Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 1 Chronicles » Chapter 4 » Verse 24-43

1 Chronicles 4:24-43 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

24 The sons H1121 of Simeon H8095 were, Nemuel, H5241 and Jamin, H3226 Jarib, H3402 Zerah, H2226 and Shaul: H7586

25 Shallum H7967 his son, H1121 Mibsam H4017 his son, H1121 Mishma H4927 his son. H1121

26 And the sons H1121 of Mishma; H4927 Hamuel H2536 his son, H1121 Zacchur H2139 his son, H1121 Shimei H8096 his son. H1121

27 And Shimei H8096 had sixteen H8337 H6240 sons H1121 and six H8337 daughters; H1323 but his brethren H251 had not many H7227 children, H1121 neither did all their family H4940 multiply, H7235 like to the children H1121 of Judah. H3063

28 And they dwelt H3427 at Beersheba, H884 and Moladah, H4137 and Hazarshual, H2705

29 And at Bilhah, H1090 and at Ezem, H6107 and at Tolad, H8434

30 And at Bethuel, H1328 and at Hormah, H2767 and at Ziklag, H6860

31 And at Bethmarcaboth, H1024 and Hazarsusim, H2702 and at Bethbirei, H1011 and at Shaaraim. H8189 These were their cities H5892 unto the reign H4427 of David. H1732

32 And their villages H2691 were, Etam, H5862 and Ain, H5871 Rimmon, H7417 and Tochen, H8507 and Ashan, H6228 five H2568 cities: H5892

33 And all their villages H2691 that were round about H5439 the same cities, H5892 unto Baal. H1168 These were their habitations, H4186 and their genealogy. H3187

34 And Meshobab, H4877 and Jamlech, H3230 and Joshah H3144 the son H1121 of Amaziah, H558

35 And Joel, H3100 and Jehu H3058 the son H1121 of Josibiah, H3143 the son H1121 of Seraiah, H8304 the son H1121 of Asiel, H6221

36 And Elioenai, H454 and Jaakobah, H3291 and Jeshohaiah, H3439 and Asaiah, H6222 and Adiel, H5717 and Jesimiel, H3450 and Benaiah, H1141

37 And Ziza H2124 the son H1121 of Shiphi, H8230 the son H1121 of Allon, H438 the son H1121 of Jedaiah, H3042 the son H1121 of Shimri, H8113 the son H1121 of Shemaiah; H8098

38 These mentioned H935 by their names H8034 were princes H5387 in their families: H4940 and the house H1004 of their fathers H1 increased H6555 greatly. H7230

39 And they went H3212 to the entrance H3996 of Gedor, H1446 even unto the east side H4217 of the valley, H1516 to seek H1245 pasture H4829 for their flocks. H6629

40 And they found H4672 fat H8082 pasture H4829 and good, H2896 and the land H776 was wide, H7342 H3027 and quiet, H8252 and peaceable; H7961 for they of Ham H2526 had dwelt H3427 there of old. H6440

41 And these written H3789 by name H8034 came H935 in the days H3117 of Hezekiah H3169 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and smote H5221 their tents, H168 and the habitations H4583 that were found H4672 there, and destroyed H2763 them utterly unto this day, H3117 and dwelt H3427 in their rooms: because there was pasture H4829 there for their flocks. H6629

42 And some of them, even of the sons H1121 of Simeon, H8095 five H2568 hundred H3967 men, H582 went H1980 to mount H2022 Seir, H8165 having for their captains H7218 Pelatiah, H6410 and Neariah, H5294 and Rephaiah, H7509 and Uzziel, H5816 the sons H1121 of Ishi. H3469

43 And they smote H5221 the rest H7611 of the Amalekites H6002 that were escaped, H6413 and dwelt H3427 there unto this day. H3117

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 4

1Ch 4:1-8. Posterity of Judah by Caleb the Son of Hur.

1. the sons of Judah—that is, "the descendants," for with the exception of Pharez, none of those here mentioned were his immediate sons. Indeed, the others are mentioned solely to introduce the name of Shobal, whose genealogy the historian intended to trace (1Ch 2:52).

1Ch 4:9-20. Of Jabez, and His Prayer.

