CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>1 Chronicles 4 Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/commentaries/expositors/1_chronicles/4.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/5001com.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 4800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 4800px)" href="/4801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1550px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1550px)" href="/1551.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1250px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1250px)" href="/1251.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 1050px), only screen and (max-device-width: 1050px)" href="/1051.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 900px), only screen and (max-device-width: 900px)" href="/901.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 800px), only screen and (max-device-width: 800px)" href="/801.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-width: 575px), only screen and (max-device-width: 575px)" href="/501.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link media="handheld, only screen and (max-height: 450px), only screen and (max-device-height: 450px)" href="/h451.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_chronicles/4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcom/1_chronicles/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/commentaries/">Commentary</a> > <a href="../">Ellicott</a> > <a href="../1_chronicles/">1 Chronicles</a></div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_chronicles/3.htm" title="1 Chronicles 3">◄</a> 1 Chronicles 4 <a href="../1_chronicles/5.htm" title="1 Chronicles 5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</div><div class="chap"><span class= "bld">IV.<p>1 Chronicles 4.</span> comprises (1) a compilation of fragmentary notices relating to the clans of Judah, their settlements and handicrafts, at an epoch which is not determined: this section serves at once as a supplement to the account of Judah already given in 1 Chronicles 1, 3, and as a first instalment of the similar survey of the other tribes which follows (<a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-24.htm" title="The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul:">1Chronicles 4:24-27</a>); (2) similar notices relating to the tribe of Simeon (24-38).<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-1.htm">1 Chronicles 4:1</a></div><div class="verse">The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.</div>(1) <span class= "bld">The sons of Judah.</span>—Pharez only of these five was literally a <span class= "ital">son</span> of Judah, <a href="/context/1_chronicles/2-3.htm" title="The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born to him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.">1Chronicles 2:3-4</a>. We have, however, seen that all these names, with the possible exception of Carmi, represent great tribal divisions or clans; and as such they are called sons of Judah. For Carmi it is proposed to read the more famous name of Chelubai (<a href="/1_chronicles/2-9.htm" title="The sons also of Hezron, that were born to him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.">1Chronicles 2:9</a>). This would give a line of direct descendants from Judah to the fifth generation, according to the genealogical presentation of <a href="/1_chronicles/2-4.htm" title="And Tamar his daughter in law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.">1Chronicles 2:4</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/2-9.htm" title="The sons also of Hezron, that were born to him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.">1Chronicles 2:9</a>; <a href="/context/1_chronicles/2-18.htm" title="And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.">1Chronicles 2:18-19</a>. But the result thus obtained is of no special value. It has no bearing on the remainder of the section. Moreover, Carmi is mentioned (<a href="/1_chronicles/2-7.htm" title="And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.">1Chronicles 2:7</a>) among the great Judean houses, and might have been prominent in numbers and influence at the unknown period when the original of the present list was drafted.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-2.htm">1 Chronicles 4:2</a></div><div class="verse">And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These <i>are</i> the families of the Zorathites.</div>(2-4) Branches and settlements of the Hurites.<p>(2) <span class= "bld">Reaiah </span>(<span class= "ital">or</span> Jehoraah) <span class= "bld">the son of Shobal</span> <span class= "bld">. . .</span>—See <a href="/1_chronicles/2-52.htm" title="And Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites.">1Chronicles 2:52</a>, which also calls Shobal “father of Kirjath-jearim.” <a href="/1_chronicles/2-53.htm" title="And the families of Kirjathjearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites,">1Chronicles 2:53</a> adds that the Zorathites (Authorised Version, <span class= "ital">Zareathites</span>) came of the clans of Kirjath-jearim. The present verse supplements the data of 1 Chronicles 2, by putting the clans of Zorah in immediate genealogical connection with Shobal. Their names—Ahumai and Lahad—occur nowhere else.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-3.htm">1 Chronicles 4:3</a></div><div class="verse">And these <i>were of</i> the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister <i>was</i> Hazelelponi:</div>(3) <span class= "bld">And these were of the father of Etam.</span>—Heb., <span class= "ital">And these </span>(<span class= "ital">were</span>)<span class= "ital"> the father of Etam.</span> Some MSS., the LXX., and the Vulg. read “and these (were) the sons of Etam;” other MSS., with the Syriac and Arabic versions, have “the sons of the father of Etam.” Both variants look like evasions of a difficulty. The unusual expression “and these—Abi-Etam” may be a brief way of stating that the clans whose names are given were the dominant houses of Etam (or Abi-etam; compare Abiezer, <a href="/judges/7-11.htm" title="And you shall hear what they say; and afterward shall your hands be strengthened to go down to the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant to the outside of the armed men that were in the host.">Judges 7:11</a>; <a href="/judges/8-2.htm" title="And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?">Judges 8:2</a>). Etam is known from the history of Samson (<a href="/judges/15-8.htm" title="And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelled in the top of the rock Etam.">Judges 15:8</a>, and <a href="/2_chronicles/11-6.htm" title="He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,">2Chronicles 11:6</a>); Jezreel—not Ahab’s capital—from <a href="/joshua/15-56.htm" title="And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,">Joshua 15:56</a>, and as the city of Ahinoam, wife of David, from <a href="/1_chronicles/3-1.htm" title="Now these were the sons of David, which were born to him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:">1Chronicles 3:1</a>. Both places were in the hill-country of Judah. The other three names are unknown.<p><span class= "bld">Their sister.</span>—<span class= "ital">Their sister-town</span> (see <a href="/1_chronicles/1-39.htm" title="And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.">1Chronicles 1:39</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/1-52.htm" title="Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,">1Chronicles 1:52</a>, and Notes).<p><span class= "bld">Hazelelponi.