Lexical Summary mishpachah: Family, clan, tribe, kindred Original Word: מִשְׁפָחָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance family, kindred From shaphah (compare shiphchah); a family, i.e. Circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extens. A tribe or people -- family, kind(-red). see HEBREW shaphah see HEBREW shiphchah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as shiphchah Definition a clan NASB Translation clan (1), every family (3), families (170), family (120), kinds (1), relatives (4), tribes (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מִשְׁמָּחָה: 303 noun feminine clan (RSSemitic 1. 258, 2nd ed. 276; K 149, 2nd ed. 175 BaNB § 161 a); — absolute ׳מ Amos 3:1 +; construct מִשְׁמַּ֫חַת Judges 9:1 +; suffix מִשְׁמַּחְתִּי Genesis 24:38 +, etc.; plural מִשְׁמָּחוֺת Nahum 3:4 +; construct מִשְׁמְּחוֺת Amos 3:2 +; suffix מִשְׁמְּחֹתֵיהֶם Genesis 8:19 2t., usually תָם- Numbers 1:18 84t., etc.; — 1 clan: a. family connection of individual Genesis 24:38 (+ בֵּיתאָֿבִי), Genesis 24:40 ( + id.), Genesis 24:41 (all J; = מוֺלַדְתִּי Genesis 24:4), 2 Samuel 14:7, united in sacrifice 1 Samuel 20:6,29, in passover Exodus 12:21 (J E; compare BenzEncy.Bib. PASSOVER, §§ 9, 12); compare Leviticus 20:5 (H), Leviticus 25:10,41 (P), Leviticus 25:49 (P; defined as מִשְּׁאֵר בְּשָׂרוֺ), non-Hebrew Leviticus 25:47 (H), Leviticus 25:45(P), Judges 1:25; מִשְׁמְּחוֺתֶיהָ Joshua 6:23 (E or R) is unintelligible, probably strike out (compare Steuern Holz; בֵּית אָבִיהָ in Joshua 6:25 [J]), compare Numbers 27:4,11 (P); בֵּית אֲבִי אִמּוֺ ׳מ Judges 9:1 clan of his mother's father-house; including individuals, and included by שֵׁבֶט 1 Samuel 9:21 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 10:21; with specific name, in series גֶבֶר, בַּיִת, ׳מ, שֵׁבֶט Joshua 7:14 (twice in verse); Joshua 7:17 b, c (all J; Joshua 7:17 a read plural Di Benn, or שֵׁבֶט GFMJudges 13:2; Steuern allows either); compare Deuteronomy 29:17; Judges 21:24, ׳אָבִי בְּיִשׂ ׳מ 1 Samuel 1:18 (+ חַיַּי, see II [חַי]; בֵּיתשָֿׁאוּל ׳אִישׁמִ֗֗֗מּ 2 Samuel 16:5; with name also Ruth 2:1,3and (non-Israel) Job 32:2. b. in loose, popular sense= tribe, Judges 13:2; Judges 17:7; Judges 18:19, compare Judges 18:2 ("" שֵׁבֶט Judges 18:1), Judges 18:11 (yet in these two read possibly plural, see GFM). c. techn. divisions of people of Israel Numbers 11:10 (J) Jeremiah 2:4; Jeremiah 31:1; compare Jeremiah 3:14; Numbers 1:2,18; Numbers 2:34; Numbers 33:54 (all P), so (post-exilic) Nehemiah 4:7: Esther 9:28 (מְדִינָה, ׳מ, דּוֺר). d. usually (P) technical divisions of tribes of Israel, Exodus 6:14,15,25; Numbers 3:15 112t. Numbers (93 t. Numbers 26, including Numbers 3:43 where הַשּׁוּחָמִי apparently = Dan), 34 t. Joshua 13-21; also 1 Chronicles 6:4; 1 Chronicles 6:45; 1 Chronicles 7:5; Zechariah 12:13; division of Gershom, etc. (in Levi) Numbers 3:18,19,20 41t. Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Chronicles; subdivisions of these divisions (in Levi) Numbers 3:21 (twice in verse) + 6 t. Numbers 3 + Numbers 4:18; compare (in other tribes) 1 Chronicles 2:53; 1 Chronicles 4:2,8,21,27,38; 1 Chronicles 5:7; also Zechariah 12:12 b. c 13 b 14 a, and (distributive) Zechariah 12:12 a 14 b, pleonastic מַטֵּה אֲבִיהֶם ׳מ Numbers 36:6 compare Numbers 36:8, and (׳א ׳מַטֵּה מ) Numbers 36:12. e. late, divinity of other peoples 1 Chronicles 16:28 = Psalm 96:7; Psalm 22:28; in Edom Genesis 36:40 (P). f. in wider sense=people, nation; כֹּל מִשְׁמְּחֹת תָאֲדָמָה Amos 3:2; Genesis 12:3; Genesis 28:14 (both J), compare Jeremiah 10:25; Ezekiel 20:32; Nahum 3:4 (all "" גּוֺיִם), Zechariah 14:17; Jeremiah 1:15; Jeremiah 25:9; as one's posterity Genesis 10:30,31,32 (all P), so probably Genesis 10:5 (P; Di Dr); = all Israel Amos 3:1, Judah Micah 2:3; Jeremiah 8:3 (הָרָעָה הַזּאֹת ׳הַמּ), Israel + Judah, ׳שְׁתֵּי הַמּ Jeremiah 33:24; מִשְׁמַּחַת מִצְרַיִם Zechariah 14:18; compare Psalm 107:41. 