I Chronicles 7, The Descendants of the Seven Remaining Sons of Jacob

In the past few chapters, the author of the scroll of Chronicles has traced the descendants of Judah and Levi, along with those who came from the transjordan tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh. In this chapter we concentrate on Issachar, Naphtali, Manasseh (west of the Jordan), Ephraim and Asher. (And maybe Dan?) We also look briefly at some descendants of Benjamin.

1 Chronicles 7:1-5, The descendants of Issachar
The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron--four in all.

•   The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel--heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered 22,600.
•   The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs. According to their family genealogy, they had 36,000 men ready for battle, for they had many wives and children. 
•   The relatives who were fighting men belonging to all the clans of Issachar, as listed in their genealogy, were 87,000 in all.

Payne argues that the Hebrew word eleph (אֶלֶף), translated here as "thousands" should really be translated "clans" or "chiefs", so that, for example, the clans of Issachar included 87 chiefs, not 87000 people.

1 Chronicles 7:6-12, The descendants of Benjamin

Three sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker and Jediael.

•   The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families--five in all. Their genealogical record listed 22,034 fighting men.
•   The sons of Beker: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker. Their genealogical record listed the heads of families and 20,200 fighting men.
•   The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar. All these sons of Jediael were heads of families. There were 17,200 fighting men ready to go out to war.

  The Shuppites and Huppites were the descendants of Ir, and the Hushites the descendants of Aher.

The next chapter, chapter 8, will concentrate further on the descendants of Benjamin. In verse 7, Payne argues that the correct translation of "22,034 fighting men" is "22 chiefs, 34 men." Payne suggests that the names Ir and Aher are shortened form of Iri (see verse 7, above) and Aharah (see 1 Chronicles 8:1.)

The tribe of Dan is not seem to be in these genealogies. One rendering of the last phrase of verse 12, instead of "descendants of Aher" is "descendants of other [tribe]." Payne agrees with the NIV translation (italicized in blue, above) while Corduan thinks that Hushim (of whom the Hushites were named) was of the tribe of Dan and so sees this as a brief statement about that tribe. There seems to be little known about the descendants of Dan. In Numbers 26:42-43 all we have is that they became Shuhamite clans with a total of 64,400 people (or 64 chiefs, 400 people.)

1 Chronicles 7:13, The sons of Naphtali

The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem--the descendants of Bilhah.

This passage merely repeats information from Genesis 46:24. For some reason we go no further in the Naphtali line.

1 Chronicles 7: 14-19, The descendants of Manasseh

The descendants of Manasseh: Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead.

•   Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister's name was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters. Makir's wife Maacah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh.  His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.
•   The son of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh. His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer and Mahlah.
•   The sons of Shemida were: Ahian, Shechem, Likhi and Aniam.

We have a complicated description of the descendants of Manasseh, with some names of wives and concubines.

1 Chronicles 7:20-29, The descendants of Ephraim

The descendants of Ephraim: Shuthelah, 

  Bered his son, 

  Tahath his son, 

  Eleadah his son, 

  Tahath his son,  

  Zabad his son 

and 

  Shuthelah his son. 

Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock. Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. Then he lay with his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his family.

  His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.

  Rephah was his son, 

  Resheph his son, 

  Telah his son, 

  Tahan his son,

  Ladan his son, 

  Ammihud his son, 

  Elishama his son,

  Nun his son

and 

  Joshua his son.

Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages. Along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.
 

The killing of Ezer and Elead in verse 21 is unique to 1 Chronicles. We find in verses 24 to 27 the lineage of Joshua.

1 Chronicles 7: 30-40, The descendants of Asher

The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.

•   The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.
•   Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer and Hotham and of their sister Shua.
•   The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal and Ashvath. These were Japhlet's sons. The sons of Shomer: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah and Aram. The sons of his brother Helem: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal.
•   The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran and Beera.
•   The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispah and Ara.
•   The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel and Rizia.

All these were descendants of Asher--heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders. The number of men ready for battle, as listed in their genealogy, was 26,000.

 

We have here five or more generations of descendants of Asher. It is not clear how Jether and Ulla fit into the genealogy; Payne suggests that Ulla is a variant of Ara, one line above.

Sons of Asher and Beriah, along with Beriah's sister, Serah, appear in Genesis 46:17.

First published April 8, 2024; updated January 13, 2027

I Chronicles 6, The Descendants of Levi

After listing descendants in the three transjordan tribes (Dan, Gad, Manasseh), our author moves on to cover the important descendants of Levi. These include descendants of Aaron, who can serve as priests, and other descendants of Levi who will serve in worship in some way.

