Nehemiah 10:21 — Word Study
WLCמְשֵׁיזַבְאֵ֥ל צָד֖וֹק יַדּֽוּעַ׃
BSAMagpiashMagpîyʻâsh△ MeshullamMᵉshullâm HezirChêzîyr
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵ֥ל | Meshezabel | Noun proper masculine |
| צָד֖וֹק | Zadok | Noun proper masculine |
| יַדּֽוּעַ׃ | Jaddua | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, |
| KJV | Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, |
| ASV | Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, |
| YLT | Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, |
| WEB | Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, |
| BBE | Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, |
Where they part company is in the rendering of the names — see How Translations Differ.
This verse consists of a single clause listing the names of leaders.
1 commentators on this verse
Jamieson & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Nehemiah 10:21
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 Leaders of the Covenantgenerated
Nehemiah 10:21 lists the names of leaders who participated in sealing the covenant during the return from exile. This act was significant for the community as it represented a commitment to follow God's laws and rebuild their identity as a people. The names mentioned serve to highlight the individuals involved in this important moment in Israel's history.
Cross References
The Key Word — מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל, me.shei.zav.'Elgenerated
The name מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל (Msheyzab'el) means 'God delivers.' It refers to an Israelite leader during the time of the Exile and Return, specifically noted in Nehemiah. The parsing as a masculine proper noun indicates its use as a personal name, emphasizing the individual’s role in the community.
He is mentioned alongside other leaders, indicating his importance in the context of the covenant. His name reflects a hope in divine deliverance, a theme resonant in the narrative of the return from exile.
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 is absent, as this verse consists of a simple listing of names, functioning as a noun phrase. The structure emphasizes the collective identity of the leaders rather than focusing on actions.
The list is presented in a straightforward manner, highlighting the importance of each individual in the context of the covenant.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל as μαγαφης, which does not carry a direct meaning but maintains the name's form. This choice shows the translators' intent to preserve the names as identifiers of the individuals.
The other names, צָד֖וֹק and יַדּֽוּעַ, are similarly rendered, indicating a consistent approach to transliterating Hebrew names into Greek.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 10:21 lists three leaders: Meshezabel, Zadok, and Jaddua. These individuals were significant figures during the time of the Exile and Return, involved in the covenant with Nehemiah to restore the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Meshezabel was an Israelite leader during the time of the Exile and Return, whose name means 'God delivers'.
Zadok was a high priest who supported King David and anointed Solomon, playing a crucial role in Israel's history.
Jaddua means 'knowing' and he was a chief and high priest during the Exile and Return.
These names represent key leaders who committed to the covenant and the restoration of Israel's identity.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What role do you think leaders like Meshezabel played in rebuilding the community after exile?
- How can understanding the significance of these names deepen our appreciation for the restoration period?
- In what ways can we reflect the commitment shown by these leaders in our own communities today?
- What does it mean for us to 'seal a covenant' in our lives?
Commentators on this verse — 1 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 10:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySeraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 10 →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
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Tyndale line
Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua;
Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabeel, Zadok, Iaddua,
Strictly literal
Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
(10:22) Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua',
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
From the Latin
Mesizabel, Sadoc, Jeddua,
Simplified
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the names listed in this verse, with all three names appearing in both texts. This consistency underscores the significance of these leaders in the historical narrative.
מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵ֥ל צָד֖וֹק יַדּֽוּעַ׃
3 of the 3 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Nehemiah 10:21
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.
מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל (Msheyzab'el) is a Hebrew name meaning 'God delivers.' It refers to an Israelite mentioned during the Exile and Return, specifically in Nehemiah 3:4, 10:21, and 11:24. He is noted as an ancestor of Meshullam and a leader who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah, as well as the father of Pethahiah.
מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל n.pr.m. Jewish name in Persian period
base
H4898 מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל
4898 Msheyzab'el mesh-ay-zab-ale'
from an equiv. to 7804 and 410; delivered of God; Meshezabel,
an Israelite:--Meshezabeel.
see HEBREW for 07804
see HEBREW for 0410
מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל (me.she.zav.el) — Meshezabel.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.3.4;
father of: Berechiah (H1296K)
§ Meshezabeel = "God delivers"
1) ancestor of Meshullam who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem
1a) perhaps the same as 2 and 3
2) a head of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah
2a) perhaps the same as 1 and 3
3) father of Pethahiah and descendant of Zerah the son of Judah
3a) perhaps the same as 1 and 2
מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל (me.she.zav.el) — Meshezabel.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.10.21
§ Meshezabeel = "God delivers"
1) ancestor of Meshullam who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem
1a) perhaps the same as 2 and 3
2) a head of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah
2a) perhaps the same as 1 and 3
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
me-shez'-a-bel (meshezebhe'el, "God a deliverer"; the King James Version Meshezabeel, me-shez'-a-bel):
(1) A priest, ancestor of Meshullam, who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem (Ne 3:4).
(2) One of the chiefs of the people giving name to the family which sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Ne 10:21).
(3) A descendant of Judah through Zerah, and father of Pethahiah (Ne 11:24).
The Hebrew word צָדוֹק (Tsadowq) means 'righteous' and refers primarily to the name Zadok, associated with several notable figures in the Old Testament. This includes a high priest during King David's reign, who supported him and anointed Solomon. The entries detail various individuals named Zadok, including priests and wall-builders during the time of Nehemiah.
