What Does Numbers 34:24 Mean in the King James?

And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

Numbers 34:24 · 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

The verse makes leadership concrete: Ephraim’s prince is named through a father whose name carries the Hebrew root for judging.

THE MEANING

This line places a named person within a people: Ephraim has a representative, Kemuel, and his father is named too. Belonging and responsibility take shape through particular people, not abstractions.

THE ROOT

נָשִׂיא

nāśîʾ

GROWS FROM

נשא

To lift, carry, or bear.

⁨נָשִׂיא⁩, “prince,” belongs to the root ⁨נשא⁩, which also means to lift or carry. The title can therefore carry an added sense of one raised to a position and entrusted with bearing responsibility for the tribe.

ALSO GROWS

nasa: To lift, carry, or bear.

נָשָׂא

This verb shares the root ⁨נשא⁩ and makes the carrying sense within the prince’s title audible.

massa: A load or burden.

מַשָּׂא

This noun shares the root ⁨נשא⁩ and connects leadership with what a person carries.

שִׁפְטָן

Shiphtan

GROWS FROM

שפט

To judge or render a decision.

Shiphtan’s name carries the consonants of ⁨שפט⁩, the root for judging. The same root appears in words for a judge and for judgment, giving the named lineage a judicial echo without specifying any judgment in this verse.

ALSO GROWS

shaphat: To judge or decide.

שָׁפַט

This verb shares all three root consonants and makes the action contained in Shiphtan’s name explicit.

mishpat: Judgment or a decision.

מִשְׁפָּט

This noun shares the root consonants and shows how judging becomes a matter or ruling.

THE PATTERN

Shared responsibility within a people takes visible form through named representatives entrusted with a role.

And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Exodus 18:25 · KJVResponsibility is distributed through named roles among the people.

These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

Numbers 1:16 · KJVThe tribes’ shared place is represented by leaders identified within their families.

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Acts 6:3 · KJVThe assembly’s work is entrusted to people chosen from among it and appointed by nameable responsibility.

THE THREAD

And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

Exodus 18:22 · KJV

“They shall bear” translates a form of ⁨נשא⁩, the same root behind ⁨נָשִׂיא⁩, “prince,” in this verse. The shared root lets leadership be heard as carrying responsibility alongside holding a position.

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