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Numbers 26:5 — Word Study

Depth

WLCרְאוּבֵ֖ן בְּכ֣וֹר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֗ן חֲנוֹךְ֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַחֲנֹכִ֔י לְפַלּ֕וּא מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַפַּלֻּאִֽי׃

BSAReubenRᵉʼûwbên [the firstborn son, eldest] was the firstbornbᵉkôwr [born first, having preeminence] of IsraelYisrâʼêl [Jacob's descendants, God's chosen people] [These were] the descendantsbên [sons, offspring] of ReubenRᵉʼûwbên The HanochiteChănôkîy [dedicated, belonging to Hanoch] clanmishpâchâh from HanochChănôwk [dedicated, a son of Reuben] the PalluitePalluʼîy [descended from Pallu, a son of Reuben] clanmishpâchâh from PalluPallûwʼ [a son of Reuben, an ancestor]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 26
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.pa.lu.'I) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 26:5quick helps
In a sentenceReuben, the firstborn son of Israel, is listed alongside his descendants, the Hanochite and Palluite clans.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the genealogy of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel.
Where we areThis verse is part of a census of the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt.
The hard wordבְּכ֣וֹר
Take awayReuben's lineage is established, marking the significance of birth order in Israel.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectרְאוּבֵן The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

2 of 11 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 26:5

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 the Israelitesgenerated

4“Take a census of the men twenty years of age or older, as the LORD has commanded Moses.” And these were the Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt:
5Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,
6the Hezronite clan from Hezron, and the Carmite clan from Carmi.
7These were the clans of Reuben, and their registration numbered 43,730.

Numbers 26:5 is part of a larger passage where the Israelites are being counted as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This verse specifically highlights Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob, and his descendants, which emphasizes the importance of tribal lineage and heritage within the Israelite community.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 29:32And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
2Genesis 49:2–3Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.
31 Chronicles 5:1These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.
4Genesis 46:8–9Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
5Exodus 6:14These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word רְאוּבֵן, re.'u.Vengenerated

The name רְאוּבֵן (Reuben) means 'behold, a son' and signifies the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah. His status as the firstborn carries significant weight in the context of inheritance and leadership within the tribes of Israel.

Reuben is not only a personal name but also represents the entire tribe descended from him, which plays a crucial role in the history of Israel. The parsing as a proper noun indicates its use as a specific identifier for both an individual and his lineage.


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 implied in the structure, with the main clause introducing Reuben as the subject followed by a series of noun phrases that detail his descendants and their clans. The sentence structure indicates a straightforward listing of genealogical information.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on Reuben as the firstborn, followed by his descendants, which reflects the importance of lineage in the Israelite community.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates רְאוּבֵן as ρουβην, maintaining the name's identity and significance. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew text, emphasizing the continuity of Reuben's lineage.

The term בְּכ֣וֹר is rendered as πρωτότοκος, which carries the same meaning of 'firstborn' and highlights the cultural importance of birth order in both Hebrew and Greek contexts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 26:5 tells us that Reuben was the firstborn son of Israel, and it lists his descendants: the Hanochite clan from Hanoch and the Palluite clan from Pallu. This verse emphasizes the importance of family lineage among the tribes of Israel.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why is Reuben's status as the firstborn significant?

Reuben's status as the firstborn carries special privileges and responsibilities within the family and tribe, as seen throughout the biblical narrative.

What does the term 'Hanochite' refer to?

The term 'Hanochite' refers to the descendants of Hanoch, who was a son of Reuben, emphasizing the continuation of Reuben's family line.

How does this verse connect to the overall narrative of the Israelites?

This verse connects to the broader narrative by establishing the genealogical roots of the tribes as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land.

What is the significance of the clans mentioned?