This is long chapter. I comment further on that at the end of this post.

1 Chronicles 6:1-15, The descendants of Aaron
The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

  The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

  The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. 

  The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

  Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, 

  Phinehas the father of Abishua,

  Abishua the father of Bukki, 

  Bukki the father of Uzzi,

  Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, 

  Zerahiah the father of Meraioth,

  Meraioth the father of Amariah,

  Amariah the father of Ahitub,

  Ahitub the father of Zadok, 

  Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,

  Ahimaaz the father of Azariah, 

  Azariah the father of Johanan,

  Johanan the father of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),

   Azariah the father of Amariah, 

  Amariah the father of Ahitub,

  Ahitub the father of Zadok, 

  Zadok the father of Shallum,

  Shallum the father of Hilkiah, 

  Hilkiah the father of Azariah,

  Azariah the father of Seraiah, 

and 

  Seraiah the father of Jehozadak. Jehozadak was deported when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

Twenty-five generations from Levi are listed here. These are the descendants of Aaron, so people in this line can be priests. Corduan writes 

"Two names that will come up again are Zadok, who was a high priest during David’s time, and Hilkiah, who precipitated a revival at the time of King Josiah."

Some of this information appears in Numbers 26:57-61. But most of these genealogies are new to the Old Testament record. Note that a number of names occur several times, descendants choosing the name of an ancestor. Payne argues that there is good reason to assume that "father of" may mean "ancestor of" and so there are probably some generations skipped.

1 Chronicles 6:16-30, The descendants of Levi

The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 

These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei. 

The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. 

These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers: Of Gershon: 

  Libni his son, 

  Jehath his son, 

  Zimmah his son, 

  Joah his son, 

  Iddo his son, 

  Zerah his son 

and 

  Jeatherai his son.

 

The descendants of Kohath: 

  Amminadab his son, 

  Korah his son, 

  Assir his son,

  Elkanah his son, 

  Ebi asaph his son, 

  Assir his son, 

  Tahath his son, 

  Uriel his son, 

  Uzziah his son 

and 

  Shaul his son.

The descendants of Elkanah: 

  Amasai, 

  Ahimoth, 

  Elkanah his son, 

  Zophai his son, 

  Nahath his son, 

  Eliab his son, 

  Jeroham his son, 

  Elkanah his son 

and 

  Samuel his son.

The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second son.

The descendants of Merari: 

  Mahli, 

  Libni his son, 

  Shimei his son, 

  Uzzah his son, 

  Shimea his son, 

  Haggiah his son 

and 

  Asaiah his son.

The Elkanah in verse 27 is the husband of Hannah, father of Samuel, from 1 Samuel 1.

1 Chronicles 6:31-47, Music ministers in the tabernacle

These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them. Here are the men who served, together with their sons: 

From the Kohathites: 

  Heman, the musician, 

  the son of Joel, 

  the son of Samuel, 

  the son of Elkanah, 

  the son of Jeroham, 

  the son of Eliel, 

  the son of Toah, 

  the son of Zuph, 

  the son of Elkanah, 

  the son of Mahath, 

  the son of Amasai, 

  the son of Elkanah, 

  the son of Joel, 

  the son of Azariah, 

  the son of Zephaniah, 

  the son of Tahath, 

  the son of Assir, 

  the son of Ebiasaph, 

  the son of Korah, 

  the son of Izhar, 

  the son of Kohath, 

  the son of Levi, 

  the son of Israel; 

and Heman's associate Asaph, who served at his right hand: 

  Asaph son of Berekiah, 

  the son of Shimea, 

  the son of Michael, 

  the son of Baaseiah, 

  the son of Malkijah, 

  the son of Ethni, 

  the son of Zerah, 

  the son of Adaiah, 

  the son of Ethan, 

  the son of Zimmah, 

  the son of Shimei, 

  the son of Jahath, 

  the son of Gershon, 

  the son of Levi; 

and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand: 

  Ethan son of Kishi, 

  the son of Abdi, 

  the son of Malluch, 

  the son of Hashabiah, 

  the son of Amaziah, 

  the son of Hilkiah, 

  the son of Amzi, 

  the son of Bani, 

  the son of Shemer,

  the son of Mahli, 

  the son of Mushi, 

  the son of Merari, 

  the son of Levi.

This record will be important when Ezra records who can serve in the rebuilt Jerusalem, after the Babylonian captivity. (See, for example. Ezra 2.) Early descendants of Levi appear in Exodus 6:16-25.

