Numbers 3:20

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ובני וּבְנֵי

and sons

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

בן

bên

Definition

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 father or brother), etc.)

Root

from H1129 (בנה);

Exhaustive

from בנה; 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 father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1121

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

בֵּן

masc. noun • Root בין • Strongs / High • Page 253

1. A child, begotten, born, often without distinction of sex (frequently pluralized as children). 2. Specifically, a son, a male child (opposite daughter). 3. Used metaphorically to denote personal characteristics (virtuous or vicious personality, heir of virtue/vice) or objects (e.g., young animals, plants, or inanimate objects). 4. A grandson; also used as boy, youth, prince, heir to the throne.

Conjunction, Noun common masculine plural construct

LXX: υἱοὶ υἱὸσ υἱῶν υἱοῦ υἱοῖσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H1121a:

υἱοὶ 1075× (22.0%)

υἱὸσ 753× (16.8%)

υἱῶν 607× (12.2%)

υἱοῦ 368× (8.1%)

υἱοῖσ 329× (6.1%)

υἱοὺσ 292× (5.7%)

υἱὸν 213× (4.6%)

--- 116× (2.6%)

υἱὲ 96× (2.2%)

'' 84× (1.6%)

מררי מְרָרִי

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מררי

Mᵉrârîy

Definition

Merari, an Israelite

Root

from H4843 (מרר); bitter;

Exhaustive

from מרר; bitter; Merari, an Israelite; Merari. See also מררי.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4847

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מְרָרִי

adjective • Root מרר • Strongs / High • Page 912

A violent, powerful one.

מְרָרִי

noun proper masculine • Root מרר • Strongs / High • Page 912

A proper name, masculine.

Noun proper name masculine

LXX: μεραρι

LXX Usage Statistics

H4847:

μεραρι 35× (90.6%)

μεραρι 4× (9.4%)

למשפחתם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ל

lə

Definition

to, for

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(lamed) — to / toward / for

Core value: orientation, directionality, belonging
ל is often mistranslated as purpose (“in order to”), but that smuggles in future-time. In reality, ל marks:
- movement toward,
- dedication unto,
- reference with respect to.
Aonically, ל is vectorial, not teleological.
not “for the sake of a future outcome”
but “oriented toward a locus or pole.”
This is why possession (“belongs to”) and motion (“toward”) use the same preposition: both indicate relational alignment, not time.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

משפחה

mishpâchâh

Definition

a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people

Root

from H8192 (שפה) (compare H8198 (שפחה));

Exhaustive

from שפה (compare שפחה); a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people; family, kind(-red).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4940

הם

Definition

their, personal posessive - noun suffix: 3rd person masculine plural

Root

Exhaustive

Personal posessive pronoun - suffix for nouns, adjectives and passive participles: 3rd person masculine plural

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9028

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

שֶׁפַח

concept / noun • Root שפח • Consonantal / Low • Page 1469

shed, blood; figuratively to break out, of pustules, leprosy.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

שָׁפַח

verb • Root שפח • Consonantal / Low • Page 1468

(Not used) intransitive. To be attached, to associate, of the members of a family and domestics; to be related.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

שִׁפַּח

verb piel • Root שפח • Consonantal / Low • Page 1469

To make break out, i. e. to cover with leprosy; perhaps to make empty.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה

noun feminine • Root שפח • Page 416

1. a kind, species, of animals. Gen. 8: 19. 2. a tribe. Gen. 10: 18. 3. a subdivision of a tribe, a family. Ex. 6: 14.

Preposition, Noun common feminine plural construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine plural

LXX: δῆμοσ δήμουσ δῆμοι --- δήμου

LXX Usage Statistics

H4940:

δῆμοσ 75× (27.0%)

δήμουσ 66× (20.5%)

δῆμοι 16× (5.8%)

--- 14× (5.1%)

δήμου 14× (4.2%)

φυλῆσ 10× (2.8%)

φυλὴ 9× (2.9%)

συγγενείασ 9× (2.6%)

πατριαὶ 7× (2.3%)

φυλαὶ 6× (1.8%)

מחלי מַחְלִי

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מחלי

Machlîy

Definition

Machli, the name of two Israelites

Root

from H2470 (חלה); sick;

Exhaustive

from חלה; sick; Machli, the name of two Israelites; Mahli.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4249

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מַחְלִי

masculine proper noun • Strongs / High • Page 836

Same as מַחְלוֹן.

