God’s Word Translation
Exodus 6:14
14These were the heads of the families: The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These were the families descended from Reuben.
Exodus 6:14 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)These were the heads of their families: The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
- English Standard Version (ESV)These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben.
- New King James Version (NKJV)These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben.
Context of Exodus 6:14
12But Moses protested to the Lord, “The Israelites wouldn’t listen to me. Why would Pharaoh listen to me? I’m such a poor speaker.” 13The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). He commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. These were the heads of the families: The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These were the families descended from Reuben. 15The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the families descended from Simeon. 16These are the names of the sons of Levi listed in birth order: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
Read all of Exodus 6Exodus 6:14 word by word
אֵ֖לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֣י בֵית־אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּנֵ֨י רְאוּבֵ֜ן בְּכֹ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל חֲנ֤וֹךְ וּפַלּוּא֙ חֶצְר֣וֹן וְכַרְמִ֔י אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת רְאוּבֵֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
- of their fathers’אָב'âb · fatherH1
- housesבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- The sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Reubenרְאוּבֵןre'ûbên · ReubenH7205
- the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- Hanochחֲנוֹךְchănôk · HanochH2585
- and Palluפַּלּוּאpallû' · PalluH6396
- Hezronחֶצְרוֹןchetsrôn · HezronH2696
- and Carmiכַּרְמִיkarmîy · CarmiH3756
- the familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
Cross-references for Exodus 6:14
- Exodus 6:25Eleazar, son of Aaron, married one of the daughters of Putiel. She gave birth to Phinehas. These were the heads of Levite households listed by their families.
- Joshua 14:1This is the land that the people of Israel inherited in Canaan. The priest Eleazar, Joshua (son of Nun), and the heads of Israel’s tribes distributed it to the people.
- Joshua 19:51This is the land that the tribes of Israel drew by lot. The priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the families divided the land by drawing lots. They did this in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
- 1 Chronicles 5:24These were the heads of Manasseh’s families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were soldiers who were famous heads of their families.
- 1 Chronicles 7:2Tola’s sons were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel. These men were heads of the families of Tola. They were soldiers grouped according to their ancestry. In David’s day there were 22,600 of them.
- 1 Chronicles 8:6These were Ehud’s sons, who were heads of the families living in Geba and who were taken away as captives to Manahath:
- Genesis 46:9The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
- Genesis 49:3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the very first son I had, first in majesty and first in power.
- Numbers 26:5Reuben was Israel’s firstborn. The descendants of Reuben were the family of Hanoch, the family of Pallu,
- 1 Chronicles 5:3The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
- Numbers 26:7These were the families of Reuben. The total number of men was 43,730.
- Joshua 13:15Moses gave some land as an inheritance to the tribe of Reuben for their families.
Commentaries on Exodus 6:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14These be the heads - ראשי rashey, the chiefs or captains. The following genealogy was simply intended to show that Moses and Aaron came in a direct line from Abraham, and to ascertain the time of Israel's deliverance. The whole account from Exodus 6:14-26; inclusive, is a sort of parenthesis, and does not belong to the narration; and what follows from Exodus 6:28; is a recapitulation of what was spoken in the preceding chapters.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14These be the heads - We have in the following verses, not a complete genealogy, but a summary account of the family of the two brothers. Moses records for the satisfaction of Hebrew readers, to whom genealogical questions were always interesting, the descent and position of the designated leaders of the nation. See Exodus 6:26-27.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-30Verses 14-30 Moses and Aaron were Israelites; raised up unto them of their brethren, as Christ also should be, who was to be the Prophet and Priest, the Redeemer and Lawgiver of the people of Israel. Moses returns to his narrative, and repeats the charge God had given him to deliver his message to Pharaoh, and his objection against it. Those who have spoken unadvisedly with their lips ought to reflect upon it with regret, as Moses seems to do here…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16The list of ancestors moves step by step through Jacob’s sons. It begins with the first son, then the second, and then the third, Levi. Levi was the ancestor of Moses and Aaron. After reaching Levi, the list of ancestors does not continue with the other nine sons. Instead, it focuses on Levi’s family line. This focus prepares the reader to understand the role of Moses and Aaron in God’s plan.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-3014-15. These be the heads of their fathers' houses--chiefs or governors of their houses. The insertion of this genealogical table in this part of the narrative was intended to authenticate the descent of Moses and Aaron. Both of them were commissioned to act so important a part in the events transacted in the court of Egypt and afterwards elevated to so high offices in the government and Church of God, that it was of the utmost importance that their…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 6:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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