In Numbers 16, Korah instigated a rebellion against Moses and he and his rebellious party were destroyed by God but Korah's sons were spared (Numbers 26:9-11) . The descendants of Korah were called the Korahites. Here Korah's descendants are assigned as a group in charge of temple music and thirteen psalms are attributed to the Sons of Korah. It is likely that the Sons of Korah was a guild that lasted for numerous generations.

Heman, listed in verse 33, is a grandson of Samuel. He is described as an author, along with the Sons of Korah, of Psalm 88. Ethan, in verse 42, is listed as the author of Psalm 89. Asaph, in verse 39, is given as the author of twelve psalms: 50, 73—83. 

1 Chronicles 6:48-60, The descendants of Aaron

Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God. But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

These were the descendants of Aaron: 

  Eleazar his son, 

  Phinehas his son, 

  Abishua his son, 

  Bukki his son, 

  Uzzi his son, 

  Zerahiah his son,

  Meraioth his son, 

  Amariah his son, 

  Ahitub his son, 

  Zadok his son 

and 

  Ahimaaz his son.

These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them): They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands. But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands.

And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. These towns, which were distributed among the Kohathite clans, were thirteen in all.

The descendants of Aaron, listed in verses 50 to 53, repeat information given at the beginning of the chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:61-69, Assignments of land

The rest of Kohath's descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.
 

The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.

The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns and their pasturelands. From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns. Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim. In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer, Jokmeam, Beth Horon, Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands.

After giving the genealogies of the descendants of Levi, the Chronicler lists towns given to the Levites. The tribe of Levi was to be dispersed as priests among the other tribes and this account records that dispersion.

1 Chronicles 6:70-81, The descendants of Levi

And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

The Gershonites received the following: 

•   From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands;
•   from the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;
•    from the tribe of Asher they received Mashal, Abdon, Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands;
•   and from the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.

The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following: 

•   From the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands;
•   from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho they received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands;
•   and from the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands.

We have more details on land given to various Levites.

One of my objectives in writing this blog is to force myself to carefully observe the Old Testament text, to study each paragraph, every passage. By commenting on each paragraph, I demonstrate that I have carefully read the paragraph and reacted to it. However, on long genealogies such as those in this chapter, there is really little I can say. This material was important to the Jews rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple after the Babylonian captivity. We will see, in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, that scrupulous genealogical records were important for demonstrating one's right to be a citizen of Israel and especially for serving in the Second Temple. But for the rest of us, 2500 years later, this chapter is mostly a tedious list of names and towns. 

I am impressed with the details of this genealogical record. From Levi to Jehozadak in the first few verses is at least 25 generations! This requires a consistent emphasis on family records, across centuries! To put that in perspective, with the help of modern genealogical sites such as familysearch.org (many of them run by the LDS), I have attempted to trace my ancestry some distance. If the lines are to be believed, 22 generations back in my ancestry is King Robert II of Scotland (indeed through a legitimate daughter, Elizabeth.) But I suspect that that lineage is speculative in spots and, given Robert's more than two dozen children (via wives and "concubines"), there are probably millions of living descendants of Robert II.

The commentary by J. Barton Payne includes a chart which traces the descendants of Levi. I attach a .png file created by scanning that chart. (Given the complexity of this chart, one probably must zoom in a bit to read the names.)

First published April 6, 2024; updated January 9, 2027

I Chronicles 5, The Genealogy of the Transjordan Tribes

After the genealogy of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, our Chronicler describes, briefly, the lines of the tribes that settled east of the Jordan.

1 Chronicles 5:1-10, The descendants of Reuben
The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)-- the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.

The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead. During Saul's reign they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead.

Payne says that the material from verse 4, "The descendants of Joel...", is new and unique to Chronicles. 

The tribe of Reuben settled east of the Jordan. All of the tribes in this chapter lived in the transjordan region.

1 Chronicles 5:11-17, The descendants of Gad

The Gadites lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salecah: Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.

Their relatives, by families, were: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber--seven in all. These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz. Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.

The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended. All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.

The tribe of Gad settled north of Dan, still east of the Jordan. The author records that during the reigns of Jotham (Judah) and Jeroboam (Israel), there was a recording of genealogies. This probably occurred about 750 BC, towards the end of the reign of Jeroboam II and the beginning of the reign of Jotham.

1 Chronicles 5:18-22, The transjordan tribes against the Hagrites
The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service--able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab.

