H2416b H2416b
kinsfolk, family clan (1 Samuel 18:18)
This rare noun means 'kinsfolk' or extended family group, distinct from the common word for 'life.' In 1 Samuel 18:18, David humbly asks 'who am I, and what is my kinsfolk?' when Saul offers his daughter in marriage. The Masoretic pointing suggests 'my life,' but context and comparative Semitic evidence favor 're-point as kinsfolk.' Arabic cognates refer to tribal groups united by kinship.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Appears exclusively in 1 Samuel 18:18, though most translations follow the pointing 'my life' (Spanish 'vida-mía,' French 'vie-mon'). However, scholars recognize this as likely meaning 'my kinsfolk' or 'my clan,' parallel to 'my father's family' in the context. The verse expresses David's humble social status. 1×
AR["حَيَاتِي"]·ben["আমার-জীবন"]·DE["Leben-mein"]·EN["life-my"]·FR["vie-mon"]·heb["חיי"]·HI["मेर-जिवन"]·ID["kehidupanku"]·IT["vita-mio"]·jav["gesang-kawula"]·KO["나의-생"]·PT["minha-vida"]·RU["жизнь-моя"]·ES["vida-mía"]·SW["maisha-yangu"]·TR["hayatım"]·urd["میری-زندگی"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. [חַי] n.[m.] kinsfolk (Arabic حَىٌّ a group of families united by vital ties RSK 36–40 DrSm 119), pl. sf. חַיַּי 1 S 18:18, incorrectly pointed with the interpretation my life RV, but read חַיִּי my kinsfolk, We Ki Dr RS SS RVm VB. It is explained by the gloss משׁפחת אבי We (Klo reads אַחַי וּ).