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Numbers 3:29 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת בְּנֵי־ קְהָ֖ת יַחֲנ֑וּ עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן תֵּימָֽנָה׃

BSAThe clansmishpâchâh [families, tribes] of the Kohathitesbên [descendants of Kohath, a Levite] were to campchânâh [pitch, set up their tents, encamp] onʻal the southtêymân [southern direction, toward the south wind] sideyârêk [thigh, area adjacent to] of the tabernaclemishkân [the sacred tent, God's dwelling place]

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 29 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 (tei.Ma.nah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 3:29quick helps
In a sentenceThe clans of the Kohathites were instructed to camp on the southern side of the tabernacle.
Who is speakingGod is giving instructions regarding the placement of the Kohathite clans.
Where we areThis verse is part of the instructions for the organization of the Israelite camp.
The hard wordמִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת
Take awayThe Kohathite clans have a designated place in the arrangement of the camp.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause verbחָנָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Numbers 3:29

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 Organization of the Campgenerated

28The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.
29The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,
30and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
31Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.

Numbers 3:29 describes the specific arrangement for the Kohathite clans, who were responsible for carrying the sacred items of the tabernacle. This organization was vital for maintaining order and reverence in the Israelite camp, as seen in the surrounding verses that outline the roles and responsibilities of different clans within the tribe of Levi.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 3:23The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle,
2Numbers 1:53But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
3Numbers 2:10On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.Numbers 3:23 Numbers 1:53 Numbers 2:10

The Key Word מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת, mish.pe.Chotgenerated

The word מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah) refers to a clan or family, emphasizing the importance of familial ties within the Israelite community. It can denote not only immediate family but also extended relations and tribes, reflecting the social structure of ancient Israel.

As a feminine plural construct, it indicates multiple clans or families, highlighting the collective identity of the Kohathites as descendants of Kohath. This term is foundational in understanding the organization of the tribes and their roles in the religious life of Israel.


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 sentence centers around one finite verb: יַחֲנ֑וּ, they will encamp. The structure consists of a subject noun phrase, a prepositional phrase indicating location, and several noun phrases that describe the clans and the tabernacle.

The order emphasizes the clans first, followed by their action and the location, which reflects the importance of the Kohathites' role in the camp's organization.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת as δῆμοι (demoi), meaning 'clans' or 'peoples'. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may suggest a broader interpretation of the clans as distinct groups within the larger community.

The Greek word παρεμβαλοῦσιν for יַחֲנ֑וּ implies a more active sense of encamping, which may reflect the dynamic nature of the Israelites' movements in the wilderness.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 3:29 tells us that the clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. This organization was part of the instructions for how the Israelites were to arrange their camp, ensuring that each clan had its place.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the Kohathites camped on the south side?

This indicates their specific role and position within the larger structure of the Israelite camp, showing the importance of order and organization.

Who were the Kohathites?

The Kohathites were descendants of Kohath, a son of Levi, responsible for carrying the sacred items of the tabernacle.

Why is the organization of the camp important?

It reflects God's order and the roles assigned to each tribe, which was crucial for the worship and functioning of the community.

How does this verse relate to the overall narrative of the Israelites in the wilderness?

It shows the practical aspects of their journey, emphasizing how they were to live and worship in a structured manner as they traveled.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the organization of the camp teach us about the importance of community and roles within it?
  2. How can we apply the concept of family and clan in our own lives today?
  3. In what ways can we ensure that everyone has a role and a place in our communities?
  4. How does understanding the Kohathites' responsibilities enhance our view of worship and service?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 3:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

Read John Gill on Numbers 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) on the side of the tabernacle southward.—The south has its name in Hebrew (Teman) from Yamin, the right hand, because when a man stands with his face towards the east the south is on his right hand.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21–39. The Levitical families and their duties. Notice that narrative in Numbers 3:21 f., 27 f., 33 f., 39 alternates with commands in Numbers 3:23-26; Numbers 3:29-32; Numbers 3:35-38. It is one of the many indications that the priestly portions of the book were the composite work of more than one writer.

Read Cambridge on Numbers 3 →

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

The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,

NETBNew English Translation2006

The families of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle southward.

RVARevised Version, American1894

The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

The families of the sonnes of Kohath shall pitch on the Southside of the Tabernacle.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

The families of the sons of Kohath encamped on the side of the tabernacle southward.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The families of the sons of Kohath encamp by the side of the tabernacle southward.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

The families of the sons of Kohath encamp southward by the side of the Dwelling Place.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

The families of the sons of Kehath used to encamp on the side of the tabernacle, southward.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The Kohath clans must camp on the south side of the tabernacle.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And shall camp on the south side.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The camp of families of Kohath was on the south side of the Tabernacle.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The tents of the Kohathites are to be placed on the south side of the House.

