Numbers 26:39 — Word Study
WLCלִשְׁפוּפָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשּׁוּפָמִ֑י לְחוּפָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַחוּפָמִֽי׃
BSAthe ShuphamiteShûwphâmîy△ [of Shephupham, descendant of Shephuphan] clanmishpâchâh from ShuphamShᵉphûwphâm [ancestor of the family] [and] the HuphamiteChûwphâmîy△ [of Hupham, from the lineage of Hupham] clanmishpâchâh from HuphamChûwphâm△ [a brother of Shephupham]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לִשְׁפוּפָ֕ם | of Shupham | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַשּׁוּפָמִ֑י | the Shuphamite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| לְחוּפָ֕ם | of Hupham | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַחוּפָמִֽי׃ | the Huphamite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the Shuphamite clan from Shupham, and the Huphamite clan from Hupham. |
| KJV | Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. |
| ASV | of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. |
| YLT | of Shupham the family of the Shuphamite; of Hupham the family of the Huphamite. |
| WEB | of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. |
| BBE | Of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites: and of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. |
Where they part company is in the clan names — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses connected by 'and', each detailing a clan from the tribe of Benjamin.
4 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Poole, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
3 of 6 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.
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 26:39
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 Descendants of Benjamingenerated
Numbers 26:39 details the clans descended from Benjamin, specifically naming the Shuphamite clan from Shupham and the Huphamite clan from Hupham. This genealogical record emphasizes the importance of lineage within the tribes of Israel, showing how families were organized and identified.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 46:21 | The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שׁוּפָמִי, ha.shu.fa.Migenerated
The word שׁוּפָמִי (*Shu.pha.mi*) is a gentilic noun that indicates a person from the Shupham clan, a descendant of Shephupham. The parsing indicates it is in the singular form, showing that it refers specifically to one clan or family line.
This term is derived from the name Shephuphan, who is mentioned in genealogical contexts, linking the Shuphamites to the broader family of Benjamin. The use of a gentilic form highlights the familial connection and identity within the tribe.
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 main structure of this verse consists of two clauses, each detailing a clan: the first clause introduces the Shuphamite clan, while the second introduces the Huphamite clan. Each clause follows a similar pattern, indicating the clan and its ancestral name.
The word order emphasizes the clans' names, with the prepositional phrases providing clarity on their lineage. This structure reflects the genealogical nature of the text, where lineage is paramount.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שׁוּפָמִי as σωφανι, which shows a direct connection to the Hebrew term. This choice reflects the translators' effort to maintain the familial aspect inherent in the Hebrew text.
The Greek term used does not carry additional meaning beyond the identification of the clan, aligning closely with the Hebrew intent.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 26:39 lists the Shuphamite clan from Shupham and the Huphamite clan from Hupham, both of which are descendants of Benjamin. This verse emphasizes the importance of family connections within the tribes of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The Shuphamites are descendants of Shephupham, a son of Benjamin, mentioned in genealogical records.
A Huphamite is a descendant of Hupham, who is also a son of Benjamin, indicating lineage within the tribe.
Genealogy is crucial in the Bible as it establishes identity, inheritance, and the fulfillment of God's promises to the tribes of Israel.
Both clans are part of the descendants of Benjamin, illustrating the family structure and connections within the tribe.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What significance do you see in the genealogies listed in the Bible?
- How can understanding family lineage help us appreciate our own heritage?
- In what ways do you think these clans contributed to the identity of the tribe of Benjamin?
- How does the emphasis on family in the Bible influence your understanding of community today?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:39 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites: The sons of Benjamin after their
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 26 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleShupham, called also Shuppim, , and Muppim, . Hupham, called Huppim, .
Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 26 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–51. The twelve secular tribes are numbered, the sacred tribe of Levi being omitted. The names are based upon Genesis 46:8-27, but with the addition of Ephraim and Manasseh, who, having been born in Egypt, could not be reckoned in Gen. among those who went down into Egypt. The total number at the first census, thirty-eight years before (ch. 1) was 603,550; now it Isaiah 601,730. The order of the tribes is the same, except that Manasseh (Numbers 26:29-34) precedes Ephraim (Numbers 26:35-37). Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Ephraim and Naphtali have decreased in numbers, while the other seven have increased. The impossibility of the figures is shewn in note on Numbers 1:46.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 26 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible39. Shupham is Muppim and Hupham is Huphim in Genesis 46:21, see note.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 26 →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 Shuphamite clan from Shupham, and the Huphamite clan from Hupham.
of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
the Shuphamite clan from Shupham, and the Huphamite clan from Hupham.
from Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites; from Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
Tyndale line
Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
Of Shupham, the familie of the Suphamites: of Hupham, the familie of the Huphamites.
Strictly literal
of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
of Shupham the family of the Shuphamite; of Hupham the family of the Huphamite.
of Shupham the family of the Shuphamite; of Hupham the family of the Huphamite.
Of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Chupham, the family of the Chuphamites.
through Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites, through Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.
From the Latin
Supham, of whom is the family of the Suphamites: Hupham, of whom is the family of the Huphamites.
Simplified
Shupham, ancestor of the Shuphamite family; and Hupham, ancestor of the Huphamite family.
Of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites: and of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
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 Samaritan Pentateuch show slight variation, with the Samaritan Pentateuch using the form שׁופם (Shupham). Despite this difference, both texts refer to the same clan, indicating a shared understanding of the genealogy.
לִשְׁפוּפָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשּׁוּפָמִ֑י לְחוּפָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַחוּפָמִֽי׃
3 of the 6 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.
