What Does Numbers 3:24 Mean in the King James?

And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

Numbers 3:24 · 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

A chief is “one lifted up,” and the chief here bears a name that says God adds.

THE MEANING

This verse places leadership within a named household: Eliasaph (⁨אֶלְיָסָף⁩, Eliyāsāph, “God has added”), son of Lael (⁨לָאֵל⁩, Laʾel, “for God”). His title carries the sense of being lifted up, while his name points to God as the source of increase. Responsibility has a particular place and a name within the household.

THE ROOT

נְשִׂיא

nasi

GROWS FROM

נשא

nasa

Lift, carry, bear.

The title belongs to the same word family as lifting and carrying: being raised up and bearing a load sit close together in Hebrew. Here, the chief’s place in the household carries both distinction and responsibility.

ALSO GROWS

nasa: Lift, carry, bear.

נָשָׂא

The root verb gathers raising up and carrying under one word family.

massa: A load or burden.

מַשָּׂא

A burden is something carried, linking the chief’s raised position with the language of bearing.

nasi: A leader or chief.

נָשִׂיא

This is the title used for Eliasaph in the verse.

אֶלְיָסָף

Eliyāsāph

GROWS FROM

יסף

yasaf

Add, increase, do again.

“Eliasaph” in this verse is Eliyāsāph. The name joins ⁨אֵל⁩ (El, God) with ⁨יָסַף⁩ (yasaf, add), giving the sense “God has added.” The name places increase under God’s nature, right beside Lael’s name, “for God.”

ALSO GROWS

yasaf: Add, increase, do again.

יָסַף

This verb supplies the core of Eliasaph’s name.

Yosef: Joseph; “he adds” or “may he add.”

יוֹסֵף

Joseph’s name shares the same root, keeping the language of addition visible across names.

THE PATTERN

Responsibility takes a named place within an ordered community.

And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

Numbers 3:30 · KJVThe same title and household structure name another Levite chief.

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:

Exodus 18:21 · KJVResponsibility is given distinct places and recognized leaders within the larger community.

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Hebrews 3:6 · KJVLeadership is expressed through a relationship to the household, with the son named over the house.

THE THREAD

And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

Numbers 3:30 · KJV

The same Hebrew title, ⁨נְשִׂיא⁩ (nasi, “chief”), names both the Gershonite and Kohathite head. Eliasaph’s place is part of a repeated structure: each household has a named chief within it.

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