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.

clausenoun phrase · subjectמִשְׁפְּחֹ֥תthe.clansnoun phraseבְּנֵיof.the.descendantsקְהָ֖תof.Kohathverbיַחֲנ֑וּthey.will.encampprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַ֛לatnoun phrasenoun phraseיֶ֥רֶךְthe.sidenoun phraseהַofמִּשְׁכָּ֖ןthe.tabernacleprepositional phrasenoun phraseתֵּימָֽנָsouthwardהto

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states that the clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as all eight words match in a word-by-word correspondence, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of the translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch also agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word, confirming the same instruction regarding the Kohathites' camping location.

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

מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת בְּנֵי־ קְהָ֖ת יַחֲנ֑וּ עַ֛ל יֶ֥רֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן תֵּימָֽנָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥תδῆμοιבְּנֵי־υἱῶνקְהָ֖תκααθיַחֲנ֑וּπαρεμβαλοῦσινעַ֛לἐκיֶ֥רֶךְπλαγίωνהַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ןσκηνῆςתֵּימָֽנָה׃λίβα

8 of the 8 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

משׁפחת בני קהת יחנו על ירך המשׁכן תימנה

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

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 3:29מִשְׁפָּחָה[the] clans[the] clans ofמִשְׁפָּחָהבֵּן[the] desce[the] descendanבֵּןקְהָתKohathKohathקְהָתחָנָהthey will ethey will encamחָנָהעַלatatעַליָרֵךְ[the] side [the] side ofיָרֵךְמִשְׁכָּןthe tabernathe tabernacleמִשְׁכָּןתֵּימָןsouth -wardsouth -wardתֵּימָןשָׁפָהbe barebe bareשָׁפָהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהשָׁכַןto dwellto dwellשָׁכַןיָמִין[Ben]jamin[Ben]jaminיָמִיןחָנַןbe gracioube graciousחָנַןעַלheightheightעַלמִשְׁכָּןtabernacletabernacleמִשְׁכָּןתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןיִצְהָרIzharIzharיִצְהָרעַמְרָםAmramAmramעַמְרָםנָסַעto set outto set outנָסַעכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאבֶּ֫טֶןbelly: abdbelly: abdomenבֶּ֫טֶןקֶ֫רֶשׁboardboardקֶ֫רֶשׁבְּרִיחַbarbarבְּרִיחַ
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 3:29

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] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥תmish.pe.Chot [the] clans of H4940 Noun common · feminine plural 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.
Amplified meaning
families, tribes
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-fp — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
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…

[the] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
בְּנֵי־be.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
descendants of Kohath, a Levite
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…

[the] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
קְהָ֖תke.Hat Kohath H6955 Noun proper masculine
32× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Kohath was a man from the tribe of Levi, son of Levi and brother of Gershon and Merari, first mentioned in Genesis 46:11. He was the father of Amram and others. His name means assembly.
Tyndale gloss
Kohath
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קְהָת (Qhath) refers to Kohath, a son of Levi and an important figure in the Israelite lineage. He is noted as the progenitor of a family within the tribe of Levi, with connections to other significant figures such as Gershon and Merari. The name is associated with the concept of assembly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קְהָת 30 n.pr.m. son of Levi

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6955 קְהָת son of Levi

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6955 Qhath keh-hawth'

from an unused root meaning to ally oneself; allied; Kehath,

an Israelite:--Kohath.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קְהָת (qe.hat) — Kohath.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11;

son of: Levi (H3878);

brother of: Gershon (H1648), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115);

father of: Amram (H6019), Izhar (H3324), Hebron (H2275B) and Uzziel (H5816)

Also named: qo.ha.ti (קְהָתִי "Kohathite" H6956)

§ Kohath = "assembly"

the 2nd of the 3 sons of Levi and progenitor of a family in the tribe of Levi

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpm — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Kohath

