1 Chronicles 4

Judah's Descendants

1 Judah's sons:^[a] Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

2 Reaiah son of Shobal fathered Jahath, and Jahath fathered Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.

3 These were Etam's sons:^[b] Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash, and their sister was named Hazzelelponi.

4 Penuel fathered Gedor, and Ezer fathered Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, Ephrathah's firstborn and the father of Bethlehem:

5 Ashhur fathered Tekoa and had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were Naarah's sons.

7 Helah's sons: Zereth, Zohar,^[c] and Ethnan.

8 Koz fathered Anub, Zobebah,^[d] and the families of Aharhel son of Harum.

9 Jabez^[e] was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez and said, "I gave birth to him in pain."

10 Jabez called out to the God of Israel: "If only You would bless me, extend my border, let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm, so that I will not cause any pain."^[f] And God granted his request.

11 Chelub brother of Shuhah fathered Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.

12 Eshton fathered Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Irnahash. These were the men of Recah.

13 Kenaz's sons: Othniel and Seraiah. Othniel's sons: Hathath and Meonothai.^[g]

14 Meonothai fathered Ophrah, and Seraiah fathered Joab, the ancestor of [those in] the Valley of Craftsmen,^[h] for they were craftsmen.

15 The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah's son: Kenaz.

16 Jehallelel's sons: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

17 Ezrah's sons: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Mered's wife Bithiah^[i] gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

18 These were the sons of Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah; Mered had married her. His Judean wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.

19 The sons of Hodiah's wife, the sister of Naham: the father of Keilah the Garmite and [the father of] Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

20 Shimon's sons: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. Ishi's sons: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth.

21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, the families of the guild^[j] of linen workers at Beth-ashbea,

22 Jokim, the men of Cozeba; and Joash and Saraph, who married Moabites^[k] and returned to Lehem. These [names] are from ancient records.

23 They were the potters and residents of Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the service of the king.

Simeon's Descendants

24 Simeon's sons:^[l] Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul;

25 [Shaul's sons:] his son Shallum, his son Mibsam, and his son Mishma.

26 Mishma's sons: his son Hammuel, his son Zaccur, and his son Shimei.

27 Shimei had 16 sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so their whole family did not become as numerous as the Judeans.

28 They lived in Beer-sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual,

29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,

30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,

31 Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David became king.

32 Their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan-five cities,

33 and all their surrounding villages as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record for themselves.

34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,

35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, son of Seraiah, son of Asiel,

36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,

37 and Ziza son of Shiphi, son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah-

38 these mentioned by name were leaders in their families. Their ancestral houses increased greatly.

39 They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley to seek pasture for their flocks.

40 They found rich, good pasture, and the land was broad, peaceful, and quiet, for some Hamites had lived there previously.

41 These who were recorded by name came in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, attacked the Hamites' tents and the Meunim who were found there, and set them apart for destruction,^[m] as they are today. Then they settled in their place because there was pasture for their flocks.

42 Now 500 men from these sons of Simeon went with Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, as their leaders to Mount Seir.

43 They struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped and still live there today.

1 Chronicles 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

Genealogies.

- In this chapter we have a further account of Judah, the most numerous and most famous of all the tribes; also an account of Simeon. The most remarkable person in this chapter is Jabez. We are not told upon what account Jabez was more honourable than his brethren; but we find that he was a praying man. The way to be truly great, is to seek to do God's will, and to pray earnestly. Here is the prayer he made. Jabez prayed to the living and true God, who alone can hear and answer prayer; and, in prayer he regarded him as a God in covenant with his people. He does not express his promise, but leaves it to be understood; he was afraid to promise in his own strength, and resolved to devote himself entirely to God. Lord, if thou wilt bless me and keep me, do what thou wilt with me; I will be at thy command and disposal for ever. As the text reads it, this was the language of a most ardent and affectionate desire, Oh that thou wouldest bless me! Four things Jabez prayed for. 1. That God would bless him indeed. Spiritual blessings are the best blessings: God's blessings are real things, and produce real effects. 2. That He would enlarge his coast. That God would enlarge our hearts, and so enlarge our portion in himself, and in the heavenly Canaan, ought to be our desire and prayer. 3. That God's hand might be with him. God's hand with us, to lead us, protect us, strengthen us, and to work all our works in us and for us, is a hand all-sufficient for us. 4. That he would keep him from evil, the evil of sin, the evil of trouble, all the evil designs of his enemies, that they might not hurt, nor make him a Jabez indeed, a man of sorrow. God granted that which he requested. God is ever ready to hear prayer: his ear is not now heavy.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Ch 2:5,18,50
• [b]. LXX; MT reads father
• [c]. Alt Hb tradition reads Izhar
• [d]. Or Hazzobebah
• [e]. The name Jabez sounds like Hb jazeb meaning "he causes pain."
• [f]. LXX reads and act in knowledge which doesn't hurt me
• [g]. LXX, Vg; MT omits and Meonothai
• [h]. Or the Ge-harashim
• [i]. Lit She; 1 Ch 4:18
• [j]. Lit house
• [k]. Or who ruled over Moab
• [l]. Gn 46:10
• [m]. Jos 6:17-21

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 4

In this chapter is a further account of the tribe of Judah, and of some principal families in it, 1Ch 4:1-23 and of the tribe of Simeon, their families, cities, and villages, 1Ch 4:24-38 and of the enlargement of their borders, and conquest of the Amalekites, 1Ch 4:39-43.