The clans mentioned, the Hanochite and Palluite, represent the subdivisions of the tribe of Reuben, illustrating the structure and organization of the Israelite community.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does it mean to be the firstborn in your family or community?
  2. How can understanding the lineage of Reuben help us appreciate the history of Israel?
  3. What role do clans and families play in your own life?
  4. How can we learn from the genealogies in the Bible to understand our own heritage?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Reuben, the eldest son of Israel,.... the number of his tribe is taken first on that account; there were four families that descended from him, the Hanochite, Palluite, Hesronite, and Carmite, and

Read John Gill on Numbers 26 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites: Hanoch , [ Chªnowk (H2585); Septuagint, Enooch].

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 26 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4, 5) Take the sum of the people . . . —The verses may be rendered thus: From twenty years old and upward, as the Lord commanded Moses. And the children of Israel which went forth out of the land of Egypt were these: Reuben, the eldest son of Israel, &c. The expression “as the Lord commanded Moses” is one of very frequent occurrence in this book. The command was given to Moses, not to the children of Israel generally. The form of enumeration is concise. The omissions may be supplied thus:—Reuben—he was the eldest son of Israel. The sons of Reuben were—Hanoch—of him, the family of the Hanochites, &c. (Comp. Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14; 1 Chronicles 5:3.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 26 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5–51. 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 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Following The tribes are mentioned in the same order as in the earlier census Num. 1, except that Manasseh here precedes Ephraim; probably as being now the larger tribe.

Read Albert Barnes on Numbers 26 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

5-9. Reuben, the eldest son — By Leah. Genesis 29:32. The enumeration of the grandsons of Jacob in this chapter is important, since these are the basis of the tribal divisions, just as the tribes sprang from his sons.

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,

NETBNew English Translation2006

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The Reubenites: from Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; from Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

RVARevised Version, American1894

Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: the sons of Reuben; of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Reuben the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: Of Phallu, the family of the Phalluites:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Reuben the first borne of Israel: the children of Reube were: Hanoch, of whom came the familie of the Hanochites, and of Pallu the familie of the Palluites:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: the children of Reuben: [of] Enoch, the family of the Enochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Reuben, first-born of Israel — sons of Reuben: [of] Hanoch [is] the family of the Hanochite; of Pallu the family of the Palluite;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Reuben, firstborn of Israel—sons of Reuben: of Enoch [is] the family of the Enochite; of Pallu the family of the Palluite;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben, of Chanoch, the family of the Chanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. From his son Hanok came the clan of the Hanokites. From Pallu came the clan of the Palluites.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Ruben the firstborn of Israel. His sons were Henoch, of whom is the family of the Henochites: and Phallu, of whom is the family of the Phalluites:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

These were the descendants of Reuben, Israel's firstborn: Hanoch, ancestor of the Hanochite family; Pallu, ancestor of the Palluite family;

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Reuben, the first son of Israel: the sons of Reuben by their families: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

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.

clausesubjectרְאוּבֵ֖ןReubennoun phrase · predicateבְּכ֣וֹרthe.firstbornיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לof.Israelclauseclausenoun phraseבְּנֵ֣יthe.descendantsרְאוּבֵ֗ןof.Reubenclausepredicateחֲנוֹךְ֙Hanochnoun phrase · subjectמִשְׁפַּ֣חַתthe.clannoun phraseהַofחֲנֹכִ֔יthe.Hanochite[s]clauseprepositional phrase · predicateלְofפַלּ֕וּאPallunoun phrase · subjectמִשְׁפַּ֖חַתthe.clannoun phraseהַofפַּלֻּאִֽיthe.Palluite[s]

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 verse as stating that Reuben is the firstborn of Israel and lists his descendants, including the Hanochite clan from Hanoch and the Palluite clan from Pallu. The Septuagint closely aligns with the Masoretic Text, matching 10 of the 11 words, though it has its own word order and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs from the Masoretic Text in four words: it includes the conjunction 'and' (ו), uses 'Henoch' instead of 'Hanoch', 'חנוכי' (Hanochite) instead of 'החנוכי', and 'פלואי' (Palluite) instead of 'הפלואי'. The Dead Sea Scrolls also show variations; 4Q27 and 4Q23 contain several words that are partly restored or supplied by an editor, indicating some textual differences, particularly in the names and clan designations, but they maintain the overall structure of the verse as found in the Masoretic Text.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

