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Judges 21:17 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ יְרֻשַּׁ֥ת פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלֹֽא־ יִמָּחֶ֥ה שֵׁ֖בֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

BSAThey addedʼâmar There must be heirsyᵉrushshâh [an inheritance, a possession] for the survivorspᵉlêyṭâh [escaped portion, those who remain] of BenjaminBinyâmîyn [son of the right hand] so that a tribeshêbeṭ [a clan] of IsraelYisrâʼêl [the symbolic name of Jacob, his descendants] will notlôʼ be wiped outmâchâh [erased, blotted out, destroyed, from existence, completely]

Word
Listen & take awayJudges 21
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Judges 21:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe elders of Israel declare the need for heirs to ensure the survival of the tribe of Benjamin.
Who is speakingThe elders of the congregation, discussing the fate of the Benjamites.
Where we areIn the aftermath of a conflict, deliberating on how to provide for the remaining members of a tribe.
The hard wordיְרֻשַּׁ֥ת
Take awayThe tribe of Benjamin must not disappear from Israel.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectשֵׁבֶט verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 — Judges 21:17

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 Preservation of Benjamingenerated

16Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
17They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
19“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”

Judges 21:17 reflects the elders' concern for the tribe of Benjamin after a devastating conflict, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the survivors have heirs. This verse highlights the communal responsibility to maintain the integrity of the tribes of Israel, particularly in the face of potential extinction. The elders recognize that without heirs, the tribe of Benjamin would cease to exist, which would have significant implications for the nation of Israel as a whole.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 26:55Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
2Numbers 36:7No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יְרֻשַּׁ֥ת, ye.ru.Shatgenerated

The noun יְרֻשָּׁה (ye.ru.Sha) refers to a possession or inheritance, indicating something passed down through generations. It is derived from a root meaning to conquer, suggesting ownership and heritage.

In this verse, it emphasizes the necessity for the survivors of Benjamin to have a rightful inheritance, ensuring their continuity as a tribe within Israel. The use of this term underscores the importance of legacy and belonging within the larger community.


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 verb יֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (they said) governs the entire verse, with a noun phrase as the subject and a prepositional phrase indicating possession. The structure highlights the elders' declaration and the urgency of their message regarding the tribe's survival.

The sentence flows from the elders' assertion of the need for heirs to the consequence of not having them, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the tribe of Benjamin within Israel.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יְרֻשַּׁ֥ת as κληρονομία (klēronomia), which also means inheritance. This choice maintains the concept of a legacy passed down, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.

The use of κληρονομία suggests a similar understanding of the importance of lineage and heritage, reflecting the cultural values surrounding inheritance in both Hebrew and Greek contexts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Judges 21:17 shows the elders of Israel discussing how to ensure that the tribe of Benjamin does not disappear. They emphasize the need for heirs for the survivors, highlighting the importance of maintaining the tribe's existence in Israel.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why is it important for the tribe of Benjamin to have heirs?

Heirs ensure the continuation of the tribe and its identity within Israel, which is crucial for the nation's integrity.

What does the term 'possession' refer to in this context?

It refers to the inheritance or legacy that must be passed down to the survivors of Benjamin to maintain their tribe.

How does this verse reflect the values of the Israelite community?

It highlights the communal responsibility to preserve each tribe's identity and legacy, ensuring that no tribe is lost.

What can we learn from the elders' concern for Benjamin?

Their concern teaches us the importance of community and the need to support one another in maintaining our identities and legacies.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean for a community to ensure the survival of its tribes or groups?
  2. How can we apply the principle of inheritance to our own lives and communities today?
  3. In what ways can we support those who may feel like they are part of a 'remnant' in our society?
  4. What responsibilities do we have to preserve the legacies of those who came before us?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Ambrose of Milan references this verse to discuss the oaths concerning marriage to the tribe of Benjamin, emphasizing the significance of preserving the tribe's lineage.

Ambrose of MilanOn the Duties of the Clergy 3.19.115 c. 339–397
The sentence, further, was that none of the people of the ancestors should give his daughter in marriage to [members of Benjamin’s tribe]. This was confirmed by a solemn oath.
Early Church Fathers on Judges 21 →

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Judges 21:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they said, there must be an inheritance for them that be escaped Benjamin,.... The escaped are the six hundred men in the rock Rimmon; four hundred of them were supplied with wives, the other two

Read John Gill on Judges 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin.

