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Psalms 68:27 — Word Study

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WLCשָׁ֤ם בִּנְיָמִ֨ן׀ צָעִ֡יר רֹדֵ֗ם שָׂרֵ֣י יְ֭הוּדָה רִגְמָתָ֑ם שָׂרֵ֥י זְ֝בֻל֗וּן שָׂרֵ֥י נַפְתָּלִֽי׃

BSAassemblymaqhêl to blessbârak Godʼĕlôhîym The LordYᵉhôvâh fountainmâqôwr IsraelYisrâʼêl

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 68
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 27 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 (naf.ta.Li) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 68:27quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse lists Benjamin as the youngest ruler among the tribes of Israel.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, celebrating the tribes of Israel.
Where we areIn a poetic context, praising God and acknowledging tribal leaders.
The hard wordרֹדֵ֗ם
Take awayThe youngest tribe, Benjamin, is highlighted as a leader.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 11 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 — Psalms 68:27

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 Tribes of Israel in Praisegenerated

26Bless God in the great congregation; bless the LORD from the fountain of Israel.
27There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
28Summon Your power, O God; show Your strength, O God, which You have exerted on our behalf.
29Because of Your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring You gifts.

Psalm 68:27 speaks of the tribes of Israel, emphasizing Benjamin as the youngest and a ruler among the leaders of Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali. This verse is part of a larger psalm that calls for praise and acknowledges God's power and presence among His people, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 42:32We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’
2Judges 20:35The LORD defeated Benjamin in the presence of Israel, and on that day the Israelites slaughtered 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords.
3Judges 21:6–25And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
41 Samuel 9:21Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
51 Chronicles 12:16–29Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בִּנְיָמִן, bin.ya.Mingenerated

The name בִּנְיָמִן (bin.ya.Min) means 'son of the right hand,' referring to the youngest son of Jacob. This term emphasizes his position within the family and the tribe that descended from him.

In this verse, Benjamin's role as a ruler highlights his significance among the tribes of Israel, particularly as he is mentioned alongside the prominent tribes of Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb here is רֹדֵם (roDem), meaning 'ruling,' which governs the subject בִּנְיָמִן (bin.ya.Min). The structure emphasizes Benjamin's leadership role among the tribes.

The phrase structure in Hebrew allows for a clear identification of Benjamin as the youngest ruler, with additional phrases providing context about the other tribes mentioned.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בִּנְיָמִן as ἐκκλησίαις, which indicates a gathering or assembly, reflecting the communal aspect of the tribes of Israel. This choice emphasizes the collective identity of the tribes rather than focusing solely on Benjamin's individual role.

The translation shows a shift from a personal emphasis on Benjamin to a broader view of the tribes as an assembly, which may suggest a communal leadership.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 68:27 tells us that Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob, is recognized as a ruler among the tribes of Israel. This verse highlights his leadership alongside the princes of Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali, emphasizing the unity and importance of these tribes.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Benjamin is the youngest?

Being the youngest signifies Benjamin's position within the family of Jacob, and his leadership role indicates the importance of all tribes, regardless of age.

Why are the princes of Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali mentioned?

These tribes are highlighted to show their collective leadership and significance within the nation of Israel.

What is the significance of ruling?

Ruling indicates authority and leadership, suggesting that Benjamin, despite being the youngest, holds an important position among the tribes.

How does this verse relate to the overall theme of Psalm 68?

This verse contributes to the theme of praising God for His presence and power among His people, recognizing the leaders of the tribes as part of that divine order.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I recognize the leaders in my community, like Benjamin among the tribes?
  2. What does it mean to lead with humility, as Benjamin does despite being the youngest?
  3. In what ways can I support the leaders in my life, similar to how the tribes supported each other?
  4. How does understanding the roles of different tribes enhance my view of community and leadership?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Augustine of Hippo references this verse to discuss Benjamin's significance, drawing parallels to Paul as a key figure in the New Testament.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 68 354–430
"There is Benjamin the younger in a trance" [Psalms 68:27]. There is Paul the last of the Apostles, who says, "For even I am an Israelite, out of the seed of Abraham,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 68 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 68:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

There [is] little Benjamin, [with] their ruler,.... Or who is "their ruler" (y); that is, in the congregations or churches, where he was a ruler; or in the procession, the triumphal progress of

Read John Gill on Psalms 68 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 68 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