</span>—Means “make shadow, O thou that regardest me!”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-4.htm">1 Chronicles 4:4</a></div><div class="verse">And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These <i>are</i> the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem.</div>(4) <span class= "bld">And Penuel the father of Gedor.</span>—Penuel occurs as a trans-Jordan town in <a href="/judges/8-8.htm" title="And he went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.">Judges 8:8</a>, and elsewhere. Here a Judean town or clan is meant.<p><span class= "bld">Gedor.</span>—See <a href="/1_chronicles/2-51.htm" title="Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Bethgader.">1Chronicles 2:51</a>, and Note; <a href="/joshua/15-58.htm" title="Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor,">Joshua 15:58</a>. Now the ruin called Jedur.<p><span class= "bld">Ezer the father of Hushah.</span>—Ezer occurs as a name of clans and localities, as well as of persons. (Comp. <a href="/judges/7-24.htm" title="And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters to Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters to Bethbarah and Jordan.">Judges 7:24</a>, Abi-ezri; <a href="/1_chronicles/8-2.htm" title="Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.">1Chronicles 8:2</a>, Abi-ezer; and <a href="/1_samuel/4-1.htm" title="And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.">1Samuel 4:1</a>, Eben-ezer.) In <a href="/1_chronicles/12-9.htm" title="Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,">1Chronicles 12:9</a> and <a href="/nehemiah/3-19.htm" title="And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armory at the turning of the wall.">Nehemiah 3:19</a> it is a man’s name.<p><span class= "bld">Hushah.</span>—The place is unknown, but several celebrated persons are called Hushathites—<span class= "ital">e.g.,</span> Sibbechai, one of David’s heroes, <a href="/1_chronicles/11-29.htm" title="Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,">1Chronicles 11:29</a>.<p><span class= "bld">These are the sons of Hur.</span>—A subscription to the short list of <a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-2.htm" title="And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.">1Chronicles 4:2-4</a>. ‘Both the Shobalite clans of Zorah (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-2.htm" title="And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.">1Chronicles 4:2</a>) and those enumerated in <a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-3.htm" title="And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi:">1Chronicles 4:3-4</a> were sons of Hur.<p><span class= "bld">The firstborn of Ephratah.</span>—See <a href="/1_chronicles/2-19.htm" title="And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took to him Ephrath, which bore him Hur.">1Chronicles 2:19</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/2-50.htm" title="These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim.">1Chronicles 2:50</a>.<p><span class= "bld">The father of Beth-lehem.</span>—At <a href="/1_chronicles/2-51.htm" title="Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Bethgader.">1Chronicles 2:51</a>, Salma, son of Hur, is called father of Bethlehem.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-5.htm">1 Chronicles 4:5</a></div><div class="verse">And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.</div><span class= "bld">FAMILIES THAT CAME OF ASH-HUR</span> (<a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-5.htm" title="And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.">1Chronicles 4:5-7</a>).<p>(5) <span class= "bld">And Ashur the father of Tekoa.</span>—See <a href="/1_chronicles/2-24.htm" title="And after that Hezron was dead in Calebephratah, then Abiah Hezron's wife bore him Ashur the father of Tekoa.">1Chronicles 2:24</a>, and Notes. If Ashur means the Hurites, the two wives, Helah and Naarah, may designate two settlements of this great clan.<p>(6) <span class= "bld">Hepher.</span>—A district of southern Judah, near Tappuach (<a href="/joshua/12-17.htm" title="The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;">Joshua 12:17</a>; <a href="/1_kings/4-10.htm" title="The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:">1Kings 4:10</a>).<p><span class= "bld">Temeni</span> is a Gentilic name, formed from the word Têmân, “the south.” This clan was called “the Southrons,” and doubtless lived with the others in the south of Judah.<p><span class= "bld">Haahashtari</span> is another <span class= "ital">nomen gentilicium,</span> meaning the Ahashtarites (“muleteers;” comp. <a href="/esther/8-10.htm" title="And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:">Esther 8:10</a>).<p>(7) The sons of Helah are unknown from other sources.<p><span class= "bld">Jezoar</span> should be Zohar, according to the Hebrew margin. The Heb. text has Izhar.<p><span class= "bld">Ethnan.</span>—<span class= "ital">Harlot’s hire</span> (<a href="/hosea/9-1.htm" title="Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for you have gone a whoring from your God, you have loved a reward on every corn floor.">Hosea 9:1</a>). There may have been a foreign element in this clan or township.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-8.htm">1 Chronicles 4:8</a></div><div class="verse">And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.</div>(8) <span class= "bld">Coz begat Anub.</span>—<span class= "bld">Coz</span> (<span class= "ital">thorn</span>) is unknown.<p><span class= "bld">Anub.</span>—LXX., <span class= "greekheb">Ενωβ</span>. Comp. Anâb, (<a href="/joshua/11-21.htm" title="And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.">Joshua 11:21</a>; <a href="/joshua/15-50.htm" title="And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,">Joshua 15:50</a>), a town in the hill-country near Debir (Kirjathsepher). The word appears to mean “grape-town” so that “Coz begat Anub” reminds us of <a href="/matthew/7-16.htm" title="You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?">Matthew 7:16</a>. Comp. <a href="/isaiah/5-6.htm" title="And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor dig; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.">Isaiah 5:6</a>; <a href="/isaiah/7-23.htm" title="And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand sliver coins, it shall even be for briers and thorns.">Isaiah 7:23</a>.<p><span class= "bld">Zobebah.</span>—Heb., <span class= "ital">ha-zobebah,</span> “she that goeth (<span class= "ital">or</span> floweth) softly.” Perhaps so called from a neighbouring brook. Comp. <a href="/isaiah/8-6.htm" title="For as much as this people refuses the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;">Isaiah 8:6</a>.<p><span class= "bld">The families of Aharhel the son of Harum.</span>—The word Aharhel signifies “behind the rampart;” Harum, “the elevated.” Perhaps Harum (<span class= "greekheb">ἡ ἄκρα</span>) was the citadel of the clans of Aharhel. Notice the expression, “Coz begat the clans of Aharhel son of Harum,” which is hardly intelligible if taken literally.<p>(9–10) <span class= "bld">And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren.</span>—Jabez (Heb., <span class= "ital">Ia</span>‘<span class= "ital">bêç</span>) was a town of Judah (<a href="/1_chronicles/2-55.htm" title="And the families of the scribes which dwelled at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.">1Chronicles 2:55</a>), inhabited by certain clans of Sopherim, of the lineage of Salma son of Hur (<a href="/1_chronicles/2-50.htm" title="These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim.">1Chronicles 2:50</a>; <a href="/context/1_chronicles/2-54.htm" title="The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.">1Chronicles 2:54-55</a>). This is important, as giving a clue to the connection here, which is by no means clear upon the surface. It seems to prove that <a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-8.htm" title="And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.">1Chronicles 4:8-10</a> are to be regarded as part of the list which begins at <a href="/1_chronicles/4-5.htm" title="And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.">1Chronicles 4:5</a> : we may thus fairly assume, although the chronicler does not expressly state it, that <a href="/1_chronicles/4-8.htm" title="And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.">1Chronicles 4:8</a> also concerns some clans of the Hurites (or Ash-hurites). Coz is not put into genealogical connection with the other Hurite houses; but it is reasonable to suppose that at the date of the present list the name was well known among the Hurites. “And Coz” may have fallen out of the Heb. text, as the same expression follows immediately (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-8.htm" title="And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.">1Chronicles 4:8</a>).<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-9.htm">1 Chronicles 4:9</a></div><div class="verse">And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.</div>(9) <span class= "bld">More honourable</span> <span class= "bld">than his</span> <span class= "bld">brethren.</span>—Comp. what is said of Hamor son of Shechem in <a href="/genesis/34-19.htm" title="And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honorable than all the house of his father.">Genesis 34:19</a>.<p><span class= "bld">His brethren.</span>—Perhaps the sons of Coz. The form of the Hebrew verb implies connection with <a href="/1_chronicles/4-8.htm" title="And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.">1Chronicles 4:8</a>.<p><span class= "bld">His mother</span> <span class= "bld">called his name . . .</span>—Comp. <a href="/context/genesis/29-32.htm" title="And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD has looked on my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.">Genesis 29:32-35</a>, and especially <a href="/genesis/35-18.htm" title="And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.">Genesis 35:18</a>.<p><span class= "bld">With sorrow.</span>—Rather, <span class= "ital">pain.</span><p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-10.htm">1 Chronicles 4:10</a></div><div class="verse">And 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 <i>me</i> from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.</div>(10) <span class= "bld">Jabez called on the God of Israel.</span>—Comp. Jacob’s vow at Bethel, <a href="/context/genesis/28-20.htm" title="And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,">Genesis 28:20-22</a>, and his altar, El-’elohë Israel, “El is the God of Israel,” <a href="/genesis/33-20.htm" title="And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.">Genesis 33:20</a>. Some have supposed that the peculiar phrase, “God of Israel,” indicates that the original Canaanite population of Jabez proselytised.<p><span class= "bld">Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">“if indeed thou wilt bless</span> me.”<p><span class= "bld">My coast.</span>—My border or domain (<span class= "ital">fines</span>)<span class= "ital">.</span><p><span class= "bld">And</span> <span class= "bld">that thine hand.</span>—Rather, <span class= "ital">and if thine hand</span> <span class= "ital">will be with me, and thou wilt deal without</span> (Heb. <span class= "ital">away from</span>)<span class= "ital"> evil, that I suffer not !</span>—The prayer is expressed in the form of a condition, with the consequence (“then will I serve thee,” comp. <a href="/genesis/28-22.htm" title="And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that you shall give me I will surely give the tenth to you.">Genesis 28:22</a>) suppressed.<p>The name Jabez is twice explained; in <a href="/1_chronicles/4-9.htm" title="And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow.">1Chronicles 4:9</a> it is made to mean “he paineth,” in <a href="/1_chronicles/4-10.htm" title="And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.">1Chronicles 4:10</a> Jabez prays to be saved from pain. Comp. the frequent allusions in the book of Gen. to the meaning of the name Isaac (Yiçhâq, “he laugheth”); <a href="/genesis/17-17.htm" title="Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?">Genesis 17:17</a>, Abraham’s daughter; <a href="/1_chronicles/18-12.htm" title="Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.">1Chronicles 18:12</a>, Sarah’s incredulous laughter; <a href="/1_chronicles/21-6.htm" title="But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.">1Chronicles 21:6</a>, Sarah’s joy at the birth; <a href="/1_chronicles/26-8.htm" title="All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brothers, able men for strength for the service, were three score and two of Obededom.">1Chronicles 26:8</a>, Isaac’s own mirth. These features of likeness to the language and thought of Genesis, prove the originality and antiquity of the section.<p><span class= "bld">And God granted.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">and God brought </span>(<span class= "ital">caused to come</span>)<span class= "ital">.</span> Hence Jabez was “honoured above his brethren,” <a href="/1_chronicles/4-9.htm" title="And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow.">1Chronicles 4:9</a>. If the Sopherim of Jabez (<a href="/1_chronicles/2-55.htm" title="And the families of the scribes which dwelled at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.">1Chronicles 2:55</a>) were, as their name implies, writers or men of letters, we can understand that Jabez, like Kirjath-sepher, was a place of books, and was honoured accordingly. The art of writing among the peoples of Babylonia ascends to an unknown antiquity. The oldest inscription we possess in the Phoenician character is of the ninth century B.C., and the development of that character from its Egyptian prototype must have occupied some centuries. Perhaps this very tradition concerning their founder originally emanated from the “families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez.”<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-11.htm">1 Chronicles 4:11</a></div><div class="verse">And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which <i>was</i> the father of Eshton.</div>(11-12) A fragment relating to the “men of Rechah,” a name which occurs nowhere else, and for which Rechab appears a plausible correction. So the Vat., LXX. <span class= "greekheb">Ρηχάβ</span>. Compare <a href="/1_chronicles/2-55.htm" title="And the families of the scribes which dwelled at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.">1Chronicles 2:55</a>, where the Sopherim of Jabez are called Rechabites, and see Notes on the passage. These Rechabites united with the Salmaite branch of Hurites; and Hur was a son of Caleb, <a href="/1_chronicles/2-19.htm" title="And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took to him Ephrath, which bore him Hur.">1Chronicles 2:19</a>. Hence it is likely that the Chelub of <a href="/1_chronicles/4-11.htm" title="And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the father of Eshton.">1Chronicles 4:11</a> is identical with the Caleb-Chelubai of 1 Chronicles 2, who represents a main division of the Hezronites. Others suppose that the epithet, “brother of Shuah” (Shuhah), is meant to obviate this identification. The other names in this short section are wholly unknown. But their form shows at once that Beth-rapha and Ir-nahash (serpent city) are towns.