College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
1 Chronicles 2:1-55
LESSON TWO 4-6
I. GENEALOGIES FROM ADAM TO DAVID (1 Chronicles 1:1 to 1 Chronicles 9:44)
3. THE DESCENDANTS OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (1 Chronicles 2:1-55, 1 Chronicles 4:23)
INTRODUCTION
The sons of Judah were mothered by Canaanite women, however, Perez was destined to be very important in God's plans. Several familiar names appear in Chapter s 4-6. The families of the Levites were to have their inheritance in the land of Palestine.
TEXT
1 Chronicles 2:1. These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, 2. Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 3. The sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah; which three were born unto him of Shua's daughter the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah; and he slew him. 4. And Tamar his daughter-in-law bare him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
5. The sons of Perez: Hezron, and Hamul. 6. And the sons of Zerah: Zimri, and Ehan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara; five of them in all. 7. And the sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who committed a trespass in the devoted thing. 8. And the sons of Ethan: Azariah.
9. The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him: Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai. 10. And Ram begat Amminadab, and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah: 11. and Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz. 12. and Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse; 13. and Jesse begat his first-born Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimea the third, 14. Nethanel the fourth, Raddai, the fifth, 15. Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; 16. and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three. 17. And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite.
And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon. 19. And Azubah died, and Caleb took unto him Ephrath, who bare him Hur. 20. And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezalel. 21. And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he took to wife when he was threescore years old; and she bare him Segub. 22. And Segub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead. 23. And Geshur and Aram took the towns of Jair from them, with Kenath, and the villages thereof, even threescore cities. All these were the sons of Machir the father of Gilead. 24. And after that Hezron was dead in Caleb-ephrathah, then Abijah Hezron's wife bare him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.
25. Add the sons of Jerahmeel the first-born of Hezron were Ram the first-born, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, Ahijah. 26. And Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. 27. And the sons of Ram the first-born of Jerahmeel were Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker. 28. And the sons of Onam were Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of Shammai: Nadab, and Abishur. 29. And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail; and she bare him Ahban, and Molid. 30. And the sons of Nadab: Seled, and Appaim; but Seled died without children. 31. And the sons of Appaim: Ishi. And the sons of Ishi: Sheshan. And the sons of Sheshan: Ahlai. 32. And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai: Jether, and Jonathan; and Jether died without children. 33. And the sons of Jonathan: Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. 34. Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha. 35. And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai. 36. And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad, 37. and Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed, 38. and Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah, 39. and Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah, 40. and Eleasah begat Sismai, and Sismai begat Shallum, 41. and Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
And the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his first-born, who was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron. 43. And the sons of Hebron: Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema. 44. And Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem begat Shammai. 45. And the son of Shammai was Maon; and Maon was the father of Beth-zur. 46. And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez; and Haran begat Gazez. 47. And the sons of Jahdai: Regem, and Jothan, Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph. 48. Maacah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber and Tirhanah. 49. She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena, and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah.
50. These were the sons of Caleb, the son of Hur, the first-born of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, 51. Salma the father of Beth-lehem, Hareph the father of Beth-gader. 52. And Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim had sons: Haroeh, half of the Menuhoth. 53. And the families of Kiriath-jearim: the Ithrites, and the Puthites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. 54. The sons of Salma: Beth-lehem, and the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab, and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. 55. And the families of scribes that dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Sucathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.
1 Chronicles 3:1. Now these were the sons of David, that were born unto him in Hebron: the first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess; 2. the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; 3. the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife: 4. six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months. And in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years; 5. and these were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel; 6. and Ibhar, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, 7. and Negah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 8. and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9. All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.
10. And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11. Joram his sons, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12. Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13. Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14. Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15. And the sons of Josiah: the first-born Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. 16, And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. 17. And the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, 18. and Malchiram, and Pedaiah, and Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19. And the sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel, and Shimei. And the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam, and Hananiah; and Shelomith was their sister; 20. and Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushab-hesed, five. 21. And the sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah, and Jeshaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. 22. And the sons of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, and Igal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six. 23. And the sons of Neariah: Elioenai, and Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. 24. And the sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Delaiah, and Anani, seven.