Noun proper name masculine

LXX: μοολι

LXX Usage Statistics

H4249:

μοολι 12× (86.5%)

ומושי וּמוּשׁי

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

מושי

Mûwshîy

Definition

Mushi, a Levite

Root

or משי; from H4184 (מוש); sensitive;

Exhaustive

or משי; from מוש; sensitive; Mushi, a Levite; Mushi.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4187

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מוּשִׁי

proper noun / masculine • Strongs / High • Page 829

A masculine proper name, meaning 'the One Withdrawn from men'. Also written מֻשִׁי.

Conjunction, Noun proper name masculine

LXX: μουσι ομουσι

LXX Usage Statistics

H4187:

μουσι 6× (61.4%)

ομουσι 2× (19.3%)

μουσι 2× (19.3%)

אלה אֵלֶּה

these/mighty-one/goddess

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אלה

ʼâlâh

Definition

an imprecation

Root

from H422 (אלה);

Exhaustive

from אלה; an imprecation; curse, cursing, execration, oath, swearing.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H423

אלה

ʼêlâh

Definition

an oak or other strong tree

Root

feminine of H352 (איל);

Exhaustive

lemma אלה first vowel, corrected to אלה; feminine of איל; an oak or other strong tree; elm, oak, teil-tree.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H424

אלה

ʼêl-leh

Definition

these or those

Root

prolonged from H411 (אל);

Exhaustive

prolonged from אל; these or those; an-(the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H428

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אָלָה

verb • Root אל • Strongs_Numbers • Page 132

I. 1. To be strong, powerful, stout (intr.); 2. To strengthen, to swear, confirm by an oath (tr.); 3. To curse (not used); 4. To be fat.

אָלָה

noun feminine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 132

1. An oath (allied in sense is שְׁבֻעָה); 2. A covenant confirmed by an oath; 3. Curse, imprecation, connected with exclamations of swearing.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֵלֶּה

pronoun • Page 51

these, employed as the plural of זֶה (zeh) and זאת (zot). Ref: Judg. 6:11, 19; 1 Sam. 17:2, 19; 2 Sam. 18:9, 14; Ezek. 31:14.

אֵלֶּה

chald. pron. plur. • Page 51

Chaldee equivalent of the Hebrew אֵלֶּה (these). Ref: Jer. 10:11.

אָלָה

f. verbal / dec. x • Root אלה • Page 50

1. oath; 2. particularly a covenant confirmed by an oath (Gen. 26:28); 3. imprecation, curse (Num. 5:21).

אָלָה

verb • Page 50

1. to swear (1 K. 8:31); 2. to curse (Judg. 17:2). Hiph. to cause to swear (1 K. 8:31).

אָלָה

verb • Page 50

to lament (Joel 1:8). Equivalent to Syriac usage.

אֵלָה

f. verbal / dec. x • Root אל • Page 50

turpentine-tree, pistacia terebinthus. A common tree in Palestine growing to considerable height with evergreen leaves and clustering fruit (Gen. 35:4).

Particle demonstrative

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0423:

No stats available

H0424:

No stats available

H0428:

No stats available

הם הֵם

themeselves

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

הם

hêm

Definition

they (only used when emphatic)

Root

or (prolonged) המה; masculine plural from H1981 (הלך);

Exhaustive

or (prolonged) המה; masculine plural from הלך; they (only used when emphatic); it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1992

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

הֵם

pronoun • Strongs / High • Page 404

Personal pronoun, third person masculine plural: they.

הֵם

pronoun • Strongs / High • Page 405

Pronoun of the 3rd person plural masculine, they. Can also be used to express the verb 'to be' or with the article הָהֵם for emphasis, 'they themselves'.

