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Joshua 19:24 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַיֵּצֵא֙ הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔י לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־ אָשֵׁ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃

BSAThe fifthchămîyshîy [next, fifth in order] lotgôwrâl [allotted portion, inheritance] came outyâtsâʼ [was drawn, fell to them] for the clansmishpâchâh [families, tribes] of the tribemaṭṭeh [nation, people] of AsherʼÂshêr [the eighth son of Jacob, a tribe of Israel]

Word
Listen & take awayJoshua 19
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 24 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (le.mish.pe.cho.Tam) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Joshua 19:24quick helps
In a sentenceThe fifth lot was drawn for the clans of Asher.
Who is speakingThe narrator describes the allocation of land among the tribes of Israel.
Where we areThe division of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel.
The hard wordגּוֹרָל
Take awayThe process of land allocation was determined by casting lots.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbיָצָא 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 — Joshua 19:24

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 Division of the Landgenerated

23This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Issachar, including these cities and their villages.
24The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:
25Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
26Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west the border touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath,

Joshua 19:24 describes the drawing of lots to determine the inheritance of the tribe of Asher. This practice was common in ancient Israel, where decisions regarding land allocation were made through casting lots, reflecting God's guidance in the distribution of the Promised Land among the tribes. The narrative highlights the significance of each tribe's inheritance, as seen in the preceding and following verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Luke 2:26–38The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to

And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.Luke 2:26–38

The Key Word גּוֹרָל, ha.go.Ralgenerated

The noun גּוֹרָל (goral) refers to a 'lot' or 'portion,' often used in the context of decision-making through casting lots. It signifies an assigned portion, particularly in the division of land among the tribes of Israel, as seen in this verse.

The term emphasizes the randomness and divine guidance in the allocation process, symbolizing how the outcome was believed to be determined by God's will. This reflects the broader biblical theme of divine sovereignty in the affairs of Israel.


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 יֵּצֵא֙, it came out, governs the whole verse. The structure follows a straightforward order: the numeral phrase הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔י indicates the fifth position, followed by the noun phrase הַגּוֹרָ֣ל and prepositional phrases detailing the tribe and clans.

The sentence's clarity arises from its linear structure, presenting the action of the lot being drawn directly followed by the beneficiaries of that action, which emphasizes the process of land allocation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates גּוֹרָל as κλῆρος (klēros), which also means 'lot' but carries connotations of inheritance and destiny. This choice highlights the importance of divine providence in the distribution of land.

The use of κλῆρος suggests a focus not just on the act of casting lots, but also on the implications of receiving a portion as part of God's plan for the tribes of Israel.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Joshua 19:24 tells us that the fifth lot was drawn for the clans of the tribe of Asher. This means that Asher's descendants received their allocated portion of land, which was determined by casting lots, a common practice in ancient Israel to seek God's guidance in important decisions.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the lot came out for Asher?

It signifies that the tribe of Asher was chosen to receive a specific portion of land, determined through the casting of lots.

Why was casting lots used for land allocation?

Casting lots was a way to seek divine guidance and ensure that the distribution of land was seen as God's will.

What is the significance of the tribe of Asher?

Asher was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, known for its blessings and prosperity, as indicated in various biblical accounts.

How does this verse relate to the overall narrative of land distribution in Joshua?

This verse is part of the larger narrative in which each tribe receives its inheritance, reflecting God's promise to the Israelites to settle in the Promised Land.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do you see God's guidance in the decisions made in your life?
  2. What does it mean to you that the allocation of land was determined by casting lots?
  3. How can we apply the principle of seeking divine guidance in our own decision-making processes?
  4. What can we learn from the tribe of Asher about the importance of community and heritage?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Joshua 19:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher,.... Which entitled them to an inheritance next described: according to their families; which was sufficient for them, and divided to

Read John Gill on Joshua 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher.

Read Robert Jamieson on Joshua 19 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) The fifth lot . . . for . . . Asher . . . (and Joshua 19:32) the sixth . . . for . . . Naphtali.—Asher and Naphtali had been associated with Dan in the exodus, and with him had encamped on the north side of the tabernacle, and had brought up the rear. These two, each dissociated from his own brother (viz., Asher from Gad and Naphtali from Dan), are paired together in their inheritance in Palestine (comp. Naphtali and Manasseh in Revelation 7, and see Names on the Gates of Pearl, pp. 199, 200). The tribe of Asher was more akin to the house of Judah, for Zilpah, the mother of Asher, was Leah’s handmaid; and the tribe of to the house of Joseph, for Bilhah, Naphtali’s mother, was Rachel’s…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Joshua 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

24–31. The Inheritance of the Tribe of Asher 24. And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher] who were descended from the eighth son of Jacob, and in the march through the desert closed the long procession side by side with Dan and Naphtali, with the standard of Dan, an “eagle with a serpent in its talons.”