1 Chronicles 4:1. The sons of Jusah: Perez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. 2. And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites. 3. And these were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi; 4. and Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the first-born of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem. 5. And Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6. And Naarah bare him Ahuzzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. 7. And the sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. 8. And Hakkoz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum. 9. And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying Because I bare him with sorrow. 10. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow! And God granted him that which he requested. 11. And Chelub, the brother of Shuhah begat Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12. And Eshton begat Beth-rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Irnahash. These are the men of Recah. 13. And the sons of Kenaz: Othniel, and Seraiah. And the sons of Othniel; Hathath. 14. And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab the father of Ge-harashim; for they were craftsmen. 15. And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the sons of Elah; and Kenaz. 16. And the sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17. And the sons of Ezrah: Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon; and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18. And his wife the Jewess bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took. 19. And the sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20. And the sons of Shimon: Amnon, and Rinnan, Benhanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben-zoheth. 21. The sons of Shelah the son of Judah; Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea; 22. and Jokjm, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And the records are ancient. 23. These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah: there they dwelt with the king for his work.
PARAPHRASE
1 Chronicles 2:1. The sons of Israel were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, Asher. 3. Judah had three sons by Bath-shua, a girl from Canaan: Er, Onan, and Shelah. But the oldest son, Er, was so wicked that the Lord killed him. 4. Then Er's widow, Tamar, and her father-in-law, Judah, became the parents of twin sons, Perez and Zerah. So Judah had five sons.
5. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamuel. 6. The sons of Zerah were: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara. 7. (Achan, the son of Carmi, was the man who robbed God and was such a troublemaker for his nation.) 8. Ethan's son was Azariah.
9. The sons of Hezron were Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. 10. Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, a leader of Israel. 11. Nahshon was the father of Salma, and Salma was the father of Boaz. 12. Boaz was the father of Obed, and Obed was the father of Jesse. 13. Jesse's first son was Eliab, his second was Abinadab, his third was Shimea, his fourth was Nethanel, his fifth was Raddai, his sixth was Ozem, and his seventh was David. He also had two girls (by the same wife) named Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah's sons were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel. 17. Abigail, whose husband was Jether from the land of Ishmael, had a son named Amasa.
18. Caleb (the sons of Hezron) had two wives, Azubah and Jerioth. These are the children of Azubah: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. 19. After Azubah's death, Caleb married Ephrath, who presented him with a son, Hur. 20. Hur's son was Uri, and Uri's son was Bezalel. 21. Hezron married Machir's daughter at the age of sixty, and she presented him with a son Segub (Machir was also the father of Gilead.) 22. Segub was the father of Jair, who ruled twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. 23. But Geshur and Aram wrested these cities from him and also took Kenath and its sixty surrounding villages. 24. Soon after his father Hezron's death, Caleb married Ephrathah, his father's widow, and she gave birth to Ashhur, the father of Tekoa.
25. These are the sons of Jerahmeel (the oldest son of Hezron): Ram (the oldest), Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. 26. Jerahmeel's second wife Atarah was the mother of Onam. 27. The sons of Ram: Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. 28. Onam's sons were Shammai and Jada. Shammai's sons were Nadab and Abishur. 29. The sons of Abishur and his wife Abihail were Ahban and Molid. 30. Nadab's sons were Seled and Appa-im. Seled died without children, but Appa-im had a son named Ishi; Ishi's son was Sheshan; and Sheshan's son was Ahlai. 32. Shammai's brother Jada had two sons, Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children, but Jonathan had two sons named Peleth and Zaza. 34, 35. Sheshan had no sons, although he had several daughters. He gave one of his daughters to be the wife of Jarha, his Egyptian servant. And they had a son whom they named Attai. 36. Attai's son was Nathan; Nathan's son was Zabad; Zabad's son was Ephlal; Ephlal's son was Obed; 38. Obed's son was Jehu; Jehu's son was Azariah; 39. Azariah's son was Helez; Helez's son was Ele-asah; 40. Ele-asah's son was Sismai; Sismai's son was Shellum; 41. Shallum's son was Jekamiah; Jekamiah's son was Elishama.