There is present in this solemn pomp of carrying the ark to Zion, under the conduct of David their king, little Benjamin. That tribe is called little, partly because it was the youngest, as being descended from Jacob’ s youngest son Benjamin; and principally because it was exceedingly diminished, and almost extinguished, under the judges, Jude 20 Jude 21. He mentions this tribe, partly because they were nearest unto Judah, and to the place whither the ark was going; and partly to note their reconciliation and submission to David, against whom they had stood out with more obstinacy than any other tribe, as having been so long used to govern, and loth to part with the regal dignity which was…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 68 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 68:27 There [is] little Benjamin [with] their ruler, the princes of Judah [and] their council, the princes of Zebulun, [and] the princes of Naphtali.Ver. 27. There is little Benjamin with their ruler] Though before they had stood out for Saul and his house, yet now they bore a part in this solemn celebrity, as being next unto the sanctuary. Of this tribe was St Paul, Tricubitalis ille homuncio, sed insatiabilis Dei cultor, as Chrysostom calleth him, little in stature, but in labours more abundant. The first precious stone in the foundation of the New Jerusalem is a jasper, Revelation 21:19, which in Aaron’ s breastplate was the last, Exodus 28:20, on which Benjamin’ s name was…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 68 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) There is . . .—The procession is apparently a representative one. and the conjecture is probable which refers the selection of Zebulun and Naphtali to their prominence in Deborah’s song. Benjamin may owe its position to the fact that it gave the nation its first king, and Judah would naturally figure in the pomp as the tribe of David. But other considerations besides may have had weight. The selection may have been made as representative of the two kingdoms. Their ruler.—The Hebrew word has always a sense of a high-handed conqueror’s rule, with the possible exception of Jer 5:31. There is probably still a reference to Saul and his conquests—“little Benjamin who conquered for thee,” or…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 68 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 27. There is little Benjamin] This is a description of another part of the procession.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 68 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. The representatives of four tribes are specified as taking part in the procession. Judah and Benjamin naturally represent the South. Jerusalem was on the boundary between them; and the Temple was in the territory assigned to Benjamin (Deuteronomy 33:12; Joshua 18:16), which may account for the place of honour being assigned to it. But why are Zebulun and Naphtali selected to represent the North? Is it as a recognition of their heroic patriotism commemorated in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:18) of which this Psalm contains so many reminiscences? or is it (on the assumption of the exilic date of the Psalm) an allusion to the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 11:1), that just those tribes which…

Read Cambridge on Psalms 68 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There is little Benjamin - In that solemn procession. That is, the tribe of Benjamin is “represented” there; or, there are in the procession those who are connected with that tribe.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 68 →

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

There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

NETBNew English Translation2006

There is little Benjamin, their ruler, and the princes of Judah in their robes, along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

There is little Benjamin their ruler, The princes of Judah and their council, The princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

RVARevised Version, American1894

There is little Benjamin their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their counsel, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

There was litle Beniamin with their ruler, and the princes of Iudah with their assemblie, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

There is little Benjamin, their ruler; the princes of Judah, their company; the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

There [is] little Benjamin their ruler, Heads of Judah their defence, Heads of Zebulun — heads of Naphtali.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

There [is] little Benjamin, their ruler, || Heads of Judah their defense, || Heads of Zebulun—heads of Naphtali.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(68:28) There Benjamin the youngest leadeth them on, the princes of Judah in purple robes, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

There is first Benjamin, the smallest tribe, then the leaders of Judah and their multitudes, the leaders of Zebulun and the leaders of Naphtali.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Because they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

There is the little tribe of Benjamin, followed by the many leaders from Judah; then come the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

There is little Benjamin ruling them, the chiefs of Judah and their army, the rulers of Zebulun and the rulers of Naphtali.

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.

clausepredicateשָׁ֤םtherenoun phrase · subjectnoun phrasenoun phraseבִּנְיָמִ֨ןBenjaminצָעִ֡ירinsignificantnoun phraseרֹדֵ֗[is].rulingםover.themnoun phrasenoun phraseשָׂרֵ֣יthe.princesיְ֭הוּדָהof.Judahnoun phraseרִגְמָתָ֑of.stonesםtheir.heapnoun phraseשָׂרֵ֥יthe.princesזְ֝בֻל֗וּןof.Zebulunnoun phraseשָׂרֵ֥יthe.princesנַפְתָּלִֽיof.Naphtali

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: 'There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.' The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation, shows a partial agreement with the Masoretic Text, matching 7 of the 11 words in a different word order and structure. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls are not mentioned in the provided witnesses, indicating that their readings are either unavailable or do not differ from the Masoretic Text in this instance.

