Nehemiah 7:27 — Word Study
WLCאַנְשֵׁ֣י עֲנָת֔וֹת מֵאָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ ס
BSAof AnathothʻĂnâthôwth [a city near Jerusalem, meaning answers to prayer] 128mêʼâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַנְשֵׁ֣י | [the] men of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| עֲנָת֔וֹת | Anathoth | Noun proper |
| מֵאָ֖ה | one hundred | Adj |
| עֶשְׂרִ֥ים | twenty | |
| וּשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ ס | and eight | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the men of Anathoth, 128; |
| KJV | The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. |
| ASV | The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight. |
| YLT | Men of Anathoth: a hundred twenty and eight. |
| WEB | The men of Anathoth: one hundred twenty-eight. |
| BBE | The men of Anathoth, a hundred and twenty-eight. |
Where they part company is in their treatment of the phrase 'the men of Anathoth' — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a numeral phrase indicating the count of the men.
2 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott & 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 7:27
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 Return from Exilegenerated
Nehemiah 7:27 is part of a list that records the names and numbers of the returning exiles, emphasizing the restoration of the community in Jerusalem. This verse specifically notes the men from Anathoth, a city with historical significance, as it was the birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah. The census serves to establish the population and the heritage of those who returned to rebuild their homeland.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezra 2:23 | the men of Anathoth, 128; |
| 2 | Isaiah 10:30 | Cry aloud, O Daughter of Gallim! Listen, O Laishah! O wretched Anathoth! |
| 3 | Jeremiah 1:1 | These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 11:21 | Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, “You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אַנְשֵׁי, 'an.Sheigenerated
The word אַנְשֵׁי ('an.Shei) is a masculine plural form of אִישׁ (ish), meaning 'men' or 'people'. It denotes individuals or a collective group of men, emphasizing their humanity and role within the community.
In this context, it specifically refers to the men of Anathoth, indicating their participation in the return from exile. The use of the plural form highlights the group aspect of those returning, rather than focusing on individual identities.
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 in this verse as it is a simple enumeration. The structure consists of a noun phrase for the subject, a noun phrase for the predicate, and a numeral phrase indicating the count of men.
The order of the words follows Hebrew conventions, placing the subject first, followed by the predicate and the numeral, which is typical for listing in census contexts.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word υἱοὶ (huioi) for אַנְשֵׁי, which translates to 'sons' or 'children'. This choice may reflect a broader understanding of community and lineage, emphasizing familial ties.
The use of αναθωθ for עֲנָתוֹת indicates a direct correspondence, maintaining the geographical reference while adapting to the Greek audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 7:27 lists the men of Anathoth, numbering 128. Anathoth is a city near Jerusalem, known as the birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah. This verse is part of a census documenting the return of exiles to Jerusalem.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Anathoth is significant as the birthplace of Jeremiah and represents a community that returned from exile to restore their heritage.
The number of men signifies the size of the community returning to Jerusalem, highlighting the restoration of the Jewish people after exile.
The term 'men' refers to the adult male population of Anathoth who participated in the return, emphasizing their role in rebuilding the community.
This verse connects to the larger narrative by documenting the individuals who returned to Jerusalem, which is central to Nehemiah's mission of restoration and rebuilding.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the return of the men of Anathoth signify for the community in Jerusalem?
- How can we understand the importance of heritage and identity in our own lives?
- In what ways does this verse reflect the themes of restoration and rebuilding in Nehemiah?
- What role do community and collective identity play in our faith journeys today?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 7:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThese are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 7 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5-73) The genealogical reckoning of the people, as the first step towards increasing the population of the metropolis, is determined on, not without express Divine suggestion; the allusion to this inspiration from God, is, as in Nehemiah 2:12, very emphatic. The original register of Zerubbabelis found and copied. The express language of both Ezra and Nehemiah makes it plain that this is no other than the list of those who came up with Zerubbabel and Joshua after the decree of Cyrus, in B.C. 538. Nehemiah’s own census follows, in Nehemiah 11. The exposition, especially as compared with Ezra 2, has been given on that chapter.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 7 →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
the men of Anathoth, 128;
The men of Anathoth: one hundred twenty-eight.
the men of Anathoth, 128;
the men of Anathoth, 128;
Tyndale line
The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.
The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
The men of Anathoth, a hundred and twenty eight.
The men of Anathoth, an hundreth and eight and twentie.
Strictly literal
The men of Anathoth, a hundred and twenty-eight.
Men of Anathoth: a hundred twenty and eight.
men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight;
The men of 'Anathoth, one hundred twenty and eight.
The men from Anathoth, 128.
From the Latin
The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty-eight.
Simplified
the people from Anathoth, 128;
The men of Anathoth, a hundred and twenty-eight.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in this verse, with four out of five words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the essential content remains consistent with the Hebrew text.
אַנְשֵׁ֣י עֲנָת֔וֹת מֵאָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ ס
4 of the 5 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 7:27
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.
אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.
אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.
of individ.
coll. men
man, mankind
base
H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.
582 'enowsh en-oshe'
from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the
more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or
collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,
chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,
husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some
( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often
unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in
apposition with another word . Compare 376.
see HEBREW for 0605
see HEBREW for 0120
see HEBREW for 0376
אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.
1) man, mortal man, person, mankind
1a) of an individual
1b) men (collective)
1c) man, mankind
Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
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.
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…
עֲנָתוֹת (Anathoth) refers to a city in Benjamin, located about 3 miles northeast of Jerusalem, known as the birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah. It also denotes two individuals from the tribe of Benjamin. The name is interpreted as "answers to prayer." The entries consistently identify its geographical and personal significance.
עֲנָתוֹת and עֲנָתֹת n.pr.
loc. c. 3 miles NNE. from Jerusalem
m.
base
H6068 עֲנָתוֹת and עֲנָתֹת c. 3 miles NNE. from Jerusalem
6068 `Anathowth an-aw-thoth'
plural of 6067; Anathoth, the name of two Israelites, also of
a place in Pal:--Anathoth.
see HEBREW for 06067
עֲנָתוֹת (a.na.tot) — Anathoth.
Anathoth = "answers to prayer"
a city of Benjamin allotted to the priest; located approximately 3 miles (5 km) from Jerusalem; birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah
Also named: an.to.ti (עַנְּתֹתִי "Anathoth" H6069)
עֲנָתוֹת (a.na.tot) — Anathoth.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.8;
son of: Becher (H1071);
brother of: Zemirah (H2160), Joash (H3135), Eliezer (H0461I), Elioenai (H0454I), Omri (H6018H), Jeremoth (H3406H), Abijah (H0029K) and Alemeth (H5964H)
§ Anathoth = "answers to prayer"
1) son of Becher and grandson of Benjamin
2) one of the heads of the people who signed the covenant with Nehemiah
3) a city of Benjamin allotted to the priest; located approximately 3 miles (5 km) from Jerusalem; birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah
עֲנָתוֹת (a.na.tot) — Anathoth.
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
an'-a-thoth (`anathoth; Anathoth): A town which lay between Michmash and Jerusalem (Isa 10:30), in the territory of Benjamin, assigned to the Levites (Jos 21:18). It was the native place of Abiathar (1Ki 2:26), and of the prophet Jer (Jer 1:1; 11:21 ff, etc.). Here lay the field which, under remarkable circumstances, the prophet purchased (Jer 32:7 ff). Two of David's distinguished soldiers, Abiezer (2Sa 23:27) and Jehu (1Ch 12:3), also hailed from Anathoth. It was again occupied by the Benjamites after the return…
Anathoth
The name of one of the cities of refuge, in the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 21:18). The Jews, as a rule, did not change the names of the towns they found in Palestine; hence this town may be regarded as deriving its name from the goddess Anat. It was the native place of Abiezer, one of David’s “thirty” (2 Sam. 23:27), and of Jehu, another of his mighty men (1 Chr. 12:3). It is chiefly notable, however, as the birth-place and usual residence of Jeremiah (Jer. 1:1; 11:21-23; 29:27; 32:7-9). It suffered greatly from the army of Sennacherib, and only 128 men returned to it from the Exile (Neh. 7:27;
a priests’ city belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, with "suburbs." (Joshua 21:18; 1 Chronicles 6:60) Anathoth lay about three miles from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 10:30) The cultivation of the priests survives in tilled fields of grain, with figs and olives. There are the remains of walls and strong foundations, and the quarries still supply Jerusalem with building stones.
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
Adj — AdjHAcfsa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
עֶשְׂרִים (esriym) means 'twenty' and can also refer to the ordinal 'twentieth.' It is derived from the root word for 'ten' and has an Aramaic equivalent, עֶשְׂרִין (es.rin). The entries consistently define the term without significant disagreement.
עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
base
H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
6242 `esriym es-reem'
from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,
twenty(-ieth).
see HEBREW for 06235
עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.
twenty, twentieth
Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)
HAcmpa — HAcmpa
twen'-ti.
See NUMBER.
שְׁמֹנֶה (shmoneh) means 'eight' and can also denote 'eighth' as an ordinal number. It is derived from the idea of plumpness, suggesting a surplus beyond seven, which is considered a perfect number. The term appears in various contexts, including combinations with other numbers.
שְׁמֹנֶה, (less oft. שְׁמוֹנֶה), שְׁמֹנָה 109 n.m. et f. eight
base
H8083 שְׁמֹנֶה, (less oft. שְׁמוֹנֶה), שְׁמֹנָה eight
8083 shmoneh shem-o-neh'
or shmowneh {shem-o-neh'}; feminine shmonah {shem-o-naw'}; or
shmownah {shem-o-naw'}; apparently from 8082 through the idea
of plumpness; a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above
the "perfect" seven); also (as ordinal)
eighth:--eight((-een, -eenth)), eighth.
see HEBREW for 08082
שְׁמֹנֶה (she.mo.neh) — eight.
1) eight, eighth
1a) eight (as cardinal number)
1b) eighth (as ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
HC/Acbsa — ConjunctionHC/Acbsa