Pronoun personal third person masculine plural

LXX: αὐτοὶ οὗτοι εἰσιν ταῦτα ἐκείναισ

LXX Usage Statistics

H1992:

αὐτοὶ 173× (27.9%)

οὗτοι 54× (8.8%)

εἰσιν 48× (7.8%)

ταῦτα 36× (6.1%)

ἐκείναισ 34× (5.8%)

ἐστιν 25× (4.1%)

--- 20× (3.4%)

αὐτῶν 12× (2.0%)

ἦσαν 11× (1.7%)

εἰσίν 11× (1.9%)

משפחת מִשְׁפְּחֹת

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

משפחה

mishpâchâh

Definition

a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people

Root

from H8192 (שפה) (compare H8198 (שפחה));

Exhaustive

from שפה (compare שפחה); a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people; family, kind(-red).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4940

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

שֶׁפַח

concept / noun • Root שפח • Consonantal / Low • Page 1469

shed, blood; figuratively to break out, of pustules, leprosy.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

שָׁפַח

verb • Root שפח • Consonantal / Low • Page 1468

(Not used) intransitive. To be attached, to associate, of the members of a family and domestics; to be related.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

שִׁפַּח

verb piel • Root שפח • Consonantal / Low • Page 1469

To make break out, i. e. to cover with leprosy; perhaps to make empty.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה

noun feminine • Root שפח • Page 416

1. a kind, species, of animals. Gen. 8: 19. 2. a tribe. Gen. 10: 18. 3. a subdivision of a tribe, a family. Ex. 6: 14.

Noun common feminine plural construct

LXX: δῆμοσ δήμουσ δῆμοι --- δήμου

LXX Usage Statistics

H4940:

δῆμοσ 75× (27.0%)

δήμουσ 66× (20.5%)

δῆμοι 16× (5.8%)

--- 14× (5.1%)

δήμου 14× (4.2%)

φυλῆσ 10× (2.8%)

φυλὴ 9× (2.9%)

συγγενείασ 9× (2.6%)

πατριαὶ 7× (2.3%)

φυλαὶ 6× (1.8%)

הלוי הָלֵּוי

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

לויי

Lêvîyîy

Definition

a Levite or descendant of Levi

Root

or לוי; patronymically from H3878 (לוי);

Exhaustive

or לוי; patronymically from לוי; a Levite or descendant of Levi; Leviite.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3881

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

וְ

conjunction • Consonantal / Low • Page 418

The conjunction 'and', used to unite words and clauses. It can also signify 'with', 'indeed', and 'yet'. It has variants like וַ and וָ depending on the following syllable.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

וּ

conjunction • Consonantal / Low • Page 418

The strongly uniting Vau, often with the future tense (imperfect); a form of the Vau conversive.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

Particle definite article, Noun gentilic both singular absolute

LXX: λευῖται λευιτῶν λευίταισ λευίτασ λευίτησ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3881:

λευῖται 91× (29.3%)

λευιτῶν 57× (19.4%)

λευίταισ 43× (14.8%)

λευίτασ 40× (13.7%)

λευίτησ 19× (6.6%)

λευι 13× (5.2%)

'' 8× (2.8%)

λευίτου 6× (2.1%)

t? 5× (1.5%)

--- 4× (1.7%)

לבית לְבֵית

to the house

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ל

lə

Definition

to, for

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(lamed) — to / toward / for

Core value: orientation, directionality, belonging
ל is often mistranslated as purpose (“in order to”), but that smuggles in future-time. In reality, ל marks:
- movement toward,
- dedication unto,
- reference with respect to.
Aonically, ל is vectorial, not teleological.
not “for the sake of a future outcome”
but “oriented toward a locus or pole.”
This is why possession (“belongs to”) and motion (“toward”) use the same preposition: both indicate relational alignment, not time.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

בית

bayith

Definition

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

Root

probably from H1129 (בנה) abbreviated;

Exhaustive

probably from בנה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1004

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

בִּית

verb • Root בית • Consonantal / Medium • Page 230

To pass the night.

Matched via consonantal key only

בַּיִת

noun masculine • Root בות • Consonantal / Medium • Page 237

house in the widest sense, consequently also tent, hut, tower, palace, temple

Matched via consonantal key only

בַּיִת

noun masculine (aramaic) • Consonantal / Medium • Page 239

The same [as Hebrew 'house']; king's house; temple; treasury; banquet-house.