Read Robert Jamieson on Judges 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The inheritance promised by Jacob and Moses, and given by Joshua to the tribe of Benjamin, doth all of it belong to those few which remain of that tribe, and cannot be possessed by any other tribe; and therefore we are obliged to procure wives for them all, that they may make up this breach, and be capable of possessing and managing all their land, that this tribe and their inheritance may not be confounded with or swallowed up by any of the rest. Heb. the inheritance (to wit, belonging to the whole tribe of Benjamin) is or belongs to them that be escaped of Benjamin.

Read Matthew Poole on Judges 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Judges 21:17 And they said, [There must be] an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.Ver. 17. There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped.] Else our state will be dismembered. But why was not this thought of before now? Anger is an evil counsellor; and cannot do, but it must over do. Wherefore, “ Vince animos, iramque tuam. ” That a tribe be not destroyed.] St Paul and many other good men were afterwards of this tribe. The whole "twelve tribes served God instantly day and night."

Read John Trapp on Judges 21 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) There must be an inheritance.—Rather, possession of the remnant shall be for Benjamin—i.e., We will leave untouched their land and possessions. “We give you leave to take the whole land of Benjamin to yourselves” (Jos. Antt. v. 3, § 12). That a tribe be not destroyed.—Benjamin never quite recovered this crushing blow. Even though it furnished the second judge (Ehud) and the first king (Saul) to Israel, and was advantageously situated, and was often honoured by the residence of Samuel, it became a mere satellite to the more powerful tribe of Judah. Perhaps in the quiescence and permanence derived from the close association with its powerful neighbour we see in part the fulfilment of the…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Judges 21 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. There must be an inheritance … of Benjamin] The Hebr. has only An inheritance of the escaped for (or of) Benjamin, which yields no sense, and suggests corruption in the text. The problem is, how to prevent Benjamin from becoming extinct; if the survivors are not to die with no descendants to hand on their race and restore the fortunes of the tribe, wives must be found for them; but since the Israelites have sworn not to give them wives, some way out of the difficulty must be devised. With an inconsiderable change in the Hebr., giving the sentence an interrogative force, it is possible to obtain a meaning which suits the context: How shall a remnant be left over for Benjamin, and a tribe…

Read Cambridge on Judges 21 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They said, “There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The remnant of Benjamin must be preserved. An entire Israelite tribe should not be wiped out.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that have escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they saide, there must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Beniamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they said, There must be a possession for those of Benjamin that have escaped, that a tribe be not blotted out of Israel.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they say, 'A possession of an escaped party [is] to Benjamin, and a tribe is not blotted out from Israel;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they say, “A possession of an escaped party [is] to Benjamin, and a tribe is not blotted out from Israel;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they said, Their inheritance must be secured for Benjamin, that not a tribe may be blotted out from Israel.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe is not destroyed from Israel.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They added, “There have to be heirs for the Benjamite survivors—an Israelite tribe of Israel can't be wiped out.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they said, How is the rest of Benjamin to be given offspring so that one tribe of Israel may not be put out of existence,

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.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּthey.saidclausenoun phrase · subjectיְרֻשַּׁ֥תa.possessionפְּלֵיטָ֖הof.[the].escaped.remnantprepositional phrase · predicateלְ[belongs].toבִנְיָמִ֑ןBenjaminוְandclauseadverbialלֹֽאnotverbיִמָּחֶ֥הit.will.be.wiped.outsubjectשֵׁ֖בֶטa.tribeprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromיִּשְׂרָאֵֽלIsrael

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 wording of this verse, indicating a consistent understanding of the need for heirs among the Benjamites. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, but the key terms align with the Masoretic Text, affirming the preservation of this message.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ יְרֻשַּׁ֥ת פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלֹֽא־ יִמָּחֶ֥ה שֵׁ֖בֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּεἶπανיְרֻשַּׁ֥תκληρονομίαפְּלֵיטָ֖הδιασῳζομένωνלְבִנְיָמִ֑ןβενιαμινוְלֹֽא־οὐκיִמָּחֶ֥הἐχαλειφθήσεταιשֵׁ֖בֶטφυλὴמִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ισραηλ

8 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q50a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ויאמרו ירשת [פליטה] [לבנימן] [ולא] [ימחה] [שבט] [מישראל]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 6 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Judges 21:17אָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַריְרֻשָּׁהa possessioa possession ofיְרֻשָּׁהפְּלֵיטָה[the] escap[the] escaped rפְּלֵיטָהבִּנְיָמִין[belongs] t[belongs] to Beבִּנְיָמִיןלֹאand notand notלֹאמָחָהit will be it will be wipeמָחָהשֵׁ֫בֶטa tribea tribeשֵׁ֫בֶטיִשְׂרָאֵלfrom Israelfrom Israelיִשְׂרָאֵליָרַשׁto possessto possess: posיָרַשׁבֵּןson: childson: childבֵּןשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָהפָּלִיטsurvivorsurvivorפָּלִיטכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהלוֹטLotLotלוֹטבִּנְיָמִין(Gate of) (Gate of) Benjaבִּנְיָמִיןשְׁאֵרִיתremnantremnantשְׁאֵרִיתשָׁאַרto remainto remainשָׁאַרגִּבְעָהGibeahGibeahגִּבְעָהמַטֶּהtribetribeמַטֶּהיָכֹלbe ablebe ableיָכֹלעוֹדstillstillעוֹדזֵ֫כֶרmemorialmemorialזֵ֫כֶרחֲצִיhalfhalfחֲצִימְנַשֶּׁהMosesMosesמְנַשֶּׁהשֵׁ֫בֶטtribetribeשֵׁ֫בֶט
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Judges 21:17

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.

and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvai.Yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
יְרֻשַּׁ֥תye.ru.Shat a possession of H3425 Noun common · feminine singular construct
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Inheritance refers to something passed down to someone, like a family heirloom or a piece of land. It describes what is given to the next generation to own and occupy.
Amplified meaning
an inheritance, a possession
Tyndale gloss
possession
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְרֻשָּׁה (yrushah) refers to possession or inheritance, indicating something that is occupied or a patrimony. It is derived from the root word for conquest and encompasses meanings related to heritage and ownership.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְרֻשָּׁה n.f. (a) possession, inheritance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3425 יְרֻשָּׁה (a) possession, inheritance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3425 yrushah yer-oosh-shaw'

from 3423; something occupied; a conquest; also a

patrimony:--heritage, inheritance, possession.

see HEBREW for 03423

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְרֻשָּׁה (ye.rush.shah) — possession.

possession, inheritance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
פְּלֵיטָ֖הpe.lei.Tah [the] escaped remnant H6413 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A survivor refers to deliverance or an escaped portion, describing those who remain after a disaster or judgment, like the remnant that escaped in biblical times.
Amplified meaning
escaped portion, those who remain
Tyndale gloss
survivor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פְּלֵיטָה (pleytah) refers to concepts of escape and deliverance, often indicating a remnant that has survived. It is derived from the related word for escape, פָּלָט (palat). The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to survival and remnants.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פְּלֵיטָה n.f. escape

escape, deliverance

elsewh. prob. alw. escaped remnant

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6413 פְּלֵיטָה escape . escape, deliverance

. elsewh. prob. alw. escaped remnant

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6413 pleytah pel-ay-taw'

or pletah {pel-ay-taw'}; feminine of 6412; deliverance;

concretely, an escaped portion:--deliverance, (that is)

escape(-d), remnant.

see HEBREW for 06412

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פְּלֵיטָה (pe.le.tah) — survivor.

1) escape, deliverance

1a) escape, deliverance

1b) escaped remnant

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rem'-nant: Remnant is the translation of yether, "what is left over" (De 3:11; 28:54; Jos 12:4, etc.); of she'-ar, "the rest" (Ezr 3:8 the King James Version; Isa 10:20,21,22; 11:16, etc.; Ze 1:4); more frequently of she'-erith, "residue," etc. (2Ki 19:4,31; 2Ch 34:9; Ezr 9:14; Isa 14:30, etc.). As the translation of the last-mentioned two words, "remnant" has a special significance in the prophecies of Isaiah, as denoting "a holy seed," or spiritual kernel, of…

and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
לְבִנְיָמִ֑ןle.vin.ya.Min [belongs] to Benjamin H1144 Preposition · noun proper masculine
166× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Benjamin means son of the right hand, referring to the youngest son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. The term is first used in Genesis 35:18. Benjamin was a brother of Joseph and a half-brother of Reuben and others.
Amplified meaning
son of the right hand
Tyndale gloss
(Gate of) Benjamin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בִּנְיָמִין (i.e., *Binyamiyn*) means 'son of the right hand.' It refers primarily to Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, as well as to the tribe descended from him. The entries also mention a son of Bilhan and several individuals from the time of Ezra. Notably, the name is associated with various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּנְיָמִין n.pr.m. 166 (son of (the) right hand)—

youngest son of Jacob, so called by him, but Rachel, the mother, who died at Benjamin's birth, called בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י (q.v.)

son of Bilhan and great-grandson of Benjamin

a Jew of Ezra's time

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1144 בִּנְיָמִין . youngest son of Jacob, so called by him, but Rachel, the mother, who died at Benjamin's birth, called בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י (q.v.)

