Numbers 31:46

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ונפש וְנֶפֶשׁ

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

נפש

nephesh

Definition

properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)

Root

from H5314 (נפש);

Exhaustive

from נפש; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5315

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

נֶפֶשׁ

noun / feminine • Root נפש • Strongs / High • Page 982

A breath, respiration. 1. Breath of life, vital power, life, the animal life. 2. The soul or spirit, which gives life and has needs and feelings. 3. A living being, a creature, an individual, a person, a slave, a corpse. 4. Self, used reflexively. Also used to denote the seat of affections like love, joy, fear, piety, courage, and as the seat of various states like lamentation, hunger, thirst, etc.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

נֶפֶשׁ

com. gen. but more frequently fem. • Root נפש • Page 451

1. breath (Job 41:13); 2. life, the vital principle in animal bodies, anima (Gen. 35:18, 1 K. 17:21); 3. a living being, particularly spoken of men and sometimes slaves (Josh. 10:28, Gen. 1:20, 12:5); 4. the soul, spirit, as the seat of the volitions and affections (Deut. 26:16, Cant. 1:7); 5. desire, including the desire of eating or hunger (Gen. 23:8, Prov. 6:30, 13:4); 6. scent, fragrancy, odour (Is. 3:20).

Conjunction, Noun common both singular construct

LXX: ψυχή ψυχήν ψυχὴν ψυχὴ ψυχῆσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H5315:

ψυχή 126× (15.5%)

ψυχήν 119× (14.6%)

ψυχὴν 89× (11.4%)

ψυχὴ 88× (10.9%)

ψυχῆσ 82× (10.3%)

ψυχῇ 55× (6.9%)

ψυχὰσ 38× (4.8%)

ψυχαὶ 21× (2.8%)

ψυχαῖσ 17× (2.1%)

'' 15× (1.9%)

אדם אָדָם

man

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אדם

ʼâdâm

Definition

ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)

Root

from H119 (אדם);

Exhaustive

from אדם; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.); [idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H120

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אָדָם

noun masculine • Root אדם • Strongs_Numbers • Page 64

Man, or collectively men, mankind; proper name of the first man, Adam.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֻדַּם

verb pual • Root אדם • Page 26

To be red-coloured. Nah. 2:4. Ex. 25:5. 35:7, 23.

אָדָם

m. prim. • Page 26

1. man, i. q. Lat. homo, and collectively men. Subordinate meanings include: (1.) other men, in opposition to those already named (Jer. 32:20; Judg. 18:7, 28; Ps. 73:5); common men (Job 31:33; Hos. 6:7; Ps. 82:7); (2.) men of inferior rank, when opposed to איש. 2. man, i. q. איש = Lat. vir, very rarely (Ecc. 7:28). 3. any one (Lev. 1:2). 4. proper name of the first man. 5. proper name of a city on the Jordan (Josh. 3:16).

Noun common both singular absolute

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0120:

No stats available

ששה שִׁשָּׁה

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

שש

shêsh

Definition

six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth

Root

masculine ששה; a primitive number; compare H7797 (שוש)

Exhaustive

masculine ששה; a primitive number; compare שוש; six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth; six(-teen, -teenth), sixth.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H8337

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

שֵׁשׁ

numeral • Strongs / High • Page 1041

Six (Comparative example for interchange with Ayin, corresponding to 'sex' in context)

שֵׁשׁ

numeral • Root שש • Strongs / High • Page 1488

(Numeral) Six. Includes feminine form (שִׁשָׁה), construct form (שֵׁשֶׁת), and denotes sixty (שִׁשִּׁים).

שֵׁשׁ

numeral • Strongs / High • Page 1489

six (numeral).

