Numbers 1:13 — Word Study
WLCלְאָשֵׁ֕ר פַּגְעִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־ עָכְרָֽן׃
BSAfrom AsherʼÂshêr [a tribe of Israel, the eighth son of Jacob] PagielPagʻîyʼêl [a leader of Asher] sonbên [a descendant, offspring] of OcranʻOkrân [the father of Pagiel, an Israelite living during the wilderness]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְאָשֵׁ֕ר | for Asher | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| פַּגְעִיאֵ֖ל | Pagiel | Noun proper masculine |
| בֶּן־ | [the] son of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| עָכְרָֽן׃ | Ocran | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; |
| KJV | Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. |
| ASV | Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran. |
| YLT | 'For Asher — Pagiel son of Ocran. |
| WEB | Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran. |
| BBE | From Asher, Pagiel, the son of Ochran; |
Where they part company is in the spelling of פַּגְעִיאֵל — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward, with a main clause followed by descriptive phrases that clarify the relationships.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & 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 — Numbers 1:13
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 Census of Israelgenerated
Numbers 1:13 identifies Pagiel as the leader of the tribe of Asher during the census taken in the wilderness. This census was crucial for organizing the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, reflecting the importance of tribal identity and leadership in Israel's journey.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 2:27 | The tribe of Asher will camp next to it. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel son of Ocran, |
| 2 | Numbers 7:72 | On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ocran, the leader of the Asherites, drew near. |
| 3 | Numbers 10:26 | Pagiel son of Ocran was over the division of the tribe of Asher, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אָשֵׁר, le.'a.Shergenerated
The name אָשֵׁר (Asher) refers to one of Jacob's sons and the tribe that descended from him. The parsing shows it as a proper noun, indicating its significance as a tribal name. Asher is associated with happiness, as the name itself means 'happy' or 'blessed'.
Asher's role in the context of the tribes of Israel highlights the importance of lineage and identity among the Israelites, emphasizing the tribe's contributions during the Exodus and their blessings.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is implied in the structure, with the phrase לְאָשֵׁ֕ר (for Asher) leading into the identification of Pagiel as the subject. The sentence structure reflects a straightforward listing typical of census records.
The main elements are organized as a noun phrase followed by a prepositional phrase, indicating the tribe and the leader succinctly.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אָשֵׁר as ασηρ, maintaining the connection to the tribe of Asher. This reflects a direct correspondence in meaning, showing continuity in the understanding of the tribe's identity.
The name פַּגְעִיאֵל is rendered as φαγαιηλ, indicating the translators' attempt to preserve the phonetic sound while conveying the same leader's identity.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 1:13 tells us that Pagiel is the son of Ocran and the leader of the tribe of Asher. This verse is part of a list identifying leaders from each tribe during the census of Israel in the wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Pagiel means 'event of God', indicating a significant role within the tribe of Asher.
Asher is one of the twelve tribes of Israel, known for its blessings and prosperity.
The tribes were essential for organization and leadership as the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness.
This verse contributes to the census narrative, highlighting tribal leadership and structure as the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the leadership roles within the tribes of Israel?
- How does understanding the tribes enhance our view of the Exodus narrative?
- In what ways can we apply the concept of tribal identity to our communities today?
- What significance does the name Pagiel hold in the context of God's plan for Israel?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 1:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleOf Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. [See comments on Numbers 1:5].
Read John Gill on Numbers 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOf Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1–16. Moses is directed to number the fighting men of Israel with the help of twelve princes.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 1 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleAND MUSTER OF THE ADULT MALES, Numbers 1:1-46.At the close of the third book of Moses the temple in the wilderness — the tabernacle — had been erected, the law of sacrifices instituted, the Aaronic
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 1 →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
from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran;
Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.
from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran;
from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran;
Tyndale line
Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.
Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.
Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ochran.
Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.
Of Asher, Pagiel, the sonne of Ocran:
Strictly literal
for Asher, Pagiel the son of Ocran;
'For Asher — Pagiel son of Ocran.
for Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran;
Of Asher: Pagiel the son of 'Ochran.
from the tribe of Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;
From the Latin
Of Aser, Phegiel the son of Ochran.
Simplified
from the tribe of Asher, Pagiel, son of Ocran;
From Asher, Pagiel, the son of Ochran;
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 and their order. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by using the form פגעאל (Pagiel) instead of פַּגְעִיאֵל, but the meaning remains consistent across the texts.
לְאָשֵׁ֕ר פַּגְעִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־ עָכְרָֽן׃
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.
לאשׁר פגעאל בן עכרן
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: פגעאל (Pagiel)
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 Numbers 1:13
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.
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.
אָשֵׁר n.pr.m. Asher (happy one, Felix)
son of Jacob and Zilpah
the tribe
n.pr.loc. city E. of Shechem
base
H836 אָשֵׁר Asher
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
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
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
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…
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.
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…
happiness
פַּגְעִיאֵל (Pag`iy'el) refers to a man named Pagiel, an Israelite from the tribe of Asher, noted in Numbers 1:13 as the son of Ocran. The name is derived from elements meaning 'accident of God' or 'event of God.' The entries primarily identify Pagiel's lineage and role during the Exodus.
פַּגְעִיאֵל n.m. Asherite
base
H6295 פַּגְעִיאֵל
6295 Pag`iy'el pag-ee-ale'
from 6294 and 410; accident of God; Pagiel, an
Israelite:--Pagiel.
see HEBREW for 06294
see HEBREW for 0410
פַּגְעִיאֵל (pag.i.el) — Pagiel.
A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.1.13;
son of: Ochran (H5918)
§ Pagiel = "event of God"
son of Ocran and chief of the tribe of Asher at the time of the exodus
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
pa'-gi-el, pa'-ji-el, pa-gi'-el (pagh`i'el, "God's intervention"): Son of Ocran, of the tribe of Asher, among those enrolled by Moses at the numbering of Israel (Nu 1:13; 2:27). When the tabernacle was set up, the heads of the families of Israel "brought their offerings" in rotation, and Pagiel, as prince of his tribe, came on the 11th day (Nu 7:72). Nu 7:72-77 describes his offering. In the journeyings of Israel he was "over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher" (Nu 10:26), and possibly standard-bearer (compare Nu 10:14,22,25).
Henry Wallace
Pagiel
God allots, a prince of the tribe of Asher (Num. 1:13), in the wilderness.
(God allots) the son of Ocran and chief of the tribe of Asher at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:13; 2:27; 7:72,77; 10:26) (B.C. 1491.)
prevention, or prayer, of God
Pahath-Moab
ruler of Moab
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-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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…
עָכְרָן (Okran) is a proper name that refers to an Israelite, specifically a man from the tribe of Asher, who is noted as the father of Pagiel. The name is derived from a root meaning 'muddler' and is associated with the idea of being 'troubled.' He is first mentioned in Numbers 1:13.
עָכְרָן n.pr.m. name in Asher
base
H5918 עָכְרָן
5918 `Okran ok-rawn'
from 5916; muddler; Okran, an Israelite:--Ocran.
see HEBREW for 05916
עׇכְרָן (okh.ran) — Ochran.
A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.1.13;
father of: Pagiel (H6295)
§ Ocran = "troubled"
an Asherite, father of Pagiel
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ok'-ran.
See OCHRAN.
(troubled), an Asherite, father of Pagiel. (Numbers 1:13; 2:27; 7:72,77; 10:26) (B.C. before 1658.)
a disturber; that disorders
→ An Asherite and the father of Pagiel who counted Israel in a census Nu 1:13; 2:27; 10:26