What Does 1 Chronicles 26:8 Mean in the King James?
All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-edom.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same root names Obed-edom as a servant and names his family’s work as service: here, strength is shown through what it serves.
THE MEANING
Strength becomes visible when capacity is gathered into shared work. The Hebrew lets Obed-edom’s name and the word for service echo through one root, joining identity with the family’s work. The sixty-two are counted as a kinship body equipped for that service.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that strength is merely personal force or status; here, strength is named in relation to service.
THE ROOT
עֲבֹדָה
ʿavodah ʿoved
GROWS FROM
עבד
To serve, work, or labor.
“service; Obed in Obed-edom” in this verse is ʿavodah ʿoved. The word for “service” and the name Obed share the root עבד. The verse joins the family’s identity to its work, showing strength as capacity directed toward service.
ALSO GROWS
ʿāvad: To serve or work.
עָבַד
This verb is the action underneath the family’s service.
ʿeved: Servant.
עֶבֶד
This noun names the person by the work of serving, echoing the name Obed.
ʿavodah: Service, work, or labor.
עֲבֹדָה
This is the word used for the work the family is equipped to carry.
THE PATTERN
Strength becomes visible as people bring their capacity to work that serves others.
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.THE THREAD
And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.The word for “service” here shares the עבד root with both Obed-edom’s name and the service assigned to his family. This verse widens the picture to a whole community of skilled people gathered around the work.
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