The Meaning of Numbers 3:18 Explained

Numbers 3:18

KJV: And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

YLT: And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

Darby: And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their families: Libni and Shimei.

ASV: And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And these [are] the names  of the sons  of Gershon  by their families;  Libni,  and Shimei. 

What does Numbers 3:18 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 3

1  The sons of Aaron
5  The Levites are given to the priests instead of the firstborn
14  Are numbered by their families
21  The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites
27  Of the Kohathites
33  Of the Merarites
38  The place and charge of Moses and Aaron
40  The firstborn are freed by the Levites
44  The balances are refunded

What do the individual words in Numbers 3:18 mean?

And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon by their families Libni and Shimei
וְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּֽנֵי־ גֵרְשׁ֖וֹן : לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם לִבְנִ֖י וְשִׁמְעִֽי

וְאֵ֛לֶּה  And  these 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
שְׁמ֥וֹת  [are]  the  names  of 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
בְּֽנֵי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
גֵרְשׁ֖וֹן  of  Gershon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּרְשֹׁון  
Sense: firstborn son of Levi born before Jacob’s family went to Egypt.
: לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם  by  their  families 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
לִבְנִ֖י  Libni 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לִבְנִי  
Sense: the eldest son of Gershon and grandson of Levi.
וְשִׁמְעִֽי  and  Shimei 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְעִי  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Gera of the house of Saul in the time of David.