1 Chronicles 7:37 — Word Study
WLCבֶּ֣צֶר וָה֗וֹד וְשַׁמָּ֧א וְשִׁלְשָׁ֛ה וְיִתְרָ֖ן וּבְאֵרָֽא׃
BSABezerBetser [a remote fortress] HodHôwd△ [meaning splendor] ShammaShammâʼ [having renown] ShilshahShilshâh△ [having three] IthranYithrân [also known as Jether] and BeeraBᵉʼêrâʼ△ [a well]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בֶּ֣צֶר | Bezer | Noun proper masculine |
| וָה֗וֹד | and Hod | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וְשַׁמָּ֧א | and Shamma | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וְשִׁלְשָׁ֛ה | and Shilshah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וְיִתְרָ֖ן | and Ithran | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וּבְאֵרָֽא׃ | and Beera | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. |
| KJV | Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. |
| ASV | Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. |
| YLT | Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. |
| WEB | Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. |
| BBE | Bezer and Hod and Shamma and Shilshah and Ithran and Beera. |
Where they part company is בֶּ֣צֶר — see How Translations Differ.
A single main clause lists the names of the individuals, emphasizing their connection to the tribe of Asher.
2 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
3 of 6 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.
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 7:37
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Genealogy of the Tribe of Ashergenerated
1 Chronicles 7:37 lists the descendants of Zophah, focusing on the tribe of Asher. This genealogy highlights the names of notable individuals, connecting them to their heritage and lineage within Israel's history. The context emphasizes the importance of family and tribal identities in ancient Israel.
Cross References
The Key Word — בֶּ֣צֶר, Be.tzergenerated
The name בֶּ֣צֶר (Be.tzer) refers to both a man from the tribe of Asher and a city of refuge. The name may mean 'gold ore' or 'remote fortress,' indicating its significance in both a personal and geographical context.
In this verse, בֶּ֣צֶר is presented as a proper noun, specifically identifying an individual. The parsing as a masculine noun shows its role as a name rather than a common noun, emphasizing its importance in the genealogical listing.
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 a simple list structure, with each name connected by the conjunctions, indicating a series of individuals. The main focus is on the names themselves, which are presented in a noun phrase format.
The structure emphasizes the lineage by presenting each name in succession, which is typical in genealogical records. This format allows for easy reading and understanding of the familial connections.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בֶּ֣צֶר as σοβαλ, which indicates a direct correspondence to the Hebrew name. This choice reflects the translators' intention to maintain the original identity of the individuals listed.
The consistent naming in the Septuagint suggests a strong adherence to the Hebrew text, preserving the genealogical significance of these names.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 7:37 lists six names from the tribe of Asher: Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. These names reflect the lineage and heritage of the tribe, connecting them to their ancestral roots.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
These names represent individuals from the tribe of Asher, highlighting their lineage and significance within the genealogical context.
Genealogies establish identity, heritage, and fulfillments of God's promises to specific families and tribes throughout biblical history.
The name Bezer may mean 'gold ore' or 'remote fortress,' indicating its significance in both a personal and geographical context.
Zophah is mentioned as the father of these individuals, indicating their direct lineage and connection to the tribe of Asher.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of family heritage from this passage?
- How do genealogies help us understand the history of Israel?
- In what ways does knowing the names and meanings of these individuals deepen our understanding of the tribe of Asher?
- How can we apply the significance of lineage and identity in our own lives today?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 7:37 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their sister. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 7 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesThe treatment of different tribes is unequal in this chapter. In the case of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:1-5), Benjamin (1 Chronicles 7:6-12), and Asher (1 Chronicles 7:30-40), genealogies are given and the number of fighting-men of each tribe is stated. To Naphtali is devoted a single verse, giving only the names of his sons. For Manasseh and Ephraim genealogies are given and their possessions are shortly enumerated. The mention of Dan is obliterated, owing to the state of the text of 1 Chronicles 7:12.
Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 7 →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
Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
Tyndale line
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.
Strictly literal
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Jithran, and Beera.
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Yithran, and Beera.
Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
From the Latin
Bosor and Hod, and Samma, and Salusa, and Jethran, and Bera.
Simplified
Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
Bezer and Hod and Shamma and Shilshah and Ithran and Beera.
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 names listed in this verse, with all six names matched in the Greek translation. This agreement highlights the preservation of the genealogical record across different textual traditions.
בֶּ֣צֶר וָה֗וֹד וְשַׁמָּ֧א וְשִׁלְשָׁ֛ה וְיִתְרָ֖ן וּבְאֵרָֽא׃
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 7:37
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.
