The Meaning of Numbers 3:20 Explained

Numbers 3:20

KJV: And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

YLT: And the sons of Merari by their families are Mahli and Mushi; these are the families of the Levites, by the house of their fathers.

Darby: And the sons of Merari according to their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.

ASV: And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers houses.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the sons  of Merari  by their families;  Mahli,  and Mushi.  These [are]  the families  of the Levites  according to the house  of their fathers. 

What does Numbers 3:20 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 3

1  The sons of Aaron
5  The Levites are given to the priests instead of the firstborn
14  Are numbered by their families
21  The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites
27  Of the Kohathites
33  Of the Merarites
38  The place and charge of Moses and Aaron
40  The firstborn are freed by the Levites
44  The balances are refunded

What do the individual words in Numbers 3:20 mean?

And the sons of Merari by their families Mahli and Mushi These are the families of Levi by houses their fathers'
וּבְנֵ֧י מְרָרִ֛י : לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֛ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם

וּבְנֵ֧י  And  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מְרָרִ֛י  of  Merari 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְרָרִי  
Sense: the 3rd son of Levi and head of a Levitical family.
: לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם  by  their  families 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
מַחְלִ֣י  Mahli 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַחְלִי  
Sense: son of Merari and grandson of Levi; progenitor of the family of the Mahlites.
וּמוּשִׁ֑י  and  Mushi 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מוּשִׁי  
Sense: son of Merari, grandson of Kohath, and great grandson of Levi.
אֵ֥לֶּה  These 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת  the  families 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
הַלֵּוִ֖י  of  Levi 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
לְבֵ֥ית  by  houses 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֲבֹתָֽם  their  fathers' 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.