחָנָן n.pr.m.
a priest
high priest
Levite
son of Tobiah
porter in David’s time
a Judaite captain
an Ephraimite
an Israelite, Ezra’s time
a Jewish captain, after fall of Jerus.
eldest son of king Josiah
a post-exilic prince of the line of David
father of Azariah, priest in Sol.’s time
two of David’s mighty men
a returning exile
base
H3076 יְהוֹחָנָן, יוֹחָנָן
3076 Yhowchanan yeh-ho-khaw-nawn'
from 3068 and 2603; Jehovah-favored; Jehochanan, the name of
eight Israelites:--Jehohanan, Johanan. Compare 3110.
see HEBREW for 03068
see HEBREW for 02603
see HEBREW for 03110
יְהוֹחָנָן (ye.ho.cha.nan) — Johanan.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.4
§ Jehohanan = "Jehovah has graced"
1) a priest during the high priesthood of Joiakim who returned with Zerubbabel
2) a high priest in the time of Ezra
3) a Levite priest who took part in the dedication of the wall in the time of Nehemiah
4) son of Tobiah
5) a Korhite Levite and one of the doorkeepers to the tabernacle in the time of David
6) a captain of Judah under king Jehoshaphat
7) an Ephraimite
8) an Israelite with a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
9) a Jewish captain after the fall of Jerusalem
10) the eldest son of king Josiah
11) a post-exilic prince of the line of David
12) father of Azariah, priest in Solomon's time
13) a Benjamite, one of David's mighty warriors
14) a Gadite, one of David's mighty warriors
15) a returning exile
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
je-ho-ha'-nan (yehochanan, "Yahweh is (or has been) gracious"):
(1) A Korahite doorkeeper in David's reign, "son" of Meshelemiah (1Ch 26:3). Septuagint, Luc, has "Jehonathan."
(2) One of the five captains over King Jehoshaphat's army (2Ch 17:15), probably father of Ishmael, "son of Jehohanan" (2Ch 23:1).
Jehohanan
Jehovah-granted, Jeroboam II. (1.) A Korhite, the head of one of the divisions of the temple porters (1 Chr. 26:3).
(2.) One of Jehoshaphat’s “captains” (2 Chr. 17:15).
(3.) The father of Azariah (2 Chr. 28:12).
(whom Jehovah gave), a name of which John is the contraction. A Korhite Levite, one of the doorkeepers to the tabernacle. (1 Chronicles 26:3) comp. 1Chr 25:1 (B.C. 1014.) One of the principal men of Judah under King Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:15) comp. 2Chr 17:13 and 2Chr 17:19 (B.C. 910.) Father of Ishmael, one of the "captains of hundreds" whom Jehoiada the priest took into his confidence about the restoration of the line of Judah. (2 Chronicles 23:1) (B.C. 910.) One of the Bene-Bebai who was forced to put away his foreign wife. (
grace, or mercy, or gift, of the Lord
שִׁשִּׁי (shishshiy) means 'sixth' and can refer to both an ordinal number and a fractional part. It is derived from the root word for 'six' and has masculine and feminine forms. The entries consistently emphasize its use as a numerical designation.
שִׁשִּׁי m. 22 שִׁשִּׁית f. 6 adj.num.ordin. sixth
base
H8345 שִׁשִּׁי, שִׁשִּׁית sixth
8345 shishshiy shish-shee'
from 8337; sixth, ord. or (feminine) fractional:--sixth
(part).
see HEBREW for 08337
שִׁשִּׁי (shish.shi) — sixth.
1) sixth
1a) sixth (ordinal number)
1b) sixth (as fraction)
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aomsa
The Hebrew word אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי (el-ye-ho-ay-nay) means 'unto Jehovah are my eyes' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament. It is built from the roots for 'towards' and 'Jehovah.' The entries identify various men named Elioenai or Elihoenai, including a Korahite temple doorkeeper and several descendants of David, Simeon, and Benjamin, with mentions in 1 Chronicles and Ezra.
H454a אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי (unto י׳ are mine eyes) H454b אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי
454 'Elyhow`eynay el-ye-ho-ay-nah'ee
or (shortened) yElyow{eynay {el- yo-ay-nah'ee}; from 413 and
3068 and 5869; towards Jehovah (are) my eyes; Eljehoenai or
Eljoenai, the name of seven Israelites:--Elihoenai, Elionai.
see HEBREW for 0413
see HEBREW for 03068
see HEBREW for 05869
אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי (el.ye.ho.e.nay) — Eliehoenai.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.26.3;
son of: Meshelemiah (H4920);
brother of: Zechariah (H2148A), Jediael (H3043J), Zebadiah (H2069J), Jathniel (H3496), Elam (H5867H) and Jehohanan (H3076I)
§ Elioenai or Elihoenai = "unto Jehovah are my eyes"
1) a Korahite temple doorkeeper, son of Meshelemiah
2) a returning exile
אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי (el.yo.e.nay) — Elioenai.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.3.23;
son of: Neariah (H5294);
brother of: Hizkiah (H2396H) and Azrikam (H5840);
father of: Hodaviah (H1938), Eliashib (H0475), Pelaiah (H6411B), Akkub (H6126), Johanan (H3110I), Delaiah (H1806) and Anani (H6054)
§ Elioenai or Elihoenai = "unto Jehovah are my eyes"
1) a descendant of David
2) a Simeonite
3) a Benjamite, a son of Becher
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
שְׁבִיעִי (shbiy`iy) is an ordinal adjective meaning 'seventh.' It has masculine and feminine forms, שְׁבִיעִי for masculine and שְׁבִיעִית for feminine. The word is derived from the root meaning associated with the number seven, covering its use as a numerical order.
שְׁבִיעִי m. שְׁבִיעִית f. 97 adj.num.ord. seventh
base
H7637 שְׁבִיעִי m. שְׁבִיעִית f. adj. num. ord. seventh
7637 shbiy`iy sheb-ee-ee'
or shbi iy {sheb-ee-ee'}; ordinal from 7657;
seventh:--seventh (time).
see HEBREW for 07657
שְׁבִיעִי (she.vi.i) — seventh.
1) seventh
1a) ordinal number
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aomsa