שֵׁשׁ

noun masculine • Root שוש • Strongs / High • Page 1489

1. white marble, for pillars. 2. fine white linen, Egyptian byssus or cotton, used for priestly garments.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

שֵׁשׁ

m. 1. • Root שוש • Page 702

1. white marble. Est. 1: 6. Cant. 5: 15. elsewhere שַׁיִשׁ. 2. byssus, fine white Egyptian cotton, also cloth made of it. Gen. 41: 42. Ex. 26: 1. 27: 9, 18. 28: 39. Prov. 31: 22. The later name is בּוּץ q. v. Under each of them linen is sometimes included.

שֵׁשׁ

f. and שִׁשָּׁה / const. שֵׁשֶׁת / m. • Root שדש • Page 702

six, a contraction of שֶׁדֶשׁ (like לֶדֶת by contraction מִלֶּדֶת, to bring forth.) Plur. שִׁשִׁים com. gen. sixty.

Adjective cardinal number feminine singular absolute

LXX: ἓξ ἑξακόσιοι δέκα ἑξακόσια ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H8337:

ἓξ 45× (21.8%)

ἑξακόσιοι 36× (16.3%)

δέκα 10× (4.2%)

ἑξακόσια 8× (3.9%)

'' 7× (2.9%)

τριάκοντα 7× (2.8%)

ἑκκαίδεκα 7× (3.2%)

πεντήκοντα 7× (2.7%)

εἴκοσι 6× (2.6%)

ἑξήκοντα 6× (2.3%)

עשר עָשָׂר

ten/riches

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

עשר

ʻâsâr

Definition

ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth

Root

for H6235 (עשר);

Exhaustive

for עשר; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth; (eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-) teen(-th), [phrase] eleven(-th), [phrase] sixscore thousand, [phrase] twelve(-th).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H6240

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

הֶעֱשִׁיר

hif. verb • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

(Hif.) to make rich, with accusat. of the person; to gain or acquire riches.

Matched via consonantal key only

הַעֲשֵׂר

verb hifil • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1144

(Hifil, Infinitive Construct) Used specifically in reference to tithing/giving the tenth part.

Matched via consonantal key only

עֹ֫שֶׁר

noun masculine • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1144

Riches; wealth. Sometimes coupled with words for glory, possessions, or produce. Also refers to strength/power.

Matched via consonantal key only

עֲשַׂר

noun masculine (aramaic) • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1144

Aramaic masculine form, same as Hebrew עֶשֶׂר (ten). Also used specifically in the number twelve.

Matched via consonantal key only

עִשֵׂר

verb piel • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1144

(Piel) To give the tenth part, with accusative of the object.

Matched via consonantal key only

עִשֵּׁר

pih. verb • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

(Pih.) to make many; i. e. to build many ships; to make rich, with accusat. of the person; to gain or acquire riches.

Matched via consonantal key only

עֶשֶׂר

numeral • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1144

Ten (masculine form, used generally as a numeral, sometimes denoting weight or with collectives).

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׂר

verb qal • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1144

(Qal) A denominative verb meaning to tithe, i. e. to take the tenth part of a thing (as a tax).

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׁר

verb / adjective • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1142

To be rich. (The definition lists the derived adjective עָשִׁיר: A rich man, the noble, the influential, mighty, one who rules over the poor.)

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׂר

verb transitive • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

I. (not used) 1. transitive: same as עָשַׁר II. to put together, to bind, to unite, into a whole; to associate, to join together, of the married, companions, friends.

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׂר

verb intransitive • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

2. intransitive: to be brought together, united, bound, of a heap, connected with עָשַׁר I. Deriv. עֶשֶׂר, denom. עָשְׂרָה, עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה, עֶשְׂרִים, עֲשִׂירִי, מַעְשַׂר, עִשָּׂרוֹן, עָשִׂיר.

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשָׂר

substantive • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

ten, only in the numbers 11 to 19 compounded with one to 9; and without Vav. (Refers to number 10, masculine form).

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׁר

verb intransitive • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

I. intransitive: to be large, to be heaped together, brought together in abundance, of goods, property, and so to be rich.

