The Meaning of Exodus 6:14 Explained

Exodus 6:14

KJV: These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.

YLT: These are heads of the house of their fathers: Sons of Reuben first-born of Israel are Hanoch, and Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these are families of Reuben.

Darby: These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Enoch and Phallu, Hezron and Carmi: these are the families of Reuben.

ASV: These are the heads of their fathers houses. The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

These [be] the heads  of their fathers'  houses:  The sons  of Reuben  the firstborn  of Israel;  Hanoch,  and Pallu,  Hezron,  and Carmi:  these [be] the families  of Reuben. 

What does Exodus 6:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 6:10-27 - The Line Of Descent Of God's Spokesmen
Here is an inventory of God's jewels, in the day when He counted them up. We are reminded of Malachi 3:17. Before He led forth the flock, the Good Shepherd counted them, that not one might be missing. There is a peculiar emphasis on the mention of Moses and Aaron in Exodus 6:26 : "These are that Moses and Aaron." It was as though we were led to the hole of the pit whence they were digged, and a very poor hole it was, for their parentage and estate were quite humble and ordinary. But by means of them the Almighty wrought the deliverance of His people. It was through such feeble instruments as these that He spake to the greatest monarch of the time, the mighty Pharaoh, whose remains are with us to this day. It is His method to choose the weak and foolish things to bring to naught and confound the strong and wise, that no flesh should glory in His presence. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 6

1  God renews his promise by his name JEHOVAH
9  Moses vainly attempts to encourage the Israelites
10  He and Aaron are again sent to Pharaoh
14  Genealogies of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, of whom came Moses and Aaron
26  The history resumed

What do the individual words in Exodus 6:14 mean?

These [are] the heads of houses their fathers' the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel Hanoch and Pallu Hezron and Carmi are the families of Reuben
אֵ֖לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֣י בֵית־ : אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּנֵ֨י רְאוּבֵ֜ן בְּכֹ֣ר : יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל חֲנ֤וֹךְ וּפַלּוּא֙ חֶצְר֣וֹן וְכַרְמִ֔י מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת רְאוּבֵֽן

אֵ֖לֶּה  These 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
רָאשֵׁ֣י  [are]  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בֵית־  of  houses 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
: אֲבֹתָ֑ם  their  fathers' 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בְּנֵ֨י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
רְאוּבֵ֜ן  of  Reuben 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.
בְּכֹ֣ר  the  firstborn 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּכֹר  
Sense: firstborn, firstling.
: יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
חֲנ֤וֹךְ  Hanoch 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲנׄוךְ 
Sense: eldest son of Cain.
וּפַלּוּא֙  and  Pallu 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּלּוּא  
Sense: the 2nd son of Reuben, father of Eliab, and progenitor of a family of Israel.
חֶצְר֣וֹן  Hezron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶצְרֹון 
Sense: a son of Reuben.
וְכַרְמִ֔י  and  Carmi 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כַּרְמִי  
Sense: the 4th son of Reuben and progenitor of the Carmites.
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת  are  the  families 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
רְאוּבֵֽן  of  Reuben 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.