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גֵּרְשֻׁנִּי

𐤂𐤓𐤔𐤍𐤉

Gereshuni

H1649 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גרש to drive out, expel, banish

Definition

A descendant or member of the clan of Gershon (גֵּרְשׁוֹן), a major Levitical family line traced through Gershon, son of Levi. The term designates individuals tied by ancestry to Gershon, especially in genealogical, legal, and narrative contexts relating to the organization of the Levites and their specific roles in the Israelite religious system.

Semantic Range

descendant of Gershon, member of the Gershonite Levitical clan, belonging to the Gershonite division among the Levites

Root / Etymology

Patronymic formation from the proper name גֵּרְשׁוֹן (Gershon), with the typical suffix -ִי indicating descent or affiliation. The root of גֵּרְשׁוֹן is generally linked to ג-ר-שׁ (גרש), 'to drive out, expel', but the use in this clan name is a function of genealogy rather than action. Therefore, גֵּרְשֻׁנִּי (Gereshuni) means 'belonging to Gershon' or 'descendant of Gershon.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term גֵּרְשֻׁנִּי occurs primarily in priestly and genealogical contexts in the Pentateuch, notably in Numbers and Chronicles, to denote a Levitical subgroup tasked with responsibilities concerning the tabernacle's fabric and sacred objects (Numbers 3:21–26). Use is limited to lists, organizational texts, and assignments of cultic duties. English versions commonly render 'Gershonite,' but this can obscure the original context, which refers to Israelite hereditary priestly families. The noun is always ethnic or familial, not a geographical or specifically tribal designation apart from its Levitical classification. The later English 'Gershonite' parallels the Hebrew formation but may mislead readers into thinking of 'tribes' rather than Levitical divisions. The term is strictly genealogical, not ethnic, and does not refer to all Levites but to a special subset. In post-exilic texts (e.g., Chronicles, Ezra–Nehemiah), the term persists with the same genealogical sense, reflecting continuing concern for Levitical lineages in the restoration period.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

patronymically from גֵּרְשׁוֹן; a Gereshonite or descendant of Gereshon; Gershonite, sons of Gershon.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גרש (g-r-sh) — drive out, expel, banish

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1644 גָּרַשׁ I will forcefully expel
H1647 גֵּרְשֹׁם sojourner there
H1648 גֵּרְשׁוֹן Sojourner-There
H4054 מִגְרָשׁ outlying pasture-land of

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1649-01 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּֽי hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa the Gershonite the Gershon-descendant 11
H1649-02 לַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י lagereshuni HRd/Ngmsa of the Gershonite to a Gershonite clansman 2

Occurrences in Scripture

13 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1649-01 Numbers 3:21 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּֽי hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa the Gershonite the Gershon-descendant
H1649-01 Numbers 3:23 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa of the Gershonites the Gershon-descendant
H1649-02 Numbers 3:24 לַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י lagereshuni HRd/Ngmsa of the Gershonite to a Gershonite clansman
H1649-01 Numbers 4:24 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa of the Gershonites the Gershon-descendant
H1649-01 Numbers 4:27 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֔י hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa of the Gershonites the Gershon-descendant
H1649-01 Numbers 4:28 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa of the Gershonite the Gershon-descendant
H1649-01 Numbers 26:57 הַ/גֵּ֣רְשֻׁנִּ֔י hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa the Gershonite the Gershon-descendant
H1649-01 Joshua 21:33 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa the Gershonite the Gershon-descendant
H1649-02 1 Chronicles 23:7 לַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י lagereshuni HRd/Ngmsa Of the Gershonites to a Gershonite clansman
H1649-01 1 Chronicles 26:21 הַ/גֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֜י hagereshuni HTd/Ngmsa the Gershonite the Gershon-descendant
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