1 Chronicles 8:18 — Word Study
WLCוְיִשְׁמְרַ֧י וְיִזְלִיאָ֛ה וְיוֹבָ֖ב בְּנֵ֥י אֶלְפָּֽעַל׃
BSAIshmeraiYishmᵉray△ [He keeps me, a Benjamite] IzliahYizlîyʼâh△ [whom God will preserve] and JobabYôwbâb [a desert, a place of solitude] [were] the sonsbên [descendants, offspring] of ElpaalʼElpaʻal [a man from the tribe of Benjamin]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְיִשְׁמְרַ֧י | and Ishmerai | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וְיִזְלִיאָ֛ה | and Izliah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וְיוֹבָ֖ב | and Jobab | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| בְּנֵ֥י | [were] [the] sons of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| אֶלְפָּֽעַל׃ | Elpaal | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal. |
| KJV | Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal; |
| ASV | and Ishmerai, and Izliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal, |
| YLT | and Ishmerai, and Jezliah, and Jobab, sons of Elpaal; |
| WEB | Ishmerai, Izliah, Jobab, the sons of Elpaal, |
| BBE | And Ishmerai and Izliah and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal; |
Where they part company is יִשְׁמְרַי — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause identifying the subjects and a predicate that describes their relationship to Elpaal.
1 commentators on this verse
Jamieson & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
2 of 5 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 8:18
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 Elpaalgenerated
1 Chronicles 8:18 lists Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab as the sons of Elpaal, highlighting their lineage within the tribe of Benjamin. This genealogical record serves to establish the descendants of Elpaal, connecting them to the broader narrative of Israel's history and the significance of familial ties in ancient Israelite society.
Cross References
The Key Word — יִשְׁמְרַי, ve.yish.me.Raigenerated
The name יִשְׁמְרַי (Yishmray) means 'He keeps me' and identifies Ishmerai as a Benjamite descendant of Elpaal. The root of the name suggests a sense of preservation, indicating a protective aspect inherent in his identity.
Ishmerai is mentioned only here in the genealogical context, emphasizing his role as part of Elpaal's lineage. The name carries connotations of divine protection, which may reflect the family's hope for God's safeguarding.
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 clause is governed by the verb 'were' — בְּנֵ֥י — establishing the identity of the subjects: Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab. The structure is straightforward, presenting a list of names followed by their familial relationship.
The Hebrew word order places the names first, emphasizing their importance as the subjects of the sentence, followed by the predicate that identifies their lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יִשְׁמְרַי as ισαμαρι, which carries a similar sound but does not convey the meaning of preservation found in the Hebrew. This choice reflects a translational approach that prioritizes phonetic resemblance over semantic fidelity.
The other names, Izliah and Jobab, are rendered as ιεζλια and ιωβαβ, respectively, maintaining their identity while adapting to the Greek linguistic context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Chronicles 8:18 identifies Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab as the sons of Elpaal. This verse is part of a genealogy that traces the descendants of Elpaal, a man from the tribe of Benjamin.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Ishmerai means 'He keeps me' and refers to a Benjamite from the family of Elpaal.
The sons of Elpaal mentioned in this verse are Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab.
Genealogy is important in the Bible as it establishes lineage, inheritance, and God's promises through specific families.
Elpaal is identified as a man from the tribe of Benjamin.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the names listed in this genealogy about the importance of family in biblical times?
- How does understanding the meanings of these names enhance our reading of the text?
- In what ways can we see God's preservation in our own family histories?
- What significance do you think these genealogies hold for the people of Israel?
Commentators on this verse — 1 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 8:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 8 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
Ishmerai, Izliah, Jobab, the sons of Elpaal,
Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
Tyndale line
Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
and Ishmerai, and Izliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal,
and Ishmerai, and Izliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
And Ishmerai and Izliah, and Iobab, the sonnes of Elpaal,
Strictly literal
and Jishmerai, and Jizliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
and Ishmerai, and Jezliah, and Jobab, sons of Elpaal;
and Ishmerai, and Jezliah, and Jobab, sons of Elpaal;
And Yishmerai, and Yizliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpa'al:
From the Latin
And Jesamari, and Jezlia, and Jobab, sons of Elphaal,
Simplified
Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
And Ishmerai and Izliah and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
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 five words matched between the two versions. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the genealogical record.
וְיִשְׁמְרַ֧י וְיִזְלִיאָ֛ה וְיוֹבָ֖ב בְּנֵ֥י אֶלְפָּֽעַל׃
5 of the 5 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 8:18
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.
יִשְׁמְרַי (Yishmray) refers to Ishmerai, a man from the tribe of Benjamin mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:18. The name means 'He keeps me' and he is noted as a descendant of Elpaal, with several brothers listed. The word is derived from the root meaning 'preservative'.
יִשְׁמְרַי n.pr.m. in Benj., 1 Ch 8:18
ref
H3461 יִשְׁמְרַי
3461 Yishmray yish-mer-ah'-ee
from 8104; preservative; Jishmerai, an Israelite:--Ishmerai.
see HEBREW for 08104
יִשְׁמְרַי (yish.me.ray) — Ishmerai.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.18;
son of: Elpaal (H0508);
brother of: Eber (H5677I), Misham (H4936), Shemed (H8106B), Beriah (H1283I), Shema (H8087I), Zebadiah (H2069H), Meshullam (H4918J), Hizki (H2395), Heber (H2268J), Izliah (H3152) and Jobab (H3103K)
§ Ishmerai = "He keeps me"
a Benjamite of the family of Elpaal
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
ish'-me-ri (yishmeray, from shamar, meaning "to hedge about," i.e. "to guard," and therefore a "guard," "protector"): A descendant of Benjamin, son of Epaal, resident of Jerusalem, one of the "heads of fathers' houses throughout their generations, chief men" (1Ch 8:18).
