1 Chronicles 4:1-23

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.

1 Chronicles 4:1-23 Meaning and Commentary

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.

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