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

שָׁ֤ם בִּנְיָמִ֨ן׀ צָעִ֡יר רֹדֵ֗ם שָׂרֵ֣י יְ֭הוּדָה רִגְמָתָ֑ם שָׂרֵ֥י זְ֝בֻל֗וּן שָׂרֵ֥י נַפְתָּלִֽי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שָׁ֤םἐνבִּנְיָמִ֨ן׀ἐκκλησίαιςצָעִ֡ירεὐλογεῖτεרֹדֵ֗םθεόνשָׂרֵ֣יἐκיְ֭הוּדָהπηγῶνרִגְמָתָ֑םισραηλ

7 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.

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.

Psalms 68:27שָׁםtherethereשָׁםבִּנְיָמִיןBenjaminBenjaminבִּנְיָמִיןצָעִירinsignificainsignificantצָעִיררָדָה[is] ruling[is] ruling theרָדָהשַׂר[the] princ[the] princes oשַׂריְהוּדָהJudahJudahיְהוּדָהרִגְמָהheaps of stheaps of stonesרִגְמָהשַׂר[the] princ[the] princes oשַׂרזְבוּלֻןZebulunZebulunזְבוּלֻןשַׂר[the] princ[the] princes oשַׂרנַפְתָּלִיNaphtaliNaphtaliנַפְתָּלִישָׂרַרto ruleto ruleשָׂרַרבֵּןson: childson: childבֵּןצָעַרbe littlebe littleצָעַריָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָהזָבַלto honourto honourזָבַלפָּתַלto twistto twistפָּתַלאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁררֶ֫גֶםRegemRegemרֶ֫גֶםחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםנָדַחto banishto banishנָדַחגּוּרto sojournto sojournגּוּרגִּבְעָהGibeahGibeahגִּבְעָהמַטֶּהtribetribeמַטֶּהבְּכִירָהfirstbornfirstbornבְּכִירָהסָחַבto dragto dragסָחַבפֶּ֫רֶךְseverityseverityפֶּ֫רֶךְבֵ֫לֶתlestlestבֵ֫לֶתצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּZedekiahZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ
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 Psalms 68:27

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.

there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
שָׁ֤םsham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HD — Adverb
HD
there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
בִּנְיָמִ֨ן׀bin.ya.Min Benjamin H1144 Noun proper masculine
166× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Benjamin means son of the right hand, referring to the youngest son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. The term is first used in Genesis 35:18. Benjamin was a brother of Joseph and a half-brother of Reuben and others.
Tyndale gloss
(Gate of) Benjamin
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בִּנְיָמִין (i.e., *Binyamiyn*) means 'son of the right hand.' It refers primarily to Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, as well as to the tribe descended from him. The entries also mention a son of Bilhan and several individuals from the time of Ezra. Notably, the name is associated with various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בִּנְיָמִין n.pr.m. 166 (son of (the) right hand)—

youngest son of Jacob, so called by him, but Rachel, the mother, who died at Benjamin's birth, called בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י (q.v.)

son of Bilhan and great-grandson of Benjamin

a Jew of Ezra's time

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1144 בִּנְיָמִין . youngest son of Jacob, so called by him, but Rachel, the mother, who died at Benjamin's birth, called בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י (q.v.)

. son of Bilhan and great-grandson of Benjamin

. a Jew of Ezra's time

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1144 Binyamiyn bin-yaw-mene'

from 1121 and 3225; son of (the) right hand; Binjamin,

youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and

its territory:--Benjamin.

see HEBREW for 01121

see HEBREW for 03225

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בִּנְיָמִין (bin.ya.min) — Benjamin.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.35.18;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Rachel (H7354);

brother of: Joseph (H3130);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

father of: Bela (H1106A), Becher (H1071), Ashbel (H0788), Gera (H1617), Naaman (H5283), Ehi (H0278), Rosh (H7220), Muppim (H4649), Huppim (H2650H), Ard (H0714), Ahiram (H0297) and Jediael (H3043); also called Jamin at 1Sa.9.1,4; 22.7; 1x

§ Benjamin = "son of the right hand"

