Ezra 2:10 — Word Study
WLCבְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס
BSAthe descendantsbên [sons, children, or posterity] of BaniBânîy [a name meaning built, six hundred forty and two, six hundred and forty-two] 642shêsh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵ֣י | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| בָנִ֔י | Bani | Noun proper masculine |
| שֵׁ֥שׁ | six | Adj |
| מֵא֖וֹת | hundred | |
| אַרְבָּעִ֥ים | forty | |
| וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס | and two | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the descendants of Bani, 642; |
| KJV | The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. |
| ASV | The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. |
| YLT | Sons of Bani, six hundred forty and two. |
| WEB | The children of Bani, six hundred forty-two. |
| BBE | The children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two. |
The translations agree on the phrase בְּנֵי — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward, with a main clause followed by a numeral phrase indicating the count of descendants.
2 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge & 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 — Ezra 2:10
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 Return from Exilegenerated
Ezra 2:10 is part of a list that records the families of Israelites who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. This verse specifically mentions the descendants of Bani, contributing to the overall count of those who came back to their homeland, which is significant for understanding the restoration of Israel's community and worship.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezra 10:34 | From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, |
| 2 | Nehemiah 7:15 | the descendants of Binnui, 648; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בְּנֵ֣י, be.Neigenerated
The word בְּנֵי (be.Nei) is a construct form of בֵּן (ben), meaning 'sons' or 'children.' It indicates not just immediate offspring but can also refer to descendants or posterity. The masculine plural form shows a collective lineage, emphasizing family connections.
This term is often used in genealogies throughout the Old Testament, highlighting the importance of lineage and inheritance within the Israelite community. It serves to establish identity and continuity among the returning exiles.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase the descendants of Bani.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause of the verse is structured around the noun phrase בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔י (the descendants of Bani), which serves as the subject. This is followed by the numeral phrase שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם (642), indicating the number of descendants.
The structure emphasizes the family relationship first, followed by the specific count, which is typical in genealogical lists.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the term for בְּנֵי is rendered as υἱοὶ (huioi), meaning 'sons.' This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning and maintains the familial context.
The LXX does not provide a complete match for the Hebrew text, indicating some variation in how the genealogical records were transmitted.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 2:10 lists the descendants of Bani, noting that there are 642 of them. This count is part of a larger record of families returning from exile to Jerusalem, highlighting the importance of lineage in the restoration of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The name Bani means 'built' and is associated with several individuals in the Old Testament.
The count reflects the restoration of the community and the fulfillment of God's promises to bring His people back to their land.
This verse contributes to the genealogical records that establish the identity of the returning exiles, which is crucial for rebuilding the community and temple.
Bani is mentioned in Ezra 10:34 and Nehemiah 7:15, indicating his significance in the context of the return from exile.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to be a descendant in the context of faith and community?
- How can understanding our lineage help us in our spiritual journey?
- In what ways can we honor our heritage while also building a future?
- What lessons can we learn from the returning exiles about perseverance and restoration?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Quodvultdeus reflects on Ezra's zeal for the Law and the importance of purifying the people upon their return to Jerusalem.
Having arrived at Jerusalem, Ezra, inflamed with zeal for the Law, decided first of all to purify the people of their vices, since, as the prophet said, ―A wise king is the salvation of his people.‖Early Church Fathers on Ezra 2 →
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 2:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. The children of Bani - or Binnui, (Nehemiah 7:15) [Septuagint, Banoui].
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3–19. Names of households or families. Many of these names occur again in other lists, e.g. Ezra 8:1-14; Ezra 10:18-44; Nehemiah 10:1-27, and in connexion with much later events in the lifetime of Ezra and Nehemiah. These names therefore are not to be regarded as the names of the leading men of the various families who accompanied Zerubbabel, but as the titles of the families or clans into which the people were divided. These titles were probably taken from the founders of the families and were many of them of great antiquity. The mention of the same names of the ‘families’ at the return of Ezra (Ezra 8:1-14) merely shows that, though a certain number of a household had accompanied…
Read Cambridge on Ezra 2 →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 descendants of Bani, 642;
The children of Bani, six hundred forty-two.
the descendants of Bani, 642;
the descendants of Bani: 642;
Tyndale line
The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
The sonnes of Bani, sixe hundreth and two and fourtie:
Strictly literal
The children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two.
Sons of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
sons of Bani, six hundred forty-two;
The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
The descendants of Bani: 642.
From the Latin
The children of Bani, six hundred forty-two.
Simplified
the sons of Bani, 642;
The children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two.