צָדוֹק, and צָדֹק 54 n.pr.m. (just, righteous)
48 priests
father-in-law of Uzziah
two wall-builders
base
H6659 צָדוֹק, צָדֹק
6659 Tsadowq tsaw-doke'
from 6663; just; Tsadok, the name of eight or nine
Israelites:--Zadok.
see HEBREW for 06663
צָדוֹק (tsa.doq) — Zadok.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.17;
son of: Ahitub (H0285H);
father of: Ahimaaz (H0290H)
§ Zadok = "righteous"
1) the high priest, son of Ahitub of the house of Eleazar the son of Aaron, and 11th in descent from Aaron; joined David after Saul's death and supported him against Absalom and Adonijah; anointed Solomon as king
2) a priest, son of Meraioth, father of Meshullam of the house of Ahitub; apparently a nephew of 1
3) father of Jerusha, the wife of king Uzziah and mother of king Jotham of Judah
4) son of Baana and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
5) son of Immer and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
6) a leader of the people in the time of Nehemiah
7) a scribe appointed by Nehemiah as one of the treasurers over the storehouse
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
za'-dok (tsadowq, once tsadhoq (1Ki 1:26), similar to tsaddiq, and tsadduq, post-Biblical, meaning justus, "righteous"; Septuagint Sadok): Cheyne in Encyclopedia Biblica suggests that Zadok was a modification of a Gentilic name, that of the Zidkites the Negeb, who probably derived their appellation from the root ts-d-q, a secondary title of the god they worshipped. At the same time Cheyne admits that cultivated Israelites may have interpreted Zadok as meaning "just," "righteous"--a much more credible supposition.
(1) Zadok the son of Ahitub (2Sa 8:17)--not of Ahitub the ancestor of Ahimelech (1Sa 14:3) and of Abiathar, his son (1Sa 22:20).
Zadok
Righteous. (1.) A son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazer (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chr. 24:3), high priest in the time of David (2 Sam. 20:25) and Solomon (1 Kings 4:4). He is first mentioned as coming to take part with David at Hebron (1 Chr. 12:27, 28). He was probably on this account made ruler over the Aaronites (27:17). Zadok and Abiathar acted as high priests on several important occasions (1 Chr. 15:11; 2 Sam. 15:24-29, 35, 36); but when Adonijah endeavoured to secure the throne, Abiathar went with him, and…
(just). Son of Ahitub and one of the two chief priests in the time of David, Abiathar being the other. Zadok was of the house of Eleazar the son of Aaron, (1 Chronicles 24:3) and eleventh in descent from Aaron. (1 Chronicles 12:28) He joined David at Hebron after Saul’s death, (1 Chronicles 12:28) and thenceforth his fidelity to David was inviolable. When Absalom revolted and David fled from Jerusalem, Zadok and all the Levites bearing the ark accompanied him. When Absalom was dead, Zadok and Abiathar were the persons who persuaded the elders of Judah to invite David to return. (2 Samuel 19:11) When Adonijah, in David’s old age, set up for king, and had persuaded Joab…
יַדּוּעַ (yadduwa`) means "knowing" and refers to Jaddua, a chief and high priest during the time of the Exile and Return. He is mentioned in Nehemiah as one of the leaders who sealed the covenant and is noted as the last high priest in the Old Testament, likely living during Alexander the Great's era.
יַדּוּעַ n.pr.m.
a chief of the people, one of those sealed
a priest, prob. the high priest in time of Alexander the Great
base
H3037 יַדּוּעַ
3037 Yadduwa` yad-doo'-ah
from 3045; knowing; Jaddua, the name of two
Israelites:--Jaddua.
see HEBREW for 03045
יַדּוּעַ (yad.du.a) — Jaddua.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.10.21
§ Jaddua = "knowing"
1) one of the chiefs of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah
2) son and successor in the high priesthood of Jonathan, Jeshua, or Johanan; the last of the high priests mentioned in the OT, probably living in the time of Alexander the Great
יַדּוּעַ (yad.du.a) — Jaddua.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.12.11;
son of: Johanan (H3110L)
§ Jaddua = "knowing"
1) one of the chiefs of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah
2) son and successor in the high priesthood of Jonathan, Jeshua, or Johanan; the last of the high priests mentioned in the OT, probably living in the time of Alexander the Great
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
jad'-u-a, ja-du'-a (yaddua`, "known"):
(1) One of the "chiefs of the people" who with Nehemiah sealed the covenant, thus signifying their voluntary acceptance of the law and their solemn promise to submit to its yoke (Ne 10:21 (Hebrew 22)).
(2) Son of Jonathan or Johanan, and great-grandson of Eliashib, the high priest in Nehemiah's time (Ne 12:11,22). He is the last of the high priests mentioned in the Old Testament, and held office during the reign of Darius the Persian, i.e. Darius III Codomannus, the last king of Persia (336-332 BC), who was overthrown by Alexander the Great. It is doubtless to him that Josephus refers in his romantic account of Alexander's entrance into Jerusalem (Ant., XI, viii, 4 f; vii, 2; viii, 7).
James Crichton
Jaddua
Known. (1.) One of the chiefs who subscribed the covenant (Neh. 10:21).
(2.) The last high priest mentioned in the Old Testament (Neh. 12:11, 22), sons of Jonathan.
(known). Son and successor in the high priesthood of Jonathan or Johanan. He is the last of the high priests mentioned in the Old Testament, and probably altogether the latest name in the canon. (Nehemiah 12:11,22) (B.C. 406-332.) One of the chief of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:21) (B.C. 410.)
known