רְאוּבֵ֖ן בְּכ֣וֹר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֗ן חֲנוֹךְ֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַחֲנֹכִ֔י לְפַלּ֕וּא מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַפַּלֻּאִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
רְאוּבֵ֖ןρουβηνבְּכ֣וֹרπρωτότοκοςיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לισραηλבְּנֵ֣יυἱοὶרְאוּבֵ֗ןρουβηνחֲנוֹךְ֙ενωξהַחֲנֹכִ֔יενωξלְפַלּ֕וּאφαλλουמִשְׁפַּ֖חַתδῆμοςהַפַּלֻּאִֽי׃φαλλουι

10 of the 11 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ראובן בכור ישׂראל ובני ראובן חנוך משׁפחת החנוכי לפלוא משׁפחת הפלואי

4 words differ from the Masoretic Text: ו (and), חנוך (Henoch), חנוכי (Hanochite), פלואי (Palluite)

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q27a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ראובן בכור ישראל [ובני] [ראובן] [למשפחות׳ם] [לחנוך] [משפחת] [החנוכי] [לפלוא] משפחת הפלואי

4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 7 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q23a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ישראל בני [ראובן] [חנוך] [משפחת] [החנכי] [לפלוא] [משפחת] [הפלאי]

9 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 7 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Numbers 26:5רְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןבְּכוֹר[the] first[the] firstbornבְּכוֹריִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלבֵּן[the] desce[the] descendanבֵּןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןחֲנוֹךְHanochHanochחֲנוֹךְמִשְׁפָּחָה[the] clan [the] clan ofמִשְׁפָּחָהחֲנֹכִיthe Hanochithe Hanochite[sחֲנֹכִיפַּלּוּאof Palluof Palluפַּלּוּאמִשְׁפָּחָה[the] clan [the] clan ofמִשְׁפָּחָהפַּלֻּאִיthe Palluitthe Palluite[s]פַּלֻּאִישָׁפָהbe barebe bareשָׁפָהרָאָהProviderProviderרָאָהבֵּןson: childson: childבֵּןבָּכַרto be/bearto be/bear firsבָּכַרשָׂרָהto striveto striveשָׂרָהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהחָנַךְto dedicatto dedicateחָנַךְפָּלָהbe distingbe distinguisheפָּלָהחֲנוֹךְHanochHanochחֲנוֹךְפַּלּוּאPalluPalluפַּלּוּאגָּדGadGadגָּדכַּרְמִיCarmiCarmiכַּרְמִיתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתפָּדָהto ransomto ransomפָּדָהשֵׁ֫בֶטtribetribeשֵׁ֫בֶטקָדוֹשׁholyholyקָדוֹשׁעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵן
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Numbers 26:5

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.

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
רְאוּבֵ֖ןre.'u.Ven Reuben H7205 Noun proper masculine
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben. He is mentioned in Genesis as the brother of Simeon, Levi, and Judah, and the father of Hanoch and Pallu.
Amplified meaning
the firstborn son, eldest
Tyndale gloss
Reuben
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רְאוּבֵן (Reuben) refers to the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, meaning 'behold a son.' He is the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben, which is mentioned in the context of the Old Testament. The name is derived from the imperative of the verb for 'see' and the word for 'son.' Reuben is first mentioned in Genesis 29:32.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רְאוּבֵן 71 n.pr.m. Reuben

eldest son of Jacob and Leah

as name of clan or tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7205 רְאוּבֵן Reuben

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7205 R'uwben reh-oo-bane'

from the imperative of 7200 and 1121; see ye a son; Reuben, a

son of Jacob:--Reuben.

see HEBREW for 07200

see HEBREW for 01121

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רְאוּבֵן (re.u.ven) — Reuben.

A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Hanoch (H2585J), Pallu (H6396), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756)

§ Reuben = "behold a son"

1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Reuben

3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

roo'-ben, ru'-ben (re'ubhen; Rhouben): The eldest son of Jacob, born to him by Leah in Paddan-aram (Ge 29:32).

1. Jacob's Oldest Son:

This verse seems to suggest two derivations of the name. As it stands in Massoretic Text it means "behold a son"; but the reason given for so calling him is "The Lord hath looked upon my affliction," which in Hebrew is ra'ah be`onyi, literally, "He hath seen my affliction." Of his boyhood we have only the story of the mandrakes (Ge 30:14). As the firstborn he should really have been leader among his father's sons. His birthright was forfeited by a deed of peculiar infamy (Ge 35:22), and as far as we know his tribe never took the lead in Israel. It is named first, indeed, in

Reuben

Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21,22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3,4.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(behold a son), Jacob’s firstborn Child, (Genesis 29:32) the son of Leah. (B.C. 1753.) The notices of the patriarch Reuben give, on the whole a favorable view of his disposition. To him and him alone the preservation of Joseph’s life appears to have been due and afterward he becomes responsible for his safety. (Genesis 37:18-30; 42:37) Of the repulsive crime which mars his history, and which turned the blessing of his dying father into a curse --his adulterous connection with Bilhah-- we know from the Scriptures only the fact. (Genesis 35:22) He was of an ardent, impetuous, unbalanced but not ungenerous nature; not crafty and cruel, as were Simeon and Levi, but rather, to use the metaphor of the dying patriarch, boiling up…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Behold, a son! The eldest son of Jacob and Leah, so-called in reference to the sentiment of his mother, "The Lord hath looked on my affliction," Ge 29:32. Reuben, having defiled his father’s concubine Bilhah, lost his birthright and all the privileges of primogeniture, the preeminence in the family being given to Judah, and the double portion to the two sons of Joseph, Ge 35:22 48:5 49:3,4,8,10 1Ch 5:1,2. He shared in his brother’s jealousy of Joseph, and yet interposed to save his life at Dothan with the design of restoring him privately to his father, Ge 37:18-30. See also his well-meant proposal in Ge 42:27. His…

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
בְּכ֣וֹרbe.Khor [the] firstborn of H1060 Noun common · masculine singular construct
122× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to the firstborn child or animal, often holding a special status or responsibility. It appears in stories like Genesis and Exodus, highlighting the importance of birth order. The KJV translates it as 'eldest' or 'firstborn'.
Amplified meaning
born first, having preeminence
Tyndale gloss
firstborn
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּכוֹר (bekor) means 'first-born' and can refer to both humans and animals. It denotes the eldest son or daughter and can also be used figuratively. The word is derived from a root that emphasizes the concept of being first or chief.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּכוֹר 122 n.m. first-born

men and women

animals

figurative

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1060 בְּכוֹר first-born

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1060 bkowr bek-ore'

from 1069; firstborn; hence, chief:--eldest (son),

firstborn(-ling).

see HEBREW for 01069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּכוֹר (be.khor) — firstborn.

1) firstborn, firstling

1a) of men and women

1b) of animals

1c) noun of relation (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'El Israel H3478 Noun proper
2,508× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Amplified meaning
Jacob's descendants, God's chosen people
Tyndale gloss
Israel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) refers to both the second name of Jacob, meaning 'God prevails,' and the name of the Hebrew nation descended from him. It is derived from roots meaning 'to rule' and 'God.' The term encompasses Jacob's descendants and is used historically for the northern kingdom of Israel and the nation as a whole after the Babylonian exile.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)

n.pr.m. second name of Jacob

n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3478 יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth) . n. pr. m. second name of Jacob

. n. pr. gent. name of Hebrew nation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale'

from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical

name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:

--Israel.

see HEBREW for 08280

see HEBREW for 0410

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל (yis.ra.el) — Israel.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;

son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);

brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);

father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently

§ Israel = "God prevails"

1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel

2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob

2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Israel

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because “as a prince he had power with God and prevailed.” (See JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob’s descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called “Israelites,” the “children of Israel” (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the “house of Israel” (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3;

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(the prince that prevails with God). The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God." It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Who prevails with God, a name given to Jacob, after having wrestled with the Angel-Jehovah at Penuel. Ge 32:1,2,28,30 Ho 12:3. See JACOB. By the name Israel is sometimes understood all the posterity of Israel, the seed of Jacob, 1Co 10:18; sometimes all true believers, his spiritual seed, Ro 9:6; and sometimes the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, as distinct from the kingdom of Judah.