. son of Bilhan and great-grandson of Benjamin

. a Jew of Ezra's time

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1144 Binyamiyn bin-yaw-mene'

from 1121 and 3225; son of (the) right hand; Binjamin,

youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and

its territory:--Benjamin.

see HEBREW for 01121

see HEBREW for 03225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּנְיָמִין (bin.ya.min) — Benjamin.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Joseph (H3130);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

father of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Muppim (H4649), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Jamin at 1Sa.9.1,4; 22.7; 1x

§ Benjamin = "son of the right hand"

1) Jacob's and Rachel's youngest son, Joseph's full brother

2) son of Bilhan, great-grandson of Benjamin

3) a Benjamite, one of the sons of Harim, in the time of Ezra who had taken a strange wife

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ben'-ja-min (binyamin, or binyamin; Beniaein, Beniamin):

1. The Patriarch:

The youngest of Jacob's sons. His mother Rachel died in giving him birth. As she felt death approaching she called him Benoni, "son of my sorrow." Fearing, probably, that this might bode evil for the child--for names have always preserved a peculiar significance in the East--Jacob called him Benjamin, "son of the fight hand" (Ge 35:17 ff). He alone of Jacob's sons was born in Palestine, between Bethel and Ephrath. Later in the chapter, in the general enumeration of the children born in Paddan-ar am, the writer fails to except Benjamin (Ge 35:24). Joseph was his full brother. In the history where Benjamin appears as an object of solicitude to his father and brothers, we must not forget that he was already a…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Benjamin

Son of my right hand. (1.) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 35:18). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place. His mother died in giving him birth, and with her last breath named him Ben-oni, son of my pain, a name which was changed by his father into Benjamin. His posterity are called Benjamites (Gen. 49:27; Deut. 33:12; Josh. 18:21).

The tribe of Benjamin at the Exodus was the smallest but one (Num. 1:36, 37; Ps. 68:27). During the march its place was along with Manasseh…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(son of the right hand, fortunate). The youngest of the children of Jacob. His birth took place on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, near the latter, B.C. 1729. His mother, Rachel, died in the act of giving him birth, naming him with her last breath Ben-oni (son of my sorrow). This was by Jacob changed into Benjamin. (Genesis 35:16,18) Until the journeys of Jacob’s sons and Jacob himself into Egypt we hear nothing of Benjamin. Nothing personal is known of him. Henceforward the history of Benjamin is the history of the tribe. A man of the tribe of Benjamin, son of bilhan, and the head of a family of warriors. (1 Chronicles 7:10) One of the "sons of Harim," an Israelite in the time of Ezra who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra…

The youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, Ge 35:16-18. Rachel died immediately after he was born, and with her last breath named him Ben-oni, the son of my sorrow; but Jacob called him Benjamin, son of my right hand. He was a great comfort to his father, who saw in him the beloved wife he had buried, and Joseph whose loss he mourned. He could hardly be persuaded to let him go with his brethren to Egypt, Ge 42:38. The tribe of Benjamin was small at first and was almost exterminated in the days of the Judges, Jud 20:1-48, but afterwards greatly increased, 2Ch 14:8 17:17. It was valiant, Ge 49:27, and "beloved of the Lord,"…

and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
וְלֹֽא־ve.lo'- and not H3808 Conjunction · particle
5,170× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Tyndale gloss
not
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3808 lo' lo

or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often

used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,

ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,

no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out

of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +

of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לֹא (lo) — not.

1) not, no

1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)

1b) not (with modifier-negation)

1c) nothing (subst)

1d) without (with particle)

1e) before (of time)

Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particle
HC/Tn
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
יִמָּחֶ֥הyi.ma.Cheh it will be wiped out H4229 Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
36× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to erase or wipe something away. In Psalm 51:1, David asks God to blot out his sins. It can also mean to reach out or touch something.
Amplified meaning
erased, blotted out, destroyed, from existence, completely
Tyndale gloss
to wipe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מָחָה (machah) primarily means to wipe or erase, with implications of obliteration or destruction. It can denote actions like striking or smoothing, and has various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as being wiped out or blotted from memory. Notably, it appears in Numbers 34:11 and Isaiah 25:6.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָחָה vb. wipe, wipe out

Qal

wipe

blot out = obliterate from the memory

blot out = exterminate

Niph.

be wiped out

be blotted out

be exterminated

Hiph. blot out, from the memory

base

מָחָה vb. strike;—Nu 34:11 (P)

ref

מָחָה vb. denom. only Pu. Pt. in Is 25:6 fat pieces full of marrow

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4229a מָחָה wipe, wipe out H4229b מָחָה strike H4229c מָחָה vb. denom. only Pu. Pt. fat pieces full of marrow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4229 machah maw-khaw'

a primitive root; properly, to stroke or rub; by implication,

to erase; also to smooth (as if with oil), i.e. grease or make

fat; also to touch, i.e. reach to:--abolish, blot out,

destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, X utterly, wipe

(away, out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָחָה (ma.chah) — to wipe.

1) to wipe, wipe out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to wipe

1a2) to blot out, obliterate

1a3) to blot out, exterminate

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be wiped out

1b2) to be blotted out

1b3) to be exterminated

1c) (Hiphil) to blot out (from memory)

מָחָה (ma.chah) — to strike.

(Qal) to strike

מָחָה (ma.chah) — be marrow.

(Pual) full of marrow (participle)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVNi3ms
and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
שֵׁ֖בֶטShe.vet a tribe H7626 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
190× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a stick or staff, but also a clan or tribe, and can refer to a symbol of authority or a tool for punishing. It is used in the Bible to describe the rods used by shepherds or the scepters of kings.
Amplified meaning
a clan
Tyndale gloss
tribe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁ֫בֶט (shebet) refers to both a physical object and a social group. It can mean a rod, staff, or sceptre, often associated with authority or punishment, as well as a tribe or clan. The word is built from a root likely meaning to branch off, indicating both literal and figurative uses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁ֫בֶט 189 n.m. 1. rod, staff, club, sceptre. 2. tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7626 שֵׁ֫בֶט 1. rod, staff, club, sceptre. 2. tribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7626 shebet shay'-bet

from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; a scion,

i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting,

ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan:--X

correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe: staff.

: staff

1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe

1a) rod, staff

1b) shaft (of spear, dart)

1c) club (of shepherd's implement)

1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)

1e) clan, tribe

שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe.

: tribe

1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe

1a) rod, staff

1b) shaft (of spear, dart)

1c) club (of shepherd's implement)

1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)

1e) clan, tribe

שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe: javelin.

: javelin

1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe

1a) rod, staff

1b) shaft (of spear, dart)

1c) club (of shepherd's implement)

1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)

1e) clan, tribe

שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe: ruler.

: ruler

1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe

1a) rod, staff

1b) shaft (of spear, dart)

1c) club (of shepherd's implement)

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

trib (in the Old Testament always for matteh, 183 times, or shebhet, 145 times, also spelled shebhet; Aramaic shebhat (Ezr 6:17)): Both words mean "staff," and perhaps "company led by chief with staff" (OHL, 641) is the origin of the meaning "tribe." In the Apocrypha and New Testament always for phule, from phuo, "beget," with dodekaphulon, "twelve tribes," in Ac 26:7. Of the two Hebrew words, shebhet appears to be considerably the older, and is used in Ps 74:2; Jer 10:16; 51:19 of the whole people of Israel, and in Nu 4:18; Jud 20:12 (Revised Version margin);

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tribe

A collection of families descending from one ancestor. The “twelve tribes” of the Hebrews were the twelve collections of families which sprang from the sons of Jacob. In Matt. 24:30 the word has a wider significance. The tribes of Israel are referred to as types of the spiritual family of God (Rev. 7). (See ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF; JUDAH, KINGDOM OF.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Jacob having twelve sons, who were heads of so many families, which together formed a great nation, each of these families was called a tribe. But this patriarch on his death-bed adopted Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, and would have them also to constitute two tribes in Israel, Ge 48:5. Instead of twelve tribes, there were now thirteen, that of Joseph being two. However, in the distribution of lands by Joshua under the order of God, they reckoned but twelve tribes and made but twelve lots; of the tribe of Levi, being appointed to the sacred service, had no share in the distribution of the land, but received certain cities to dwell in, with the first-fruits, tithes, and oblations of the people. Each tribe had its own leaders and tribunals; and the whole twelve, in their early history, constituted a republic somewhat…

and they said a possession of [the] escaped remnant [belongs] to Benjamin and not it will be wiped out a tribe from Israel
מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃mi.Yis.ra.'El from Israel H3478 Preposition · noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Amplified meaning
the symbolic name of Jacob, his descendants
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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