2 = guild 1 Chronicles 2:55 (of scribes; originally hereditary in families). 3 = species, kind: a. of judgments Jeremiah 15:3. b. animals Genesis 8:19 (P). 4 plural = aristocrats Job 31:34 (compare English 'the classes'). שֻׁמִּים proper name, masculine see √ שׁפף. Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope מִשְׁפָחָה designates a kinship group larger than the immediate household yet smaller than the tribe. It is the basic social, economic, and spiritual unit through which God orders covenant life, worship, and inheritance in the Old Testament. About three hundred passages employ the term to identify blood-related clans, extended households, or, in a few prophetic texts, the nations as “families of the earth.” Patriarchal Foundations From the outset God’s redemptive purposes are framed in family terms. When the Lord promises Abram, “All the families of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3), the term signals a global horizon while rooting that promise in concrete kinship. Abraham’s household becomes the prototype of covenant discipleship (Genesis 18:19), with family altar, instruction, and circumcision marking its life. Clan Identity in the Wilderness Under Moses, מִשְׁפָחָה becomes an administrative tool. The censuses in Numbers 1–4 and 26 sort Israel according to tribe, clan, and father’s house so that service, encampment, and warfare may proceed in orderly fashion. Levi’s clans—Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites—receive task-specific worship assignments (Numbers 4:24-33). Achan’s sin illustrates collective solidarity: “Joshua cast lots… man by man. He captured Achan son of Carmi, of the tribe of Judah, of the family of the Zerahites” (Joshua 7:16-18). Discipline therefore respects the clan structure God Himself ordains. Land Inheritance and Legal Affairs The distribution of Canaan hinges on clan boundaries. “You are to divide the land by lot according to your clans” (Numbers 33:54). Zelophehad’s daughters petition that their deceased father’s name “not disappear from his clan” (Numbers 27:4), prompting legislation that safeguards both property rights and covenant continuity within each מִשְׁפָחָה. The goel (kinsman-redeemer) responsibility likewise functions at clan level, as in Ruth 2:20; 4:10, preserving land, lineage, and liberty. Worship and Corporate Accountability At Passover each family kills the lamb (Exodus 12:3). During the Feast of Booths Ezra reads the Law “before the men and women and all who could understand,” and the people gather “by clans” (Nehemiah 8:2; 8:13). Clan representatives bring offerings at altar dedications (Numbers 7) and participate in covenant reaffirmation at Shechem (Joshua 24:1). Judges traces moral decline when families forsake Yahweh for idols (Judges 17–18). Blessing to All Families of the Earth The Abrahamic promise reappears in Genesis 28:14; Acts 3:25 cites it to proclaim the gospel. Psalm 22:27 anticipates global worship: “All the families of the nations will bow down before You.” Zechariah 14:17 warns that any family of the earth that refuses to come to Jerusalem for Tabernacles will receive no rain, uniting eschatological blessing and judgment around covenant worship. The Family in Wisdom and Prophetic Literature Proverbs assumes a multigenerational household: “A wise son brings joy to his father” (Proverbs 10:1). Jeremiah laments