Numbers 1:15

Summary

This verse names the leader appointed from the tribe of Naphtali: Ahira, son of Enan. It belongs to a list in Numbers 1 enumerating one representative man from each Israelite tribe, likely for the purpose of a census.

Key words

• le ("for", H9005) — the preposition attached to Naftali, marking the tribe to which the following named individual belongs; it introduces this entry in the list, parallel to the other tribal entries in the chapter.
• Naftali ("Naphtali", H5321G) — proper name of the tribe, functioning here as the reference point for identifying its leader.
• 'achiRa' ("Ahira", H0299) — proper name of the individual designated as the tribe's representative; grammatically the subject of the (elliptical) clause.
• ben- ("son of", H1121A) — construct form of "son," linking 'achiRa' to his father's name; the construct state requires a following noun to complete the phrase "son of X."
• 'eiNan ("Enan", H5881) — proper name of the father, completing the patronymic construction begun by ben-.

What the text says

The Hebrew verse is built entirely of proper names joined by a preposition and a construct noun, without a finite verb. The preposition le ("for", H9005) prefixed to Naftali establishes the tribal affiliation, functioning much like the entries before it in the chapter's list structure ("for [tribe X], [name] son of [name]"). The core of the verse is the identification formula 'achiRa' ben-'eiNan — "Ahira son of Enan" — where ben- ("son of", H1121A) appears in construct state, a grammatical form in Biblical Hebrew that binds two nouns tightly together to express relationship, here specifically paternity. The absence of a verb is typical of Hebrew genealogical or administrative lists, where the sentence relies on nominal juxtaposition rather than predication; the reader supplies the implied sense ("[the one appointed] for Naphtali is Ahira, son of Enan").

Differences between versions

The Hebrew 'achiRa' (H0299) is rendered as Ἀχειρέ in the LXX and "Ahira" in the Vulgate and modern translations, showing consistent transliteration across traditions. The Hebrew 'eiNan (H5881) appears as Αἰνάν in the LXX and "Enan" in the Vulgate and later versions, again a stable transliteration. The LXX renders the tribal name as τῶν Νεφθαλεὶ ("of the Nephthaleans/Naphtali"), using a genitive plural article construction, whereas the Hebrew simply uses the preposition le before the name Naftali; this reflects a difference in how each language marks tribal affiliation but does not alter the identification of the individual named.