The Hebrew word Shêlânîy, represented by H8024, is a patronymic term for the Shelanites. It appears 1 times across 1 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from Shelah H7956, it specifically identifies the descendants of this individual as a distinct family group within the tribe of Judah.
The single use of H8024 occurs within a census of the Israelite tribes. In the accounting of the tribe of Judah, the various clans are listed by their progenitor. The text specifies the lineage of one of Judah's sons, stating, "of Shelah H7956, the family H4940 of the Shelanites H8024" Numbers 26:20. This usage formally establishes the identity of this family line as part of the larger tribal structure.
Several related words provide the genealogical framework for Shêlânîy:
- H7956 Shêlâh (request; Shelah, the name of a postdiluvian patriarch and of an Israelite; Shelah): The direct ancestor of the Shelanites. He is identified as a son of Judah Genesis 46:12.
- H4940 mishpâchâh (a family, i.e. circle of relatives...; by extension a tribe or people; family, kind(-red)): This term defines the "family" or clan unit to which the Shelanites belonged and is the primary organizational term used in the census Numbers 26:20.
- H3063 Yᵉhûwdâh (celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah)...; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah): The tribe from which the family of the Shelanites originates Numbers 26:20.
- H6558 Partsîy (a Partsite (collectively) or descendants of Perets; Pharzites): A parallel term identifying the descendants of Pharez, used in the same verse to denote another clan within Judah Numbers 26:20.
- H2227 Zarchîy (a Zarchite or descendant of Zerach; Zarchite): A term for the descendants of Zerah, used alongside "Shelanites" and "Pharzites" to catalogue the families of Judah Numbers 26:20.
The significance of H8024 is rooted in its function within biblical genealogy and national identity.
- Genealogical Identity: The term is a clear example of how identity in ancient Israel was inextricably linked to ancestry. Being a "Shelanite" defined an individual's specific place within the tribe of Judah and, by extension, the nation of Israel.
- Clan Structure: Its use in the census of Numbers highlights the importance of the family H4940 as the fundamental unit of the nation. The formal enumeration of clans like the Shelanites was essential for matters of inheritance and social organization.
- Record of Posterity: The specific naming of the Shelanites serves as an official record of the descendants of Judah's sons, confirming the lineages recorded in earlier narratives Genesis 46:12 and demonstrating the continuity of the people.
In summary, H8024 is a precise genealogical label for the descendants of Shelah. Though it appears only once, Shêlânîy offers a distinct example of the patronymic system used to define kinship and tribal structure in the Old Testament. Its context in Numbers 26:20 underscores the biblical emphasis on lineage and the meticulous recording of the families that constituted the nation of Israel.
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