Numbers 26:6 — Word Study
WLCלְחֶצְרֹ֕ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶצְרוֹנִ֑י לְכַרְמִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַכַּרְמִֽי׃
BSAthe HezroniteChetsrôwnîy [descendant of Hezron, from the tribe of Judah] clanmishpâchâh from HezronChetsrôwn [surrounded by a wall, similar to Hazor] [and] the CarmiteKarmîy [Karmite, descendant of Karmi] clanmishpâchâh from CarmiKarmîy△ [an Israelite, father of Hur and Jesher]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לְחֶצְרֹ֕ן | of Hezron | Preposition, noun proper |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַֽחֶצְרוֹנִ֑י | the Hezronite[s] | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| לְכַרְמִ֕י | of Carmi | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת | [the] clan of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| הַכַּרְמִֽי׃ | the Carmite[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 Hezronite clan from Hezron, and the Carmite clan from Carmi. |
| KJV | Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. |
| ASV | of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. |
| YLT | of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Carmi the family of the Carmite. |
| WEB | of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. |
| BBE | Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. |
Where they part company is מִשְׁפַּחַת — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of two main clauses connected by 'and', each with a prepositional phrase indicating the origin of the clans.
3 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word 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 26:6
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 Clans of Reubengenerated
Numbers 26:6 is part of a larger section that details the genealogies of the Israelite tribes, particularly focusing on the descendants of Reuben. This verse specifically identifies the Hezronite clan, descended from Hezron, and the Carmite clan, descended from Carmi. These genealogies serve to establish the lineage and heritage of the tribes of Israel, which is crucial for understanding their history and identity.
Cross References
The Key Word — חֶצְרוֹן, le.chetz.Rongenerated
The name חֶצְרוֹן (Chetsrown) refers to a geographical location in southern Judah and two individuals: Hezron, a son of Reuben and a son of Perez, grandson of Judah. The name means 'surrounded by a wall,' similar to Hazor.
In this verse, it highlights the Hezronite clan, indicating their lineage and connection to the tribe of Judah. The use of the preposition indicates possession, linking the clan directly to Hezron.
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 structure of the verse is straightforward, with two main noun phrases: the Hezronite clan and the Carmite clan, both linked by the conjunction 'and'. Each noun phrase contains a prepositional phrase that indicates their respective origins.
The finite verb is implied, as the sentence is descriptive, listing the clans without a direct action. This reflects the genealogical nature of the text, focusing on lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חֶצְרוֹן as ασρων, which does not carry the same meaning of 'surrounded by a wall' but serves to identify the clan in a Greek context.
This choice suggests a focus on the clan's identity rather than the geographical significance of the name, indicating a potential shift in emphasis for the Greek-speaking audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 26:6 lists the Hezronite clan from Hezron and the Carmite clan from Carmi. Hezron was a significant ancestor from the tribe of Judah, while Carmi was an Israelite father. This verse emphasizes the importance of these clans in the lineage of Israel.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Hezronite refers to a descendant of Hezron, a significant figure in the tribe of Judah.
Carmi was an Israelite, a descendant of Judah, and the father of several children, including Hur and Jesher.
Genealogies establish lineage, heritage, and the fulfillment of God's promises to His people.
Clans represent family ties and tribal affiliations, which were crucial for identity and inheritance in ancient Israel.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do genealogies help us understand the history of Israel?
- What can we learn from the significance of family ties in our own lives?
- Why is it important to know the ancestors of the tribes of Israel?
- How does understanding our own heritage shape our identity?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 26:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOf Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. Hezron , [ lª-Chetsron (H2696); Septuagint, Asroon]. Carmi , [ lª-Karmiy (H3756); Septuagint, Charmi].
Read Robert Jamieson 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 Bible5-9. 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
the Hezronite clan from Hezron, and the Carmite clan from Carmi.
of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
the Hezronite clan from Hezron, and the Carmite clan from Carmi.
from Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; from Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
Tyndale line
Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
Of Hesron, the familie of the Hesronites: of Carmi, the familie of the Carmites.
Strictly literal
of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Carmi the family of the Carmite.
of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Carmi the family of the Carmite.
Of Chezron, the family of the Chezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
From Hezron came the clan of the Hezronites. From Karmi came the clan of the Karmites.
