3178. Yachleeli
Lexical Summary
Yachleeli: Yachleeli

Original Word: יַחְלְאֵלִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Yachl'eliy
Pronunciation: yah-kh-leh-AY-lee
Phonetic Spelling: (yakh-leh-ay-lee')
KJV: Jahleelites
NASB: Jahleelites
Word Origin: [patronymically from H3177 (יַחלְאֵל - Jahleel)]

1. a Jachleelite or descendant of Jachleel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Jahleelites

Patronymically from Yachl'el; a Jachleelite or descendant of Jachleel -- Jahleelites.

see HEBREW Yachl'el

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from Yachleel
Definition
desc. of Jahleel
NASB Translation
Jahleelites (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
יַחְלְאֵלִי adjective, of a people of foregoing: only with article as proper name collective Numbers 26:26.

Topical Lexicon
Identity within the Tribal Census

The Jahleelites are the clan that sprang from Jahleel, the third son of Zebulun. Their single appearance in Scripture occurs during the second wilderness census: “These were the descendants of Zebulun by their clans: the Seredite clan from Sered, the Elonite clan from Elon, and the Jahleelite clan from Jahleel” (Numbers 26:26). The census took place on the plains of Moab shortly before Israel crossed the Jordan, underscoring the Jahleelites’ role as a recognized and numbered component of the covenant community poised to enter the land of promise.

Genealogical Placement

Jahleel himself is first named among the seventy who went down to Egypt with Jacob (Genesis 46:14), anchoring the clan’s identity in the patriarchal narratives. By the time of Moses, his descendants had multiplied into a distinct mishpachah (clan) within Zebulun. This lineage testifies to God’s faithfulness in preserving family lines through centuries of bondage and wilderness wandering.

Historical Context in the Wilderness

The census of Numbers 26 served several purposes:
• Confirming military strength for the upcoming conquest of Canaan.
• Allocating inheritance portions once the land was subdued (Numbers 26:52-56).
• Demonstrating God’s judgment and mercy, for it followed the death of the exodus generation (Numbers 26:64-65).

The inclusion of the Jahleelites shows that none of the tribal subdivisions were overlooked; even clans mentioned only once were essential to Israel’s corporate identity.

Spiritual Lessons and Ministry Significance

1. Covenant Continuity: From Egypt to Moab, the Jahleelites illustrate that God “keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9).
2. Corporate Accountability: Being counted brought both privilege and responsibility. The Jahleelites would share in the triumphs (Joshua 21:7) and failures (Judges 1:30) of Zebulun.
3. Personal Obscurity, Divine Notice: Though historically obscure, the clan’s inclusion affirms that every believer and ministry—however small—matters to the Lord who “calls His own sheep by name” (John 10:3).

Legacy within Redemptive History

After the conquest, Zebulun settled in Galilee, a region later honored by Messiah’s ministry (Matthew 4:13-16). The Jahleelites, though unnamed in later narratives, contributed to the population and culture of that area, silently preparing a stage for the light of the Gospel.

Related Biblical Themes

• Tribal census and inheritance (Numbers 26; Joshua 19).
• Faithfulness to family lines (Genesis 46; Ruth 4:18-22).
• The importance of seemingly minor participants in God’s plan (1 Corinthians 12:22-24).

Forms and Transliterations
הַיַּחְלְאֵלִֽי׃ היחלאלי׃ haiyachleeLi hay·yaḥ·lə·’ê·lî hayyaḥlə’êlî
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Numbers 26:26
HEB: לְיַ֨חְלְאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיַּחְלְאֵלִֽי׃
NAS: the family of the Jahleelites.
KJV: the family of the Jahleelites.
INT: of Jahleel the family of the Jahleelites

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3178
1 Occurrence


hay·yaḥ·lə·’ê·lî — 1 Occ.

3177
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