They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.  They seized the livestock of the Hagrites--fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, and many others fell slain, because the battle was God's. And they occupied the land until the exile.

This appears to recount a battle between the transjordan tribes and the Hagrites, apparently descendants of Hagar and Ishmael. 

1 Chronicles 5:23-26, The descendants of Manasseh

The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon). 

These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. 

They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families.  But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.

As we follow the nation of Israel through the books of Joshua-Samuel-Kings, we watch the nation, and the transjordan tribes in particular, embrace the religion of the Canaanites. All of that history is shortened here to explain that that paganism led to the conquest of these tribes by Assyria, around 722 BC.

First published April 5, 2024; updated January 11, 2027

I Chronicles 4, The Descendants of Judah and Simeon

We return to describe descendants of Judah. J. Barton Payne says that these descendants do not appear elsewhere in the Old Testament and so the Chronicler is relying on sources we no longer have.

1 Chronicles 4:1-8, More on the descendants of Israel
The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur and Shobal.

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

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

Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. 

These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and father of Bethlehem.

Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni and Haahashtari. 

These were the descendants of Naarah. The sons of Helah: Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.

In verse 1 the descendants of Judah are not the sons of Judah but a lineage: Judah then Perez then Hezron, etc..

1 Chronicles 4:9-20, Eight leaders in Judah

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

Kelub, Shuhah's brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These were the men of Recah.

The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. 

The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai. 

Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. 

Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of Ge Harashim. It was called this because its people were craftsmen.

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

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

The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. 

One of Mered's wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. (His Judean wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the children of Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah, whom Mered had married.

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

The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon. 

The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.

Payne says that this list covers eight leaders of Judah: Jabez, Kelub, Kenaz, Jehallelel, Ezeah, Hodiah, Shimon and Ishi. 

Jabez means "he causes pain." Despite his mother's pain, Jabez asks God to bless him and God granted that request. Modern author David Wilkinson has taken, from this single comment about Jabez, to write a book and start a movement, The Prayer of Jabez. After having just worked through the book of Job, I find that message a bit disconcerting!

1 Chronicles 4:21-23, Shelah's clan
The 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, Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (These records are from ancient times.) They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they stayed there and worked for the king.
 

The Chronicler notes using records from ancient times, times ancient to this ancient writer. Winfried Corduan, of The Gospel Coalition commentary on 1 Chronicles, notes that two men are recorded as ruling in Moab, presumably with Moabite wives. Some of the ancient Jews, just like David, had Moabites in their family history.

1 Chronicles 4:24-43, The descendants of Simeon

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

Shallum was Shaul's son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son. 

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

Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David.

Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan--five towns--and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record. Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.

The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.

The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks.

And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir. They killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.

The tribe of Simeon has a strange history in the records of Joshua-Judges-Samuel-Kings. In Joshua 19:9, Simeon is recorded as being within the boundaries of Judah. In Joshua 15:20-32, we see, amongst a long list of towns of Judah: Moladah, Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Ezem, Eltolad, Hormah,  Ziklag, Hazar Shual, Ain and Rimmon, all listed also in verses 28 to 32 here as towns of Simeon. The Masoretic Text does not include the tribe of Simeon in the blessings of Moses in Deuteronomy 33. Payne argues that because of the massacre of Shechem in Genesis 34 (after the rape of Dinah) both the descendants of Levi and Simeon were condemned to be dispersed among the other tribes. According to verses 41-43 here, in the days of King Hezekiah (c. 700 BC), a number of Simeonites migrated eastward into the land of Edom (says Corduan) where they survived the Babylonian invasion.

First published April 4, 2024; updated January 9, 2027

I Chronicles 3, Descendants of David

We have now reached the line of David. This chapter will follow that line, looking at David's descendants, continuing through the Babylonian captivity to about 500 BC.

1 Chronicles 3:1-9, The sons of David
These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.

These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, and these were the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. 

These four were by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel. There were also Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet--nine in all. All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

The sons of David are also given in 2 Samuel 3:1-5. (There Daniel is named Kileab.) The rest of 2 Samuel describes the life of David and his household, including David's affair with Bathsheba, the rape of Tamar, the murder of Amnon by Absalom and other "highlights" of David's reign.

1 Chronicles 3:10-16, The royal line of Solomon

Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Jehoram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, Amon his son, Josiah his son. 

The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second son, Zedekiah the third, Shallum the fourth. The successors of Jehoiakim: Jehoiachin his son, and Zedekiah.