בֶּ֫צֶר (Betser) refers to both a city of refuge located in Reuben, east of the Jordan, and a man from the tribe of Asher, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:37. The name may mean 'gold ore' or 'remote fortress.' It is linked to the Hebrew word for an inaccessible spot.
בֶּ֫צֶר (fortress)
n. pr. loc. city in Reuben
n. pr. m. a descendant of Asher
base
H1221 בֶּ֫צֶר (fortress) . n. pr. loc. city in Reuben
. n. pr. m. a descendant of Asher
1221 Betser beh'-tser
the same as 1220, an inaccessible spot; Betser, a place in
Palestine; also an Israelite:--Bezer.
see HEBREW for 01220
בֶּ֫צֶר (be.tser) — Bezer.
Bezer = "gold ore" or "remote fortress"
a city of refuge in Reuben in the downs on the east of the Jordan
Also named: bots.rah (בׇּצְרָה "Bozrah" H1224H)
בֶּ֫צֶר (be.tser) — Bezer.
A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.37;
son of: Zophah (H6690);
brother of: Suah (H5477), Harnepher (H2774), Shual (H7777B), Beri (H1275), Imrah (H3236), Hod (H1936), Shamma (H8037H), Shilshah (H8030), Ithran (H3506H) and Beera (H0878)
§ Bezer = "gold ore" or "remote fortress"
1) son of Zophah, one of the heads of the houses of Asher
2) a city of refuge in Reuben in the downs on the east of the Jordan
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
be'-zer (betser; Bosor, "strong"):
(1) A city of refuge, set apart by Moses for the Reubenites and located in the "plain country" (or table-land, Mishor) East of the Jordan, later assigned to this tribe by Joshua (De 4:43; Jos 20:8). The same city was assigned by lot as place of residence to the children of Merari of the Levite tribe (Jos 21:36; 1Ch 6:63,78). Driver, HDB, suggests the identity of Bezer with Bozrah (Septuagint, Bosor) (Jer 48:24). Besheir has been suggested as the present site. According to the manuscript it was forti fied by Mesha.
Bezer
Ore of gold or silver. (1.) A city of the Reubenites; one of the three cities of refuge on the east of Jordan (Deut. 4: 43; Josh. 20:8). It has been identified with the modern ruined village of Burazin, some 12 miles north of Heshbon; also with Kasur-el-Besheir, 2 miles south-west of Dibon.
(2.) A descendant of Asher (1 Chr. 7:37).
(gold ore), son of Zophah, one of the heads of the houses of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:37)
הוֹד (hod) refers to a man from the tribe of Asher, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:37. The name is associated with the meaning "splendour" or "vigour". He is noted as a son of Zophah and has several brothers listed in the genealogical context.
הוֹד n.pr.m. (splendour, vigour)—a man of Asher 1 Ch 7:37.
done
H1936 הוֹד
1936 Howd hode
the same as 1935; Hod, an Israelite:--Hod.
see HEBREW for 01935
הוֹד (hod) — Hod.
A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.37;
son of: Zophah (H6690);
brother of: Suah (H5477), Harnepher (H2774), Shual (H7777B), Beri (H1275), Imrah (H3236), Bezer (H1221H), Shamma (H8037H), Shilshah (H8030), Ithran (H3506H) and Beera (H0878)
§ Hod = "splendour"
one of the sons of Zophah, among the descendants of Asher
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
hod (hodh, "majesty," "splendor"; the Septuagint's Codex Alexadrinus, Hod; Codex Vaticanus, Oa): One of the sons of Zophah, a descendant of Asher (1Ch 7:37).
(splendor), one of the sons of Zophah, among the descendants of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:37)
praise; confession
→ A son of Zophah 1Ch 7:37
The Hebrew word שַׁמָּא (*Shamma'*) refers to a personal name meaning 'desolation' or 'desert.' It identifies two individuals: one from the tribe of Asher mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:37, and another, Shamma, an Israelite associated with the time of the United Monarchy noted in 2 Samuel 23:11. Both entries highlight its connection to the concept of desolation.
שַׁמָּא n.pr.m. in Asher, 1 Ch 7:37
ref
H8037 שַׁמָּא
8037 Shamma' sham-maw'
from 8074; desolation; Shamma, an Israelite:--Shamma.
see HEBREW for 08074
שַׁמָּא (sham.ma) — Shammah.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Sa.23.11;
son of: Agee (H0089)
§ Shamma = "desert"
an Asherite, son of Zophar
שַׁמָּא (sham.ma) — Shamma.