1) Jacob's and Rachel's youngest son, Joseph's full brother

2) son of Bilhan, great-grandson of Benjamin

3) a Benjamite, one of the sons of Harim, in the time of Ezra who had taken a strange wife

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

ben'-ja-min (binyamin, or binyamin; Beniaein, Beniamin):

1. The Patriarch:

The youngest of Jacob's sons. His mother Rachel died in giving him birth. As she felt death approaching she called him Benoni, "son of my sorrow." Fearing, probably, that this might bode evil for the child--for names have always preserved a peculiar significance in the East--Jacob called him Benjamin, "son of the fight hand" (Ge 35:17 ff). He alone of Jacob's sons was born in Palestine, between Bethel and Ephrath. Later in the chapter, in the general enumeration of the children born in Paddan-ar am, the writer fails to except Benjamin (Ge 35:24). Joseph was his full brother. In the history where Benjamin appears as an object of solicitude to his father and brothers, we must not forget that he was already a…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Benjamin

Son of my right hand. (1.) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 35:18). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place. His mother died in giving him birth, and with her last breath named him Ben-oni, son of my pain, a name which was changed by his father into Benjamin. His posterity are called Benjamites (Gen. 49:27; Deut. 33:12; Josh. 18:21).

The tribe of Benjamin at the Exodus was the smallest but one (Num. 1:36, 37; Ps. 68:27). During the march its place was along with Manasseh…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(son of the right hand, fortunate). The youngest of the children of Jacob. His birth took place on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, near the latter, B.C. 1729. His mother, Rachel, died in the act of giving him birth, naming him with her last breath Ben-oni (son of my sorrow). This was by Jacob changed into Benjamin. (Genesis 35:16,18) Until the journeys of Jacob’s sons and Jacob himself into Egypt we hear nothing of Benjamin. Nothing personal is known of him. Henceforward the history of Benjamin is the history of the tribe. A man of the tribe of Benjamin, son of bilhan, and the head of a family of warriors. (1 Chronicles 7:10) One of the "sons of Harim," an Israelite in the time of Ezra who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra…

The youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, Ge 35:16-18. Rachel died immediately after he was born, and with her last breath named him Ben-oni, the son of my sorrow; but Jacob called him Benjamin, son of my right hand. He was a great comfort to his father, who saw in him the beloved wife he had buried, and Joseph whose loss he mourned. He could hardly be persuaded to let him go with his brethren to Egypt, Ge 42:38. The tribe of Benjamin was small at first and was almost exterminated in the days of the Judges, Jud 20:1-48, but afterwards greatly increased, 2Ch 14:8 17:17. It was valiant, Ge 49:27, and "beloved of the Lord,"…

there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
צָעִ֡ירtza.'Ir insignificant H6810
23× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means something or someone is little, young, or insignificant. It appears in the Bible to describe something small in number or size. In the KJV, it is translated as least, little, or small.
Tyndale gloss
little
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צָעִיר (tsa`iyr) means little, insignificant, or young. It can refer to something that is small in size or number, as well as to youth or lower status. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to size and age, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צָעִיר adj. little, insignificant, young

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6810 צָעִיר little, insignificant, young

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6810 tsa`iyr tsaw-eer'

or tsanowr {tsaw-ore'}; from 6819; little; (in number) few;

(in age) young, (in value) ignoble:--least, little (one),

small (one), + young(-er, -est).

see HEBREW for 06819

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צָעִיר (tsa.ir) — little.

1) little, insignificant, young

1a) little, insignificant

1b) insignificant, mean

1c) young, younger, youngest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HAamsa
HAamsa
there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
רֹדֵ֗םro.Dem [is] ruling them H7287 Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
26× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to have power or control over someone or something. It can also mean to scrape or crumble something, like scraping out a bowl.
Tyndale gloss
to rule
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָדָה (radah) is a Hebrew verb with two main meanings: to rule or have dominion, and to scrape out. It can refer to subjugating or dominating in the Qal form, while the Hiphil form indicates causing someone to dominate. The word encompasses both authority and a physical action of scraping.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רָדָה] vb. have dominion, rule, dominate

Qal have dominion, rule, over

Hiph. and kings he causeth (him) to dominate

base

רָדָה vb. scrape out

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7287a רָדָה have dominion, rule, dominate H7287b רָדָה scrape out

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7287 radah raw-daw'

a primitive root; to tread down, i.e. subjugate;

specifically, to crumble off:--(come to, make to) have

dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule,(-r,

over), take.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָדָה (ra.dah) — to rule.