We track here the descendants of Solomon, many of whom are kings of Judah. Ahaziah also went by the name Uzziah. Shallum is apparently the same as Jehoahaz. This is the first we hear of Josiah's firstborn, Johanan (says Payne); presumably Johanan died young, before there were any issues about succession to the throne.

1 Chronicles 3:17-24, Descendants after the exile

The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive: Shealtiel his son, Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah. 

The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. 

The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister. There were also five others: Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-Hesed.

The descendants of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah and of Shecaniah. 

The descendants of Shecaniah: Shemaiah and his sons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat--six in all. 

The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam--three in all. 

The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani--seven in all.

In verse 22 the Chronicler lists five sons of Shemaiah, but says there are six in all. Over the centuries of manuscripts, apparently one name has been lost.

The descendants of David after the exile will not be kings (as Judah is still controlled by Babylon) but they are important for the lineage of Jews rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. And they continue to track the Messianic line. Some of these descendants will show up in Ezra's recount of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Jeconiah, Shealtiel, and Zerubbabel appear in the lineage of Messiah Jesus in Matthew 1:12 and Luke 3:27.

First published April 3, 2024; updated January 8, 2027

I Chronicles 2, From Israel to David

The first chapter of 1 Chronicles covers the time from Adam to Jacob/Israel. We now look at the descendants of Israel.

1 Chronicles 2:1-2, The descendants of Israel
These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

The twelve sons of Jacob/Israel are listed. The first four are sons of Leah, in order of birth. But after that the reason for this order is not clear. Issachar and Zebulan were also sons of Leah, but were born after Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. Dan and Naphtali were sons of Bilhah. Gad and Asher were sons of Zilpah. The youngest in the list were Joseph, then Benjamin, sons of Rachel.

The Chronicler focuses first on the descendants of Judah, as this is the branch that produces the Davidic dynasty.

1 Chronicles 2:3-9, From Judah to Hezron

The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death.
 

Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
 

The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol and Darda --five in all.

The son of Carmi: Achar, who brought trouble on Israel by violating the ban on taking devoted things.

The son of Ethan: Azariah.

The sons born to Hezron were: Jerahmeel, Ram and Caleb.
 

Hezron was a grandson of Judah through Perez. The Chronicler will now follow descendants of Hezron as they lead us to David.

The first few names in this passage come from Genesis 35:22-26.

The names Ethan, Heman, Calcol and Darda in verse 6 show up in 1 Kings 4:31 where Heman, Calcol and Darda are all sons of Mahol. Presumably the Chronicler is skipping over generations as he lists the most important people. In addition, Carmi/Karmi is a son of Zimri, according to Joshua 7:1. It is worth repeating that the Hebrew phrases "son of" or "father of" allow generations to be skipped and so may be interpreted as "descendant of" or "ancestor of." In addition, many of the ancient Hebrew texts differ slightly on the spelling of some of the lesser known people.

1 Chronicles 2:10-17, The descendants of Ram
Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, the leader of the people of Judah.

Nahshon was the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed and Obed the father of Jesse.

Jesse was the father of Eliab his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, the third Shimea, the fourth Nethanel, the fifth Raddai, the sixth Ozem and the seventh David. Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah's three sons were Abishai, Joab and Asahel.

Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.

 

Descending from Ram are Boaz and then Jesse, the father of David. Ruth 4:19-22 also has the lineage of David. 1 Samuel 16:6-11 also lists the sons of Jesse. There we are told Jesse's eighth son was David.

Sons of Zeruiah are given in 2 Samuel 2:18 ; Abigail is given as the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah in 2 Samuel 17:25.

1 Chronicles 2:18-24, The descendants of Caleb

Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah (and by Jerioth). These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab and Ardon.

When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri the father of Bezalel.

Later, Hezron lay with the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead (he had married her when he was sixty years old), and she bore him Segub. Segub was the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three towns in Gilead. (But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair, as well as Kenath with its surrounding settlements--sixty towns.) All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead.
 

After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.
 

The man Caleb, here, lived centuries before the more famous Caleb, who with Joshua, first entered the land of Canaan.

We will focus, for a time, on the descendants of Hezron.

1 Chronicles 2:25-41, The descendants of Jerahmeel

The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron: Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah. Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.

 

The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel: Maaz, Jamin and Eker.

The sons of Onam: Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur.

Abishur's wife was named Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.

The sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.

The son of Appaim: Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan. Sheshan was the father of Ahlai.

The sons of Jada, Shammai's brother: Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.

The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.

Sheshan had no sons--only daughters. He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai.

