family
mish.pa.chah denotes a kin-based group, especially a lineage subdivision, a household circle, or the families of wider peoples.
The term most often marks descent-based subdivisions named within tribes, houses, and genealogical lists. It also identifies a person’s own kin group or household circle, and can extend to the families of peoples or lands in broad collective statements.
Senses in use
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Descent-based lineage subdivisions · dominant
Plural construct forms occur in genealogical and tribal classifications: in Exodus 6:14 the APB renders the closing identification as “the families of Reuben,” and in 1 Chronicles 2:53 it lists several groups as the families of Kiriath-jearim. Genesis 10:20 and Genesis 10:32 place such groups alongside sons, tongues, lands, generations, and nations, showing family subdivisions within larger descent and people-group listings.
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A person's kin group or household circle · common
Singular construct forms identify the group to which an individual belongs: in 1 Samuel 18:18 the APB renders David’s question with “my father's family,” while Judges 13:2 locates Manoah within the Danites’ clan. In Genesis 24:38, the clause joins the speaker’s family connection with “my father's house” in arranging a wife for his son.
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Families as wider collective groups · occasional
Plural construct forms can designate broad human collectives rather than a named individual’s lineage. In Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 28:14 the APB renders “all the families of the land” as the beneficiaries of blessing, while 1 Chronicles 16:28 addresses “families of the peoples” in a call to ascribe glory and strength to the LORD. In Amos 3:2, the clause contrasts one known people with all the families of the earth.
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The gathering responsible for a shared sacrifice · rare
In 1 Samuel 20:6 and 1 Samuel 20:29, the singular absolute form occurs in the explanation that a family is holding or has an annual sacrifice in the city. The surrounding clauses connect the group with brothers, attendance, and David’s absence from the king’s table.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the term with “families,” but also uses “kindred,” “clan,” and “father's family” where the verse concerns an individual’s kin group. These renderings show the verse-level presentation rather than fixed English equivalents.