Genesis 36:27

Summary

The verse lists the descendants of Ezer, introduced by the demonstrative 'Elleh ("these", H0428). Three names are given: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan, connected by the conjunction ve- ("and", H9002).

Key words

• 'Elleh ("these", H0428) — demonstrative particle opening the verse, pointing forward to the list that follows; a standard formula in genealogical lists throughout this chapter.
• benei- ("sons of", H1121A) — construct plural of "son," syntactically binding the following name ('Etzer) as the possessor; the construct form signals "sons belonging to Ezer."
• 'Etzer ("Ezer", H0687) — proper name in absolute form, the father whose sons are enumerated; it is the head noun completed by the construct benei-.
• bil.Han ("Bilhan", H1092G) — first son named, given in absolute form with no connecting conjunction before it, marking it as the head of the list.
• ve. ("and", H9002) and va. ("and", H9002) — the two conjunctions link the second and third names (Za'avan, 'Akan) to the first, producing the paratactic list structure typical of Hebrew genealogies.

What the text says

The Hebrew sentence has a simple genealogical structure: demonstrative + construct noun + proper name (father) + list of proper names (sons). 'Elleh benei-'Etzer ("these are the sons of Ezer") functions as a heading, after which the three sons are simply juxtaposed: Bilhan, then ve-Za'avan ("and Zaavan"), then va-'Akan ("and Akan"). The first son in the list lacks a conjunction, while the second and third are joined by ve-/va-, a common pattern in Hebrew lists where the initial item stands alone and subsequent items are chained by "and." This produces a rhythmic three-name sequence subordinate to the naming of the father, Ezer, in the construct phrase.

Differences between versions

The LXX (Swete) text presents four names — Βαλαάν, Ζουκάμ, Ἰωυκάμ, Οὐκάν — introduced simply as "sons" without repeating the father's name Ezer within the list itself; this differs from the Hebrew structure, which explicitly names Ezer as father before listing three sons (Bilhan, Zaavan, Akan). The Vulgate follows the Hebrew structure closely ("filii Eser: Balaan, et Zavan, et Acan"), naming Eser as father and listing three sons, though it renders Bilhan as "Balaan," the same transliteration used differently in the LXX's four-name list.