Attai was the father of Nathan, Nathan the father of Zabad, Zabad the father of Ephlal, Ephlal the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jehu, Jehu the father of Azariah, Azariah the father of Helez, Helez the father of Eleasah, Eleasah the father of Sismai, Sismai the father of Shallum, Shallum the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah the father of Elishama.

According to J. Barton Payne, the individuals in verses 28-41 do not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament. The Chronicler is now using some source other than the Torah or the scrolls of Samuel and Kings.

1 Chronicles 2:42-55, The descendants of Caleb

The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel: Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and his son Mareshah, who was the father of Hebron.

The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema. Shema was the father of Raham, and Raham the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beth Zur.

Caleb's concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.

The sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph.

Caleb's concubine Maacah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah. She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah and to Sheva the father of Macbenah and Gibea. Caleb's daughter was Acsah.

These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim, Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.

The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were: Haroeh, half the Manahathites, and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.

The descendants of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, and the clans of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Recab.

The author's goal is David, the great shepherd-king.

Payne says that Ephrathah, in verse 50, is a variant of Ephrath, Caleb's wife (verse 19.) Bethlehem of Ephrathah is an important small town in the history of Israel!

In Genesis 15:18-21, the Kenites are listed as a foreign tribe. Here, in verse 55, they have been absorbed into the descendants of Jacob, presumably by intermarriage. The Kenites, along with the descendants of Jerahmeel, are recipients of gifts of plunder from David in 1 Samuel 30:26-31.

The house of Recab reappears very briefly in 2 Kings 10:15 and then more significantly in Jeremiah 35:6-10 as a nomadic commune.

The commentary by J. Barton Payne includes a chart which traces the descendants of Judah.  I attach a .png file created by scanning that chart. (Given the complexity of this chart, one probably must zoom in a bit to read the names.)

First published April 2, 2024; updated January 7, 2027

I Chronicles 1, From Adam to Edom

The first chapters of 1 Chronicles provide detailed genealogies in preparation for later tracking of the descendants of Jacob and the history of the early life of the Hebrews in Canaan.

1 Chronicles 1:1-4, The descendants of Adam
Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.

The sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Here are the descendants of Adam, one line, without branches, to Noah. When we arrive at Noah, we have three branches caused by three sons.

This genealogy can be found in Genesis 5.

1 Chronicles 1:5-7, The descendants of Japheth
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.

The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath  and Togarmah.

The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim and the Rodanim.
 

The descendants of Japheth, son of Noah, are tracked through several generations.

1 Chronicles 1:8-16, The descendants of Ham

The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan.

The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
 

Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on earth.

Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.

Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.

The descendants of Ham, son of Noah, are also tracked through several generations. These generations are given in the "Table of Nations", Genesis 10.

1 Chronicles 1:17-27, From Shem to Abram

The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech.

Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah the father of Eber. 

Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan. 

Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. 

All these were sons of Joktan. Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah and Abram (that is, Abraham).

The word translated "sons" could mean "descendants" and "father of" may merely mean "ancestor of". 

The genealogies of Genesis 10 are picked up again in Genesis 11:10-28, getting us to Abraham.

1 Chronicles 1:28-33, The children of Abraham
The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael.

These were their descendants: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

The sons born to Keturah, Abraham's concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

These genealogies, following the children of Abraham, come from Genesis 25:1-16.

1 Chronicles 1:34-42, The descendants of Esau

Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.

The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam and Korah.

The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz; by Timna: Amalek.

The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.

The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.

The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan's sister.

The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah.

The son of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.

The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. 

The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
 

After tracing the line of Ishmael, the Chronicler turns to the line of Esau, son of Isaac. The goal is to cover these peripheral lines before focusing on Jacob and his descendants.

This material appears to come from Genesis 36, which Payne calls "The Table of Edom."

The "land of Uz" (see verse 42, above) shows up in Job 1:1.

1 Chronicles 1:43-54, Kings of Edom

These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned: Bela son of Beor, whose city was named Dinhabah. 

When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah succeeded him as king. 

When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king. 

When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith.

When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king.

When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river succeeded him as king.

When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor succeeded him as king.

When Baal-Hanan died, Hadad succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab. Hadad also died. 

The chiefs of Edom were: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.

Teman shows up in Job 2:11 as an ancestor of Eliphaz.

Payne argues that all of this material, except the death of Hadad, can be found in Genesis. Presumably Genesis is the source of the Chronicler's account here.

Wikipedia has an interesting article on the genealogies of Genesis.

First published April 1, 2024; updated January 6, 2027