A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.37;
son of: Zophah (H6690);
brother of: Suah (H5477), Harnepher (H2774), Shual (H7777B), Beri (H1275), Imrah (H3236), Bezer (H1221H), Hod (H1936), Shilshah (H8030), Ithran (H3506H) and Beera (H0878)
§ Shamma = "desert"
an Asherite, son of Zophar
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
sham'-a (shamma'; Codex Vaticanus Sema; Codex Alexandrinus Samma): An Asherite (1Ch 7:37).
(astonishment), one of the sons of Zophar, an Asherite. (1 Chronicles 7:37)
→ Son of Zophah, an Asherite 1Ch 7:37
שִׁלְשָׁה (Shilshah) refers to a man from the tribe of Asher, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:37. The name is associated with the concept of triplication and is derived from a related word. Shilshah is noted as the son of Zophah and has several brothers listed in the same context.
שִׁלְשָׁה n.pr.m. in Asher, 1 Ch 7:37
ref
H8030 שִׁלְשָׁה
8030 Shilshah shil-shaw'
feminine from the same as 8028; triplication; Shilshah, an
Israelite:--Shilshah.
see HEBREW for 08028
שִׁלְשָׁה (shil.shah) — Shilshah.
A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.37;
son of: Zophah (H6690);
brother of: Suah (H5477), Harnepher (H2774), Shual (H7777B), Beri (H1275), Imrah (H3236), Bezer (H1221H), Hod (H1936), Shamma (H8037H), Ithran (H3506H) and Beera (H0878)
§ Shilshah = "strong"
an Asherite, son of Zophah
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
shil'-sha shilshah; Codex Vaticanus and Codex Alexandrinus Saleisa; Lucian, Selemsan): An Asherite (1Ch 7:37).
(strong), son of Zophah of the tribe of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:37) (B.C. before 1015.)
three; chief; captain
→ Son of Zophah 1Ch 7:37
The Hebrew word יִתְרָן (*Yithran*) refers to two individuals: an Edomite, son of Dishon, and a man from the tribe of Asher, son of Zophah. The name is derived from a root meaning 'excellent' or 'advantage.' It appears in the contexts of Genesis 36:26 and 1 Chronicles 7:37, highlighting its connection to both Edomite and Israelite lineages.
יִתְרָן n.pr.m.
an Edomite
a man of Asher
base
H3506 יִתְרָן . an Edomite
. a man of Asher
3506 Yithran yith-rawn'
from 3498; excellent; Jithran, the name of an Edomite and of
an Israelite:--Ithran.
see HEBREW for 03498
יִתְרָן (yit.ran) — Ithran.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.26;
son of: Dishon (H1787);
brother of: Hemdan (H2533), Eshban (H0790) and Cheran (H3763)
§ Ithran = "advantage"
1) an Edomite, son of Dishon, a Horite, and probably a phylarch of a tribe of the Horim
2) an descendant of Asher
יִתְרָן (yit.ran) — Ithran.
A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.7.37;
son of: Zophah (H6690);
brother of: Suah (H5477), Harnepher (H2774), Shual (H7777B), Beri (H1275), Imrah (H3236), Bezer (H1221H), Hod (H1936), Shamma (H8037H), Shilshah (H8030) and Beera (H0878);
father of: Jephunneh (H3312H), Pispa (H6462) and Ara (H0690); also called Jether at 1Ch.7.38;
Also named: ye.ter (יֶ֫תֶר "Jether" H3500K)
§ Ithran = "advantage"
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
(excellence). A son of Dishon, a Horite, (Genesis 36:26; 1 Chronicles 1:41) and probably a phylarch of a tribe of the Horim. (Genesis 36:30) (B.C. about 1800.) A descendant of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:30-40)
remaining; searching out diligently
בְּאֵרָא (Beera) refers to a man from the tribe of Asher, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:37. The name is derived from a word meaning 'a well.' He is noted as the son of Zophah and has several brothers listed in the same context.
בְּאֵרָא n.pr.m. a man of Asher 1 Ch 7:37.
done
H878 בְּאֵרָא
878 B'era' be-ay-raw'
from 875; a well; Beera, an Israelite:--Beera.
see HEBREW for 0875
בְּאֵרָא (be.e.ra) — Beera.
A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.37;
son of: Zophah (H6690);
brother of: Suah (H5477), Harnepher (H2774), Shual (H7777B), Beri (H1275), Imrah (H3236), Bezer (H1221H), Hod (H1936), Shamma (H8037H), Shilshah (H8030) and Ithran (H3506H)
§ Beera = "a well"
a man of Asher
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
(a well), son of Zophah, of the tribe of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:37) (B.C. after 1450.)
a well; declaring
→ Son of Zophah 1Ch 7:37