What Does Ezra 10:28 Mean in the King James?

Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

Ezra 10:28 · KJV

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

Two names in this list carry the same root for favor, making it a quiet refrain within the roster.

THE MEANING

This line gives the reader four distinct names, and two of them carry the root of showing favor. The repeated root lets favor appear as part of a person’s name and nature, not only as something received in a moment.

THE ROOT

יְהוֹחָנָן

Yəhôḥānān Ḥănanyāh

GROWS FROM

חנן

To show favor, be gracious.

“Jehohanan and Hananiah” in this verse is Yəhôḥānān Ḥănanyāh. Jehohanan means “YHWH is gracious,” and Hananiah means “YHWH has shown favor”; both names carry the root ⁨חנן⁩. Its repetition turns this bare list into a quiet echo of favor woven into two distinct identities.

ALSO GROWS

ḥānan: To show favor or be gracious.

חָנַן

This verb is the shared seed within both names.

ḥēn: Favor or acceptance.

חֵן

This noun shows how the same root names what is carried in the two names.

ḥannûn: Gracious; one who shows favor.

חַנּוּן

This form describes graciousness as a quality, the nature echoed in Jehohanan and Hananiah.

THE PATTERN

Favor is carried in personal names and also spoken of as a quality God embodies and people receive.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Genesis 6:8 · KJVNoah receives favor, expressed with ⁨חֵן⁩ (ḥēn), from the same root family carried in Jehohanan and Hananiah.

And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Exodus 34:6 · KJVThe LORD is named as gracious with ⁨חַנּוּן⁩ (ḥannûn), the same root that sounds through two names in Ezra.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Luke 1:30 · KJVFavor appears again as something a person finds with God, extending the pattern into the Greek Scriptures.

THE THREAD

And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Exodus 34:6 · KJV

The Hebrew word rendered “gracious” here is ⁨חַנּוּן⁩ (ḥannûn), from ⁨חנן⁩, the root carried by Jehohanan and Hananiah. Exodus speaks that root as a quality of the LORD; Ezra lets it sound inside two personal names.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us