Read Cambridge on Joshua 19 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

LOT OF ASHER, Joshua 19:24-31.[The position of Asher may be generally described as extending along the shore of the Mediterranean from Tantura, on the south of Mount Carmel, to Zidon on the north,

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Joshua 19 →

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

The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:

NETBNew English Translation2006

The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher by its clans.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Also the fift lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the fifth lot came forth for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the fifth lot goeth out for the tribe of the sons of Asher, for their families;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the fifth lot goes out for the tribe of the sons of Asher, for their families;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And then came out the fifth lot for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The fifth casting of lots fell to the tribe of Asher, clan by clan.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the fifth lot fell to the tribe of the children of Aser by their kindreds:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The fifth lot cast went to the tribe of Asher, by families.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the fifth heritage came out for the tribe of Asher by their families.

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.

וַandclauseverbיֵּצֵא֙it.came.outnoun phrase · subjectהַthenoun phraseגּוֹרָ֣לlotnumeral phraseהַֽ(the)חֲמִישִׁ֔יfifthprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְfornoun phraseמַטֵּ֥הthe.tribenoun phraseבְנֵֽיof.the.descendantsאָשֵׁ֖רof.Asherprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְtonoun phraseמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽclansםtheir

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states, "וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔י לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־ אָשֵׁ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃" which translates to, "The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher." The Septuagint has a word-by-word correspondence with the Masoretic Text, agreeing on four out of seven words, although it presents them in a different order and structure. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional textual variants for this verse, indicating that they align with the Masoretic Text in this instance.

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

וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔י לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־ אָשֵׁ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֵּצֵא֙ἐχῆλθενהַגּוֹרָ֣לκλῆροςהַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔יπέμπτοςאָשֵׁ֖רασηρ

4 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.

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.

Joshua 19:24יָצָאand it cameand it came outיָצָאגּוֹרָלthe lotthe lotגּוֹרָלחֲמִישִׁיfifthfifthחֲמִישִׁימַטֶּהfor [the] tfor [the] tribeמַטֶּהבֵּן[the] desce[the] descendanבֵּןאָשֵׁרAsherAsherאָשֵׁרמִשְׁפָּחָהto clans thto clans theirמִשְׁפָּחָהחָמֵשׁfivefiveחָמֵשׁנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהאָשַׁרto blessto blessאָשַׁרשָׁפָהbe barebe bareשָׁפָהקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלמַטֶּהtribetribeמַטֶּהצוֹםfastfastצוֹםעֵ֫רֶךְvaluationvaluationעֵ֫רֶךְנָשִׂיאleaderleaderנָשִׂיאעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןנַפְתָּלִיNaphtaliNaphtaliנַפְתָּלִיזְבוּלֻןZebulunZebulunזְבוּלֻןתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹת
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 Joshua 19:24

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 it came out the lot fifth for [the] tribe of [the] descendants of Asher to clans their
וַיֵּצֵא֙vai.ye.Tze' and it came out H3318 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,067× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to go out or come out, and it's used in many different ways, like leaving a place or starting a new journey, as seen in Genesis and Exodus.
Amplified meaning
was drawn, fell to them
Tyndale gloss
to come out: come
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out

Qal

go or come out or forth

from (מִן) a place

go forth from (the presence of) a person

in technical senses

of flight, involving escape

depart

of inanimate things

with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

of children as going forth from loins (of father)

go forth to a place

go forward, proceed to or toward something

come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

of combinations

Hiph.

cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

bring out animals

inanimate obj.

fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

Hoph. be brought forth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place

. go forth from (the presence of) a person

. in technical senses

. of flight, involving escape

. depart

. of inanimate things

. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source

. of children as going forth from loins (of father)

. . go forth to a place

. go forward, proceed to or toward something

. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result

. of combinations

. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.

. bring out animals

. inanimate obj.

. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)

. be brought forth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'

a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great

variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct

and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X

begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come

(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,

depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,

fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,

out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),

going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,

lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X

scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring

out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any

time, X to (and fro), utter.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.

: come/go_out/escape

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.