9, 10. Jabez—was, as many think, the son of Coz, or Kenaz, and is here eulogized for his sincere and fervent piety, as well, perhaps, as for some public and patriotic works which he performed. The Jewish writers affirm that he was an eminent doctor in the law, whose reputation drew so many scribes around him that a town was called by his name (1Ch 2:55); and to the piety of his character this passage bears ample testimony. The memory of the critical circumstances which marked his birth was perpetuated in his name (compare Ge 35:15); and yet, in the development of his high talents or distinguished worth in later life, his mother must have found a satisfaction and delight that amply compensated for all her early trials. His prayer which is here recorded, and which, like Jacob's, is in the form of a vow (Ge 28:20), seems to have been uttered when he was entering on an important or critical service, for the successful execution of which he placed confidence neither on his own nor his people's prowess, but looked anxiously for the aid and blessing of God. The enterprise was in all probability the expulsion of the Canaanites from the territory he occupied; and as this was a war of extermination, which God Himself had commanded, His blessing could be the more reasonably asked and expected in preserving them from all the evils to which the undertaking might expose him. In these words, "that it may not grieve me," and which might be more literally rendered, "that I may have no more sorrow," there is an allusion to the meaning of his name, Jabez, signifying "grief"; and the import of this petition is, Let me not experience the grief which my name implies, and which my sins may well produce.

10. God granted him that which he requested—Whatever was the kind of undertaking which roused his anxieties, Jabez enjoyed a remarkable degree of prosperity, and God, in this instance, proved that He was not only the hearer, but the answerer of prayer.

13. the sons of Kenaz—the grandfather of Caleb, who from that relationship is called a Kenezite (Nu 32:12).

14. Joab, the father of the valley of Carashim—literally, "the father of the inhabitants of the valley"—"the valley of craftsmen," as the word denotes. They dwelt together, according to a custom which, independently of any law, extensively prevails in Eastern countries for persons of the same trade to inhabit the same street or the same quarter, and to follow the same occupation from father to son, through many generations. Their occupation was probably that of carpenters, and the valley where they lived seems to have been in the neighborhood of Jerusalem (Ne 11:35).

17, 18. she bare Miriam—It is difficult, as the verses stand at present, to see who is meant. The following readjustment of the text clears away the obscurity: "These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took, and she bare Miriam, and his wife Jehudijah bare Jezreel," &c.

18. Jehudijah—"the Jewess," to distinguish her from his other wife, who was an Egyptian. This passage records a very interesting fact—the marriage of an Egyptian princess to a descendant of Caleb. The marriage must have taken place in the wilderness. The barriers of a different national language and national religion kept the Hebrews separate from the Egyptians; but they did not wholly prevent intimacies, and even occasional intermarriages between private individuals of the two nations. Before such unions, however, could be sanctioned, the Egyptian party must have renounced idolatry, and this daughter of Pharaoh, as appears from her name, had become a convert to the worship of the God of Israel.

1Ch 4:21-23. Posterity of Shelah.

21. Laadah … the father … of the house of them that wrought fine linen—Here, again, is another incidental evidence that in very early times certain trades were followed by particular families among the Hebrews, apparently in hereditary succession. Their knowledge of the art of linen manufacture had been, most probably, acquired in Egypt, where the duty of bringing up families to the occupations of their forefathers was a compulsory obligation, whereas in Israel, as in many parts of Asia to this day, it was optional, though common.

22, 23. had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem—"And these are ancient things" seems a strange rendering of a proper name; and, besides, it conveys a meaning that has no bearing on the record. The following improved translation has been suggested: "Sojourned in Moab, but returned to Beth-lehem and Adaberim-athekim. These and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gedera were potters employed by the king in his own work." Gedera or Gederoth, and Netaim, belonged to the tribe of Judah, and lay on the southeast border of the Philistines' territory (Jos 15:36; 2Ch 28:18).

1Ch 4:24-43. Of Simeon.

24. The sons of Simeon—They are classed along with those of Judah, as their possession was partly taken out of the extensive territory of the latter (Jos 19:1). The difference in several particulars of the genealogy given here from that given in other passages is occasioned by some of the persons mentioned having more than one name [compare Ge 46:10; Ex 6:15; Nu 26:12].

27. his brethren had not many children—(see Nu 1:22; 26:14).

31-43. These were their cities unto the reign of David—In consequence of the sloth or cowardice of the Simeonites, some of the cities within their allotted territory were only nominally theirs. They were never taken from the Philistines until David's time, when, the Simeonites having forfeited all claim to them, he assigned them to his own tribe of Judah (1Sa 27:6).

38, 39. increased greatly, and they went to the entrance of Gedor—Simeon having only a part of the land of Judah, they were forced to seek accommodation elsewhere; but their establishment in the new and fertile pastures of Gederah was soon broken up; for, being attacked by a band of nomad plunderers, they were driven from place to place till some of them effected by force a settlement on Mount Seir.