1) to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down

1a) (Qal) to have dominion, rule, subjugate

1b) (Hiphil) to cause to dominate

רָדָה (ra.dah) — to scrape.

1) to scrape out

1a) (Qal) to scrape, scrape out

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqrmsc/Sp3mp — Verb qal participle (active) masculine singular common · suffix
HVqrmsc/Sp3mp
there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
שָׂרֵ֣יsa.Rei [the] princes of H8269 Noun common · masculine plural construct
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc — 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…

there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
יְ֭הוּדָהYe.hu.dah Judah H3063 Noun proper
820× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Judah is the name of the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob. It is also the name of the region where the tribe lived. The name means 'praised' and is first mentioned in Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
(Baalah of)Judah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהוּדָה (yehudah) means 'Judah' and is derived from a root meaning 'praised.' It refers to the son of Jacob and Leah, the tribe descended from him, and the territory they occupied. The term also encompasses the southern kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Additionally, it identifies various individuals, including Levites and overseers during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוּדָה 820 n.pr.m. et terr. Judah

n.pr.m.

son of Jacob and Leah

tribe descended from Judah

nation, of southern kingdom under dynasty of David, as distinguished from northern kingdom of Ephraim or Israel

Levite, Ezra’s time

an overseer of Jerus.

Levite musician

priest

n.pr.terr. land of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3063 יְהוּדָה Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3063 Yhuwdah yeh-hoo-daw'

from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five

Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of

its territory:--Judah.

see HEBREW for 03034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוּדָה (ye.hu.dah) — Judah.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;

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

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);

father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)

§ Judah = "praised"

1) the son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob

3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah

4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon

5) a Levite in Ezra's time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Judah

Praise, the fourth son of Jacob by Leah. The name originated in Leah’s words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth: “Now will I praise [Heb. odeh] Jehovah, and she called his name Yehudah” (Gen. 29:35).

It was Judah that interposed in behalf of Joseph, so that his life was spared (Gen. 37:26, 27). He took a lead in the affairs of the family, and “prevailed above his brethren” (Gen. 43:3-10; 44:14, 16-34; 46:28; 1 Chr. 5:2).

Soon after the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites, Judah went to reside at Adullam, where he married a woman of Canaan. (See ONAN; TAMAR.) After the death of his wife Shuah, he returned to his father’s house, and there exercised much…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah’s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life he in conjunction with Reuben saved. (Genesis 37:26-28) During the second visit to Egypt for corn it was Judah who understood to be responsible for the safety of Benjamin, ch. (Genesis 43:3-10) and when, through Joseph’s artifice, the brothers were brought back to the palace, he is again the leader and spokesman of the band. So too it is Judah who is sent before Jacob to smooth the way for him in the land of Goshen. ch. (Genesis 46:28) This ascendancy over his brethren is reflected in the last words…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, B. C. 1755, Ge 29:35. His name appears honorably in the history of Joseph, Ge 37:26,27 44:16-34; but disgracefully in that of Tamar his daughter-in-law, Ge 38:1-30. The dying benediction of Jacob foretells the superior power and prosperity of the family of Judah, and their continuance as chief of the Jewish race until the time of Christ, Ge 49:8-12. Though not the firstborn, Judah soon came to be considered as the chief of Jacob’s children, and his tribe was the most powerful and numerous. The southeastern part of Palestine fell to their lot. See JUDEA. On the border of their territory was Jerusalem, the seat of the…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

the praise of the Lord; confession

there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
רִגְמָתָ֑םrig.ma.Tam heaps of stones their H7277 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'rigmâh' refers to a crowd or a pile of stones. In the Bible, it is used figuratively to describe a large group of people.
Tyndale gloss
crowd
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רִגְמָה (rigmah) is a feminine noun meaning a heap of stones, which can also refer to a crowd of people in a figurative sense. It appears in Psalm 68:28, where it conveys the idea of a throng or assembly.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רִגְמָה] n.f. heap (of stones, then) crowd (of people);—sf. ψ 68:28

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7277 רִגְמָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7277 rigmah rig-maw'

feminine of the same as 7276; a pile (of stones), i.e.

(figuratively) a throng:--council.

see HEBREW for 07276

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רִגְמָה (rig.mah) — crowd.

