1 Chronicles 2:55

55 And the kindreds of scribes, dwelling in Jabez, singing, and sounding, and dwelling in tabernacles. These be Kenites, that came of the heat of the father of the house of Rechab. (And the kindreds, or the families, of the writers, or the copyists, living in Jabez; the Tirathites, and Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These be the Kenites, who joined with the house of Rechab.)

1 Chronicles 2:55 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 2:55

And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez
A city in Judah, the founder of which, perhaps, was Jabez, mentioned in ( 1 Chronicles 4:9 ) in which learned men dwelt:

the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites;
who sprung from men whose names were Tira, Shimea, and Sucha; and if they were not the posterity of Salma, yet dwelt among his, and so are reckoned with them; perhaps the latter might have their name from dwelling in tents; the former clause may be rendered, "that dwelt with Jabez", who was their master, and they his scholars; in the Vulgate Latin version the words are rendered as appellatives, "singing and resounding, and dwelling in tents": Conrad Pellican, on the place, goes a middle way, and interprets these families as dwelling with Jabez their master, and they his scholars, and that they were called by their progenitors Tirathites, because learned and ingenious, and praecentors of the divine oracles; Shimeathites, because they diligently hearkened to the sacred songs, and the doctrines of the law of God; and Suchathites, because they dwelt not in cities, but in tents, despisers of all worldly things, that they might freely attend to learn:

these are the Kenites;
that is, the Suchathites are the Kenites, who, it is well known, dwelt in tents, and not in cities; though Jarchi takes these Kenites to be the inhabitants of Cain, a city in the tribe of Judah, ( Joshua 15:57 ) but they seem rather to be the Kenites that sprung from Jethro, here made mention of, because some of them dwelt in the tribe of Judah, and among the posterity of Salma, see ( Judges 1:16 )

that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab;
the prince of that family, and who from Rechab were called Rechabites, ( Jeremiah 35:2 ) .

1 Chronicles 2:55 In-Context

53 and was of the kindred of Kiriathjearim, were Ithrites, and Puhites, and Shumathites, and Mishraites. Of these were born Zareathites, and Eshtaulites. (And those of the kindred of Kiriathjearim, were the Ithrites, and Puhites, and Shumathites, and Mishraites. From these were born the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites.)

54 The sons of Salma, the father of Bethlehem, and of Netophathites, were the crowns of the house of Joab, and half of the resting of Zorites. (The sons of Salma were Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, half of the Manahethites, and the Zorites./The sons of Salma, the founder of Bethlehem, were the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, half of the Manahethites, and the Zorites.)

55 And the kindreds of scribes, dwelling in Jabez, singing, and sounding, and dwelling in tabernacles. These be Kenites, that came of the heat of the father of the house of Rechab. (And the kindreds, or the families, of the writers, or the copyists, living in Jabez; the Tirathites, and Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These be the Kenites, who joined with the house of Rechab.)