1 Chronicles — Chapter 4

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1The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

2Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.

3These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. And their sister was named Hazzelelponi.

4Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.

5Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6Naarah bore to him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.

7The sons of Helah were Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan,

8and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Zobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.

9Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

10And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.

11Chelub the brother of Shuhah was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.

12Eshton was the father of Beth-rapha, of Paseah, and of Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These were the men of Recah.

13The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.

14Meonothai was the father of Ophrah, and Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those living in Ge-harashim, which was given this name because its people were craftsmen.

15The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.

16The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

17The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. And Mered’s wife Bithiah gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

18These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah. Mered also took a Judean wife, who gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.

19The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

20The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth.

21The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea,

22Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi-lehem. (These names are from ancient records.)

23These were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the service of the king.

24The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul.

25The sons of Shaul: Shallum, Mibsam, and Mishma.

26The sons of Mishma: Hammuel, Zaccur, and Shimei.

27Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so their whole clan did not become as numerous as the sons of Judah.

28They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual,

29Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,

30Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,

31Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David.

32And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns—

33and all their surrounding villages as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record:

34Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,

35Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel),

36Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,

37and Ziza son of Shiphi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah).

38These men listed by name were the leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly,

39and they journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, in search of pasture for their flocks.

40There they found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful, and quiet; for some Hamites had lived there formerly.

41These who were noted by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings as well as the Meunites who were there, devoting them to destruction even to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks.

42And five hundred of these Simeonites led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to Mount Seir

43and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.

1The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.

2And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.

3And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi:

4And Penuel the father of Gedor and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem.

5And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6And Naarah bare him Ahuzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.

7And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan.

8And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.

9And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

10And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

11And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the father of Eshton.

12And Eshton begat Beth-rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Rechah.

13And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath.

14And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.

15And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.

16And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.

17And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

18And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.

19And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.

20And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Ben-zoheth.

21The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, 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,

22And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And these are ancient things.

23These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.

24The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul:

25Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.

26And the sons of Mishma; Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei his son.

27And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brethren had not many children, neither did all their family multiply, like to the children of Judah.

28And they dwelt at Beer-sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-shual,

29And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad,

30And at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag,

31And at Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susim, and at Beth-birei, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign of David.

32And their villages were, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities:

33And all their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their genealogy.

34And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah,

35And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,

36And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah,

37And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah;

38These mentioned by their names were princes in their families: and the house of their fathers increased greatly.

39And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.

40And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old.

41And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.

42And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.

43And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.

1The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.

2And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.

3And these were [the sons of] the father of Etam: Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi;

4and 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 Beth-lehem.

5And Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6And Naarah bare him Ahuzzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.

7And the sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.

8And Hakkoz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.

9And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

10And 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.

11And Chelub the brother of Shuhah begat Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.

12And Eshton begat Beth-rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Recah.

13And the sons of Kenaz: Othniel, and Seraiah. And the sons of Othniel: Hathath.

14And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab the father of Ge-harashim; for they were craftsmen.

15And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the sons of Elah; and Kenaz.

16And the sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

17And the sons of Ezrah: Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon; and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

18And 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.

19And the sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

20And the sons of Shimon: Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben-zoheth.

21The 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;

22and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. And the records are ancient.

23These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah: there they dwelt with the king for his work.

24The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul;

25Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.

26And the sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son.

27And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brethren had not many children, neither did all their family multiply like to the children of Judah.

28And they dwelt at Beer-sheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual,

29and at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad,

30and at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag,

31and at Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susim, and at Beth-biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign of David.

32And their villages were Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities;

33and all their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and they have their genealogy.

34And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah,

35and Joel, and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,

36and Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah,

37and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah-

38these mentioned by name were princes in their families: and their fathers` houses increased greatly.

39And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.

40And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they that dwelt there aforetime were of Ham.

41And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the Meunim that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their stead; because there was pasture there for their flocks.

42And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.

43And they smote the remnant of the Amalekites that escaped, and have dwelt there unto this day.

1The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

2Reaiah the son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.

3These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. Their sister was Hazzelelponi.

4Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.

5Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.

7The sons of Helah: Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan,

8and Koz, who was the father of Anub, Hazzobebah, and the clans of Aharhel the son of Harum.

9Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, for she said, “I experienced pain when I gave birth to him.”

10Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only you would greatly bless me and expand my territory. May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm so I might not endure pain.” God answered his prayer.

11Kelub, the brother of Shuhah, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.

12Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir Nahash. These were the men of Recah.

13The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah.The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.

14Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those who live in the Valley of the Craftsmen, for they were craftsmen.

15The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam.The son of Elah: Kenaz.

16The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

17The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon.Mered’s wife Bithiah gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa.

18(His Judahite wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the sons of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered married.

19The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham: the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

20The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon.The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben Zoheth.

21The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea,

22Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, both of whom ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (This information is from ancient records.)

23They were the potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah; they lived there and worked for the king.

24The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul,

25his son Shallum, his son Mibsam, and his son Mishma.

26The descendants of Mishma: his son Hammuel, his son Zaccur, and his son Shimei.

27Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. But his brothers did not have many sons, so their whole clan was not as numerous as the sons of Judah.

28They lived in Beer Sheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual,

29Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,

30Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,

31Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David.

32Their settlements also included Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns,

33along with all their settlements that surrounded these towns as far as Baal. These were the places where they lived; they kept genealogical records.

34Their clan leaders were: Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,

35Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel),

36Eleoenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,

37Ziza son of Shipi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah).

38These who are named above were the leaders of their clans. Their extended families increased greatly in numbers.

39They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east of the valley, looking for pasture for their sheep.

40They found fertile and rich pasture; the land was very broad, undisturbed, and peaceful. Indeed some Hamites had been living there before that.

41The men whose names are listed came during the time of King Hezekiah of Judah and attacked the Hamites’ settlements, as well as the Meunites they discovered there, and they wiped them out, as can be seen to this very day. They dispossessed them, for they found pasture for their sheep there.

42Five hundred men of Simeon, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to the hill country of Seir

43and defeated the rest of the Amalekite refugees; they live there to this very day.

1The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

2Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath; and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.

3These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. The name of their sister was Hazzelelponi.

4Penuel was the father of Gedor and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.

5Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.

7The sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.

8Hakkoz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.

9Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him with sorrow.”

10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted him that which he requested.

11Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.

12Eshton became the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These are the men of Recah.

13The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath.

14Meonothai became the father of Ophrah: and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of Ge Harashim; for they were craftsmen.

15The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.

16The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

17The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon; and she bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

18His wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took.

19The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

20The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben Zoheth.

21The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea;

22and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. These records are ancient.

23These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah: they lived there with the king for his work.

24The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul;

25Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, and Mishma his son.

26The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son.

27Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers didn’t have many children, and all their family did not multiply like the children of Judah.

28They lived at Beersheba, Moladah, Hazarshual,

29at Bilhah, at Ezem, at Tolad,

30at Bethuel, at Hormah, at Ziklag,

31at Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, at Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities until David’s reign.

32Their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities;

33and all their villages that were around the same cities, to Baal. These were their settlements, and they have their genealogy.

34Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah the son of Amaziah,

35Joel, Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,

36Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,

37and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah—

38these mentioned by name were princes in their families. Their fathers’ houses increased greatly.

39They went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.

40They found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceful; for those who lived there before were descended from Ham.

41These written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and struck their tents. The Meunim who were found there, and they destroyed them utterly to this day, and lived in their place; because there was pasture there for their flocks.

42Some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to Mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.

43They struck the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day.

Summary
Authorship & Background
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Summary

Judah's family lines continue through Shobal, Ashhur of Tekoa, and Caleb's descendants (vv. 1-20), interrupted by Jabez's brief prayer asking God to bless him, enlarge his territory, and keep him from harm — a request God grants (vv. 9-10). The genealogy of Shelah's line and the guilds of linen workers and potters follows (vv. 21-23), then shifts to Simeon's much smaller tribe, listing its clans, cities such as Beersheba and Ziklag, and its slower growth compared to Judah (vv. 24-33). The chapter closes with Simeonite raids that displaced Hamite settlers near Gedor and Amalekites at Mount Seir, securing new pasturelands in Hezekiah's day (vv. 34-43).

Authorship & Background

Author: Traditionally attributed to Ezra the scribe. Originally one book with 2 Chronicles. Written post-exile (approximately 450-400 BC) for the returned remnant. The Chronicler retells Israel's history from a priestly/worship perspective, emphasizing the Davidic covenant, Temple worship, and God's faithfulness.
Historical Context: Chapter 4 completes the genealogy of Judah (vv.1-23) and provides the genealogy of Simeon (vv.24-43). Within the seemingly dry list of Judah's remaining clans, the Chronicler embeds a remarkable gem: the prayer of Jabez (vv.9-10). This brief narrative — only two verses — breaks the pattern of names to record a man who refused to accept the limitation of his painful name and instead called upon God for blessing. For the post-exilic community, struggling to rebuild in a land of hardship, Jabez modeled the proper response to difficult circumstances: bold prayer to the God of Israel.
Classification: Historical Narrative — Genealogy
Key Themes: Terse entries naming fathers of towns rather than fathers of sons throughout most of the chapter, a register that stops dead for two verses to quote a man's prayer by name, oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coast, craftsmen and linen workers and potters recorded by trade rather than only by descent, and Simeon's own record of taking ground in two dated raids despite a tribe absorbed into Judah's larger territory
The Families of Judah (vv.1-8): The register returns to Judah for a set of families it has not yet covered, and the entries are terse to the point of obscurity. Names are given as fathers of towns, and occupations appear without explanation. What holds the section together is not descent from a single man but occupation of a single region.
The Prayer of Jabez (vv.9-10): Two verses in which the register stops dead and quotes somebody. Jabez is introduced by the meaning of his name, because I bare him with sorrow, and then by a prayer: oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil. God granted him that which he requested. Nothing else about the man is recorded, no father, no descendants, no dates. Nine chapters of names contain one prayer, and it is his.
Further Families of Judah (vv.11-23): The list resumes and the entries become occupational. Craftsmen are recorded by trade, the valley of Charashim being the valley of craftsmen, and there are families of linen workers and potters who dwelt with the king for his work. A genealogy that records who made things is unusual, and it tells you the register was compiled for a community that needed to know which families held which trades.
The Sons of Simeon (vv.24-43): Simeon's section is longer than the tribe's later prominence would suggest and it is mostly about land. The towns are listed, with the note that these were their cities unto the reign of David, and the Chronicler observes that their families did not multiply like the children of Judah. Then two raids are recorded, one into the valley of Gedor for pasture and one against the Amalekites in mount Seir, both dated to the days of Hezekiah. The tribe absorbed into Judah is given its own record of taking ground.

Map & Geography

  • Largely parallels 1-2 Samuel geographically. Jerusalem (Zion/City of David) is the theological and political center.
  • Key sites: Hebron (David's first capital, 7 years), the threshing floor of Ornan/Araunah (future Temple site, ch.21).
  • Chapters 1-9 (genealogies) contain tribal allotments but minimal narrative geography.

Places on this map

  • JerusalemJerusalemA hill town about 2,500 feet up in the central spine of Judah, roughly 35 miles inland from the Mediterranean and 15 miles west of the Jordan. It sits on no trade route and has no river, which is why it mattered as a fortress and a sanctuary rather than as a market. Wikipedia
  • HebronHebron, West BankThe highest town in the Judean hills at about 3,000 feet, 19 miles south of Jerusalem. Abraham bought a burial cave here, and David reigned from it for seven years before moving north, so it carries both the patriarchal and the royal claim to the land. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes that the prayer of Jabez is remarkable precisely because of its context — buried within a genealogy, it shows that any individual, no matter how obscure, can approach God with bold faith. He notes that Jabez's four requests cover every dimension of life: provision, expansion, presence, and protection.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

1 Chronicles 4 Explained: 5 Minute Bible Study
2BeLikeChrist

1 Chronicles 1:1-9:34 | The Priesthood at the Center | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of 1 Chronicles -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Refusing a Name Written by Sorrow (vv.9-10) — Jabez, whose very name meant "pain," refuses to let it define him and instead prays boldly for blessing, enlarged territory, God's presence, and protection. What label from your past are you still living inside instead of bringing to God in prayer?
  • Ordinary Trades Recorded as Sacred Work (v.23) — Potters and craftsmen doing everyday work "in the king's service" are written into Scripture alongside kings and warriors. Does your everyday job feel insignificant, or can you start seeing it as service done for God?
  • A Smaller Portion, Still a Purpose (v.27) — Simeon's family did not multiply the way Judah's did, yet the tribe still finds its place within Israel. Can you accept a smaller portion than others without measuring your worth against it?
  • Finishing What God Started Generations Earlier (vv.42-43) — Five hundred Simeonites complete the destruction of Amalek that began back in Exodus, succeeding where even King Saul's army had failed. What assignment from God might still be unfinished in your life, waiting for someone willing to see it through?