לשׁופם משׁפחת השׁופמי לחופם משׁפחת החופמי
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: שׁופם (Shupham)
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 26:39
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.
The Hebrew word שְׁפוּפָם (*Shphuwpham*) refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin, also known as Shephuphan. It is derived from a root meaning 'serpent-like.' This name appears in genealogical contexts, specifically in Genesis 46:21 and Numbers 26:39, and is associated with several brothers of Benjamin.
ref
H8197a שְׁפוּפָם in Benjamin H8197b שְׁפוּפָן in Benj.
8197 Shphuwpham shef-oo-fawm'
or Shphuwphan {shef-oo-fawn'}; from the same as 8207;
serpent-like; Shephupham or Shephuphan, an Israelite:--
Shephuphan, Shupham.
see HEBREW for 08207
שְׁפוּפָם (she.phu.pham) — Shephupham.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.21;
son of: Benjamin (H1144);
brother of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Shephupham (KJV, NIV: Shupham) at Num.26.39; Shephuphan at 1Ch.8.5;
Another name of mup.pim (מֻפִּים "Muppim" H4649)
§ Shephuphan or Shupham = "serpent"
son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin
שְׁפוּפָן (she.phu.phan) — Shephuphan.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.21;
son of: Benjamin (H1144);
brother of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram…
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
[SHUPPIM]
→ Son of Benjamin Nu 26:39
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.
מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan
clan
= guild
= species, kind
pl. = aristocrats
base
H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan
. = guild
. = species, kind
. pl. = aristocrats
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
מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.
1) clan, family
1a) clan
1a1) family
1a2) tribe
1a3) people, nation
1b) guild
1c) species, kind
1d) aristocrats
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
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…
שׁוּפָמִי (Shuwphamiy) refers to a Shuphamite, a descendant of Shephupham, who is associated with the tribe of Benjamin. The term is patronymic, indicating lineage, and is mentioned in Numbers 26:39. It connects to the broader group of Muppim, descendants of Benjamin, and highlights familial ties within the tribe.
שׁוּפָמִי adj.gent. of foregoing [v.fl.ac], c. art. as n.coll. Nu 26:39.
done
H7781 שׁוּפָמִי
7781 Shuwphamiy shoo-faw-mee'
patronymic from 8197; a Shuphamite (collectively) or
descendants of Shephupham:--Shuphamite.
see HEBREW for 08197
שׁוּפָמִי (shu.pha.mi) — Shuphamite.
Someone descended from Muppim who was a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.21;
son of: Benjamin (H1144);
brother of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Shephupham (KJV, NIV: Shupham) at Num.26.39; Shephuphan at 1Ch.8.5;
Group of mup.pim (מֻפִּים "Muppim" H4649)
§ Shuphamites, of Shupham "bareness"
Benjamites, the descendants of Shupham
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
חוּפָם (Chuwpham) refers to a man from the tribe of Benjamin, first mentioned in Genesis 46:21. He is the head of the Huphamites, a family within Benjamin, and is associated with several brothers. The name is linked to the concept of protection, and it may also be connected to the term for 'coast-man.'
חוּפָם n.pr.m. head of Benjamite family Nu 26:39
ref
H2349 חוּפָם
2349 Chuwpham khoo-fawm'
from the same as 2348; protection: Chupham, an
Israelite:--Hupham.
see HEBREW for 02348
חוּפָם (chu.pham) — Hupham.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.21;
son of: Benjamin (H1144);
brother of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Muppim (H4649), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Huphamite at Num.26.39; Hupham at Num.26.39; Huram in1Ch.8.5;
Another name of chup.pim (חֻפִּים "Huppim" H2650H)
§ Hupham = "coast-man"
a son of Benjamin, founder of the family of the Huphamites
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
hu'-fam (chupham, "coast-inhabitant"): One of Benjamin's sons and head of the Huphamite family (Nu 26:39).
See HUPPIM.
(coast-man), a son of Benjamin, founder of the family of the Huphamites. (Numbers 26:39) (B.C. 1688.)
their chamber; their bank
→ A Benjamite Nu 26:39
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.
מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan
clan
= guild
= species, kind
pl. = aristocrats
base
H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan
. = guild
. = species, kind
. pl. = aristocrats
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
מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.
1) clan, family
1a) clan
1a1) family
1a2) tribe
1a3) people, nation
1b) guild
1c) species, kind
1d) aristocrats
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
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…
חוּפָמִי (Chuwphamiy) refers to a Huphamite, a descendant of Hupham from the tribe of Benjamin. This term is used in the context of genealogies, particularly in Genesis 46:21 and Numbers 26:39, where Hupham is mentioned as part of a list of Benjamin's descendants. The word is built from the root related to Hupham, and it denotes a specific familial lineage.
חוּפָמִי adj.gent. of foregoing [h.bh.af], c. art. = n. coll. הַח׳ Nu 26:39.
done
H2350 חוּפָמִי
2350 Chuwphamiy khoo-faw-mee'
patronymically from 2349; a Chuphamite or descendant of
Chupham:--Huphamites.
see HEBREW for 02349
חוּפָמִי (chu.pha.mi) — Huphamite.
Someone descended from Hupham who was a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.21;
son of: Benjamin (H1144);
brother of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Muppim (H4649), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Huphamite at Num.26.39; Hupham at Num.26.39; Huram in1Ch.8.5;
Group of chup.pim (חֻפִּים "Huppim" H2650H)
§ Huphamites , of Hupham
descendants of Hupham of the tribe of Benjamin
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa