Nehemiah 7:56 — Word Study
WLCבְּנֵ֥י נְצִ֖יחַ בְּנֵ֥י חֲטִיפָֽא׃
BSAthe descendantsbên [children, sons] of Neziahnᵉtsîyach [pre-eminent, a leader] and the descendantsbên [children, sons] of HatiphaChăṭîyphâʼ [a temple servant, Nethinim]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵ֥י | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| נְצִ֖יחַ | Neziah | Noun proper masculine |
| בְּנֵ֥י | [the] descendants of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| חֲטִיפָֽא׃ | Hatipha | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha. |
| KJV | The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. |
| ASV | the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. |
| YLT | sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha. |
| WEB | the children of Neziah, and the children of Hatipha. |
| BBE | The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. |
The translations agree on the wording for בְּנֵ֥י — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a coordinating phrase, presenting the two groups of descendants in a straightforward manner.
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 7:56
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Genealogy of Those Who Returned from Exilegenerated
Nehemiah 7:56 is part of a larger genealogical list that records the families of those who returned from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem. This verse specifically mentions the descendants of Neziah and Hatipha, linking them to the community of temple servants known as Nethinim. Such records were significant for establishing identity and heritage among the returning exiles, as seen in similar lists throughout the Old Testament.
Cross References
The Key Word — בֵּן, be.Neigenerated
The word בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'descendant' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including children, grandchildren, or members of a tribe. It is used to show family relationships and inheritance, highlighting the importance of lineage in ancient Israel.
In this verse, it indicates the descendants of Neziah and Hatipha, connecting them to their ancestral lineage and emphasizing their roles within the community.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the phrase reads the descendants of, which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE, all translating the same Hebrew phrase without variation.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with a main clause followed by two noun phrases: בְּנֵ֥י נְצִ֖יחַ and בְּנֵ֥י חֲטִיפָֽא. The finite verb is implied, as the focus is on the listing of descendants.
The repetition of בְּנֵ֥י emphasizes the connection of each name to the concept of descent, highlighting the familial relationships.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בְּנֵ֥י as υἱοὶ (huioi), meaning 'sons', which carries the same connotation of lineage and descent as the Hebrew.
The names Neziah and Hatipha are rendered as νισια and ατιφα respectively, maintaining their identity in the Greek text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 7:56 lists the descendants of Neziah and Hatipha, two individuals who returned from exile. These names connect to the temple servants, known as Nethinim, who played a role in the community's restoration.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Neziah and Hatipha were leaders among the temple servants, known as Nethinim, who returned from exile with Zerubbabel.
Nethinim refers to temple servants or those dedicated to the service of the temple, often associated with the Levites.
Genealogy is crucial for establishing identity and heritage, especially for those returning to Jerusalem after exile.
This verse contributes to the overall theme of restoration and rebuilding in Nehemiah, emphasizing the importance of community and heritage.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What significance do you see in the names listed in this genealogy?
- How can understanding the roles of Neziah and Hatipha enhance your view of the temple's restoration?
- In what ways does genealogy shape our understanding of community today?
- How might the concept of being a 'descendant' resonate with your own family history?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 7:56 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. No JFB commentary on these verses.
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 descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.
the children of Neziah, and the children of Hatipha.
the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.
the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.
Tyndale line
The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
The sonnes of Neziah, the sonnes of Hatipha,
Strictly literal
the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha.
sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha.
The children of Neziach, the children of Chatipha.
the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.
From the Latin
The children of Nasia, the children of Hatipha,
Simplified
Neziah, and Hatipha.
The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
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 presents the descendants of Neziah and Hatipha as 'בְּנֵ֥י נְצִ֖יחַ בְּנֵ֥י חֲטִיפָֽא׃'. The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in terms of the names and their order, matching all four words, although it may differ in word order and articles in its own translation. There are no significant differences noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, indicating a strong consistency among the ancient witnesses regarding this text.
בְּנֵ֥י נְצִ֖יחַ בְּנֵ֥י חֲטִיפָֽא׃
4 of the 4 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 7:56
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.
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.
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
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
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
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)
N-mp — 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…
נְצִיחַ (ntsiyach) refers to Neziah, a notable figure mentioned in the context of the Exile and Return, specifically as the head of a family of temple servants known as Nethinim. The name is derived from a root meaning 'conspicuous' or 'pre-eminent.' Neziah is first mentioned in Ezra 2:54.
נְצִיחַ n.pr.m. head of a family of Nethinim
base
H5335 נְצִיחַ
5335 ntsiyach nets-ee'-akh
from 5329; conspicuous; Netsiach, a Temple-
servant:--Neziah.
see HEBREW for 05329
נְצִיחַ (ne.tsi.ach) — Neziah.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.54
§ Neziah = "pre-eminent"
head of a family of temple slaves returning from exile with Zerubbabel
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
(pre-eminent). The descendants of Neziah were among the Nethinim who returned with Zerubbabel, (Ezra 2:54; Nehemiah 7:56) (B.C.536.)
conqueror; strong
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.
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
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
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
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)
N-mp — 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…
חֲטִיפָא (Chatiypha') refers to a person named Hatipha, identified as the head of a family of Nethinim, or temple slaves, who returned from exile with Zerubbabel. The name is linked to the root meaning 'robber' and is mentioned in Ezra 2:54.
חֲטִיפָא n.pr.m. head of a family of Nethinim, post-exil.
base
H2412 חֲטִיפָא
2412 Chatiypha' khat-ee-faw'
from 2414; robber; Chatipha, one of the Nethinim:--Hatipha.
see HEBREW for 02414
חֲטִיפָא (cha.ti.pah) — Hatipha.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.54
§ Hatipha = "seized"
head of a family of temple slaves who returned from exile with Zerubbabel
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Hatipha
Captured, one of the Nethinim (Ezra 2:54).
(captive). Bene-Hatipha (i.e. sons of Hatipha) were among the Nethinim who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:54; Nehemiah 7:56) (B.C. 536.)