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

בַּּיִת

noun • Page 97

A city of Moab, Is. 15:2. Elsewhere written more in full as בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן.

בַּיִת

noun masculine • Root בות • Page 96

1. House, dwelling (Gen. 15:3, Ecc. 2:7). 2. Tent (Gen. 33:17, 2 K. 23:7). 3. Palace, temple (Gen. 12:15, 1 Sam. 5:2, 1 K. 4:6, Is. 14:18). 4. Applied to part of a house or palace, e.g., banqueting-hall (Est. 7:8) or harem (Est. 2:3). 5. Repository, place, or container of any thing, e.g., smelling bottles (Is. 3:20), places for staves (Ex. 26:29), spider's web (Job 8:14), trench (1 K. 18:32), or tomb (Neh. 2:3). 6. The inner part, within (Ex. 28:26, Gen. 6:14). 7. Figuratively: family, kindred, tribe, people (Ex. 12:4, Gen. 7:1, Hos. 8:1). 8. Particularly posterity (Ruth 4:11, 2 Sam. 7:27). 9. Strictly one's father's house (Gen. 24:23, 46:31, Num. 1:2).

Preposition, Noun common both singular construct

LXX: οἶκον οἴκου οἴκῳ οἶκοσ pεἰσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H1004b:

οἶκον 503× (20.8%)

οἴκου 413× (18.3%)

οἴκῳ 323× (12.8%)

οἶκοσ 163× (7.1%)

pεἰσ 92× (4.6%)

οἴκουσ 89× (3.7%)

οἰκίαν 75× (3.1%)

pἐν 70× (3.4%)

--- 57× (2.8%)

'' 54× (2.3%)

אבתם אֲבֹתָם׃

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אב

ʼâb

Definition

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

Root

a primitive word;

Exhaustive

a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1

הם

Definition

their, personal posessive - noun suffix: 3rd person masculine plural

Root

Exhaustive

Personal posessive pronoun - suffix for nouns, adjectives and passive participles: 3rd person masculine plural

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9028

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אָב

noun masculine • Root אבה • Strongs_Numbers • Page 43

Father; benefactor, care-taker, supporter; spiritual benefactor (teacher, instructor, counsellor); chief adviser, Visier; lord, possessor, holder (figuratively in compounds); founder of a domestic society or race; spiritual begetter, i.e. Creator, God.

אָב

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 44

God, as the creator, benefactor, care-taker, ruler; frequently used in compound proper names denoting God.

אָב

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 254

Father (used here as master/teacher)

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אָב

m. prim. irreg. • Page 16

1. father, properly so called; freq. 2. grandfather, forefather, ancestor (Gen. 28: 13, 1 K. 15: 11, 1 Chr. 2: 45, Gen. 4: 20, 21). 3. maker, creator (Job 38: 28). In this sense, applied to Jehovah (Is. 63: 16, 64: 7). 4. benefactor, guardian (Job 29: 16, Ps. 68: 6). Applied to the expected Messiah as אֲבִי עַד 'the eternal father of his people' (Is. 9: 5). 5. a title of respect for prophets and priests, even from kings (2 K. 6: 21, 13: 14, Judg. 17: 10). 6. 'father of the king', an oriental expression to designate a vizier or prime minister (Gen. 45: 8).

אָב

noun masculine • Page 17

Father. Beyond the literal sense, it is used for a counsellor or teacher (Gen. 41:43) and figuratively for the grave (Job 17:14). It appears in compound proper names (e.g., Abraham, Abigail) and includes the Chaldee form (Dan. 2:23).

אָב

noun masculine • Root אבה • Page 17

Wish, desire. Core biblical reference: Job 34:36.

Noun common feminine plural construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine plural

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0001:

No stats available

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And the sons of Merari according to their families: Mahli, and Mushi; these they of the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

LITV Translation:
And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These were the families of the Levites by their fathers' houses.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
and the sons of Merari according to their families, Mahli and Mushi; these are the families of the Levites according to the houses of their families.