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei [the] descendants of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
sons, offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

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

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

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

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
רְאוּבֵ֗ןre.'u.Ven Reuben H7205 Noun proper masculine
72× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben. He is mentioned in Genesis as the brother of Simeon, Levi, and Judah, and the father of Hanoch and Pallu.
Tyndale gloss
Reuben
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רְאוּבֵן (Reuben) refers to the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, meaning 'behold a son.' He is the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben, which is mentioned in the context of the Old Testament. The name is derived from the imperative of the verb for 'see' and the word for 'son.' Reuben is first mentioned in Genesis 29:32.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רְאוּבֵן 71 n.pr.m. Reuben

eldest son of Jacob and Leah

as name of clan or tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7205 רְאוּבֵן Reuben

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7205 R'uwben reh-oo-bane'

from the imperative of 7200 and 1121; see ye a son; Reuben, a

son of Jacob:--Reuben.

see HEBREW for 07200

see HEBREW for 01121

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רְאוּבֵן (re.u.ven) — Reuben.

A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Hanoch (H2585J), Pallu (H6396), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756)

§ Reuben = "behold a son"

1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Reuben

3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

roo'-ben, ru'-ben (re'ubhen; Rhouben): The eldest son of Jacob, born to him by Leah in Paddan-aram (Ge 29:32).

1. Jacob's Oldest Son:

This verse seems to suggest two derivations of the name. As it stands in Massoretic Text it means "behold a son"; but the reason given for so calling him is "The Lord hath looked upon my affliction," which in Hebrew is ra'ah be`onyi, literally, "He hath seen my affliction." Of his boyhood we have only the story of the mandrakes (Ge 30:14). As the firstborn he should really have been leader among his father's sons. His birthright was forfeited by a deed of peculiar infamy (Ge 35:22), and as far as we know his tribe never took the lead in Israel. It is named first, indeed, in

Reuben

Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21,22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3,4.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(behold a son), Jacob’s firstborn Child, (Genesis 29:32) the son of Leah. (B.C. 1753.) The notices of the patriarch Reuben give, on the whole a favorable view of his disposition. To him and him alone the preservation of Joseph’s life appears to have been due and afterward he becomes responsible for his safety. (Genesis 37:18-30; 42:37) Of the repulsive crime which mars his history, and which turned the blessing of his dying father into a curse --his adulterous connection with Bilhah-- we know from the Scriptures only the fact. (Genesis 35:22) He was of an ardent, impetuous, unbalanced but not ungenerous nature; not crafty and cruel, as were Simeon and Levi, but rather, to use the metaphor of the dying patriarch, boiling up…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Behold, a son! The eldest son of Jacob and Leah, so-called in reference to the sentiment of his mother, "The Lord hath looked on my affliction," Ge 29:32. Reuben, having defiled his father’s concubine Bilhah, lost his birthright and all the privileges of primogeniture, the preeminence in the family being given to Judah, and the double portion to the two sons of Joseph, Ge 35:22 48:5 49:3,4,8,10 1Ch 5:1,2. He shared in his brother’s jealousy of Joseph, and yet interposed to save his life at Dothan with the design of restoring him privately to his father, Ge 37:18-30. See also his well-meant proposal in Ge 42:27. His…