1) heap (of stones)

1a) of crowd (fig)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsc/Sp3mp — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3mp
there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
שָׂרֵ֥יsa.Rei [the] princes of H8269 Noun common · masculine plural construct
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc — 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…

there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
זְ֝בֻל֗וּןze.vu.Lun Zebulun H2074 Noun proper masculine
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zebulun was a son of Jacob and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 30:20. The tribe and territory were also named after him.
Tyndale gloss
Zebulun
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זְבוּלֻן (Zebulun) refers to the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, as well as his tribe and territory. The name is linked to the concept of habitation and is first mentioned in Genesis 30:20. The entries consistently identify Zebulun as a significant figure in the genealogies of Israel.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זְבוּלֻן, זְלֻבוּן n.pr.m. Zebulun

sixth son of Jacob and Leah

the tribe of Zebulun

territory of the tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2074 זְבוּלֻן, זְלֻבוּן Zebulun

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2074 Zbuwluwn zeb-oo-loon'

or Zbuluwn {zeb-oo-loon'}; or Zbuwlun {zeb-oo-loon'}; from

2082; habitation; Zebulon, a son of Jacob; also his territory

and tribe:--Zebulun.

see HEBREW for 02082

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זְבוּלֻן (ze.vu.lun) — Zebulun.

A man of the tribe of Zebulun living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.20;

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

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485) and Dinah (H1783);

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

father of: Sered (H5624), Elon (H0356H) and Jahleel (H3177)

§ Zebulun = "exalted"

1) the 10th of the sons of Jacob, 6th and last of Leah; progenitor of Zebulun

2) the tribe descended from Zebulun

3) the land allocated to the tribe of Zebulun

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

zeb'-u-lun (zebhulun, also written zebuwlun and zebuluwn; the first form occurs only in Jud 1:30; the other two are frequent, and are used interchangeably; Zaboulon): In Ge 30:20 Leah exclaims, "God hath endowed me with a good dowry," which suggests a derivation of Zebulun from zabhadh, "to bestow," the (d) being replaced by (l). Again she says, "Now will my husband dwell with me (or "honor me"): and she called his name Zebulun"; the derivation being from zabhal, "to exalt" or "honor" (OHL, under the word).

Zebulun was the 10th son of Jacob, the 6th borne to him by Leah in Paddan-aram. Nothing is known of this patriarch's life, save in so far as it coincides with that of his brethren. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan says that he first of the five brethren was presented to Pharaoh by…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zebulun

Dwelling, the sixth and youngest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 30:20). Little is known of his personal history. He had three sons (46:14).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a habitation), the tenth of the sons of Jacob, according to the order in which their births are enumerated, the sixth and last of Leah. (Genesis 30:20; 35:23; 46:14; 1 Chronicles 2:1) His birth is mentioned in (Genesis 30:19,20) Of the individual Zebulun nothing is recorded. The list of Genesis46 ascribes to him three sons, founders of the chief families of the tribe (comp.) (Numbers 26:26) at the time of the migration to Egypt. The tribe is not recorded to have taken part, for evil or good, in any of the events of the wandering or the conquest. The statement of Josephus is probably in the main correct, that it reached on the one side to the Lake of Gennesareth and on the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Or ZABULON, Re 7:8, the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, Ge 30:20. Moses gives us few particulars respecting him. His tribe was respectable for numbers, Nu 1:30 26:26; and its portion in the Holy Land accorded with the prediction of Jacob, Ge 49:13, extending from the Mediterranean sea at Carmel to the sea of Gemnesaret, between Issachar on the south, and Naphtali and Asher on the north and north-west, Jos 19:10. His posterity are often mentioned in connection with Issachar, his nearest brother, De 33:18. They were entangled with the Phoenicians…

there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
שָׂרֵ֥יsa.Rei [the] princes of H8269 Noun common · masculine plural construct
421× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A leader or person in charge, like a prince or captain, as seen in the Bible with King David and other rulers.
Tyndale gloss
ruler
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׂר (sar) refers to a leader or ruler, encompassing a range of meanings from prince and chief to official and captain. It denotes various ranks, including military commanders and religious leaders, and can also imply a noble or merchant of high status. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to rule'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׂר 420 n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8269 שַׂר chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8269 sar sar

from 8323; a head person (of any rank or class):--captain

(that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper,

lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

see HEBREW for 08323

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׂר (sar) — ruler.