Assembly, the second son of Levi, and father of Amram (Gen. 46:11). He came down to Egypt with Jacob, and lived to the age of one hundred and thirty-three years (Ex. 6:18).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(assembly), second of the three sons of Levi, from whom the three principal divisions of the Levites derived their origin and their name. (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16) In the journeyings of the tabernacle of the sons of Kohath (Kohathites) had charge of the most holy portions of the vessels. (Numbers 4:1) ... Of the personal history of Kohath we know nothing, except that he came down to Egypt with Levi and Jacob, (Genesis 46:11) that his sister was Jochebed, (Exodus 6:20) and that he lived to the age of 133 years. (Exodus 6:18) (B.C. about 1491.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Son of Levi, Ge 46:11, and father of the Kohathites, who were appointed to carry the ark and sacred utensils of the tabernacle during the journeyings of the Israelites in the desert, Ex 6:16- 24; Nu 4:4-15.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

congregation; wrinkle; bluntness

[the] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
יַחֲנ֑וּya.cha.Nu they will encamp H2583 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
143× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew verb means to set up camp or pitch a tent, like when the Israelites encamped in the wilderness. It can also mean to lay siege against a city.
Amplified meaning
pitch, set up their tents, encamp
Tyndale gloss
to camp
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חָנָה (chanah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to decline, bend down, or encamp. It conveys the idea of inclining or settling, particularly in the context of pitching a tent or establishing a temporary dwelling. The word appears in various forms, including the act of encamping or laying siege. It is associated with the imagery of the evening's slanting rays and the conclusion of a day's journey.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָנָה 143 vb. decline, bend down, encamp

Qal

decline, of day drawing to its close

encamp (prop. verge toward, incline to, settle at, of goal of day’s march)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2583 חָנָה decline, bend down, encamp

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2583 chanah khaw-naw'

a primitive root (compare 2603); properly, to incline; by

implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening);

specifically, to pitch a tent; gen. to encamp (for abode or

siege):--abide (in tents), camp, dwell, encamp, grow to an

end, lie, pitch (tent), rest in tent.

see HEBREW for 02603

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָנָה (cha.nah) — to camp.

1) to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to decline

1a2) to encamp

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine plural
HVqi3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Encamp

An encampment was the resting-place for a longer or shorter period of an army or company of travellers (Ex. 13:20; 14:19; Josh. 10:5; 11:5).

The manner in which the Israelites encamped during their march through the wilderness is described in Num. 2 and 3. The order of the encampment (see CAMP) was preserved in the march (Num. 2:17), the signal for which was the blast of two silver trumpets. Detailed regulations affecting the camp for sanitary purposes are given (Lev. 4:11, 12; 6:11; 8:17; 10:4, 5; 13:46; 14:3; Num. 12:14, 15; 31:19; Deut. 23:10, 12).

[the] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
עַ֛ל'al at H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[the] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
יֶ֥רֶךְYe.rekh [the] side of H3409 Noun common · feminine singular construct
34× 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 thigh or the side of something, and can also symbolize strength or power. It is used to describe where a sword is worn, and also represents the loins as the seat of procreative power.
Amplified meaning
thigh, area adjacent to
Tyndale gloss
thigh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָרֵךְ (yarek) refers to the thigh, loin, side, or base of an object. It is derived from a root meaning to be soft, highlighting the fleshy nature of the thigh. The term can also euphemistically refer to generative parts and is used in various contexts, including the outside of the thigh where a sword is worn.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרֵךְ n.f. thigh, loin, side, base

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3409 יָרֵךְ thigh, loin, side, base

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3409 yarek yaw-rake'

from an unused root meaning to be soft; the thigh (from its

fleshy softness); by euphem. the generative parts;

figuratively, a shank, flank, side:--X body, loins, shaft,

side, thigh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרֵךְ (ya.rekh) — thigh.

1) thigh, side, loin, base

1a) thigh

1a1) outside of thigh (where sword was worn)

1a2) loins (as the seat of procreative power)

1b) side (flank) (of object)

1c) base

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…

[the] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ןha.mish.Kan the tabernacle H4908 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
139× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The tabernacle was a special tent where God met with the Israelites, as described in Exodus and Leviticus. It was a portable place of worship, like a dwelling place for God. The Israelites carried it with them.
Amplified meaning
the sacred tent, God's dwelling place
Tyndale gloss
tabernacle
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) means 'dwelling-place' or 'tabernacle.' It is derived from a root meaning to dwell and can refer to various types of residences, including the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. The term encompasses both literal and figurative meanings, such as a grave or the Temple.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁכָּן 139 n.m. dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4908 מִשְׁכָּן dwelling-place, ‘tabernacle’

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4908 mishkan mish-kawn'

from 7931; a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair

of animals, figuratively, the grave; also the Temple);

specifically, the Tabernacle (properly, its wooden

walls):--dwelleth, dwelling (place), habitation, tabernacle,

tent.

see HEBREW for 07931

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁכָּן (mish.kan) — tabernacle.