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
חֲנוֹךְ֙cha.noKh Hanoch H2585 Noun proper masculine
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Hanoch means dedicated and refers to several men in the Bible, including a son of Reuben and a son of Jared who was taken to heaven without dying, as seen in Genesis 5:24.
Amplified meaning
dedicated, a son of Reuben
Tyndale gloss
Hanoch
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חֲנוֹךְ (Chanowk) refers to several figures in the Old Testament, including the son of Cain, the pious Enoch who walked with God, a son of Midian, and a son of Reuben. The name means 'dedicated.' The entries highlight different genealogical connections and significant events, such as Enoch's unique relationship with God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲנוֹךְ n.pr.m.

son of Cain

son of Jered (line of Seth), the pious Enoch, who walked with God and was taken by him

a son of Midian

a son of Reuben

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2585 חֲנוֹךְ . son of Cain

. son of Jered (line of Seth), the pious Enoch, who walked with God and was taken by him

. a son of Midian

. a son of Reuben

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2585 Chanowk khan-oke'

from 2596; initiated; Chanok, an antediluvian

patriach:--Enoch.

see HEBREW for 02596

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲנוֹךְ (cha.nokh) — Enoch.

A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.17;

son of: Cain (H7014B);

father of: Irad (H5897)

§ Enoch = "dedicated"

1) eldest son of Cain

2) son of Jared and father of Methuselah whom God took home to heaven without dying

3) the city which Cain built and named after his son Enoch (after himself)

Hanoch = "dedicated"

4) a son of Midian, the third child

5) the eldest son of Reuben

חֲנוֹךְ (cha.nokh) — Enoch.

A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.5.18;

son of: Jared (H3382);

father of: Methuselah (H4968)

Also named: Enōch (Ἐνώχ "Enoch" G1802)

§ Enoch = "dedicated"

1) eldest son of Cain

2) son of Jared and father of Methuselah whom God took home to heaven without dying

3) the city which Cain built and named after his son Enoch (after himself)

Hanoch = "dedicated"

4) a son of Midian, the third child

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

(dedicated). The third in order of the children of Midian. (Genesis 25:4) Eldest son of Reuben, (Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:5; 1 Chronicles 5:3) and founder of the family of the Hanochites. (Numbers 26:5)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

dedicated

Nave's Topical Bible

1. Son of Midian Ge 25:4

Called HENOCH 1Ch 1:33

2. The oldest son of Reuben Ge 46:9; Ex 6:14; Nu 26:5; 1Ch 5:3

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
מִשְׁפַּ֣חַתmish.Pa.chat [the] clan of H4940 Noun common · feminine singular construct
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Tyndale gloss
family
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

clan

= guild

= species, kind

pl. = aristocrats

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan

. = guild

. = species, kind

. pl. = aristocrats

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.

1) clan, family

1a) clan

1a1) family

1a2) tribe

1a3) people, nation

1b) guild

1c) species, kind

1d) aristocrats

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
הַחֲנֹכִ֔יha.cha.no.Khi the Hanochite[s] H2599 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hanochite refers to descendants of Hanoch, a man from the tribe of Reuben, mentioned in Genesis 46:9. His name means dedicated, and his descendants are known as the Hanochites. They are part of Reuben's family line.
Amplified meaning
dedicated, belonging to Hanoch
Tyndale gloss
Hanochite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חֲנֹכִי (*Chanokiy*) refers to a Hanochite, a descendant of Hanoch, who was associated with the tribe of Reuben. It is derived from the root חֲנוֹךְ (*Hanoch*), meaning 'dedicated.' The term appears in Numbers 26:5, where it denotes a collective group of Hanoch's descendants.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲנֹכִי adj.gent. only c. art. = subst. coll. Nu 26:5.

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2599 חֲנֹכִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2599 Chanokiy khan-o-kee'

patronymically from 2585; a Chanokite (collectively) or

descendants of Chanok:--Hanochites.

see HEBREW for 02585

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲנֹכִי (cha.no.khi) — Hanochite .