(whom Jehovah keeps), a Benjamite, one of the family of Elpaal. (1 Chronicles 8:18) (B.C. before 538.)
keeper, or keeping
→ A chief Benjamite 1Ch 8:18
יִזְלִיאָה (Yizliy'ah) refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:18. The name may mean 'whom God will preserve.' He is noted as the son of Elpaal and has several brothers listed in the same context.
יִזְלִיאָה n.pr.m. a Benjamite 1 Ch 8:18
ref
H3152 יִזְלִיאָה
3152 Yizliy'ah yiz-lee-aw'
perhaps from an unused root (meaning to draw up); he will
draw out; Jizliah, an Israelite:--Jezliah.
יִזְלִיאָה (yiz.li.ah) — Izliah.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.8.18;
son of: Elpaal (H0508);
brother of: Eber (H5677I), Misham (H4936), Shemed (H8106B), Beriah (H1283I), Shema (H8087I), Zebadiah (H2069H), Meshullam (H4918J), Hizki (H2395), Heber (H2268J), Ishmerai (H3461) and Jobab (H3103K)
§ Jezliah = "whom God will preserve"
a Benjamite of the sons of Elpaal
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
The Hebrew word יוֹבָב (Yowbab) refers to several figures, including a son of Joktan, a king of Edom, and a king of Madon who opposed Joshua. It also denotes individuals from the tribe of Benjamin. The name is associated with the meaning 'a desert.' The entries indicate multiple references to different Jobabs across the Old Testament.
יוֹבָב n.pr.m.
‘son’ of Yoḳtân
a king in Edom
king of Madon
Benjamites
base
H3103 יוֹבָב . ‘son’ of Yoḳtân
. a king in Edom
. king of Madon
. Benjamites
3103 Yowbab yo-bawb'
from 2980; howler; Jobab, the name of two Israelites and of
three foreigners:--Jobab.
see HEBREW for 02980
יוֹבָב (yo.vav) — Jobab.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.29;
son of: Joktan (H3355);
brother of: Almodad (H0486), Sheleph (H8026), Hazarmaveth (H2700), Jerah (H3392), Hadoram (H1913A), Uzal (H0187), Diklah (H1853), Obal (H5745), Abimael (H0039), Sheba (H7614H), Ophir (H0211) and Havilah (H2341I)
§ Jobab = "a desert"
1) the last in order of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem
2) one of the kings of Edom
3) the king of Madon, located in northern Canaan, and one of the kings who opposed Joshua during the conquest and who were routed at Meron
4) head of a Benjamite house
5) another Benjamite
יוֹבָב (yo.vav) — Jobab.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.33;
son of: Zerah (H2226H)
§ Jobab = "a desert"
1) the last in order of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem
2) one of the kings of Edom
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Jobab
Dweller in the desert. (1.) One of the sons of Joktan, and founder of an Arabian tribe (Gen. 10:29). (2.) King of Edom, succeeded Bela (Gen. 36:33, 34). (3.) A Canaanitish king (Josh. 11:1) who joined the confederacy against Joshua.
(a desert). The last in order of the sons of Joktan. (Genesis 10:29; 1 Chronicles 1:23) One of the "kings" of Edom. (Genesis 3:34; 1 Chronicles 1:44; 45) King of Madon; one of the northern chieftains who attempted to oppose Joshua’s conquest and were routed by him at Meron. (Joshua 11:1) only. Head of a Benjamite house. (1 Chronicles 8:9)
sorrowful, hated
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 constructHNcmpc
See SON, SONS.
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…
אֶלְפַּ֫עַל (Elpa`al) refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin during the Divided Monarchy, noted in 1 Chronicles 8:11. The name means 'God is maker' and is derived from the words for God and 'to act.' The entries consistently identify Elpaal as a Benjamite and provide details about his family connections.
אֶלְפַּ֫עַל n.pr.m. (God of doing? cf. Ph. פעלאבסת) a Benjamite
base
H508 אֶלְפַּ֫עַל
508 'Elpa`al el-pah'-al
from 410 and 6466; God (is) act; Elpaal, an
Israelite:--Elpaal.
see HEBREW for 0410
see HEBREW for 06466
אֶלְפַּ֫עַל (el.pa.al) — Elpaal.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.8.11;
son of: Shaharaim (H7842) and Hushim (H2366A);
brother of: Jobab (H3103J), Zibia (H6644), Mesha (H4331), Malcam (H4445A), Jeuz (H3263), Sachia (H7634), Mirmah (H4821) and Abitub (H0036);
father of: Eber (H5677I), Misham (H4936), Shemed (H8106B), Beriah (H1283I), Shema (H8087I), Zebadiah (H2069H), Meshullam (H4918J), Hizki (H2395), Heber (H2268J), Ishmerai (H3461), Izliah (H3152), Jobab (H3103K)
§ Elpaal = "God is maker"
a Benjamite
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(God his wages), a Benjamite, son of Hushim and brother of Abitub. (1 Chronicles 8:11) He was the founder of numerous family.
God's work
→ A Benjamite 1Ch 8:11,12,18