1) dwelling place, tabernacle

1a) dwelling-place

1b) dwellings

Aramaic equivalent: mish.kan (מִשְׁכַּן "habitation" H4907)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tab'-er-na-k'l ('ohel mo`edh "tent of meeting," mishkan, "dwelling"; skene):

A. STRUCTURE AND HISTORY

I. INTRODUCTORY

1. Earlier "Tent of Meeting"

2. A Stage in Revelation

3. The Tabernacle Proper

II. STRUCTURE

1. The Enclosure or Court

2. Structure, Divisions and Furniture of the Tabernacle

(1) Coverings of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1-14; 36:8-19)

(a) Tabernacle Covering Proper

(b) Tent Covering

(c) Protective Covering

(2) Framework and Divisions of the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:15-37; 36:20-38)

Arrangement of Coverings

(3) Furniture of the Sanctuary

(a) The Table of Shewbread

(b) The Candlestick (Lampstand)

(c) The Altar of Incense

III. HISTORY

1. Removal from Sinai

2. Sojourn at Kadesh

3. Settlement in Canaan

4. Destruction of Shiloh

5. Delocalization of Worship

6. Nob and Gibeon

7. Restoration of the Ark

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tabernacle

(1.) A house or dwelling-place (Job 5:24; 18:6, etc.).

(2.) A portable shrine (comp. Acts 19:24) containing the image of Moloch (Amos 5:26; marg. and R.V., “Siccuth”).

(3.) The human body (2 Cor. 5:1, 4); a tent, as opposed to a permanent dwelling.

(4.) The sacred tent (Heb. mishkan, “the dwelling-place”); the movable tent-temple which Moses erected for the service of God, according to the “pattern” which God himself showed to him on the mount (Ex. 25:9; Heb. 8:5). It is called “the tabernacle of the congregation,” rather “of meeting”, i.e., where God…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The tabernacle was the tent of Jehovah, called by the same name as the tents of the people in the midst of which it stood. It was also called the sanctuary and the tabernacle of the congregation. The first ordinance given to Moses, after the proclamation of the outline of the law from Sinai, related to the ordering of the tabernacle, its furniture and its service as the type which was to be followed when the people came to their own home and "found a place" for the abode of God. During the forty days of Moses’ first retirement with God in Sinai, an exact pattern of the whole was shown him, and all was made according to it. (Exodus 25:9,40; 26:30; 39:32,42,43; Numbers 8:4; Acts 7:44;

A tent, booth, pavilion, or temporary dwelling. For its general meaning and uses, see TENT. In the Scriptures it is employed more particularly of the tent made by Moses at the command of God, for the place of religious worship of the Hebrews, before the building of the temple. The directions of God, and the account of the execution of them, are contained in Ex 25:1-40, and the following chapters. This is usually called the tabernacle of the congregation, or tent of assembly, and sometimes the tabernacle of the testimony.

The tabernacle was of an oblong rectangular form, thirty cubits long, ten broad, and ten in height, Ex 26.15-30; 36.20-30; that is, about fifty-five feet long, eighteen broad, and eighteen high. The two sides and the western end were formed of boards of shittim wood, overlaid with thin plates of gold, and fixed in…

[the] clans of [the] descendants of Kohath they will encamp at [the] side of the tabernacle south -ward
תֵּימָֽנָה׃tei.Ma.nah south -ward H8486 Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for south or southern direction, used to describe location or wind. It is often translated as south in the Bible, including in books like Exodus and Ezekiel.
Amplified meaning
southern direction, toward the south wind
Tyndale gloss
south
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תֵּימָן (teyman) refers to the direction south, including the south wind. It is derived from the root meaning 'right hand' when facing east. The term is primarily used in poetic contexts and encompasses various aspects of the southern quarter, including territory and direction.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תֵּימָן n.f. south, south wind, chiefly poet.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8486 תֵּימָן south, south wind, chiefly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8486 teyman tay-mawn'

or teman {tay-mawn'}; denominative from 3225; the south (as

being on the right hand of a person facing the east):--south

(side, -ward, wind).

see HEBREW for 03225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תֵּימָן (te.man) — south.

1) south, southward, whatever is on the right (so the southern quarter), south wind

1a) south (of territory)

1b) southern quarter (of the sky)

1c) toward the south, southward (of direction)

1d) south wind

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffix
HNcfsa/Sd
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ward

A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).

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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