From the Latin
And Hesron, of whom is the family of the Hesronites: and Charmi, of whom is the family of the Charmites.
Simplified
Hezron, ancestor of the Hezronite family; and Carmi, ancestor of the Carmite family.
Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text presents the verse as "לְחֶצְרֹ֕ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶצְרוֹנִ֑י לְכַרְמִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַכַּרְמִֽי׃" which translates to "the Hezronite clan from Hezron, and the Carmite clan from Carmi." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all six words in a word-by-word correspondence, although it presents them in its own order. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly by using the form "לחצרון" (Hezron) instead of "לְחֶצְרֹ֕ן". The Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q23 has one word on the leather and five supplied by an editor, while 4Q27 has nothing on the leather and six supplied entirely by an editor, but both also reflect the same clan names and structure as the Masoretic Text.
לְחֶצְרֹ֕ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶצְרוֹנִ֑י לְכַרְמִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַכַּרְמִֽי׃
6 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.
לחצרון משׁפחת החצרוני לכרמי משׁפחת הכרמי
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: חצרון (Hezron)
[לחצרן] [משפחת] [החצרוני] [לכרמי] משפחת [הכרמי]
1 word on the leather — 5 supplied entire by an editor.
[לחצרון] [משפחת] [החצרוני] [לכרמי] [משפחת] [הכרמי]
nothing on the leather here — 6 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.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 26:6
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.
חֶצְרוֹן (Chetsrown) refers to both a geographical location in the extreme south of Judah and two individuals: Hezron, a son of Reuben and a son of Perez, grandson of Judah. The name is interpreted as meaning 'surrounded by a wall.' There is some overlap in the references to Hezron as a location and a person, indicating its significance in both contexts.
חֶצְרוֹן, חֶצְרֹן n.pr.loc. et pers.
n. pr. loc.
place in extreme south of Judah
another town of Judah in south
n. pr. m.
son of Reuben
son of Pereṣ and grandson of Judah
base
H2696 חֶצְרוֹן, חֶצְרֹן . n. pr. loc. . place in extreme south of Judah
. another town of Judah in south
. n. pr. m. . son of Reuben
. son of Pereṣ and grandson of Judah
2696 Chetsrown khets-rone'
from 2691; court-yard; Chetsron, the name of a place in
Palestine; also of two Israelites:--Hezron.
see HEBREW for 02691
חֶצְרוֹן (chets.ron) — Hezron.
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), Pallu (H6396) and Carmi (H3756)
§ Hezron = "surrounded by a wall"
1) a son of Reuben
2) a son of Pharez and grandson of Judah
3) a place in the extreme south of Judah
חֶצְרוֹן (chets.ron) — Hezron.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.12;
son of: Perez (H6557);
brother of: Hamul (H2538); married to daughter_of_Machir (H4353I) and Abiah (H0029J);
father of: Ram (H7410), Jerahmeel (H3396), Caleb (H3612H), Segub (H7687H) and Ashhur (H0806)
§ Hezron = "surrounded by a wall"
1) a son of Reuben
2) a son of Pharez and grandson of Judah
3) a place in the extreme south of Judah
חֶצְרוֹן (chets.ron) — (Kerioth)-hezron.
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
Hezron
Enclosed. (1.) One of the sons of Reuben (Gen. 46:9; Ex. 6:14). (2.) The older of the two sons of Pharez (Gen. 46:12). (3.) A plain in the south of Judah, west of Kadesh-barnea (Josh. 15:3).
(surrounded by a wall). A son of Reuben. (Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14) A son of Pharez. (Genesis 46:12; Ruth 4:18)
the dart of joy; the division of the song
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…
חֶצְרוֹנִי (Chetsrowniy) refers to a Hezronite, a descendant of Hezron from the tribe of Judah. The term is used collectively for the Hezronites and is connected to the Hebrew root for Hezron, meaning 'enclosed' or 'division of song.' It appears in contexts such as Numbers 26:6.
חֶצְרוֹנִי, חֶצְרֹנִי adj.gent. only c. art. as n. coll.
