Also Hosah, one of the sons of Merari had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him first),
Parallel translations
- WEB Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief),
- KJV Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)
- BSB Hosah the Merarite also had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him as the first),
- NKJV Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the first (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him the first),
- NLT Hosah, of the Merari clan, appointed Shimri as the leader among his sons, though he was not the oldest.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Hosah of the Merarites had sons, with Shimri made chief though he was not the firstborn. A Merarite family joins the gatekeepers, with leadership granted by appointment rather than birth order.
Overview
Hosah, of the Merarite branch of Levi, is enrolled among the gatekeepers, and his father designated Shimri as chief despite not being the eldest. This recalls other biblical instances where God's purposes set aside ordinary birthright (e.g., Jacob over Esau, Ephraim over Manasseh). It quietly testifies that standing before God rests on His appointment rather than mere human precedence, a theme that ultimately magnifies grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- 1 Chr 16:38and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;
- 1 Chr 5:1–2The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be listed according to the birthright.
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