<p><span class= "bld">Paseah</span> (lame; comp. Latin Claudius as a family name) recurs <a href="/nehemiah/3-6.htm" title="Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.">Nehemiah 3:6</a>; and as the name of a clan of Nethinim, <a href="/ezra/2-49.htm" title="The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,">Ezra 2:49</a>, <a href="/nehemiah/7-51.htm" title="The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,">Nehemiah 7:51</a>. The subscription, “these are the men of Rechah” (Rechab), probably looks back as far as <a href="/1_chronicles/4-8.htm" title="And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.">1Chronicles 4:8</a>.<p>(13–15) <span class= "bld">The sons of Kenaz</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e.,</span> the Kenizzite element in Judah. Kenaz was the name of an Edomite clan, <a href="/1_chronicles/1-53.htm" title="Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,">1Chronicles 1:53</a>, and of an old Canaanite race.<p><span class= "bld">Othniel.</span>—<a href="/judges/1-13.htm" title="And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.">Judges 1:13</a>, one of the heroes of the conquest; <a href="/judges/3-9.htm" title="And when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.">Judges 3:9</a>, he vanquishes Chushan-rishathaim, king of Aram-naharaim. In both passages he is called “son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.” The Kenizzites, who cast in their lot with the Calebites of Judah, were naturally called “younger brothers” of their new kindred.<p><span class= "bld">Seraiah</span> is unknown.<p><span class= "bld">The</span> <span class= "bld">sons of Othniel,</span> <span class= "bld">Hathath.</span>—Eathath means <span class= "ital">dread,</span> <a href="/job/6-21.htm" title="For now you are nothing; you see my casting down, and are afraid.">Job 6:21</a>. Comp. the name Hittites, from the same root. The sons of Othniel (lion of God) would be a terror to their foes.<p><span class= "bld">“And Meonothai”</span> has perhaps been accidentally omitted at the end of this verse, before the same phrase in <a href="/1_chronicles/4-14.htm" title="And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.">1Chronicles 4:14</a>. Or the genealogist may have purposely omitted it, as implied by what follows <a href="/1_chronicles/4-14.htm" title="And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.">1Chronicles 4:14</a>. Meonothai is apparently a gentilic name, <span class= "ital">i.e.,</span> Meonothites. The name Maon occurs <a href="/joshua/15-55.htm" title="Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,">Joshua 15:55</a> as a Judcan town; and Maon was the residence of the Calebite Nabal, <a href="/context/1_samuel/25-2.htm" title="And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.">1Samuel 25:2-3</a>.<p><span class= "bld">Ophrah.</span>—Occurs several times as the name of a town; in <a href="/jude/1-7.htm" title="Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.">Jude 1:7</a> as the city of Gideon, who belonged to Manasseh; in <a href="/joshua/18-23.htm" title="And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah,">Joshua 18:23</a>, as a place in Benjamin. The latter may be meant here, as the boundaries of the tribes varied at different epochs.<p><span class= "bld">Joab, father of the valley of Charashim.</span>—Charashim means workers in wood, or metal, or stone, <a href="/1_chronicles/14-1.htm" title="Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house.">1Chronicles 14:1</a>, <a href="/2_chronicles/24-12.htm" title="And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as worked iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.">2Chronicles 24:12</a>, <a href="/1_chronicles/22-15.htm" title="Moreover there are workmen with you in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.">1Chronicles 22:15</a>. This valley of craftsmen (Val-aux-forges, as Reuss translates it) is mentioned again, <a href="/nehemiah/11-35.htm" title="Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen.">Nehemiah 11:35</a>. Lod, that is Lydda-Diospolis of Roman times, was situate here; a place occupied by Benjamites after the return. In <a href="/nehemiah/7-11.htm" title="The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.">Nehemiah 7:11</a>, <a href="/ezra/2-6.htm" title="The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.">Ezra 2:6</a>, in a list of those who returned with Zerubbabel, mention is made of some “sons of Joab.” For the term <span class= "ital">father</span> in this connection, comp. <a href="/context/genesis/4-20.htm" title="And Adah bore Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.">Genesis 4:20-21</a>.<p><span class= "bld">They</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e.,</span> the sons of Joab, were craftsmen or smiths.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-15.htm">1 Chronicles 4:15</a></div><div class="verse">And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.</div>(15) <span class= "bld">The sons of Caleb, son of Jephunneh.</span>—Caleb son of Jephunneh is called the Kenizzite, <a href="/context/joshua/14-6.htm" title="Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said to him, You know the thing that the LORD said to Moses the man of God concerning me and you in Kadeshbarnea.">Joshua 14:6-14</a>. He obtained “a part among the children of Judah” (<a href="/joshua/15-13.htm" title="And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.">Joshua 15:13</a>), “because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel” (<a href="/joshua/14-14.htm" title="Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite to this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.">Joshua 14:14</a>). If Caleb the Kenizzite and his clan were received among the Hezronite houses of Judah, this new division of the Hezronites would henceforth be known as “the house of Caleb,” <a href="/1_samuel/25-3.htm" title="Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.">1Samuel 25:3</a>; or simply “Caleb” (= Chelubai, the Calebite). (See Notes on <a href="/1_chronicles/2-42.htm" title="Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.">1Chronicles 2:42</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/2-49.htm" title="She bore also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsa.">1Chronicles 2:49</a>.)<p><span class= "bld">Elah</span> occurred <a href="/1_chronicles/1-52.htm" title="Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,">1Chronicles 1:52</a>, as an Edomite princedom, like Kenaz in <a href="/1_chronicles/1-53.htm" title="Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,">1Chronicles 1:53</a>.<p><span class= "bld">Naam</span> is perhaps Naamah, <a href="/joshua/15-41.htm" title="And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages:">Joshua 15:41</a>, a town in the Shephelah.<p><span class= "bld">And the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.</span>—The Heb. is, <span class= "ital">and the sons of Mah and Kenaz,</span> that is, two clans of Calebites called Elah and Kenaz. Comp. <a href="/1_chronicles/4-13.htm" title="And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath.">1Chronicles 4:13</a>, and <a href="/context/1_chronicles/2-42.htm" title="Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.">1Chronicles 2:42, 1Ch_3:21</a>. Some MSS., the LXX., Vulg., and Targum omit <span class= "ital">and</span> before Kenaz. But the word <span class= "ital">Elah,</span> with different points, might be read <span class= "ital">elleh,</span> “these.” It may be suggested, therefore, that we have in this last sentence the subscription to the list begun at <a href="/1_chronicles/4-13.htm" title="And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath.">1Chronicles 4:13</a>, ’<span class= "ital">ēlleh bnê Qnaz,</span> “these are the sons of Kenaz.” Others suppose a name omitted, and render: “and the sons of Elah . . . and Kenaz.” Jehaleleel may have dropped out after the like-sounding Elah.