תּוֹלָעִי
a Tolaite (collectively) or descendants of Tola
Definition
תּוֹלָעִי (Tôwlâʻîy) refers to the descendants or clan of Tola, one of the sons of Issachar. It is a patronymic term used to identify a specific family group within the Israelite tribe of Issachar. The word appears only in the context of tribal genealogies and census records, specifically in Numbers 26:23, where the Tolaites are counted among the clans of Issachar during the second wilderness census. There are no other distinct biblical senses or meanings for this term; it functions solely as a familial and tribal identifier.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in genealogical and census contexts within the Pentateuch. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 26:23, as part of the detailed numbering of the Israelites in the plains of Moab before entering the Promised Land. The usage follows the standard biblical pattern for patronymic clan names ending in the suffix '-i' (meaning 'belonging to' or 'descended from'). There are no other occurrences or variations in usage across different books.
Etymology
The word תּוֹלָעִי is derived as a patronymic from the proper name תּוֹלָע (Tôwlâʻ, H8439), meaning 'worm' or 'scarlet,' by adding the suffix '-i' (י), which denotes 'belonging to' or 'descended from.' Thus, it literally means 'of Tola' or 'belonging to Tola.' The root name Tola itself is likely related to the Hebrew word for a crimson worm (תּוֹלָע), possibly alluding to the color scarlet, but as a personal name, its specific significance for the son of Issachar is not explained in the biblical text.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, clan and tribal identity were of paramount importance for inheritance, military organization, and social structure. The term 'Tolaite' functioned as a vital marker of lineage within the tribe of Issachar. Understanding such patronymics helps modern readers appreciate the meticulous preservation of family lines in the Bible, which was essential for maintaining tribal allotments and the fulfillment of God's promises regarding the land. The single mention underscores the completeness of the census, affirming that every clan was accounted for in God's covenant community.
No direct synonyms exist for this specific patronymic. For other clan names formed similarly, see: אֲחִירָמִי (ʼĂchîyrâmîy, H297) — the Ahiramites, clan of Benjamin; שׁוּתַלְחִי (Shûthalchîy, H8364) — the Shuthelahites, clan of Ephraim.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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