that the families of Judah burn incense to false gods (Jeremiah 7:18). Micah denounces those who “oppress a man and his house, even a man and his inheritance” (Micah 2:2), showing that social injustice often begins with violating familial bonds. Messianic and Eschatological Dimensions Isaiah foresees the Root of Jesse as a banner for the peoples, gathering “the outcasts of Israel” (Isaiah 11:12) and reuniting scattered families. Ezekiel 47:22 includes resident foreigners who beget children in Israel, assigning them inheritance “among the tribes,” foreshadowing Gentile inclusion in the household of faith (Ephesians 2:19). Ministry Applications 1. Discipleship: Covenantal education is primarily a family task (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Key Old Testament Passages Genesis 12:3; 24:38 Exodus 12:3; 12:21 Numbers 1:2; 26:5-51 Joshua 7:16-18; 13:15-33 Judges 17:7; 18:11 Ruth 2:1; 4:10 1 Samuel 1:1; 10:21 1 Chronicles 4–9 (genealogical lists) Zechariah 12:12; 14:17 See Also House (בַּיִת), Tribe (שֵׁבֶט), Inheritance, Covenant, Redemption. Forms and Transliterations בְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ בְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֑ם במשפחותיהם׃ במשפחותם הַמִּשְׁפָּח֗וֹת הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֔ה הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֜ה הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֥ה הַמִּשְׁפָּחָֽה׃ הַמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת֙ המשפחה המשפחה׃ המשפחות וְהַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֞ה וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וּלְמִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת וּלְמִשְׁפְּח֤וֹת וּלְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וּלְמִשְׁפָּחָ֖ה וּמִֽמִּשְׁפְּח֖וֹת וּמִמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּם֙ וּמִשְׁפְּח֛וֹת וּמִשְׁפְּח֤וֹת וּמִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת וּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת וּמִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣חַת וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי֙ וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת וּמִשְׁפָּחָ֔ה ובמשפחתו והמשפחה ולמשפחה ולמשפחות ולמשפחתו וממשפחות וממשפחתם ומשפחה ומשפחות ומשפחת ומשפחתי כְּמִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת כמשפחות לְמִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹֽתֵיכֶ֗ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔יו לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖יו לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֗ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְמִשְׁפְּחֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֑ם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֗ם לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם׃ לְמִשְׁפַּ֛חַת לְמִשְׁפַּ֤חַת לְמִשְׁפַּ֥חַת לְמִשְׁפַּחַ֣ת לְמִשְׁפָּח֔וֹת לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔יו לַמִּשְׁפָּח֗וֹת למשפחות למשפחותיהם למשפחותם למשפחותם׃ למשפחת למשפחתיהם למשפחתיו למשפחתיכם למשפחתם למשפחתם׃ מִֽמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת מִֽמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֛ת מִֽמִּשְׁפַּחְתָּ֡ם מִמִּשְׁפְּח֣וֹת מִמִּשְׁפְּח֥וֹת מִמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת מִמִּשְׁפַּ֖חַת מִמִּשְׁפַּ֗חַת מִמִּשְׁפַּ֛חַת מִמִּשְׁפַּ֣חַת מִמִּשְׁפַּ֥חַת מִמִּשְׁפַּ֪חַ֫ת מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּ֖י מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ מִמִּשְׁפָּחָ֔ה מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת מִשְׁפְּח֛וֹת מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת מִשְׁפְּח֤וֹת מִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת מִשְׁפְּח֨וֹת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֛ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֤ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֧ת מִשְׁפְּחֹת֙ מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֶ֖יהָ מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ מִשְׁפַּ֛חַת מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת מִשְׁפַּחְתִּ֑י מִשְׁפַּחְתָּ֔ם מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹ מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּח֔וֹת מִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת מִשְׁפָּח֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּחָ֣ה מִשְׁפָּחָ֨ה מִשְׁפָּחָה֙ מִשְׁפָּחֹ֖ת מִשְׁפָּחֹ֥ת מִשְׁפָּחֽוֹת׃ מִשְׁפָּחוֹת֙ ממשפחה ממשפחות ממשפחת ממשפחתו ממשפחתי ממשפחתם משפחה משפחות משפחות׃ משפחותיה משפחת משפחתו משפחתי משפחתם bə·miš·pə·ḥō·w·ṯām bə·miš·pə·ḥō·w·ṯê·hem bemishpechoTam bemishpechoteiHem bəmišpəḥōwṯām bəmišpəḥōwṯêhem ham·miš·pā·ḥāh ham·miš·pā·ḥō·wṯ hammishpaChah hammishpaChot hammišpāḥāh hammišpāḥōwṯ kə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ kemishpeChot kəmišpəḥōwṯ lam·miš·pā·ḥō·wṯ lammishpaChot lammišpāḥōwṯ lə·miš·pa·ḥaṯ lə·miš·pā·ḥō·wṯ lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯāw lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯê·hem lə·miš·pə·ḥō·ṯê·ḵem lə·miš·pə·ḥō·w·ṯām lə·miš·pə·ḥō·w·ṯê·hem lə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ lə·miš·pə·ḥōṯ lemishPachat lemishpaChot lemishpeChot lemishpechoTam lemishpechoTav lemishpechoteiChem lemishpeChoteiHem ləmišpaḥaṯ ləmišpāḥōwṯ ləmišpəḥōṯ ləmišpəḥōṯām ləmišpəḥōṯāw ləmišpəḥōṯêhem ləmišpəḥōṯêḵem ləmišpəḥōwṯ ləmišpəḥōwṯām ləmišpəḥōwṯêhem mim·miš·pā·ḥāh mim·miš·pa·ḥaṯ mim·miš·paḥ·tām mim·miš·paḥ·tî mim·miš·paḥ·tōw mim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ mim·miš·pə·ḥōṯ mimishpaChah mimishPachat mimishpachTam mimishpachTi mimishpachTo mimishpeChot mimmišpāḥāh mimmišpaḥaṯ mimmišpaḥtām mimmišpaḥtî mimmišpaḥtōw mimmišpəḥōṯ mimmišpəḥōwṯ miš·pā·ḥāh miš·pa·ḥaṯ miš·pā·ḥō·wṯ miš·pā·ḥōṯ miš·paḥ·tām miš·paḥ·tî miš·paḥ·tōw miš·pə·ḥō·ṯām miš·pə·ḥō·w·ṯe·hā miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ miš·pə·ḥōṯ mishpaChah mishPachat mishpaChot mishpachTam mishpachTi mishpachTo mishpeChot mishpechoTam mishpechoTeiha mišpāḥāh mišpaḥaṯ mišpāḥōṯ mišpāḥōwṯ mišpaḥtām mišpaḥtî mišpaḥtōw mišpəḥōṯ mišpəḥōṯām mišpəḥōwṯ mišpəḥōwṯehā ū·ḇə·miš·paḥ·tōw ū·lə·miš·pā·ḥāh ū·lə·miš·paḥ·tōw ū·lə·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ ū·mim·miš·paḥ·tām ū·mim·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ ū·miš·pā·ḥāh ū·miš·pa·ḥaṯ ū·miš·pā·ḥō·wṯ ū·miš·paḥ·tî ū·miš·pə·ḥō·wṯ ūḇəmišpaḥtōw ulemishpaChah ulemishpachTo ulemishpeChot ūləmišpāḥāh ūləmišpaḥtōw ūləmišpəḥōwṯ umimishpachTam umimishpeChot ūmimmišpaḥtām ūmimmišpəḥōwṯ umishpaChah umishPachat umishpaChot umishpachTi umishpechOt ūmišpāḥāh ūmišpaḥaṯ ūmišpāḥōwṯ ūmišpaḥtî ūmišpəḥōwṯ uvemishpachTo vehammishpaChah wə·ham·miš·pā·ḥāh wəhammišpāḥāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 8:19 HEB: עַל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם יָצְא֖וּ מִן־ NAS: went out by their families from the ark. KJV: upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth INT: on the earth their families went from Genesis 10:5 Genesis 10:18 Genesis 10:20 Genesis 10:31 Genesis 10:32 Genesis 12:3 Genesis 24:38 Genesis 24:40 Genesis 24:41 Genesis 28:14 Genesis 36:40 Exodus 6:14 Exodus 6:15 Exodus 6:17 Exodus 6:19 Exodus 6:24 Exodus 6:25 Exodus 12:21 Leviticus 20:5 Leviticus 25:10 Leviticus 25:41 Leviticus 25:45 Leviticus 25:47 Leviticus 25:49 303 Occurrences |
    |