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-16.htm">1 Chronicles 4:16</a></div><div class="verse">And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.</div>(16) <span class= "bld">The sons of Jehaleleel.</span>—Heb., <span class= "ital">Yehallel-ēl, </span>“he praiseth God.”<p><span class= "bld">Ziph</span> is known, from <a href="/joshua/15-21.htm" title="And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,">Joshua 15:21</a>; <a href="/joshua/15-24.htm" title="Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,">Joshua 15:24</a>, as one of the cities of the children of Judah, “towards the border of Edom, southwards.” Perhaps, therefore, the sons of Jehallel-el also were Edomite-Kenizzites. Another Ziph, perhaps our Ziphah, is mentioned as in the hill-country, <a href="/joshua/15-55.htm" title="Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,">Joshua 15:55</a>.<p><span class= "bld">Asareel </span>is perhaps a dialectic form of Israel (See <a href="/1_chronicles/25-2.htm" title="Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.">1Chronicles 25:2</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/25-14.htm" title="The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brothers, were twelve:">1Chronicles 25:14</a>.) A foreign clan might take the name of its adopted people.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-17.htm">1 Chronicles 4:17</a></div><div class="verse">And the sons of Ezra <i>were</i>, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.</div>(17) <span class= "bld">And the sons of Ezra.</span>—Heb., <span class= "ital">son,</span> but some MSS. have <span class= "ital">sons</span> (see Note on <a href="/1_chronicles/3-19.htm" title="And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:">1Chronicles 3:19</a>; <a href="/1_chronicles/3-21.htm" title="And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.">1Chronicles 3:21</a>). Ezra means <span class= "ital">help =</span> Ezer, <a href="/1_chronicles/4-4.htm" title="And 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.">1Chronicles 4:4</a>.<p><span class= "bld">Jether</span> occurred <a href="/1_chronicles/2-32.htm" title="And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without children.">1Chronicles 2:32</a>, as a Jerahmeelite.<p><span class= "bld">Epher</span> recurs <a href="/1_chronicles/5-24.htm" title="And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.">1Chronicles 5:24</a>, as a Manassite name.<p><span class= "bld">Jalon and Mered</span> occur nowhere else.<p><span class= "bld">And she bare.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">conceived. Who</span> bare the three sons, whose names follow, is not clear from the preceding statement, which includes none but male appellations. The LXX. reads, “And Jether bare Maron (Miriam),” &c, and the Syriac and Arabic omit <a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-17.htm" title="And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bore Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.">1Chronicles 4:17-18</a>. This confirms our suspicion that the text is faulty.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-18.htm">1 Chronicles 4:18</a></div><div class="verse">And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these <i>are</i> the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.</div>(18) <span class= "bld">And his wife Jehudijah</span> [Margin is right, <span class= "ital">the Jewess</span>] <span class= "bld">bare Jered.</span>—It is obvious that a contrast with the sons of some non-Jewish wife is intended, and these latter ought already to have been mentioned. Clearly, therefore, the sentence “And these are the sons of Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took”—a sentence which is meaningless in its present position—must be restored to its original place after the first statement of <a href="/1_chronicles/4-17.htm" title="And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bore Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.">1Chronicles 4:17</a>. We thus get the sense: “And the sons of Ezra were Jepher and Mered, and Epher and Jalon. And these [the following] are the sons of Bithiah, daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took [to wife]; she conceived Miriam and Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. And his [Mered’s] wife the Jewess bare Jered . . . Zanoah.” Thus the house of Mered son of Ezra bifurcates into a purely Judæan and a mixed Egyptian group of families. Eshtemoa (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-17.htm" title="And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bore Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.">1Chronicles 4:17</a>) lay south of Hebron, in the hil-country (<a href="/joshua/15-50.htm" title="And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,">Joshua 15:50</a>).<p><span class= "bld">Gedor.</span>—See <a href="/1_chronicles/4-4.htm" title="And 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.">1Chronicles 4:4</a>, where Penuel is called father of Gedor. The two lists may, and probably do, refer to different epochs.<p><span class= "bld">Socho.</span>—<a href="/joshua/15-35.htm" title="Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,">Joshua 15:35</a>; in the Shephelah, south-west of Jerusalem.<p><span class= "bld">Zanoah.</span>—Two Judæan towns were so named, one in the Shephelah, the other in the highlands (<a href="/joshua/15-34.htm" title="And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam,">Joshua 15:34</a>; <a href="/joshua/15-56.htm" title="And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,">Joshua 15:56</a>).<p><span class= "bld">Jekuthiel</span> occurs here only; but comp. Joktheel (<a href="/joshua/15-38.htm" title="And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,">Joshua 15:38</a>), a town in the Shephelah.<p><span class= "bld">Bithiah the daughter</span> <span class= "bld">of Pharaoh.</span>—Bithiah is apparently Hebrew, “daughter of Iah,” that is, a convert to the religion of Israel. It may be a Hebraized form of Bent-Aah, daughter of the Moon, or some like native name. Daughter of Pharaoh, if the nomenclature be tribal, need only mean an Egyptian clan which amalgamated with that of Mered. On the other hand, comp. <a href="/2_chronicles/8-11.htm" title="And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD has come.">2Chronicles 8:11</a> and <a href="/1_kings/9-24.htm" title="But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.">1Kings 9:24</a>, where the phrase is used in its literal sense.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-19.htm">1 Chronicles 4:19</a></div><div class="verse">And the sons of <i>his</i> wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.</div>(19) <span class= "bld">And the sons of his wife Hodiah.</span>—The existing Hebrew text says, <span class= "ital">And the sons of Hodiah</span>’s <span class= "ital">wife.