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 show some correspondence, but only two of the six words match directly. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ from the Hebrew, suggesting a different approach to translation.
בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס
2 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 Ezra 2:10
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.
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
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
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…
בָּנִי (Bani) is a Hebrew name meaning "built." It refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, including a Gadite warrior, Levites, and a man from Judah. Bani appears in various contexts, such as during the time of David and the return from Babylonian exile, with mentions in passages like 2 Samuel 23:36 and Ezra 10:34.
בָּנִי n.pr.m.
one of David’s heroes
Levites
a man of Judah
rd.
heads of families of Isr.
an Israelite
base
H1137 בָּנִי
1137 Baniy baw-nee'
from 1129; built; Bani, the name of five Israelites:--Bani.
see HEBREW for 01129
בָּנִי (ba.ni) — Bani.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Sa.23.36
§ Bani = "built"
1) a Gadite, one of David's mighty warriors
2) a Levite of the line of Merari, and forefather to Ethan
3) a man of Judah of the line of Pharez
4) "children of Bani" returned from captivity with Zerubbabel
5) one or up to three Levites in Nehemiah's time
בָּנִי (ba.ni) — Bani.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.6.46;
son of: Shemer (H8106);
father of: Amzi (H0557)
§ Bani = "built"
1) a Gadite, one of David's mighty warriors
2) a Levite of the line of Merari, and forefather to Ethan
3) a man of Judah of the line of Pharez
4) "children of Bani" returned from captivity with Zerubbabel
5) one or up to three Levites in Nehemiah's time
בָּנִי (ba.ni) — Bani.
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ba'-ni (bani, "posterity"):
(1) A Gadite, one of David's mighty men (2Sa 23:36).
(2) A Levite whose son was appointed for service in the tabernacle at David's time (1Ch 6:46).
(3) A Judahite whose son lived in Jerusalem after the captivity (1Ch 9:4).
(4) The descendants of Bani (called Binnui, Ne 7:15) returned with Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:10) and had taken "strange wives" (Ezr 10:29).
(5) Bani who had taken a "strange wife" (Ezr 10:38) mentioned with his brothers, the sons of Bani who also had taken "strange wives" (
Bani
Built. (1.) 1 Chr. 6:46. (2.) One of David’s thirty-seven warriors, a Gadite (2 Sam. 23:36). (3.) Ezra 2:10; 10:29,34,38. (4.) A Levite who was prominent in the reforms on the return from Babylon (Neh. 8:7; 9:4,5). His son Rehum took part in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem (Neh. 3:17).
(built). A Gadite, one of David’s mighty men. (2 Samuel 23:36) (B.C. 1046.) A Levite of the line of Merari, and forefather to Ethan. (1 Chronicles 6:46) A man of Judah of the line of Pharez. (1 Chronicles 9:4) "Children of Bani" returned from captivity with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:10; 10:29,34; Nehemiah 10:14) 1 Esd. 5:12. [BINNUI; MANI] An Israelite "of the sons of Bani." (Ezra 10:38) A Levite. (Nehemiah 3:17) A Levite. (Nehemiah 8:7; 9:4,5; 10:13) Another Levite…
The Hebrew word שֵׁשׁ, transliterated as shesh, means 'six' and can function as both a cardinal and ordinal number, indicating the sixth position. It is a primitive number that signifies an excess beyond five, as noted in the entries. The Aramaic equivalent is שֵׁת (shet).
שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה 216 n.m. et f. six
base
H8337 שֵׁשׁ, שִׁשָּׁה six
8337 shesh shaysh
masculine shishshah {shish-shaw'}; a primitive number; six
(as an overplus (see 7797) beyond five or the fingers of the
hand); as ord. sixth:--six((-teen, -teenth)), sixth.
see HEBREW for 07797
שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — six.
1) six
1a) six (cardinal number)
1b) sixth (ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: shet (שֵׁת "six" H8353)
Adj — AdjHAcbsa
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
HAcfpa — HAcfpa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
אַרְבָּעִים (arba`iym) simply means 'forty' in Hebrew. It is a multiple of the number 702 and is consistently defined across various lexicons. There are no significant disagreements among the entries regarding its meaning.
אַרְבָּעִים a forty
base
H705 אַרְבָּעִים a forty
705 'arba`iym ar-baw-eem'
multiple of 702; forty:---forty.
see HEBREW for 0702
אַרְבָּעִים (ar.ba.im) — forty.
forty
HAcmpa — HAcmpa
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)
HC/Acbda — ConjunctionHC/Acbda
too.
See NUMBER.