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׁר

verb • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

II. to over-flow, to be copious, heaped; (of space) to extend, to stretch afar.

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׁר

intrans. verb • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

II. (not used) intransitive: to be united, joined, in a sexual relation; to be intimate, to be associated, of friendship and alliance; completely identical with אָשַׁר.

Matched via consonantal key only

עָשַׁר

aram. verb (aramaic) • Root עשר • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1143

(not used) Aram. same as Hebr. עָשַׂר (which see).

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עֲשַׂר

chald. f. • Page 531

ten (Dan. 7:7). Plur. עֶשְׂרִין (twenty, Dan. 6:2).

עֶשֶׂר

noun feminine • Page 531

ten. Plur. עֲשָׂרוֹת m. tens (Ex. 18:21, Deut. 1:15).

עָשַׂר

verb • Root עשר • Page 531

to impose tithes, take the tenth part (1 Sam. 8:15). Pi. to pay tithes (Gen. 28:22). Hiph. to pay or give tithes (Deut. 26:12).

עָשָׂר

noun masculine • Page 531

ten; used in composition for numbers 11-19 (like -teen). Examples: אַחַד עָשָׂר (eleven). Plur. עֶשְׂרִים (twenty).

עָשַׁר

verb • Page 532

to be or become rich. Job 15: 29. Hos. 12: 9. Hiph. to enrich, to make rich. Gen. 14: 23. Ps. 65: 10. Hithpa. to represent one's self as rich. Prov. 13: 7.

עֹשֶׁר

noun masculine • Root עשר • Page 532

riches. 1 Sam. 17: 25.

Adjective cardinal number both singular absolute

LXX: δέκα δώδεκα δύο τέσσαρασ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ

LXX Usage Statistics

H6240:

δέκα 86× (21.6%)

δώδεκα 75× (19.5%)

δύο 32× (7.3%)

τέσσαρασ 12× (3.0%)

τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ 12× (2.8%)

ἑνδεκάτῳ 11× (2.4%)

ἕνδεκα 11× (2.7%)

πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ 11× (2.3%)

δωδεκάτῳ 9× (1.9%)

πεντεκαίδεκα 8× (2.1%)

אלף אָלֶף׃

a thousand

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אלף

ʼeleph

Definition

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

Root

prop, the same as H504 (אלף);

Exhaustive

prop, the same as אלף; hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand; thousand.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H505

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֶלֶף

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 143

Oxen, heifers, cattle for the yoke; tame house-animals; the name of the first letter of the alphabet.

אֶלֶף

numeral / noun masculine • Root אלף • Strongs_Numbers • Page 144

As a numeral, a thousand; properly the union of many individuals, a mass; then fixed to a definite number.

אֶלֶף

noun masculine • Root אלף • Strongs_Numbers • Page 144

Properly a union of family members, therefore association of the members of a family or tribe, larger communities into which every race was divided; a smaller division of a tribe or race.

אֶלֶף

noun proper • Root אלף • Strongs_Numbers • Page 144

A city in Benjamin's territory (Josh. 18, 28).

אֶלֶף

unknown • Strongs_Numbers • Page 145

see אַלּוּף

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֶלֶף

masc. epicene / dec. vi. b. • Root אלף • Page 54

I. ox, animal of the ox kind. Deut. 7: 13. 28: 4. Ps. 8: 8. Perhaps denoting literally tame cattle.

אֶלֶף

m. prim. dec. vi. b. • Page 54

II. 1. thousand. Dual אַלְפַּיִם. Plur. אֲלָפִים. 2. family, subdivision of a tribe, originally of a thousand, i. q. מִשְׁפָּחָה. Judg. 6: 15. 1 Sam. 10: 19. 23: 23.

Adjective cardinal number both singular absolute

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0505:

No stats available

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And the souls of man, sixteen thousand;)

LITV Translation:
and sixteen thousand human beings.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
and persons, sixteen thousand.