</span> Hodiah recurs as a man’s name in <a href="/nehemiah/8-7.htm" title="Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.">Nehemiah 8:7</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/9-5.htm" title="Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.">Nehemiah 9:5</a>; but a very slight change—the addition of three letters—in the Hebrew would give the sense: “And sons of his Jewish wife, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa,” &c.<p><span class= "bld">Naham</span> is unknown.<p><span class= "bld">Keilah</span> is a town in the Shephelah (<a href="/joshua/15-44.htm" title="And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:">Joshua 15:44</a>), well known as the scene of David’s prowess and peril (1 Samuel 23).<p><span class= "bld">Eshtemoa</span> occurred in <a href="/1_chronicles/4-17.htm" title="And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bore Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.">1Chronicles 4:17</a>, in connexion with Ishbah, son of Ezra by Bithiah. (See Note there.) The Garmites and Maachathites are unknown clans. The former founded or were settled at Keilah. It appears that <span class= "ital">abi</span> (“father of”) has dropped out of the text before Eshtemoa; the sense being that the Maachathites were settled at Eshtemoa; which, of course, they may have been, side by side with the half-Egyptian clan Ishbah. Maachah is mentioned, <a href="/1_chronicles/2-48.htm" title="Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bore Sheber, and Tirhanah.">1Chronicles 2:48</a>, as a concubine of Caleb. The list is still dealing with the Calebite division of Hezron.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-20.htm">1 Chronicles 4:20</a></div><div class="verse">And the sons of Shimon <i>were</i>, Amnon, and Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi <i>were</i>, Zoheth, and Benzoheth.</div>(20) <span class= "bld">The Sons</span> <span class= "bld">of Shimon.</span>—Nothing is said elsewhere of them, or of the sons of Ishi. Ishi (<a href="/1_chronicles/2-31.htm" title="And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.">1Chronicles 2:31</a>) is a Jerahmeelite name; but/as throughout tho section (<a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-2.htm" title="And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.">1Chronicles 4:2-19</a>) we have found indications that the ramifications of the house of Caleb are the principal subject, and as <a href="/1_chronicles/4-20.htm" title="And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Benzoheth.">1Chronicles 4:20</a> is appended to the rest, without any opposing remark, it, is highly probable that it also refers to some Calebite clans and towns.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-21.htm">1 Chronicles 4:21</a></div><div class="verse">The sons of Shelah the son of Judah <i>were</i>, 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,</div><span class= "bld">II.—SONS OF SHELAH, THIRD SON OF JUDAH,</span><p><a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-21.htm" title="The 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 worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea,">1Chronicles 4:21-23</a> (omitted by Syriac version).<p>The Shelanite clans were not noticed in 1 Chronicles 2 (See <a href="/genesis/38-5.htm" title="And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.">Genesis 38:5</a> and <a href="/1_chronicles/2-3.htm" title="The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born to him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.">1Chronicles 2:3</a>.)<p>(21) <span class= "bld">Er.</span>—This Er who founded Lecah is, of course, distinct from Er “the firstborn of Judah.” Lecah is unknown. Mareshah, a town in the lowlands of Judah, is connected with Caleb (<a href="/1_chronicles/2-42.htm" title="Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.">1Chronicles 2:42</a>). Such statements are not contradictory. At different periods different tribal divisions might have been settled in the same city. The present statement need only mean that Mareshah was a Shelanite foundation.<p><span class= "bld">The families of the house of them that wrought fine linen.</span>—“The clans of the house of Byssus work at Beth-Ashbea.” Beth-Ashbea is an unknown place. It was the seat of some Shelanite houses engaged in growing flax and weaving linen. Such industries in ancient times were confined to hereditary guilds, which jealously guarded their methods and trade secrets.<p>(22) <span class= "bld">Jokim.</span>—Comp. Jakim (<a href="/1_chronicles/8-9.htm" title="And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,">1Chronicles 8:9</a>). Both are probably equivalent to Joiakim (Jehoiakim).<p><span class= "bld">Chozeba.</span>—Perhaps Chezib (<a href="/genesis/38-5.htm" title="And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.">Genesis 38:5</a>), called Achzib (<a href="/joshua/15-44.htm" title="And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:">Joshua 15:44</a>), the birthplace of Shelah; now the ruins of <span class= "ital">Kesâba.</span> It was a town of the Shephelah.<p><span class= "bld">And Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion</span> in <span class= "bld">Moab.</span>—The passage is obscure, because we know nothing further of Joash and Saraph. The LXX. render the whole verse: “And Joakim, and men of Chozeba, and Joas, and Saraph, who settled in Moab;” adding the meaningless words, <span class= "greekheb">καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτοὺς αβεδηριν αθουκιιν</span><span class= "ital">.</span> The word rendered “had the dominion” occurs sixteen times, and in twelve cases at least means “to marry.” Probably <a href="/isaiah/26-13.htm" title="O LORD our God, other lords beside you have had dominion over us: but by you only will we make mention of your name.">Isaiah 26:13</a>, <a href="/jeremiah/3-14.htm" title="Turn, O backsliding children, said the LORD; for I am married to you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:">Jeremiah 3:14</a>; <a href="/jeremiah/31-32.htm" title="Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband to them, said the LORD:">Jeremiah 31:32</a> are not exceptions. The right translation here, therefore, would seem to be “who married Moab,” a metaphor expressing settlement in that country (LXX., <span class= "greekheb">κατῴκησαν</span>)<span class= "ital">.</span><p><span class= "bld">And Jashubi-lehem.</span>—We have here a vestige of some form of the verb <span class= "ital">shûb</span> (“to return”), as the LXX. (<span class= "greekheb">ἀπέστρεψεν</span>) indicates; and “lehem” (Heb., <span class= "ital">lahem</span>) may either signify “to them,” or represent the second half of the name Bethlehem. Reading (with one MS.) <span class= "ital">wayyāshûbû,</span> we might translate, <span class= "ital">and they returned to themselves, i.e.,</span> to their Judæan home. (Comp. the story of the sojourn of Elimelech and his family in Moab, and the return of Naomi to Judah.) But <span class= "ital">Bêth</span> might easily have fallen out before <span class= "ital">lahem,</span> and if so, the statement is, <span class= "ital">and they returned to Bethlehem</span>—another point of likeness to the story of the Book of Ruth. (2) Others render, “Reduced Moab and requited them” (<span class= "ital">way-yashîbû lahem</span>)<span class= "ital">;</span> referring the notice to a supposed subjugation of Moab by two chieftains of Judah. (3) Others, again, have proposed: “Who married into Moab, and brought them home (wives).” (Comp. the story of Mahlon and Chilion in Ruth.) The Vulg. translates all the proper names, and continues: “<span class= "ital">Qui principes fuerunt in Moab, et qui reversi sunt in Lahem.</span>” (Comp. also <a href="/ezra/2-6.htm" title="The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.">Ezra 2:6</a>.)