42. The oldest son of Caleb (Jerahmeel's brother) was Mesha; he was the father of Ziph, who was father of Mareshah, who was the father of Hebron. 43. The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. 44. Shema was the father of Raham, who was the father of Jorke-am. Rekem was the father of Shammai. 45. Shammai's son was Maon, the father of Bethzur, 46. Caleb's concubine Ephah bore him Haran, Moza, and Gazez; Haran had a son named Gazez. 47. The sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. 48, 49. Another of Caleb's concubines, Maacah, bore him Sheber, Tirhanah, Shaaph (the father of Madmannah), and Sheva (the father of Machbenah and of Gibe-a). Caleb also had a daughter, whose name was Achsah.
50. The sons of Hur (who was the oldest son of Caleb and Ephrathah) were Shobal (the father of Kiriath-jearim), 51. Salma (the father of Bethlehem), and Hareph (the father of Beth-gader). 52. Shobal's sons included Kiriath-jearim and Haroeh, the ancestor of half of the Menuhoth tribe. 53. The families of Kiriath-jearim were the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites (from whom descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites). 54. The descendants of Salma were his son Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atrothbeth-joab, half the Manahathites, and the Zorites; 55. they also included the families of the writers living at Jabezthe Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites. All these are Kenites who descended from Hammath, the founder of the family of Rechab.
1 Chronicles 3:1. King David oldest son was Amnon, who was born to his wife, Ahino-am of Jezreel. The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel. 2. The third was Absalom, the sons of his wife Maacah, who was the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. 3. The fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital. The sixth was Ithream, the son of his wife Eglah. 4. These six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned seven and one-half years. Then he moved the capital to Jerusalem, where he reigned another thirty-three years. 5. While he was in Jerusalem, his wife Bathsheba (the daughter of Ammi-el) became the mother of his sons Shime-a, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. 6-8. David also had nine other sons: Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. 9. (This list does not include the sons of his concubines.) David also had a daughter Tamar.
10-14. These are the descendants of King Solomon: Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah. 15. The sons of Josiah were: Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, Shallum. 16. The sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah, Zedekiah. 17-18. These are the sons who were born to King Jeconiah during the years that he was under house arrest: She-altiel, Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, Nedabiah. 19-20. Pedaiah was the father of Zerubbabel and Shime-i. Zerubbabel's children were: Meshullam, Hananiah, Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, Jushab-hesed, Shelomith (a daughter). 21-22. Hananiah's sons were Pelatiah and jeshaiah; Jeshaiah's son was Rephaiah; Rephaiah's son was Arnan; Arnan's son was Obadiah; Obadiah's son was Shecaniah. Shecaniah's son was Shemaiah; Shemaiah had six sons, including Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat. 23. Neariah had three sons: Eli-o-enai, Hizkiah, Azrikam. 24. Eli-o-enai had seven sons: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, Anani.
1 Chronicles 4:1. These are the sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, Shobal. 2. Shobal's son Re-aiah was the father of Jahath, the ancestor of Ahumai and Lahad. These were known as the Zorathite clans. 3-4. The descendants of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, Idbash, Hazzelelponi (his daughter), Penuel (the ancestor of Gedor), Ezer (the ancestor of Hushah), The son of Hur, the oldest son of Ephrathah, who was the father of Bethlehem. 5. Ashhur, the father of Tekoa, had two wives-Helah, and Naarah. 6. Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Nepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari; and Helah bore him Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. 8. Koz was the father of Anub and Zobebah; he was also the ancestor of the clan named after Aharhel, the son of Harum. 9. Jabez was more distinguished than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because she had such a hard time at his birth (Jabez means Distress). 10. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, Oh, that you would wonderfully bless me and help me in my work; please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all evil and disaster! And God granted him his request. ll, 12. The descendants of Recah were: Chelub (the brother of Shuhah), whose son was Mahir, the father of Eshton; Eshton was the father of Bethrapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah; Tehinnah was the father of Irnahash. 13. The sons of Kenaz were Othni-el and Seraiah. Othni-el's sons were Hathath and Meonothai; 14. Meonothai was the father of Ophrah; Seraiah was the father of Joab, the ancestor of the inhabitants of Craftsman Valley (called that because many craftsmen lived there). 15. The sons of Caleb (the son of Jephunneh): Iru, Elah, Naam. The sons of Elah included Kenaz. 16. Jehallelel's sons were: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiri-a, Asarel. 17. Ezrah's sons were: Jether, Mered, Epher, Jalon. Mered married Bithi-ah, an Egyptian princess. She was the mother of Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbahan ancestor of Eshtemoa. 18. Eshtemoa's wife was a Jewess; she was the mother of Jered, Heber, and Jekuthiel, who were, respectively, the ancestors of the Gedorites, Socoites, and Zanoahites. 19. Hodiah's wife was the sister of Naham. One of her sons was the father of Keilah the Garmite, and another was the father of Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20. The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, Ben-zoheth. 21-22. The sons of Shelah (the son of Judah): Er (the father of Lecah), Laadah (the father of Nareshah), the families of the linen workers who worked at Beth-ashbea, Jokim, the clans of Cozeba, Joash, Saraph (who was a ruler in Moab before he returned to Lehem). These names all come from very ancient records. 23. These clans were noted for their pottery, gardening, and planting; they all worked for the king:
26. Mishma's sons included Hammu-el (the father of Zaccur and grandfather of Shime-i). 27. Shime-i had sixteen sons and six daughters, but none of his brothers had large familiesthey all had fewer children than was normal in Judah. 28. They lived at Beer-sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, 29. Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30. Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31. Bethmar-caboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Sha-araim. These cities were under their control until the time of David. 32-33. Their descendants also lived in or near Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan; some were as far away as Baal. (These facts are recorded in their genealogies.) 34-39. These are the names of some of the princes of wealthy clans who traveled to the east side of Gedor Valley in search of pasture for their flocks: Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah, Joel, Jehu, Eli-o-enai, Ja-akobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adi-el, Jesimi-el, Benaiah, Ziza (the son of Shiphi, son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah).
COMMENTARY
This account of the descendants of the tribe of Judah began in chapter 2 and continues through 1 Chronicles 4:23. Judah's descendants through Perez are listed in 1 Chronicles 4:1-23. Judah was the father of five sons. His son, Perez, was the one through whom the line of David passed. 1 Chronicles 4:1 lists five generations beginning with Perez. Many of these names in 1 Chronicles 2:1-23 are not mentioned elsewhere. Hur had been named in 1 Chronicles 2:19-20. There was a village in the tribe of Judah called Tekoa. This name appears in the genealogical table (1 Chronicles 2:5). Jabez is given some special attention (1 Chronicles 2:9-10). The experience of sorrow was associated with his birth. He did not want to lead a sorrowful life so he walked with God and he was kept from evil. Buried here in an ancient family record is the affirmation that any person who will trust God can master circumstances which otherwise would defeat him. Othniel (1 Chronicles 2:13) was Caleb's nephew and Israel's judge in delivering his people from Cushan-rishathaim and the Mesopotamians (Judges 3:9-10). Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:15) is well known to us. In the hill country of Judah there was a village named Eshtemoh (Joshua 15:50). This name is very similar to the Eshtemoa of 1 Chronicles 2:17. The names of Miriam and Shammai are familiar Hebrew names. This Miriam is not to be confused with Moses-' sister. A certain wOrnan (1 Chronicles 2:18) is called the Jewess. This is most likely nothing more than a translation of the proper name Hajehudijah. Another connection with Egypt is reflected in the reference to Bithiah, Pharaoh's daughter, who became wife to Mered. Amnon (1 Chronicles 2:20) must be distinguished from David's son by the same name. A brief reference is made to Shelah's sons in 1 Chronicles 2:21-23. There were among these people some highly skilled craftsmen in the manufacture of fine linen and pottery.