Ezra 2:4 — Word Study
WLCבְּנֵ֣י שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שִׁבְעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס
BSAthe descendantsbên [sons, children, or family line] of ShephatiahShᵉphaṭyâh [a leader among the Israelites, three hundred seventy and two, a specific number of people] 372shâlôwsh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵ֣י | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה | Shephatiah | Noun proper masculine |
| שְׁלֹ֥שׁ | three | Adj |
| מֵא֖וֹת | hundred | |
| שִׁבְעִ֥ים | seventy | |
| 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 Shephatiah, 372; |
| KJV | The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. |
| ASV | The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. |
| YLT | Sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. |
| WEB | The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. |
| BBE | The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. |
Where they part company is in the specific number of descendants — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is simple, with a main clause followed by a numeral phrase that specifies the number 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 2:4
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 2:4 is part of a larger list of those who returned from Babylonian exile, emphasizing the importance of lineage and family ties among the Israelites. This genealogical record serves to establish the identity and heritage of those returning to Jerusalem, a significant aspect of their restoration as a community.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezra 8:8 | from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men; |
| 2 | Nehemiah 7:9 | the descendants of Shephatiah, 372; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בְּנֵ֣י, be.Neigenerated
The word בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'descendant' and can refer to a range of familial connections, including grandsons and broader family lines. In this verse, it specifically denotes the descendants of Shephatiah, indicating a lineage that is significant in the context of the returning exiles.
The parsing as a masculine plural construct indicates that it refers to multiple descendants, reinforcing the communal aspect of the return. The use of בְּנֵי highlights the importance of family and heritage in Israelite society.
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 introduced by the subject noun phrase בְּנֵ֣י שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה (the descendants of Shephatiah), followed by a numeral phrase indicating the specific count of 372. The structure is straightforward, reflecting the typical Hebrew style of listing genealogies.
The sentence is structured to emphasize the identity of the descendants first, followed by their number, which is a common pattern in genealogical records.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בְּנֵי as υἱοὶ (huioi), meaning 'sons.' This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning of descendants, maintaining the familial connection.
However, the Septuagint does not fully preserve the original structure of the Hebrew text, indicating a possible interpretative shift in how the genealogical information was understood in the Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 2:4 lists the descendants of Shephatiah, numbering 372. This verse is part of a genealogical record of those who returned from Babylon, emphasizing the importance of family lineage in the restoration of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Shephatiah was a leader among the Israelites, and his descendants are noted in the genealogical records of those returning from exile.
The specific numbers highlight the size of each family line, which was important for establishing identity and inheritance among the returning exiles.
In this context, 'descendants' refers to the family line and heritage of Shephatiah, indicating a connection to the broader community of Israel.
This verse is part of a larger list that documents the return of the Israelites from Babylon, emphasizing the rebuilding of their community and identity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to belong to a family or lineage, and how does that shape our identity today?
- How can we honor our heritage while also embracing new beginnings?
- In what ways can we connect with our community and contribute to its rebuilding?
- What lessons can we learn from the genealogies in Scripture about the importance of our family connections?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 2:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. The children of Shephatiah - [Septuagint, Safatia]. In addition to this first band of 372 (cf. Nehemiah 7:9), a second detachment of 80 males accompanied Ezra .
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 Shephatiah, 372;
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two.
the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;
the descendants of Shephatiah: 372;
Tyndale line
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy two.
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
The sonnes of Shephatiah, three hundreth, seuentie and two:
Strictly literal
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two.
Sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two;
The children of Shephatyah, three hundred seventy and two.
The descendants of Shephatiah: 372.
From the Latin
The children of Sephatia, three hundred seventy-two.
Simplified
the sons of Shephatiah, 372;
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-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 reads בְּנֵ֣י שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שִׁבְעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס, which matches closely with the Septuagint's rendering, though only three of the six words are directly matched, indicating some differences in translation approach.
בְּנֵ֣י שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שִׁבְעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ ס
3 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 2:4
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…
שְׁפַטְיָה (Shphatyah) means 'Jehovah has judged' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, particularly a son of King David and various heads of families returning from Babylon. The name is built from the roots meaning 'to judge' and 'Yah' (God). It appears in contexts related to the United Monarchy and the Exile, with specific mentions in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles.
שְׁפַטְיָה(וּ) n.pr.m. (י׳ hath judged, vindicated)
יָה:
fifth son of David
contemp. of Jerem.
man of Judah
chiefs of families of restoration
Benjamite
יָהוּ:
son of Jehosh.
hero of David
Simeonite
base
H8203 שְׁפַטְיָה(וּ), שְׁפַטְיָה, שְׁפַטְיָהוּ
8203 Shphatyah shef-at-yaw'
or Shphatyahuw {shef-at-yaw'-hoo}; from 8199 and 3050; Jah
has judged; Shephatjah, the name of ten Israelites:--
Shephatiah.
see HEBREW for 08199
see HEBREW for 03050
שְׁפַטְיָהוּ (she.phat.yah) — Shephatiah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.3.4;
son of: David (H1732) and Abital (H0037);
half-brother of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)
§ Shephatiah = "Jehovah has judged"
1) a son of David by Abital; David's 5th son
2) head of a family of exiles returning from Babylon with Zerubbabel
3) another head of a family of exiles returning from Babylon with Zerubbabel
4) a Judaite, son of Mahalaleel and father of Amariah
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Shephatiah
Judged of the Lord. (1.) A son of David by Abital (2 Sam. 3:4).
(2.) A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:5).
(3.) A Simeonite prince in David’s time (1 Chr. 27:16).
(4.) One of Jehoshaphat’s sons (2 Chr. 21:2).
(5.) Ezra 2:4.
(7.) One of the princes who urged the putting of Jeremiah to death (Jer. 38:1-4).
(judged by Jehovah). The fifth son of David. (2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Chronicles 3:3) (B.C. about 1050.) The family of Shephatiah, 372 in number, returned with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:4; Nehemiah 7:9) see also Ezra 8:8 (B.C. 536.) The family of another Shephatiah, who came up with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:4) A descendant of Judah. (Nehemiah 11:4) One of the princes of Judah who counselled Zedekiah to put Jeremiah in the dungeon. (Jeremiah 38:1) (B.C. 589.) One of the Benjamite warriors…
The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.
שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad
base
H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad
7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'
or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};
or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;
occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,
+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.
Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07991
שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.
1) three, triad
1a) 3, 300, third
Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)
Adj — AdjHAcbsc
(shalosh; treis).
See NUMBER.
The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.
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.
שִׁבְעִים (shib`iym) means 'seventy' in Hebrew. It is derived from a root meaning 'seven' and is used to denote the number seventy, often referenced in contexts involving counting or enumeration.
שִׁבְעִים 91 n.pl. seventy
base
H7657 שִׁבְעִים seventy
7657 shib`iym. shib-eem'
multiple of 7651; seventy:--seventy, threescore and ten
(+ -teen).
see HEBREW for 07651
שִׁבְעִים (shiv.im) — seventy.
seventy
HAcmpa — HAcmpa
sev'-n-ti (shibh`im; hebdomekonta).
See NUMBER.
→ The senate of the Israilites composed of seventy elders Ex 24:1,9; Nu 11:16,24,25
→ The seventy disciples sent forth by Jesus (though the best Greek mss. have “seventy-two”) Lu 10:1-17
→ The Jews in captivity in Babylon for seventy years Jer 25:11,12; 29:10; Da 9:2; Zec 1:12; 7:5
→ See ISRAEL
→ 70 Weeks in the vision of Daniel Da 9:24
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.