<p><span class= "bld">And these are ancient things.</span>—<span class= "ital">And the events are ancient,</span> that is, those just recounted.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-23.htm">1 Chronicles 4:23</a></div><div class="verse">These <i>were</i> the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.</div>(23) <span class= "bld">These were the potters.</span>—Viz., the clans enumerated in <a href="/1_chronicles/4-22.htm" title="And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. And these are ancient things.">1Chronicles 4:22</a>.<p><span class= "bld">And those that dwelt among plants and hedges.</span>—Rather, <span class= "ital">and inhabitants of Net aim and Gederah.</span> Netaim means “plantations” (<a href="/isaiah/17-10.htm" title="Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the rock of your strength, therefore shall you plant pleasant plants, and shall set it with strange slips:">Isaiah 17:10</a>). Solomon had pleasure-gardens near Bethlehem. See also the notice of Uzziah’s farms and vineyards (<a href="/2_chronicles/26-10.htm" title="Also he built towers in the desert, and dig many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: farmers also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.">2Chronicles 26:10</a>). Gederah (<a href="/joshua/15-36.htm" title="And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages:">Joshua 15:36</a>), a town in the Shephelah.<p><span class= "bld">There they dwelt with the king.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">with the king in his work they dwelt there.</span> This seems to say that the potteries of Netaim and Gederah were a royal establishment, as those of Sevres used to be. Perhaps the linen-weaving of Beth-Ashbea (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-21.htm" title="The 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 worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea,">1Chronicles 4:21</a>) should be included.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-24.htm">1 Chronicles 4:24</a></div><div class="verse">The sons of Simeon <i>were</i>, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, <i>and</i> Shaul:</div><span class= "bld">III.—THE TRIBE OF SIMEON: ITS CLANS, AND THEIR SETTLEMENTS AND CONQUESTS</span> (<a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-24.htm" title="The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul:">1Chronicles 4:24-43</a>).<p>(24) <span class= "bld">The sons of Simeon.</span>—The Pentateuch contains three lists of sons of Simeon, viz., <a href="/genesis/46-10.htm" title="And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.">Genesis 46:10</a>, <a href="/exodus/6-15.htm" title="And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.">Exodus 6:15</a>, and <a href="/numbers/26-12.htm" title="The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:">Numbers 26:12</a>. Genesis and Exodus name six sons; Numbers agrees with the Chronicles in naming five, the Ohad of Genesis and Exodus being omitted. In place of our Jarib Numbers has Jachin; the other names are the same. Genesis and Exodus read Jemuel and Zohar for Nemuel and Zerah. <a href="/exodus/6-15.htm" title="And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.">Exodus 6:15</a> calls Shaul “son of a Canaanitess.” The mixed race of Shaul was the only Simeonite clan that became populous (<a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-25.htm" title="Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.">1Chronicles 4:25-27</a>). The other clans are not further noticed by this genealogy.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-27.htm">1 Chronicles 4:27</a></div><div class="verse">And 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.</div>(27) <span class= "bld">His brethren had not many children.</span>—His brethren, i.e., his fellow-tribesmen. The other Simeonite clans (<a href="/numbers/26-12.htm" title="The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:">Numbers 26:12</a>), are meant.<p><span class= "bld">Neither did all their family multiply.</span>—Rather, <span class= "ital">nor did they multiply their whole clan.</span> The word clan (<span class= "ital">mishpahath</span>) is here used in the wider sense of tribe. This remark is borne out by what we otherwise know of the tribe of Simeon. It was never historically important, and appears to have ultimately been absorbed by Judah, within which its domain was included (<a href="/joshua/19-1.htm" title="And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.">Joshua 19:1</a>). (Comp. <a href="/genesis/49-7.htm" title="Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.">Genesis 49:7</a> : “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”)<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-28.htm">1 Chronicles 4:28</a></div><div class="verse">And they dwelt at Beersheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual,</div><span class= "bld">II.—THE SEATS OF THE SIMEONITES UNTIL THE REIGN OF DAVID</span> (<a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-28.htm" title="And they dwelled at Beersheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual,">1Chronicles 4:28-33</a>).<p>This list is parallel to <a href="/context/joshua/19-2.htm" title="And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and Moladah,">Joshua 19:2-8</a>. There are some variations, partly accidental.<p>(28) <span class= "bld">Beer-sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-shual.</span>—<a href="/joshua/19-2.htm" title="And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and Moladah,">Joshua 19:2</a> adds Sheba after Beer-sheba—an obviously mistaken repetition, making fourteen towns in all, whereas <a href="/1_chronicles/4-6.htm" title="And Naarah bore him Ahuzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.">1Chronicles 4:6</a> concludes, “thirteen cities and their villages.” Beer-sheba is <span class= "ital">Bir-esseba;</span> Moladah, <span class= "ital">Tel-Milh,</span> south of Hebron; Hazar-shual (fox-village) is unknown.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-29.htm">1 Chronicles 4:29</a></div><div class="verse">And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad,</div>(29) Many of the places assigned to Simeon in this list are reckoned among the towns of the extreme south of Judah in <a href="/joshua/15-26.htm" title="Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,">Joshua 15:26</a>, <span class= "ital">et seq.</span> Bilhah, or Balah, is, perhaps, Baalah (<a href="/joshua/15-29.htm" title="Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,">Joshua 15:29</a>); Ezem (Authorised Version, Azem) and Eltolad are also mentioned there. Their sites are unknown.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-30.htm">1 Chronicles 4:30</a></div><div class="verse">And at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag,</div>(30) <span class= "bld">Bethuel.</span>—Called Chesil in <a href="/joshua/15-30.htm" title="And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,">Joshua 15:30</a>; <a href="/joshua/19-4.htm" title="And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,">Joshua 19:4</a> has Bethûl, a contraction like Hamul for Hamuel (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-26.htm" title="And the sons of Mishma; Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei his son.">1Chronicles 4:26</a>; comp. <a href="/1_chronicles/2-5.htm" title="The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.">1Chronicles 2:5</a>).<p><span class= "bld">Hormah.