1 Chronicles 4

1 The descendants of Y'hudah: Peretz, Hetzron, Karmi, Hur and Shoval.

2 Re'ayah the son of Shoval fathered Yachat; Yachat fathered Achumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Tzor'ati.

3 These are [the sons] of the father of 'Eitam: Yizre'el, Yishma and Yidbash; their sister's name was Hatzlelponi.

4 P'nu'el fathered Geder, and 'Ezer fathered Hushah. These are the sons of Hur the firstborn of Efratah, the father of Beit-Lechem.

5 Ashur the father of T'koa had two wives, Hel'ah and Na'arah.

6 Na'arah bore him Achuzam, Hefer, Teimni and Achashtari; these were the sons of Na'arah.

7 The sons of Hel'ah were Tzeret, Tzochar and Etnan.

8 Kotz fathered 'Anuv, Tzovevah and the families of Acharchel the son of Harum.

9 Ya'betz was honored more than his brothers; his mother called him Ya'betz, she explained, "because I bore him in pain [Hebrew: 'otzev]."

10 Ya'betz called on the God of Isra'el: "Please bless me by enlarging my territory. May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm, so that it will not cause me pain [Hebrew: 'atzbi]." God granted his request.

11 K'luv the brother of Shuchah fathered M'chir, who fathered Eshton.

12 Eshton fathered Beit-Rafa, Paseach and T'chinah the father of 'Ir-Nachash. These are the men of Rekhah.

13 The sons of K'naz: 'Otni'el and S'rayah. The son of 'Otni'el: Hatat.

14 M'onotai fathered 'Ofrah, and S'rayah fathered Yo'av the father of Gei-Harashim; for they were craftsmen [Hebrew: harashim].

15 The sons of Kalev the son of Y'funeh: 'Iru, Elah and Na'am. The son of Elah: K'naz.

16 The sons of Yehallel'el: Zif, Zifah, Tirya and Asar'el.

17 The sons of 'Ezrah: Yeter, Mered, 'Efer and Yalon. These are the sons of Bityah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took as his wife: she conceived Miryam, Shamai and Yishbach the father of Esht'moa; while his Jewish wife bore Yered the father of G'dor, Hever the father of Sokho and Y'kuti'el the father of Zanoach.

18

19 The sons of the wife of Hodiyah the sister of Nacham were the father of Ke'ilah the Garmi and Esht'moa the Ma'akhati.

20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon. The sons of Yish'i: Zochet and Ben-Zochet.

21 The sons of Shelah the son of Y'hudah: 'Er the father of Lekha, La'adah the father of Mareshah and the clans of fine-linen-workers at Beit-Ashbea,

22 Yokim, the men of Kozeva, Saraf the ruler in Mo'av, and Yashuvi-Lechem (the records are ancient).

23 These were potters and inhabitants of N'ta'im and G'derah; they lived there, occupied with the king's work.

24 The sons of Shim'on: N'mu'el, Yamin, Yariv, Zerach and Sha'ul.

25 His son was Shalum, his son was Mivsam, and his son was Mishma.

26 The descendants of Mishma: his son Hamu'el, his son Zakur, his son Shim'i.

27 Shim'i had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so their clans did not increase like those of Y'hudah.

28 They lived at Be'er-Sheva, Moladah, Hatzar-Shu'al,

29 Bilhah, 'Etzem, Tolad,

30 B'tu'el, Hormah, Ziklag,

31 Beit-Markavot, Hatzar-Susim, Beit-Bir'i and Sha'arayim. These were their cities until the reign of David.

32 Their villages were 'Eitam, 'Ayin, Rimmon, Tokhen and 'Ashan, five cities,

33 along with all the villages surrounding these cities, as far as Ba'al. These are the places where they lived, and they have their official genealogy.

34 Meshovav, Yamlekh, Yoshah the son of Amatzyah,

35 Yo'el, Yehu the son of Yoshivyah the son of S'rayah the son of 'Asi'el,

36 Elyo'einai, Ya'akovah, Y'shochayah,'Asayah, 'Adi'el, Y'simi'el, B'nayah,

37 Ziza the son of Shif'i the son of Alon the son of Y'da'yah the son of Shimri the son of Sh'ma'yah -

38 these mentioned by name were princes in their clans, and their fathers' houses increased greatly.

39 Seeking pasture for their flocks they went to the entrance of Geder, as far as the east side of the valley.

40 They found rich, good pastures; and the land was spacious, quiet and peaceful. Those who had lived there previously belonged to Ham.

41 Those whose names are written above came during the time of Hizkiyahu king of Y'hudah; they attacked their tents and the Me'unim who were found there, destroyed them completely, and have lived there in place of them to this day; because there was pasture there for their flocks.

42 Some 500 of them who were descendants of Shim'on went to Mount Se'ir under the leadership of P'latyah, Ne'aryah, Refayah and Uzi'el the sons of Yish'i.

43 They attacked the remnant of 'Amalek who had escaped and have lived there to this day.

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.

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.