Genesis 11:20 — Word Study
WLCוַיְחִ֣י רְע֔וּ שְׁתַּ֥יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ שְׂרֽוּג׃
BSAWhen ReuRᵉʻûw [a postdiluvian patriarch, thirty-two years old] waschâyâh▸ 32shᵉnayim years oldshâneh [two and thirty years, a significant life stage] he became the father ofyâlad▸ [lived to beget, had as a son] SerugSᵉrûwg [a branch, his descendant, an ancestor of Abraham]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְחִ֣י | and he lived | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| רְע֔וּ | Reu | Noun proper masculine |
| שְׁתַּ֥יִם | two | Adj |
| וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים | and thirty | Conjunction |
| שָׁנָ֑ה | year[s] | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וַיּ֖וֹלֶד | and he fathered | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| שְׂרֽוּג׃ | Serug | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug. |
| KJV | And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: |
| ASV | And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: |
| YLT | And Reu liveth two and thirty years, and begetteth Serug. |
| WEB | Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug. |
| BBE | And Reu was thirty-two years old when he became the father of Serug: |
Where they part company is the age of Reu — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by a subordinate clause detailing the action taken by Reu.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectרְעוּ
verbחָיָה
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 — Genesis 11:20
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 Genealogy of Shemgenerated
Genesis 11:20 presents Reu as a pivotal figure in the lineage leading to Abraham, marking a significant moment in the genealogical history after the flood. This verse highlights the age at which Reu fathered Serug, connecting the generations that shaped the people of Israel. The genealogy serves to establish the heritage of the Israelites, tracing their roots back to the patriarchs.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke 3:35 | the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רְע֔וּ, re.'Ugenerated
The name רְע֔וּ (Reu) refers to a postdiluvian patriarch, specifically the son of Peleg and father of Serug. His name means 'friend,' indicating a relational aspect within the genealogical context.
Reu's significance lies in his position in the lineage that leads to Abraham, which is crucial for understanding the biblical narrative of the chosen people. The parsing as a proper noun emphasizes his identity and role within the genealogy.
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 finite verb וַיְחִ֣י (and he lived) governs the main clause, with the subject רְע֔וּ (Reu) directly following. The structure emphasizes the age of Reu at the time of fathering Serug.
The sentence is straightforward, presenting Reu's age and his action of fathering Serug in a clear genealogical format.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the word ἔζησεν (he lived) to translate the Hebrew וַיְחִ֣י. This choice maintains the meaning of life and existence, consistent with the Hebrew text.
The Greek translation reflects a direct correspondence with the Hebrew, highlighting the continuity of the genealogical narrative.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 11:20 tells us that Reu was 32 years old when he became the father of Serug. This verse is part of the genealogy that traces the lineage from Noah to Abraham, showing the important connections between these key figures in biblical history.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Reu was a postdiluvian patriarch, the son of Peleg, and an ancestor of Abraham, as noted in the genealogies of Genesis.
The name Reu means 'friend,' reflecting a relational aspect in the biblical narrative.
Reu is significant because he is part of the lineage leading to Abraham, establishing the heritage of the Israelites.
Reu became a father at the age of 32, marking a key moment in the genealogical record.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to you that Reu was a part of the lineage leading to Abraham?
- How can understanding genealogies in the Bible deepen your knowledge of biblical history?
- Why do you think names and ages are important in genealogical records?
- In what ways can relationships, like those seen in Reu's lineage, shape our understanding of community?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church writers, like Bede, reference this genealogy to discuss the significance of Reu in the lineage leading to Abraham.
Now Reu lived thirty-two years and begot Sarug. The seventy interpreters have it one hundred and thirty-two.Early Church Fathers on Genesis 11 →
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 11:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Reu lived thirty two years, and begat Serug. He is thought to give name to a city called Sarug, which, according to the Arabic geographer (i), was near Charrae, or Haran, in Chaldea; and another
Read John Gill on Genesis 11 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 11 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English ReadersTHE TÔLDÔTH SHEM.(10-26) These are the generations of Shem.—Here also, as in Genesis 5, there is a very considerable divergence between the statements of the Hebrew, the Samaritan, and the Septuagint texts. According to the Hebrew, the total number of years from Shem to the birth of Abram was 390, according to the Samaritan, 1,040, and according to the LXX., 1,270. These larger totals are obtained by adding, as a rule, one hundred years to the age of each patriarch before the birth of his eldest son, and the LXX. also insert Cainan between Arphaxad and Salah. The virtual agreement of two authorities, coming from such different quarters as the Samaritan transcript and the LXX. version is…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 11 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. Serug] The name of a town and region near Haran in Mesopotamia in the land of the upper Euphrates.
Read Cambridge on Genesis 11 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleThe Generations of Shem, Genesis 11:10-26. The narrative here again doubles back upon itself, returning over a century to take a new departure from the birth of Shem’s eldest son, two years after the flood.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 11 →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
When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug.
Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug.
When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug.
When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug.
Tyndale line
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug.
Also Reu liued two and thirtie yeeres, and begate Serug.
Strictly literal
And Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug.
And Reu liveth two and thirty years, and begetteth Serug.
And Reu lives thirty-two years [[or one hundred and thirty-two years]], and begets Serug.
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug.
When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug.
From the Latin
And Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Sarug.
Simplified
When Reu was 32, he had Serug.
And Reu was thirty-two years old when he became the father of Serug:
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 align closely in their wording, with the Septuagint preserving the essential elements of the Hebrew. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using 'מאת' (hundred) and 'יוליד' (bear) instead of the corresponding Hebrew terms, indicating a variation in the genealogical account.
וַיְחִ֣י רְע֔וּ שְׁתַּ֥יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ שְׂרֽוּג׃
7 of the 8 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.
