Genesis 11:22 — Word Study
WLCוַיְחִ֥י שְׂר֖וּג שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ נָחֽוֹר׃
BSAWhen SerugSᵉrûwg [a postdiluvian patriarch, the son of Reu] waschâyâh▸ [thirty] 30shᵉlôwshîym years oldshâneh he became the father ofyâlad▸ [lived, begat, fathered, to beget, give birth to] NahorNâchôwr [a son of Terah, Abraham's grandfather]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְחִ֥י | and he lived | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| שְׂר֖וּג | Serug | Noun proper masculine |
| שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים | thirty | Adj |
| 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 |
| נָחֽוֹר׃ | Nahor | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | When Serug was 30 years old, he became the father of Nahor. |
| KJV | And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: |
| ASV | And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: |
| YLT | And Serug liveth thirty years, and begetteth Nahor. |
| WEB | Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor. |
| BBE | And Serug was thirty years old when he became the father of Nahor: |
The translations agree on the essential details of Serug's age and his fathering of Nahor.
The structure is simple, with a main clause followed by a subordinate action, clearly indicating Serug's age and his role as a father.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectשְׂרוּג
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 11:22
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 the Patriarchsgenerated
Genesis 11:22 is part of a genealogical listing that traces the lineage from Noah to Abraham, emphasizing the ages of the patriarchs at the time they fathered their children. This context shows the continuity of God's plan through generations, leading to the significant figure of Abraham.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 24:2 | And Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְחִ֥י, vay.Chigenerated
The verb חָיָה (chayah) means to live or have life, and in this context, it indicates that Serug was alive and active at the age of thirty. The Qal stem emphasizes the simple act of living.
This word can also imply revival or restoration of life, reflecting God's power over life itself. In the genealogical context, it marks the age of Serug, linking his life to the next generation.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of Serug living thirty years and fathering Nahor.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יְחִ֥י governs the main clause, indicating Serug's living status at a specific age. The structure flows from the subject, Serug, to the action of living and then to the subsequent action of fathering.
The sentence is straightforward, with a clear progression from Serug's age to his role as a father, emphasizing the continuity of lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְחִ֥י as ἔζησεν (ezēsen), which carries the same meaning of living. This choice reflects a direct correspondence in the concept of life.
The translation maintains the original intent of the Hebrew text, ensuring that the significance of Serug's life and age is preserved in the Greek version.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 11:22 tells us that Serug was 30 years old when he became the father of Nahor. This verse is part of the genealogy leading to Abraham, showing the ages of the patriarchs at key moments in their lives.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This indicates Serug's age at the time he fathered Nahor, marking a significant point in the genealogy.
The age provides context for the timeline of the patriarchs and their lineage leading to Abraham.
Nahor is mentioned as a significant figure in the genealogy, being the son of Serug and the grandfather of Abraham.
It contributes to the genealogical record that establishes the lineage through which God's promises are fulfilled.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding the ages of the patriarchs help us grasp the timeline of biblical history?
- What significance do you see in the names and ages listed in genealogies?
- How do genealogies contribute to the understanding of God's plan throughout the Bible?
- What can we learn from the lives of the patriarchs in terms of faith and legacy?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Bede comments on this verse, noting the ages of the patriarchs and their significance in the genealogy.
Indeed, Sarug lived thirty years and begot Nachor. The seventy interpreters have it one hundred and thirty.Early Church Fathers on Genesis 11 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 11:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor. The grandfather of Abraham, one of the same name was Abraham's brother, Genesis 11:26.
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 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 11:22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:Ver. 22. And begat Nahor.] Who, first of the patriarchs, fell to idolatry: for Laban sware by Nahor’ s gods.
Read John Trapp 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 Colleges22. Nahor] The name here of Abram’s grandfather, as also, in Genesis 11:26, of Abram’s brother (cf. Genesis 22:20, Joshua 24:2). Very similar personal names are found in early Assyrian business documents.
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 Serug was 30 years old, he became the father of Nahor.
Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor.
When Serug was 30 years old, he became the father of Nahor.
When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor.
Tyndale line
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:
Moreouer Serug liued thirtie yeeres, and begate Nahor.
Strictly literal
And Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor.
And Serug liveth thirty years, and begetteth Nahor.