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain

1a) chieftain, leader

1b) vassal, noble, official (under king)

1c) captain, general, commander (military)

1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes)

1e) heads, princes (of religious office)

1f) elders (of representative leaders of people)

1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity)

1h) patron-angel

1i) Ruler of rulers (of God)

1j) warden

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc — 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…

there Benjamin insignificant [is] ruling them [the] princes of Judah heaps of stones their [the] princes of Zebulun [the] princes of Naphtali
נַפְתָּלִֽי׃naf.ta.Li Naphtali H5321 Noun proper masculine
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Naphtali was a son of Jacob and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born to Bilhah, Rachel's servant, and is first mentioned in Genesis 30:8. Naphtali's descendants lived in the region of Galilee.
Tyndale gloss
Naphtali
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נַפְתָּלִי (Naphtali) refers to a son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him, as well as the territory assigned to that tribe. The name is derived from a root meaning 'my wrestling.' He is first mentioned in Genesis 30:8, and is noted to be the second son of Jacob by Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נַפְתָּלִי 61 n.pr.m. et trib. Naphtali

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5321 נַפְתָּלִי Naphtali

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5321 Naphtaliy naf-taw-lee'

from 6617; my wrestling; Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the

tribe descended from him, and its territory:--Naphtali.

see HEBREW for 06617

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נַפְתָּלִי (naph.ta.li) — Naphtali.

A man of the tribe of Naphtali living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.30.8;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Bilhah (H1090A);

brother of: Dan (H1835H);

half-brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);

father of: Jahzeel (H3183), Guni (H1476), Jezer (H3337) and Shillem (H8006)

Also named: Nephthaleim (Νεφθαλείμ "Naphtali" G3508)

§ Naphtali = "wrestling"

1) the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel

2) the tribe descended from Naphtali the son of Jacob

3) the territory assigned to the tribe of Naphtali

נַפְתָּלִי (naph.ta.li) — (Kedesh)-naphtali.

Combined with qe.desh (קֶ֫דֶשׁ "Kedesh" H6943)

§ Naphtali = "wrestling"

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

naf'-ta-li (naphtali; Nephthaleim):

I. THE PATRIARCH

1. Name

2. Circumstances of His Birth

3. Historical and Traditional Details

II. TRIBE OF NAPHTALI

1. Its Relative Position

2. Its Location in Palestine

3. Physical Features

4. Distinction of the Tribe

5. Sites and Inhabitants

6. Labors of Jesus in This District

I. The Patriarch.

1. Name:

The 5th son of Jacob, and the 2nd born to him by Rachel's handmaid, Bilhah. He was full brother of Da (Ge 30:7).

At his birth Rachel is said to have exclaimed, naphtule 'Elohim niphtalti, "wrestlings of God"--i.e. "mighty wrestlings"--"have I wrestled."

2. Circumstances of His Birth:

Her sister's fruitfulness was a sore trial to the barren Rachel. By her artifice she had obtained children, the offspring of her maid ranking as her own; and thus her reproach of childlessness was removed. The name Naphtali given to…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Naphtali

My wrestling, the fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid (Gen. 30:8). When Jacob went down into Egypt, Naphtali had four sons (Gen. 46:24). Little is known of him as an individual.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(wrestling), the fifth son of Jacob; the second child name to him by Bilhah, Rachel’s slave. His birth and the bestowal of his name are recorded in (Genesis 30:8) When the census was taken at Mount Sinai the tribe of Naphtali numbered no less than 53,400 fighting men, (Numbers 1:43; 2:50) but when the borders of the promised land were reached, its numbers were reduced to, 45,400. (Numbers 26:48-50) During the march through the wilderness Naphtali occupied a position on the north of the sacred tent with Dan and Asher. (Numbers 2:25-31) In the apportionment of the land, the lot of Naphtali was enclosed on three sides by those of other tribes. On the west lay Asher, on the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The sixth son of Jacob, by Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, Ge 30:8. We know but few particulars of the lie of Naphtali. His sons were four, Ge 46:24. The patriarch Jacob, when he gave his blessing, said, as it is in the English Bible, "Naphtali is a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words," Ge 49:21. For an illustration of this passage, see HIND.

The tribe of Naphtali, called Nephtalim in Mt 4:15, were located in a rich and fertile portion of northern Palestine; having Asher on the west, the upper Jordan and part of the sea of Tiberias on the east; and running north into the Lebanon range, some lower offshoots of which prolonged to the south formed the "mountains of Naphtali,"…

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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