בְּנֵ֥י יִצְהָ֖ר שְׁלֹמִ֥ית הָרֹֽאשׁ׃
(1 Chronicles 23:18)
The sons of Yitshar: Shelomith the chief.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- בְּנֵי – “sons of”Noun in construct form.
– Singular: בֵּן (“son”)
– Plural: בָּנִים
– Construct form: בְּנֵי (“sons of”)
This introduces a genealogical list or descent line. - יִצְהָר – “Yitshar”Proper noun. Yitshar is a son of Qehat, a grandson of Levi. This is a Levitical genealogical name (see Exodus 6:18).
- שְׁלֹמִית – “Shelomith”Proper name. The name of a male descendant of Yitshar (despite similar names sometimes being used for women elsewhere). In this context, he is identified as a chief.
- הָרֹאשׁ – “the chief” or “the head”Noun with definite article.
– רֹאשׁ = “head,” “leader,” or “chief”
– הַ = “the”
This designates Shelomith as the leader of the descendants of Yitshar.
Word Order and Sentence Flow
The sentence is structured as a brief genealogical record, typical in Chronicles:
→ בְּנֵי יִצְהָר – “The sons of Yitshar”
→ שְׁלֹמִית הָרֹאשׁ – “Shelomith the chief”
This tells us that:
- Yitshar had (at least) one known descendant, Shelomith
- Shelomith held a position of leadership among them
Visual Breakdown: Tribal Line and Title
| Hebrew Phrase | English Meaning | Function |
|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵי יִצְהָר | Sons of Yitshar | Genealogical lineage |
| שְׁלֹמִית הָרֹאשׁ | Shelomith the chief | Named descendant and role |
Now You See the Structure
“Even a short verse can teach you structure, syntax, and a glimpse into tribal history.”
You learned:
- How Hebrew expresses lineage through construct forms
- How titles like הָרֹאשׁ add leadership context
- That Hebrew names like שְׁלֹמִית are gendered by context, not always spelling
Genealogies in Hebrew aren’t just lists—they’re snapshots of leadership and legacy.
And you just read one, word by word.