: send/take_out/release

1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart

1a2) to go forth (to a place)

1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)

1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)

1a5) to come out of

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out

1b2) to bring out of

1b3) to lead out

1b4) to deliver

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and it came out the lot fifth for [the] tribe of [the] descendants of Asher to clans their
הַגּוֹרָ֣לha.go.Ral the lot H1486 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
78× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a pebble or small stone used for making decisions by casting lots. It symbolizes a portion or destiny assigned by chance, like the drawing of lots to determine an outcome. This concept is central to ancient Israelite decision-making practices.
Amplified meaning
allotted portion, inheritance
Tyndale gloss
allotted
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹרָל (goral) refers to a 'lot' or 'portion,' often associated with decision-making through casting pebbles. It encompasses the idea of something assigned or apportioned, including land division and duties. The term can also imply recompense or retribution. The entries indicate that it is derived from a root meaning 'to be rough,' suggesting its connection to the physical stones used in the practice.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹרָל 77 n.m. & f. lot

lot for dividing land

lot for assigning to service, duty or punishment

thing assigned, apportioned, allotted

portion = recompence, retribution

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1486 גּוֹרָל lot

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1486 gowral go-rawl'

or (shortened) goral {go-ral'}; from an unused root meaning

to be rough (as stone); properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small

stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion

or destiny (as if determined by lot):--lot.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹרָל (go.ral) — allotted.

1) lot

1a) lot-pebbles used for systematically making decisions

2) portion

2a) lot, portion (thing assigned by casting lots)

2b) recompense, retribution

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lot

(Heb. goral, a “pebble”), a small stone used in casting lots (Num. 33:54; Jonah 1:7). The lot was always resorted to by the Hebrews with strictest reference to the interposition of God, and as a method of ascertaining the divine will (Prov. 16:33), and in serious cases of doubt (Esther 3:7). Thus the lot was used at the division of the land of Canaan among the serveral tribes (Num. 26:55; 34:13), at the detection of Achan (Josh. 7:14, 18), the election of Saul to be king (1 Sam. 10:20, 21), the distribution of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(literally a pebble). The custom of deciding doubtful questions by lot is one of great extent and high antiquity. Among the Jews lots were used with the expectation that God would so control them as to give a right direction to them. They were very often used by God’s appointment. "As to the mode of casting lots, we have no certain information. Probably several modes were practiced." "Very commonly among the Latins little counters of wood were put into a jar with so narrow a neck that only one could come out at a time. After the jar had been filled with water and the contents shaken, the lots were determined by the order in which the bits of wood, representing the several parties, came out with the water. in other cases they were put into a wide open jar, and the counters were drawn out by the hand. Sometimes again they were cast in the manner of dice. The soldiers who cast lots for…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Haran, and nephew of Abraham, followed his uncle from Ur, and afterwards from Haran, to settle in Canaan, Ge 11:31 12:4-6 13:1. Abraham always had a great affection for him, and when they could not continue longer together in Canaan, because they both had large flocks and their shepherds sometimes quarreled, Ge 13:5-7, he gave Lot the choice of his abode. Lot chose the plain of Sodom, which appears then to have been the most fertile parts of the land. Here he continued to dwell till the destruction of Sodom and the adjacent cities. He was a righteous man even in Sodom, 2Pe 2:7; but the calamities consequent upon his choice of this residence-his capture by eastern marauders, the molestation caused by his ungodly and…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Lotan, wrapt up; hidden; covered; myrrh; rosin

and it came out the lot fifth for [the] tribe of [the] descendants of Asher to clans their
הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔יha.cha.mi.Shi fifth H2549 Particle
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means fifth, referring to something in the fifth position. It appears in Exodus 20:12, where honoring parents is the fifth commandment. This word is used to show order and sequence.
Amplified meaning
next, fifth in order
Tyndale gloss
fifth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֲמִישִׁי (chamiyshiy) means 'fifth' and serves as an ordinal number indicating the position of five. It can also refer to a fifth part. The word is derived from a root associated with the number five, as noted in various lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲמִישִׁי m., חֲמִישִׁית f.adj.num.ordin. fifth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2549 חֲמִישִׁי, חֲמִישִׁית fifth

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2549 chamiyshiy kham-ee-shee'

or chamishshiy {kham-ish-shee'}; ord. from 2568; fifth; also

a fifth:--fifth (part).

see HEBREW for 02568

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲמִישִׁי (cha.mi.shi) — fifth.

ordinal number, 5th

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aomsa
and it came out the lot fifth for [the] tribe of [the] descendants of Asher to clans their
לְמַטֵּ֥הle.ma.Teh for [the] tribe of H4294 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
252× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word can mean a tribe, like the 12 tribes of Israel, or a staff, like the one Moses used to lead his people in Exodus 4:2.
Amplified meaning
nation, people
Tyndale gloss
tribe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַטֶּה (mat-teh) refers to a staff, rod, or branch, and can also denote a tribe. It is derived from a root meaning to extend, and its uses include both literal and figurative meanings, such as a support or a means of correction. The lexicons consistently highlight its association with leadership and community.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַטֶּה 251 n.m.

staff, rod, shaft

branch

tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4294 מַטֶּה . staff, rod, shaft

. branch

. tribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4294 matteh mat-teh'

or (feminine) mattah {mat-taw'}; from 5186; a branch (as

extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for

chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre),

throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a

support of life, e.g. bread):--rod, staff, tribe.

see HEBREW for 05186

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: rod.