And Serug lives thirty years [[or one hundred and thirty years]], and begets Nahor.
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nachor.
When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor.
From the Latin
And Sarug lived thirty years, and begot Nachor.
Simplified
When Serug was 30, he had Nahor.
And Serug was thirty years old when he became the father of Nahor:
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 largely agree, with the Septuagint matching six of the seven words from the Hebrew. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words, indicating variations in the text's transmission.
וַיְחִ֥י שְׂר֖וּג שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ נָחֽוֹר׃
6 of the 7 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 שׂרוג שׁלשׁים שׁנה ומאת שׁנה ויוליד את נחור
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 11:22
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
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.
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)
Adj — AdjHAcmpa
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
נָחוֹר (Nachowr) refers to Nahor, a biblical figure associated with the Patriarchs. He is identified as both the father of Terah and the grandfather of Abraham, as well as the son of Serug. The name is linked to the meaning 'snorting.' The entries note his family connections, including his brother Abraham and his marriage to Milcah.
נָחוֹר n.pr.m.
father of Teraḥ
son of Teraḥ and brother of Abr.
base
H5152 נָחוֹר . father of Teraḥ
. son of Teraḥ and brother of Abr.
5152 Nachowr naw-khore'
from the same as 5170; snorer; Nochor, the name of the
grandfather and a brother of Abraham:--Nahor.
see HEBREW for 05170
נָחוֹר (na.chor) — Nahor.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.22;
son of: Serug (H8286);
father of: Terah (H8646)
Also named: Nachōr (Ναχώρ "Nahor" G3493)
§ Nahor = "snorting"
1) son of Serug, father of Terah, and grandfather of Abraham
2) son of Terah and brother of Abraham
נָחוֹר (na.chor) — Nahor.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.26;
son of: Terah (H8646);
brother of: Abraham (H0085), Haran (H2039) and Sarah (H8283); married to Milcah (H4435) and Reumah (H7208);
father of: Uz (H5780H), Buz (H0938), Kemuel (H7055), Chesed (H3777), Hazo (H2375), Pildash (H6394), Jidlaph (H3044), Bethuel (H1328A), Tebah (H2875), Gaham (H1514), Tahash (H8477) and Maacah (H4601)
§ Nahor = "snorting"
1) son of Serug, father of Terah, and grandfather of Abraham
2) son of Terah and brother of Abraham
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
na'-hor (nachor; in the New Testament Nachor):e representative of Naphtali among the 12 spies (Nu 13:14).
(1) Son of Serug and grandfather of Abraham (Ge 11:22-25; 1Ch 1:26).
(2) Son of Terah and brother of Abraham (Ge 11:26,27,29; 22:20,23; 24:15,24,47; 29:5; Jos 24:2).
Nahor
Snorting. (1.) The father of Terah, who was the father of Abraham (Gen. 11:22-25; Luke 3:34).
(2.) A son of Terah, and elder brother of Abraham (Gen. 11:26, 27; Josh. 24:2, R.V.). He married Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran, and remained in the land of his nativity on the east of the river Euphrates at Haran (Gen. 11:27-32). A correspondence was maintained between the family of Abraham in Canaan and the relatives in the old ancestral home at Haran till the time of Jacob. When Jacob fled from Haran all intercourse between the two branches of the family came to an end (
(snorting), the name of two persons in the family of Abraham. His grandfather; the son of Serug and father of Terah. (Genesis 11:22-25) (B.C. 2174.) Grandson of the preceding son of Terah and brother of Abraham and Haran. (Genesis 11:26,27) (B.C. 2000.) The order of the ages of the family of Terah is not improbably inverted in the narrative; in which case Nahor instead of being younger than Abraham, was really older. He married Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran; and when Abraham and Lot migrated to Canaan, Nahor remained behind in the land of his birth, on the eastern side of the Euphrates.
1. Son of Serug, and father of Terah, Ge 11:22-25 Lu 3:34.
2. Son of Terah, and brother of Abraham and Haran. He married Milcah his niece in Ur of the Chaldees, Ge 11:26,29, but seems to have transferred his residence to Haran, Ge 24:10 27:43. He had twelve sons, and among them Bethuel the father of Rebekah, Ge 22:20-24.