H2697 חֶצְרוֹנִי, חֶצְרֹנִי
2697 Chetsrowniy khets-ro-nee'
patronymically from 2696; a Chetsronite or (collectively)
descendants of Chetsron:--Hezronites.
see HEBREW for 02696
חֶצְרוֹנִי (chets.ro.ni) — Hezronite.
Someone descended from Hezron who was a man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.12;
son of: Perez (H6557);
brother of: Hamul (H2538); married to daughter_of_Machir (H4353I) and Abiah (H0029J);
father of: Ram (H7410), Jerahmeel (H3396), Caleb (H3612H), Segub (H7687H) and Ashhur (H0806)
Group of chets.ron (חֶצְרוֹן "Hezron" H2696H)
§ Hezronites , of Hezron "enclosed" or "division of song"
a descendant of Hezron
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
כַּרְמִי (kar-mi) refers to a name associated with multiple figures in the Old Testament. It is derived from a root meaning 'gardener' and is interpreted as 'my vineyard.' The entries identify Carmi as the fourth son of Reuben and also a Judaite, father of Achan, who troubled Israel during Joshua's time. Notably, there are three distinct individuals named Carmi, each with different familial connections.
כַּרְמִי n.pr.m.
son of Reuben
a Judaite
base
H3756 כַּרְמִי . son of Reuben
. a Judaite
3756 Karmiy kar-mee'
from 3754; gardener; Karmi, the name of three
Israelites:--Carmi.
see HEBREW for 03754
כַּרְמִי (kar.mi) — Carmi.
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 Hanoch (H2585J)
Also named: kar.mi (כַּרְמִי "Carmite" H3757)
§ Carmi = "my vineyard"
1) the 4th son of Reuben and progenitor of the Carmites
2) a Judaite, father of Achan, the 'troubler of Israel' in the time of Joshua
כַּרְמִי (kar.mi) — Carmi.
A man of the tribe of Judah living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jos.7.1;
son of: Zabdi (H2067);
father of: Achan (H5912)
§ Carmi = "my vineyard"
1) the 4th son of Reuben and progenitor of the Carmites
2) a Judaite, father of Achan, the 'troubler of Israel' in the time of Joshua
כַּרְמִי (kar.mi) — Carmi.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.9;
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
(1) A son of Reuben who came to Egypt with Jacob (Ge 46:9; Ex 6:14; 1Ch 5:3). Also the name of a family of which Carmi was the head (Nu 26:6).
(2) A Judahite (1Ch 2:7), son of Zabdi, according to Jos 7:1, and father of Achan, who is given the name of "Achar" in 1Ch 2:7. This last form "Achar" is preferred to the usual "Achan" in order to bring out the play on the Hebrew word for "troubler." The Hebrew runs `akhar `okher yisra'el, "Achar, the troubler of Israel." As regards the phrase "the sons of Carmi" (
Carmi
Vine-dresser. (1.) The last named of the four sons of Reuben (Gen. 46:9).
(2.) A descendant of Judah (1 Chr. 4:1). He is elsewhere (2:18) called Caleb (q.v.).
(3.) The son of Zimri, and the father of Achan (Josh. 7:1), “the troubler of Israel.”
(vine dresser). The fourth son of Reuben, the progenitor of the family of the Carmites. (Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:6; 1 Chronicles 5:3) A man of the tribe of Judah, father of Achan, the "troubler of Israel." (Joshua 7:1,18; 1 Chronicles 2:7; 4:1)
my vineyard; lamb of the waters
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…
כַּרְמִי (Karmiy) refers to a Carmite, a descendant of Carmi, who was a son of Reuben. The term is used in the context of the tribe of Reuben, particularly noted in Numbers 26:6. The name Carmi itself means 'my vineyard' and is linked to the fourth son of Reuben.
כַּרְמִי adj.gent. only c. art., as subst. Nu 26:6.
ref
H3757 כַּרְמִי
3757 Karmiy kar-mee'
patronymically from 3756; a Karmite or descendant of
Karmi:--Carmites.
see HEBREW for 03756
כַּרְמִי (kar.mi) — Carmite.
Someone descended from Carmi 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 Hanoch (H2585J)
Group of kar.mi (כַּרְמִי "Carmi" H3756)
§ Carmi = "my vineyard"
the Carmites descended from the 4th son of Reuben
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa