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1 Chronicles Chapter Four

 

1 Chronicles 4 Outline of Contents

The Family of Judah (v.1~23)

The Family of Simeon (v.24~43)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 4

In this chapter is a further account of the tribe of Judah and of some principal families in it 1 Chronicles 4:1 and of the tribe of Simeon their families cities and villages 1 Chronicles 4:24 and of the enlargement of their borders and conquest of the Amalekites 1 Chronicles 4:39.

 

1 Chronicles 4:1  The sons of Judah were Perez Hezron Carmi Hur and Shobal.

   YLT  1Sons of Judah: Pharez Hezron and Carmi and Hur and Shobal.

The sons of Judah: Pharez .... The posterity of Judah in the line of Pharez for he only is mentioned:

Hezron and Carmi and Hur and Shobal. Hezron was the son of Pharez and Carmi is supposed to be Chelubai or Caleb the son of Hezron; and Hur the son of Caleb; and Shobal was the son of the second Caleb the son of Hur; see 1 Chronicles 2:5.

 

1 Chronicles 4:2  2 And Reaiah the son of Shobal begot Jahath and Jahath begot Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.

   YLT  2And Reaiah son of Shobal begat Jahath and Jahath begat Ahumai and Lahad; these [are] families of the Zorathite.

And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath .... Reaiah is the same with Haroeh 1 Chronicles 2:52 the names are of the same signification:

and Jahath begat Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites; who inhabited Zoreah as the Targum at least part of it; see 1 Chronicles 2:53.

 

1 Chronicles 4:3  3 These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel Ishma and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi;

   YLT  3And these [are] of the father of Etam: Jezreel and Ishma and Idbash; and the name of their sister [is] Hazzelelponi

And these were of the father of Etam .... Or of the prince of Etam: or as the Targum these are princes that dwelt in Etam a place not far from Zorah Judges 15:8 and is mentioned with Bethlehem and Tekoa in the tribe of Judah 2 Chronicles 11:6 namely which follow:

Jezreel and Ishma and Idbash; these were the sons of the governor of Etam:

and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi; who perhaps was a person of great note in those days though now unknown; indeed a Jewish chronologerF23Juchasin fol. 10. 2. tells us that the mother of Samson was Hazalelponith of the tribe of Judah.

 

1 Chronicles 4:4  4 and Penuel was the father of Gedor and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah the father of Bethlehem.

   YLT  4and Penuel [is] father of Gedor and Ezer father of Hushah. These [are] sons of Hur first-born of Ephratah father of Beth-Lehem.

And Penuel the father of Gedor .... The prince of that place according to some and the same with Hareph 1 Chronicles 2:51

and Ezer the father of Hushah: thought to be the same with Shuah 1 Chronicles 4:11

these are the sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephratah: Caleb's wife 1 Chronicles 2:19 the Targum adds the same with Miriam; and so other Jewish writersF24Shemot Rabba sect. 1. fol. 90. 4. Yalkut in 1 Chron. ii. 19. say Miriam had two names and one was Ephratah; though Josephus makesF25Antiqu. l. 3. c. 2. Hur to be her husband and not her son as here:

who was the father of Bethlehem; of the inhabitants of that city at least part of them or prince of that place as his grandson Salma also was 1 Chronicles 2:51.

 

1 Chronicles 4:5  5 And Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives Helah and Naarah.

   YLT  5And to Ashhur father of Tekoa were two wives Helah and Naarah;

And Ashur the father of Tekoa .... A son of Hezron by Abiah 1 Chronicles 2:24.

had two wives Helah and Naarah; as Lamech had polygamy not being reckoned unlawful in those times.

 

1 Chronicles 4:6  6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam Hepher Temeni and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.

   YLT  6and Naarah beareth to him Ahuzzam and Hepher and Temeni and Haahashtari: these [are] sons of Naarah.

And Naarah bare him Ahuzam and Hepher and Temeni and Haahashtari .... Of whom we have no account elsewhere:

these were the sons of Naarah; the second wife of Ashur.

 

1 Chronicles 4:7  7 The sons of Helah were Zereth Zohar and Ethnan;

   YLT  7And sons of Helah: Zereth and Zohar and Ethnan.

And the sons of Helah .... The other wife:

were Zereth and Zoar and Ethnan: nowhere else mentioned.

 

1 Chronicles 4:8  8 and Koz begot Anub Zobebah and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.

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

And Coz .... Another son of Helah and brother of the before mentioned:

begat Anub and Zobebah; of whom we nowhere else read:

and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum; these were of the posterity of Coz; the Targum is

"and the family of Aharhel this is Hur the firstborn of Miriam;'which is not at all probable.

 

1 Chronicles 4:9  9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers and his mother called his name Jabez [a] saying “Because I bore him in pain.”

   YLT  9And Jabez is honoured above his brethren and his mother called his name Jabez saying `Because I have brought forth with grief.'

And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren .... The Targum adds "and wiser in the law than his brethren;'or he might be a man of great wealth and riches or of great strength and courage all which make a man honourable; or he may be so called because a praying man as follows a man of devotion and religion a man of God see 1 Samuel 9:6 but who he was is not easy to say probably a son or brother of Harum or however that belonged to one of the families of Aharhel mentioned in the preceding verse; for that he was Othniel as say the Targumist and other Jewish writersF26T. Bab. Temurah fol. 16. 1. is not probable and besides is after spoken of distinct from him 1 Chronicles 4:13.

and his mother called his name Jabez saying because I bare him with sorrow; either with sorrow for her husband being dead or by reason of very sharp pains she endured at the birth of him; he was another Benoni.

 

1 Chronicles 4:10  10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory that Your hand would be with me and that You would keep me from evil that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

   YLT  10And Jabez calleth to the God of Israel saying `If blessing Thou dost bless me then Thou hast made great my border and Thy hand hath been with me and Thou hast kept [me] from evil -- not to grieve me;' and God bringeth in that which he asked.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel .... Or prayed to him as the Targum; though some understand it as a vow promising what he would do if God would do thus and thus for him; the Syriac and Arabic versions read in the third person taking it to be what others his parents and friends wished for him:

let him bless thee .... but they are doubtless his own words and a supplication of his to the Lord:

saying oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed; the Targum adds with children; but he no doubt prayed for greater blessings than any outward or temporal ones are even spiritual blessings covenant blessings the sure mercies of David which are solid substantial durable and irreversible:

and enlarge my coast; the Targum is "multiply my borders with disciples.'It may be understood of an enlargement of the borders of his country by expelling the Canaanites that might dwell in it and of an increase of his worldly substance for good ends and purposes; or rather of a spiritual enlargement by deliverance from spiritual enemies and of grace as to exercise; and particularly of spiritual light and knowledge and of the affections and desires of the soul after divine things see Psalm 4:1.

and that thine hand might be with me; the Targum adds in business prospering and succeeding him; the sense may be that his hand of providence might be with him to protect him of grace and love to comfort and help him in every time of need of wisdom to direct him and of power to keep him:

and that thou wouldest keep me from evil; from the evil of affliction and especially from the evil of sin and from the evil one Satan and from all evil men and evil company; the Targum is "and make me companions such as I am:'that it may not grieve me; alluding to his name Jabez which he had from the sorrow and grief of his mother; and nothing is more grieving to a good man than the evil of sin so contrary to the nature and will of God being committed against a God of infinite love grace and mercy whereby the name ways and truths of Christ are dishonoured and the Spirit of God grieved and saints are bereaved of much comfort; and therefore desire to be kept from it knowing they cannot keep themselves but the Lord can and will at least from the tyranny of it and destruction by it: the Targum is "lest the evil figment (or corruption of nature) should move or provoke me:"

and God granted him that which he requested; as he does whatever is asked in faith according to his will and will make for his glory and the good of his people; see 1 John 5:14.

 

1 Chronicles 4:11  11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah begot Mehir who was the father of Eshton.

   YLT  11And Chelub brother of Shuah begat Mehir; he [is] father of Eshton.

And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir .... If Shuah is the same with Hushah 1 Chronicles 4:4 then Chelub was the son of Ezer:

which was the father of Eshton; not the prince of a place called Eshton as Vatablus; for it is the name of a man the son of Mehir and who in the next verse is said to beget sons.

 

1 Chronicles 4:12  12 And Eshton begot Beth-Rapha Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir-Nahash. These were the men of Rechah.

   YLT  12And Eshton begat Beth-Rapha and Paseah and Tehinnah father of Ir-Nahash; these [are] men of Rechah.

And Eshton begat Bethrapha .... Or the family of Rapha:

and Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Irnahash; or the city of Nahash; Tehinnah seems to have been the prince or governor of a city so called:

these are the men of Rechah; these sons of Eshton dwelt in a place called Rechah; the Targum without any reason says these are the men of the great sanhedrim.

 

1 Chronicles 4:13  13 The sons of Kenaz were Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel were Hathath [b]

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

And the sons of Kenaz .... Who was either the son of Chelub or of Eshton:

Othniel and Seraiah; the first of these is he who is mentioned Joshua 15:17 and was the first judge in Israel:

and the son of Othniel Hathath; and the next mentioned.

 

1 Chronicles 4:14  14 and Meonothai who begot Ophrah. Seraiah begot Joab the father of Ge Harashim [c] for they were craftsmen.

   YLT  14And Meonothai begat Ophrah and Seraiah begat Joab father of the valley of artificers for they were artificers.

And Meonothai .... Another son of Othniel:

begat Ophrah; and Seraiah the brother of Othniel begat Joab; not David's general but another of the same name who lived long before him see 1 Chronicles 2:54.

the father of the valley of Charashim: of the inhabitants of the valley or the prince of them called the valley of craftsmen Nehemiah 11:35 the reason of which is here given:

for they were craftsmen; that dwelt in it carpenters and smiths both which the word signifies men that wrought in stone wood and iron.

 

1 Chronicles 4:15  15 The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh were Iru Elah and Naam. The son of Elah was Kenaz.

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

And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh .... Jephunneh is not the same with Hezron as the Targum but another son of Kenaz hence called the Kenezite Joshua 14:6 and brother of Othniel; and Caleb his son is the same that was sent one of the spies of the land of Canaan by Moses see Numbers 13:6.

his sons were Iru Elah and Naam; of whom we nowhere else read:

and the sons of Elah even Kenaz; another Kenaz or rather it should be read Uknaz; so Jarchi and Kimchi.

 

1 Chronicles 4:16  16 The sons of Jehallelel were Ziph Ziphah Tiria and Asarel.

   YLT  16And sons of Jehaleleel: Ziph and Ziphah Tiria and Asareel.

And the sons of Jehaleleel .... Who probably was the son of Uknaz:

Ziph and Ziphah Tiria and Asareel; there were two cities in the tribe of Judah of the name of Ziph Joshua 15:24 which might be called from these men or from Ziph in 1 Chronicles 2:42.

 

1 Chronicles 4:17  17 The sons of Ezrah were Jether Mered Epher and Jalon. And Mered’s wife[d] bore Miriam Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

   YLT  17And sons of Ezra [are] Jether and Mered and Epher and Jalon: and she beareth Miriam and Shammai and Ishbah father of Eshtemoa.

And the sons of Ezra .... Who was perhaps the son of Asareel last mentioned:

Jether and Mered and Epher and Jalon; only one of them Mered is after mentioned:

and she bare Miriam; which is not the name of a woman but of a man as Kimchi observes; and according to him his mother was the wife of Mered which he gathers from the next verse; though she seems to be the wife of Ezra who bare him other sons:

and Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa; a prince of a city in the tribe of Judah so called Joshua 15:50.

 

1 Chronicles 4:18  18 (His wife Jehudijah[e] bore Jered the father of Gedor Heber the father of Sochoh and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) And these were the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh whom Mered took.

   YLT  18And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered father of Gedor and Heber father of Socho and Jekuthiel father of Zanoah. And these [are] sons of Bithiah daughter of Pharaoh whom Mered took

And his wife Jehudijah .... Another wife of Ezra; or according to Kimchi of Mered; a Jewess as the word is by some rendered to distinguish her from another wife an Egyptian in the latter part of the verse:

bare Jered the father of Gedor and Heber the father of Socho and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah; who were princes as Jarchi seems rightly to observe; of several cities of these names in the tribe of Judah as of Gedor see Joshua 15:58 of Socoh Joshua 15:35 of Zanoah Joshua 15:34 the Targum interprets the names of all these men of Moses whom Pharaoh's daughter brought up; and so other Jewish writersF1T. Bab. Megillah fol. 13. 1. Vajikra Rabba sect. 1. fol. 146. 3. into which mistake they were led by what follows:

and these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh which Mered took; that is to wife; this Mered was one of the sons of Ezra 1 Chronicles 4:17 the Targum and other Jewish writersF2T. Bab. Sanhedrin fol. 19. 2. & Megillah fol. 13. 1. say this was Caleb called Mered because he rebelled against the counsel of the spies; but this contradicts their other notion of Jehudijah or Bithiah Pharaoh's daughter whom he married the one who brought up Moses since Moses was elder than Caleb; but Bithiah whom Mered married was not a daughter of Pharaoh king of Egypt but of an Israelite of this name; her sons are supposed to be those in the latter part of 1 Chronicles 4:17.

 

1 Chronicles 4:19  19 The sons of Hodiah’s wife the sister of Naham were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the Maachathite.

   YLT  19and sons of the wife of Hodiah sister of Nahom: Abi-Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.

And the sons of his wife Hodiah .... Another wife of Mered. HillerusF3Onomastic. Sacr. p. 836. takes her to be the same with Jehudijah 1 Chronicles 4:18 though someF4Michaelis in loc. take Hodiah to be the name of a man and read the words "and the sons of the wife of Hodiah"; which wife of Hodiah was

the sister of Naham; or rather Achotnaham we render the sister of Naham is the name of the first son of Hodiah as some thinkF5Beckii Not. in Targ. 1 Chron. iv. 19. :

the father of Keilah the Garmite; prince of the city of Keilah in the tribe of Judah Joshua 15:44 who sprung from the family of Garmi:

and Eshtemoa the Maachathite; the father or prince of the inhabitants of Eshtemoa another city in the same tribe see 1 Chronicles 4:17 who sprung from Maachah see 1 Chronicles 2:48.

 

1 Chronicles 4:20  20 And the sons of Shimon were Amnon Rinnah Ben-Hanan and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

   YLT  20And sons of Shimon [are] Amnon and Rinnah Ben-Hanon and Tilon; and sons of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

And the sons of Shimon .... Perhaps another son of Mered by his last wife or the same with Shammai 1 Chronicles 4:17 were

Amnon and Rinnah Benhanan and Tilon; nowhere else mentioned:

and the sons of Ishi: who it may be was the brother of Shimon or Tilon: were

Zoheth and Benzoheth; of whom we know no more than their names.

 

1 Chronicles 4:21  21 The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were Er the father of Lecah Laadah the father of Mareshah and the families of the house of the linen workers of the house of Ashbea;

   YLT  21Sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er father of Lecah and Laadah father of Mareshah and the families of the house of the service of fine linen of the house of Ashbea;

The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were .... The genealogy of the posterity of Judah in the lines of Pharez and Zerah being given and very largely in that of the former because of the honour of David and his kingdom which sprang from thence as Jarchi observes and also the King Messiah the writer returns to give an account of his posterity by Shelah a son he had by the daughter of Shuah Genesis 38:2 and the only one that had children: which were as follow:

Er the father of Lecah: prince of a city of this name in the tribe of Judah; Shelah gave him the name of Er in memory of his brother Genesis 38:3

and Laadah the father of Mareshah; prince of a city of this name in the same tribe Joshua 15:44.

and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen of the house of Ashbea; which last clause explains what house these families were of which sprang from Shelah and were employed in making fine linen; the Targum adds for the garments of kings and priests or for the curtains of the tabernacle as Jarchi; for not with the Egyptians and Greeks only fine linen was made but among the Hebrews as PausaniasF6Eliac. 1. sive l. 5. p. 294. testifies.

 

1 Chronicles 4:22  22 also Jokim the men of Chozeba and Joash; Saraph who ruled in Moab and Jashubi-Lehem. Now the records are ancient.

   YLT  22and Jokim and the men of Chozeba and Joash and Saraph who ruled over Moab and Jashubi-Lehem; and these things [are] ancient.

And Jokim .... The Vulgate Latin version is:

and he that made the sun to stand: as if Joshua was meant; and in the Talmud it isF7T. Bab. Bava Bathra fol. 91. 2. said Jokim this is Joshua who confirmed the oath to the Gibeonites; and the Targum here is

"and the prophets of the scribes that sprang from the posterity of Joshua;'but Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim and not of Judah; though some interpret it of Elimelech as Lyra observesF8So Heb. in Hieron. Trad. Heb. in Paralip. fol. 81. M. of whom the fable is that the sun stood still at his prayers as it did in Joshua's time to convert the men of Bethlehem; but Jokim is no doubt the proper name of some famous man or family that descended from Shelah:

and the men of Chozeba: which signifies a lie; and the Targum interprets it of the Gibeonites who lied to Joshua; but those were Canaanites and not of the posterity of Shelah and tribe of Judah; Chezib or Achzib a city in the tribe of Judah very probably is meant as Kimchi the very place where Shelah was born Genesis 38:5 and where dwelt some of his posterity:

and Joash and Saraph who had the dominion in Moab; some render the word "which married in Moab"; and so the Targum interprets it of Mahlon and Chilion who took wives of the daughters of Moab; but rather it is to be understood of some who were governors in Moab in the times of David when Moab was subdued by him 2 Samuel 8:2 or however were such who at one time or another made war with Moab and overcame them:

and Jashubilehem: which the Targumist understands of Boaz prince of the wise men of the school of Bethlehem and the TalmudistsF9Ut supra. (T. Bab. Bava Bathra fol. 91. 2.) of Ruth that dwelt in Bethlehem; and may be interpreted of some of the inhabitants of that place which sprang from Shelah; or rather is the name of a single man famous in his time though not now known:

and these are ancient things; an account of persons that lived in ancient times and which the writer of this book gives not on his own knowledge but by tradition or rather by inspiration.

 

1 Chronicles 4:23  23 These were the potters and those who dwell at Netaim[f] and Gederah;[g] there they dwelt with the king for his work.

   YLT  23They [are] the potters and inhabitants of Netaim and Gedera; with the king in his work they dwelt there.

These were the potters .... Or are the potters; the posterity of those men who were so famous in their day are now of mean employments: some of them made earthen pots; and some of them

dwelt among plants and hedges; or were employed in planting gardens and orchards and making fences for them; or as others think "dwelt in Netaim and Gadara" cities in the tribe of Judah:

there they dwelt with the king for his work; to make pots plant gardens and set hedges for him; either for the king of Judah or it may be for the king of Babylon where they were carried captive and now chose to remain doing those servile works for the king without the city in the fields.

 

1 Chronicles 4:24  24 The sons of Simeon were Nemuel Jamin Jarib [h] Zerah [i] and Shaul

   YLT  24Sons of Simeon: Nemuel and Jamin Jarib Zerah Shaul;

The sons of Simeon .... The account of whom next to the tribe of Judah is given before Reuben because its inheritance lay in the tribe of Judah Joshua 19:1 his sons were Nemuel the same with Jemuel Genesis 46:10.

and Jamin Jarib Zerah and Shaul; who in the place referred to is said to be the son of a Canaanitish woman; and Jarib and Zerah are the same with Jachin and Zohar there: and Obed is here omitted it may be because he died without issue; see Numbers 26:12.

 

1 Chronicles 4:25  25 Shallum his son Mibsam his son and Mishma his son.

   YLT  25Shallum his son Mibsam his son Mishma his son.

Shallum his son .... The son of Shaul and Mibsam was the son of Shallum and Mishma the son of Mibsam.

 

1 Chronicles 4:26  26 And the sons of Mishma were Hamuel his son Zacchur his son and Shimei his son.

   YLT  26And sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son Zacchur his son Shimei his son.

And the sons of Mishma .... These were Hamuel Zacchur and Shimei.

 

1 Chronicles 4:27  27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many children nor did any of their families multiply as much as the children of Judah.

   YLT  27And to Shimei [are] sixteen sons and six daughters and to his brethren there are not many sons and none of their families have multiplied as much as the sons of Judah.

And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters .... None of which are mentioned by name:

but his brethren had not many children: Hamuel and Zacchur:

neither did all their family multiply like to the children of Judah: to show the fruitfulness and great increase of which tribe the genealogical account of it in this and the two preceding chapters is given.

 

1 Chronicles 4:28  28 They dwelt at Beersheba Moladah Hazar Shual

   YLT  28And they dwell in Beer-Sheba and Moladah and Hazar-Shaul

Verses 28-31

And they dwelt at Beersheba .... posterity of Simeon; and this and the other places of their habitation are mentioned in the same order and with very little variation of names to the end of 1 Chronicles 4:31 as in Joshua 19:2 and here at 1 Chronicles 4:31 it is added:

these were their cities unto the reign of David; when according to Kimchi and other Jewish writers he expelled them from thence and restored them to the tribe of Judah.

 

1 Chronicles 4:29  29 Bilhah Ezem Tolad

   YLT  29and in Bilhah and in Ezem and in Tolad

 

1 Chronicles 4:30  30 Bethuel Hormah Ziklag

   YLT  30and in Bethuel and in Hormah and in Ziklag

 

1 Chronicles 4:31  31 Beth Marcaboth Hazar Susim Beth Biri and at Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David.

   YLT  31and in Beth-Marcaboth and in Hazar-Susim and in Beth-Birei and in Shaarim; these [are] their cities till the reigning of David.

 

1 Chronicles 4:32  32 And their villages were Etam Ain Rimmon Tochen and Ashan—five cities—

   YLT  32And their villages [are] Etam and Ain Rimmon and Tochen and Ashan five cities

And their villages were Etam and Ain Rimmon and Tochen and Ashan five cities. There are but four mentioned in Joshua 19:7 one might be added since or new built namely Tochen; these according to Kimchi were all that remained for them to dwell in in the times of David; and therefore they were obliged to seek out for new settlements for themselves and flocks as in 1 Chronicles 4:39 &c.

 

1 Chronicles 4:33  33 and all the villages that were around these cities as far as Baal.[j] These were their dwelling places and they maintained their genealogy:

   YLT  33and all their villages that [are] round about these cities unto Baal; these [are] their dwellings and they have their genealogy:

And all their villages that were round about the same cities unto Baal .... The same with Baalathbeer Joshua 19:8.

these were their habitations and their genealogy; as before described until the times of David.

 

1 Chronicles 4:34  34 Meshobab Jamlech and Joshah the son of Amaziah;

   YLT  34even Meshobab and Jamlech and Joshah son of Amaziah

Verses 34-37

And Meshobab and Jamlech .... These with those that follow to the end of 1 Chronicles 4:37 were famous men in the tribe of Simeon of rank and dignity and eminent for courage and valour as the latter part of the chapter testifies though they are nowhere else taken notice of. Jamlech as FabritiusF11Bibliothec. Gr. l. 4. c. 28. p. 294. observes is not very different from Jamblichus the name of a famous Platonic philosopher.

 

1 Chronicles 4:35  35 Joel and Jehu the son of Joshibiah the son of Seraiah the son of Asiel;

   YLT  35and Joel and Jehu son of Josibiah son of Seraiah son of Asiel

 

1 Chronicles 4:36  36 Elioenai Jaakobah Jeshohaiah Asaiah Adiel Jesimiel and Benaiah;

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

 

1 Chronicles 4:37  37 Ziza the son of Shiphi the son of Allon the son of Jedaiah the son of Shimri the son of Shemaiah—

   YLT  37and Ziza son of Shiphi son of Allon son of Jedaiah son of Shimri son of Shemaiah.

 

1 Chronicles 4:38  38 these mentioned by name were leaders in their families and their father’s house increased greatly.

   YLT  38These who are coming in by name [are] princes in their families and the house of their fathers have broken forth into a multitude;

These mentioned by their names were princes in their families .... The principal men of them heads of their fathers' houses:

and the house of their fathers increased greatly; by them so that they were obliged to seek out for new habitations as follows.

 

1 Chronicles 4:39  39 So they went to the entrance of Gedor as far as the east side of the valley to seek pasture for their flocks.

   YLT  39and they go to the entrance of Gedor unto the east of the valley to seek pasture for their flock

And they went to the entrance of Gedor .... There was a city of this name in the tribe of Judah 1 Chronicles 4:18 but this seems to be further off and perhaps is the same with Gedaris mentioned by StraboF12Geograph. l. 16. p. 522. along with Azotus and Askelon cities that belonged to the Philistines; since it was inhabited by the posterity of Ham of whom the Philistines were as in the following verse:

even unto the east side of the valley; which was near to Gedor and a suitable place:

to seek pasture for their flocks; their sheep and goats.

 

1 Chronicles 4:40  40 And they found rich good pasture and the land was broad quiet and peaceful; for some Hamites formerly lived there.

   YLT  40and they find pasture fat and good and the land broad of sides and quiet and safe for of Ham are those dwelling there before.

And they found fat pasture and good .... In or near the valley of Gedor:

and the land was wide and quiet and peaceable; there was room enough for them and their flocks and they had no enemies on either side to disturb them:

for they of Ham had dwelt there of old; either the Canaanites who descended from Canaan the son of Ham and had never been expelled from thence; or the Philistines who were a colony of the Egyptians the posterity of Ham; and these inhabitants being of this cursed race the Simeonites scrupled not to dispossess them.

 

1 Chronicles 4:41  41 These recorded by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and they attacked their tents and the Meunites who were found there and utterly destroyed them as it is to this day. So they dwelt in their place because there was pasture for their flocks there.

   YLT  41And these who are written by name come in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and smite their tents and the habitations that have been found there and devote them to destruction unto this day and dwell in their stead because pasture for their flock [is] there.

And these written by name .... Before in 1 Chronicles 4:34

came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; as Dr. LightfootF13Works vol. 1. p. 111. thinks not within the first fourteen years of his reign when the Syrian army was abroad and none dost peep out but in his last fifteen years when the army was destroyed and gone:

and smote their tents; the tents of those who dwelt there for the sake of feeding their flocks and whose pasturage the Simeonites wanted:

and the habitations that were found there; or the Meunaim or Maonites which the Septuagint Version here calls Mineans a people sometimes mentioned along with the Philistines and others: see Judges 10:11.

and destroyed them utterly unto this day: to the writing of this book; they had not then recovered their possessions:

and dwelt in their room because there was pasture there for their flocks; which was the thing they were in search of.

 

1 Chronicles 4:42  42 Now some of them five hundred men of the sons of Simeon went to Mount Seir having as their captains Pelatiah Neariah Rephaiah and Uzziel the sons of Ishi.

   YLT  42And of them of the sons of Simeon there have gone to mount Seir five hundred men and Pelatiah and Neariah and Rephaiah and Uzziel sons of Ishi at their head

And some of them even of the sons of Simeon five hundred men went to Mount Seir .... In the land of Edom:

having for their captains Pelatiah and Neariah and Rephaiah and Uzziel the sons of Ishi; these four captains are said by the ancient Rabbins to be of the tribe of Manasseh as Kimchi observes; see 1 Chronicles 5:24 but as the five hundred they were at the head of were of the sons of Simeon the captains no doubt were of the same race.

 

1 Chronicles 4:43  43 And they defeated the rest of the Amalekites who had escaped. They have dwelt there to this day.

   YLT  43and they smite the remnant of those escaped of Amalek and dwell there unto this day.

And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped .... That escaped the sword of Saul; though according to the JewsF14Midrash Esther fol. 93. 4. 100 000 of them were slain by him in one day; and of the sword of David though he is said not to leave man or woman alive 1 Samuel 27:8.

and dwelt there unto this day; in the cities of the Amalekites even of the posterity of the above; who were some of the remnant of Israel that were not carried away by the king of Assyria and who dwelt here after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity even in the times of Ezra the writer of this book; see 2 Chronicles 34:9.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Chronicles 4:9 Literally He Will Cause Pain
  2. 1 Chronicles 4:13 Septuagint and Vulgate add and Meonothai.
  3. 1 Chronicles 4:14 Literally Valley of Craftsmen
  4. 1 Chronicles 4:17 Literally she
  5. 1 Chronicles 4:18 Or His Judean wife
  6. 1 Chronicles 4:23 Literally Plants
  7. 1 Chronicles 4:23 Literally Hedges
  8. 1 Chronicles 4:24 Called Jachin in Genesis 46:10
  9. 1 Chronicles 4:24 Called Zohar in Genesis 46:10
  10. 1 Chronicles 4:33 Or Baalath Beer (compare Joshua 19:8)