Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel
Called Chelubai, ( 1 Chronicles 2:9 ) and is the same Caleb spoken of in ( 1 Chronicles 2:18 ) and his sons next reckoned were by a third wife, Azubah, Ephrath being dead, ( 1 Chronicles 2:19 ) and these sons were Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph;
who gave name to the city of Ziph; there were two of this name in the tribe of Judah, ( Joshua 15:24 Joshua 15:55 ) or this is the title of Mesha, governor of the city of Ziph; so the Targum calls him, prince of the Ziphites: and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron;
according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, the words are to be supplied thus, "and the sons of Ziph were Mareshah the father of Hebron"; which, though sometimes the name of a city in the tribe of Judah, is here the name of a man, from whom, perhaps, the city had its name, since Hebron is said to have sons in the next verse; Jarchi makes Mesha to be the prince of Ziph, and prince of the children of Mareshah, and prince of Hebron.