What Does Ezra 8:4 Mean in the King James?
Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.
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
Elihoenai means “my eyes are toward the LORD,” placing a Godward gaze inside a company of two hundred.
THE MEANING
The name Elihoenai means “my eyes are toward the LORD,” and it stands beside the name Zerahiah, “the LORD has shone.” The verse places these names within a company, letting the reader see attention turned toward God carried among many.
THE ROOT
אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי
Elyehoenai
GROWS FROM
עין
Eye; the same Hebrew noun can also mean a spring or source.
Elihoenai is commonly understood as “my eyes are toward the LORD.” The name’s eye-word makes its direction personal: this is a gaze turned toward God, carried here within a larger company.
ALSO GROWS
ʿeinai: My eyes
עֵינַי
This possessive form is part of Elihoenai’s name, making its Godward attention the nature carried by the person named.
ʿayin: Eye; also spring or source
עַיִן
The same Hebrew word can name a source of water as well as an eye, adding an image of attention as a source without claiming that the verse states this directly.
זְרַחְיָה
Zeraḥyāh
GROWS FROM
זרח
To rise, shine, or break forth as light.
Zerahiah joins this light-root to the divine name, commonly understood as “the LORD has shone.” Beside Elihoenai, the line holds gaze and dawn together: eyes turned toward the LORD, who is named as the one who shines.
ALSO GROWS
zāraḥ: To rise or shine
זָרַח
This is the action carried in Zerahiah’s name: light breaking forth.
mizraḥ: East; the direction of sunrise
מִזְרָח
It shares the root’s image of rising light, giving the name’s brightness a directional counterpart.
THE PATTERN
A gaze fixed on God gives direction when the way ahead is not yet visible.
Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.THE THREAD
Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.Psalm 25:15 gives Elihoenai’s quiet phrase an explicit voice: “Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD.” The shared eye-word turns the name into a living orientation, and “ever” makes that direction continual.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us