ויחי רעו שׁתים ושׁלשׁים ומאת שׁנה ויוליד את שׂרוג
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: מאת (hundred), יוליד (bear)
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 Genesis 11:20
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.
חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
live
be quickened, revive
Pi.
preserve alive, let live
give life
quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
preserve alive, let live
quicken, revive
base
H2421 חָיָה live .. live
. be quickened, revive
. . preserve alive, let live
. give life
. quicken, revive, refresh
. . preserve alive, let live
. quicken, revive
2421 chayah khaw-yaw'
a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether
literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep
(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,
suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save
(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.
see HEBREW for 02331
see HEBREW for 02421
חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to live
1a1a) to have life
1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive
1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
1a1d) to live (prosperously)
1a2) to revive, be quickened
1a2a) from sickness
1a2b) from discouragement
1a2c) from faintness
1a2d) from death
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to preserve alive, let live
1b2) to give life
1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh
1b3a) to restore to life
1b3b) to cause to grow
1b3c) to restore
1b3d) to revive
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to preserve alive, let live
1c2) to quicken, revive
1c2a) to restore (to health)
1c2b) to revive
1c2c) to restore to life
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
רְעוּ (Reu) is a proper name referring to a postdiluvian patriarch, specifically the son of Peleg and father of Serug. The name is associated with the meaning 'friend.' It first appears in Genesis 11:18. The entries consistently identify Reu as a significant figure in the genealogical line leading to Abraham.
רְעוּ n.pr.m. son of Peleg
base
H7466 רְעוּ son of Peleg
7466 R`uw reh-oo'
for 7471 in the sense of 7453; friend; Reu, a postdiluvian
patriarch:--Reu.
see HEBREW for 07471
see HEBREW for 07453
רְעוּ (re.u) — Reu.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.18;
son of: Peleg (H6389);
father of: Serug (H8286)
Also named: Rhagau (Ῥαγαῦ "Reu" G4466)
§ Reu = "friend"
son of Peleg and an ancestor of Abraham
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(friend), son of Peleg, in the line of Abraham’s ancestors. (Genesis 11:18,19,20,21; 1 Chronicles 1:25) (B.C. about 2213.)
his friend; his shepherd
→ Son of Peleg and an ancestor of Abraham Ge 11:18-21; 1Ch 1:25
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)
Adj — AdjHAcfda
too.
See NUMBER.
שְׁלֹשִׁים (*shlowshiym*) means 'thirty' and can also refer to 'thirtieth' as an ordinal number. It is an indeclinable noun and is derived from the root word for 'three.' The entries indicate that it is used in various contexts, but there are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.
שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) 174 n.indecl. thirty
bef. n. sg.
as ordin.
base
H7970 שְׁלֹשִׁים (very seldom שְׁלוֹשִׁים, שְׁלֹשִׁם) n. indecl. thirty . bef. n. sg.
. as ordin.
7970 shlowshiym shel-o-sheem'
or shloshiym {shel-o-sheem'}; multiple of 7969; thirty; or
(ordinal) thirtieth:--thirty, thirtieth. Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07969
see HEBREW for 07991
שְׁלֹשִׁים (she.lo.shim) — thirty.
thirty, thirtieth
Aramaic equivalent: te.la.tin (תְּלָתִין "thirty" H8533)
HC/Acmpa — ConjunctionHC/Acmpa
שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.
שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])
base
H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])
8141 shaneh shaw-neh'
(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year
(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,
year(X -ly).
see HEBREW for 08138
שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.
1) year
1a) as division of time
1b) as measure of time
1c) as indication of age
1d) a lifetime (of years of life)
Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.
יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget
Qal
bear, bring forth
less often beget
of both parents
Niph. be born
Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
Pu. be born
Hiph.
beget (a father a child)
bear
Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday
Hithp. declared their pedigree
base
H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth
. less often beget
. of both parents
. be born
. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
. be born
. . beget (a father a child)
. bear
. day of one's being born = birthday
. declared their pedigree
3205 yalad yaw-lad'
a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;
medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show
lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring
forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be
delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,
labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be
the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.
1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bear, bring forth
1a1a) of child birth
1a1b) of distress (simile)
1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)
1a2) to beget
1b) (Niphal) to be born
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cause or help to bring forth
1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife
1c3) midwife (participle)
1d) (Pual) to be born
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to beget (a child)
1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)
1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)
1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhw3ms
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
שְׂרוּג (Sruwg) refers to Serug, a postdiluvian patriarch mentioned in Genesis 11:20. The name is derived from a root meaning 'tendril' or 'branch,' indicating a familial connection as a descendant of Peleg. He is noted as the son of Reu and the father of Nahor, making him a significant figure in the genealogy leading to Abraham.
שְׂרוּג n.pr.m. descendant (i.e. younger branch) of Peleg
base
H8286 שְׂרוּג descendant (i.e. younger branch) of Peleg
8286 Sruwg ser-oog'
from 8276; tendril; Serug, a postdiluvian patriarch:--Serug.
see HEBREW for 08276
שְׂרוּג (se.rug) — Serug.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.20;
son of: Reu (H7466);
father of: Nahor (H5152)
Also named: Sarouch (Σαρούχ "Serug" G4562)
§ Serug = "branch"
son of Reu and great grandfather of Abraham
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Serug
Branch, the father of Nahor (Gen. 11:20-23); called Saruch in Luke 3:35.
(branch), son of Reu and great grandfather of Abraham. His age is given in the Hebrew Bible as 230 years. (Genesis 11:20-23) (B.C. 2180.)
A descendant of Shem, and an ancestor of Abraham, Ge 11:20-23; Lu 3:35. Jewish tradition says he was the first of his line that fell into idolatry, Jos 24:2.