Someone descended from Hanoch who was a man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.9;

son of: Reuben (H7205);

brother of: Pallu (H6396), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756)

Group of cha.nokh (חֲנוֹךְ "Hanoch" H2585J)

§ Hanochites , of Hanoch "dedicated"

descendants of Hanoch

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
לְפַלּ֕וּאle.fa.Lu' of Pallu H6396 Preposition · noun proper masculine
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Pallu was an Israelite and the son of Reuben, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He is mentioned in the book of Genesis and was the father of Eliab, who was a leader in the Israelite community. Pallu's name means distinguished or special.
Amplified meaning
a son of Reuben, an ancestor
Tyndale gloss
Pallu
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פַּלּוּא (Palluw') refers to a distinguished individual, specifically the second son of Reuben and father of Eliab. He is mentioned in the context of the tribe of Reuben, with references to his brothers and descendants. The name appears in Genesis 46:9 and is associated with the term for his family, the Palluites.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פַּלּוּא n.pr.m. son of Reuben

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6396 פַּלּוּא son of Reuben

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6396 Palluw' pal-loo'

from 6395; distinguished; Pallu, an Israelite:--Pallu,

Phallu.

see HEBREW for 06395

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פַּלּוּא (pal.lu) — Pallu.

A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.9;

son of: Reuben (H7205);

brother of: Hanoch (H2585J), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756);

father of: Eliab (H0446H)

Also named: pal.lu.i (פַּלֻּאִי "Palluite" H6384)

§ Pallu or Phallu = "distinguished"

the 2nd son of Reuben, father of Eliab, and progenitor of a family of Israel

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Pallu

Separated, the second son of Reuben (1 Chr. 5:3); called Phallu, Gen. 46:9. He was the father of the Phalluites (Ex. 6:14; Num. 26:5, 8).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(distinguished), the second son of Reuben, father of Eliab, (Isaiah 6:14; Numbers 26:5,8; 1 Chronicles 5:3) and founder of the family of Palluites.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

marvelous; hidden

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Also called PHALLU

→ Son of Reuben Ge 46:9; Ex 6:14; Nu 26:5,8; 1Ch 5:3

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
מִשְׁפַּ֖חַתmish.Pa.chat [the] clan of H4940 Noun common · feminine singular construct
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Tyndale gloss
family
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

clan

= guild

= species, kind

pl. = aristocrats

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan

. = guild

. = species, kind

. pl. = aristocrats

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.

1) clan, family

1a) clan

1a1) family

1a2) tribe

1a3) people, nation

1b) guild

1c) species, kind

1d) aristocrats

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular construct
HNcfsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

Reuben [the] firstborn of Israel [the] descendants of Reuben Hanoch [the] clan of the Hanochite[s] of Pallu [the] clan of the Palluite[s]
הַפַּלֻּאִֽי׃ha.pa.lu.'I the Palluite[s] H6384 Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A Palluite is a person descended from Pallu, a son of Reuben, who is mentioned in Genesis. The Palluites are the family group of Pallu.
Amplified meaning
descended from Pallu, a son of Reuben
Tyndale gloss
Palluite
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פַּלֻּאִי (Pallu'iy) refers to a Palluite, a descendant of Pallu, who was the second son of Reuben. The term is used in a collective sense to denote the group of Palluites, with connections to individuals like Eliab. It is mentioned in Numbers 26:5, highlighting its genealogical significance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פַּלֻּאִי adj.gent. of foregoing [q.bk.ad], c. art. as n.coll., Nu 26:5.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6384 פַּלֻּאִי

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6384 Pallu'iy pal-loo-ee'

patronymically from 6396; a Palluite (collectively) or

descendants of Pallu:--Palluites.

see HEBREW for 06396

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פַּלֻּאִי (pal.lu.i) — Palluite.

Someone descended from Pallu who was a man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.9;

son of: Reuben (H7205);

brother of: Hanoch (H2585J), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756);

father of: Eliab (H0446H)

Group of pal.lu (פַּלּוּא "Pallu" H6396)

§ Palluites, of Pallu "wonderful"

descendants of Pallu, the 2nd son of Reuben

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ngmsa
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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