: rod/staff

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe.

: tribe

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: arrow.

: arrow

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: stick.

: stick

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: supply.

: supply

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
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 it came out the lot fifth for [the] tribe of [the] descendants of Asher to clans their
בְנֵֽי־ve.nei- [the] descendants of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
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 it came out the lot fifth for [the] tribe of [the] descendants of Asher to clans their
אָשֵׁ֖ר'a.Sher Asher H836 Noun proper masculine
43× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Asher was the eighth son of Jacob and one of the twelve tribes of Israel, mentioned in Genesis 30:13. The tribe of Asher was known for its happy and blessed people. Asher is also the name of a region in Palestine.
Amplified meaning
the eighth son of Jacob, a tribe of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Asher
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָשֵׁר (Asher) refers to a son of Jacob and Zilpah, as well as the tribe descended from him. The name means 'happy' and is also associated with a city east of Shechem. The entries note that Asher is linked to the Hebrew root for happiness, but there is a mention of potential translations related to wood in Ezekiel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָשֵׁר n.pr.m. Asher (happy one, Felix)

son of Jacob and Zilpah

the tribe

n.pr.loc. city E. of Shechem

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H836 אָשֵׁר Asher

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

836 'Asher aw-share'

from 833, happy; Asher, a son of Jacob, and the tribe

descended from him, with its territory; also a place in

Palestine:--Asher

see HEBREW for 0833

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָשֵׁר (a.sher) — Asher.

A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.13;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Zilpah (H2153);

brother of: Gad (H1410);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Imnah (H3232), Ishvah (H3438), Ishvi (H3440), Beriah (H1283) and Serah (H8294); also translated "pine" or "cypress wood" at Ezk.27.6(?); Ashurite at 2Sa.2.9(?);

§ Asher = "happy"

1) son of Jacob and Zilpah

2) the tribe descended from Asher

3) a city east of Shechem in Manasseh

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Asher

Happy, Jacob’s eigth son; his mother was Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid (Gen. 30:13). Of the tribe founded by him nothing is recorded beyond its holding a place in the list of the tribes (35:26; 46:17; Ex. 1:4, etc.) It increased in numbers twenty-nine percent, during the thirty-eight years’ wanderings. The place of this tribe during the march through the desert was between Dan and Naphtali (Num. 2:27). The boundaries of the inheritance given to it, which contained some of the richest soil in Palestine, and the names of its towns, are recorded in Josh. 19:24-31; Judg. 1:31, 32. Asher and Simeon were the only tribes west of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

a place which formed one boundary of the tribe of Manasseh on the south. (Joshua 17:7) Mr. Porter suggests that Teyasir may be the Asher of Manasseh. Handbook , p.348.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The eighth son of Jacob and second of Zilpah, Ge 30:13 35:26. On entering Canaan his tribe was the fifth in order, numbering fifty-three thousand four hundred. The portion of Asher lay along the seaboard, having Levanon and Zidon on the north, Carmel and the tribe of Issachar on the south, and Zebulun and Naphtali on the east. It was fruitful in grain, wine, oil, and minerals, Ge 49:20 De 33:24,25. How much of the Phoenician coast was included is uncertain, Jos 19:25,28; but the Asherites were unable to expel the Canaanites, and dwelt in part among them, Jud 1:31,32. They are honorably mentioned in the history of…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

happiness

and it came out the lot fifth for [the] tribe of [the] descendants of Asher to clans their
לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃le.mish.pe.cho.Tam to clans their H4940 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Amplified meaning
families, tribes
Tyndale gloss
family
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah) refers to a clan or family, encompassing a circle of relatives and extending to tribes or peoples. It can also denote a class of persons, species of animals, or kinds of things. The entries highlight its various uses, including guilds and aristocrats, but do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

clan

= guild

= species, kind

pl. = aristocrats

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan

. = guild

. = species, kind

. pl. = aristocrats

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4940 mishpachah mish-paw-khaw'

from 8192 (compare 8198); a family, i.e. circle of relatives;

figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or

sort (of things); by extens. a tribe or people:--family,

kind(-red).

see HEBREW for 08192

see HEBREW for 08198

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.

1) clan, family

1a) clan

1a1) family

1a2) tribe

1a3) people, nation

1b) guild

1c) species, kind

1d) aristocrats

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
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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