</span>—The ancient Zephath (<a href="/judges/1-17.htm" title="And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.">Judges 1:17</a>), now <span class= "ital">Sepata.</span><p><span class= "bld">Ziklag.</span>—Now <span class= "ital">Kasluj,</span> east of Sepata (<a href="/context/joshua/15-30.htm" title="And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,">Joshua 15:30-31</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/27-6.htm" title="Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day.">1Samuel 27:6</a>).<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-31.htm">1 Chronicles 4:31</a></div><div class="verse">And at Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusim, and at Bethbirei, and at Shaaraim. These <i>were</i> their cities unto the reign of David.</div>(31) <span class= "bld">Beth-marcaboth</span> = “house of chariots.”<p><span class= "bld">Hazar - susim</span> = “village of horses;” for which Hazarsusah is an equivalent (<span class= "ital">susah</span> being used as a collective word).<p><span class= "bld">Beth-birei.</span>—Probably a corrupt writing of Beth-lebaoth, “house of lionesses” (<a href="/joshua/19-6.htm" title="And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:">Joshua 19:6</a>), for which <a href="/joshua/15-32.htm" title="And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages:">Joshua 15:32</a> has the contraction Lebaoth. There were lions in the wilds of Judah (<a href="/1_samuel/17-34.htm" title="And David said to Saul, Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:">1Samuel 17:34</a>). (Comp. <a href="/judges/14-5.htm" title="Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.">Judges 14:5</a>; <a href="/1_kings/13-24.htm" title="And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcass was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcass.">1Kings 13:24</a>.)<p><span class= "bld">Shaaraim</span> (two gates) is Sharuhen (<a href="/joshua/19-6.htm" title="And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:">Joshua 19:6</a>), and Shilhim (<a href="/joshua/15-32.htm" title="And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages:">Joshua 15:32</a>). Sharuhen is known from Egyptian inscriptions (<span class= "ital">Sharuhuna</span>)<span class= "ital">.</span><p><span class= "bld">These were their cities unto the reign of David, and their villages.</span>—<a href="/joshua/19-6.htm" title="And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:">Joshua 19:6</a> shows that this is the right punctuation: “And Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen: thirteen towns, and their villages.”<p><span class= "bld">Unto the reign of David.</span>—Does this mean that in the age of David the thirteen cities passed from the possession of the Simeonites? Ziklag, at all events, was at that time a Philistine borough (<a href="/1_samuel/27-6.htm" title="Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day.">1Samuel 27:6</a>).<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-32.htm">1 Chronicles 4:32</a></div><div class="verse">And their villages <i>were</i>, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities:</div>(32) <span class= "bld">And their villages.</span>—This belongs to <a href="/1_chronicles/4-31.htm" title="And at Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusim, and at Bethbirei, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities to the reign of David.">1Chronicles 4:31</a>. The verb should be cancelled.<p><span class= "bld">Etam, and Ain, Rimmon</span> <span class= "bld">. . .</span>—Why are these five cities separated from the former thirteen? The old Jewish expositors Rashi and Kimchi assert, that whereas the thirteen were lost to the Simeonites from the time of David, these five remained in their possession. The separation is made in Joshua 19 as well as here. (Many MSS. read “and Rimmon.”)<p><span class= "bld">Five cities.</span>—<a href="/joshua/19-7.htm" title="Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:">Joshua 19:7</a> : “Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages.” Etam may be a mistake for Ether. But there were two Etams, one in the hills of Judah, south of Bethlehem (see <a href="/1_chronicles/4-3.htm" title="And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi:">1Chronicles 4:3</a>, Note; <a href="/2_chronicles/11-6.htm" title="He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,">2Chronicles 11:6</a>), and one in the south of Judah (<a href="/judges/15-8.htm" title="And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelled in the top of the rock Etam.">Judges 15:8</a>)—perhaps the place intended here. Ether occurs in <a href="/joshua/15-42.htm" title="Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,">Joshua 15:42</a> along with Ashan. Both were in the lowlands of Judah. Ain and Rimmon are spoken of as one place (<a href="/nehemiah/11-29.htm" title="And at Enrimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth,">Nehemiah 11:29</a>): they must have been close to each other (comp. Buda-Pesth). Tochen only here.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-33.htm">1 Chronicles 4:33</a></div><div class="verse">And all their villages that <i>were</i> round about the same cities, unto Baal. These <i>were</i> their habitations, and their genealogy.</div>(33) <span class= "bld">Unto Baal.</span>—Called in <a href="/joshua/19-8.htm" title="And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.">Joshua 19:8</a> Baalathbeer (“lady of the well”). The same passage adds what appears to be the name of this group of villages, viz., Ramath-negeb, or Ramah of the southland. (Comp. <a href="/1_samuel/30-27.htm" title="To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir,">1Samuel 30:27</a>.)<p><span class= "bld">These</span> (Heb., <span class= "ital">this</span>) <span class= "bld">were their habitations.</span>—A conclusion of the list of towns of Simeon.<p><span class= "bld">And their genealogy.</span>—Heb., <span class= "ital">and they had their own registration</span> (or, <span class= "ital">enrolment</span>)<span class= "ital">;</span> that is, though their settlements lay within the territory of Judah, their clans were registered as belonging to a distinct tribe.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-34.htm">1 Chronicles 4:34</a></div><div class="verse">And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah,</div><span class= "bld">III.—EMIGRATION OF THE SIMEONITES: THEIR CONQUESTS</span> (<a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-34.htm" title="And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah,">1Chronicles 4:34-43</a>).<p>(34-37) The thirteen princes (emirs) of Simeon who headed the expedition of their tribe in the age of Hezekiah (fl. 710 B.C.). None of them are otherwise known.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-36.htm">1 Chronicles 4:36</a></div><div class="verse">And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah,</div>(36) <span class= "bld">Jaakobah.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">to Jacob;</span> a patronymic derived from Jacob, like the English Jacobs.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-38.htm">1 Chronicles 4:38</a></div><div class="verse">These mentioned by <i>their</i> names <i>were</i> princes in their families: and the house of their fathers increased greatly.</div>(38) <span class= "bld">These mentioned by their names.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">these who have come </span>(<span class= "ital">forward</span>)<span class= "ital"> with names,</span> that is, have been adduced by name.<p><span class= "bld">Were princes in their families.</span>—<span class= "ital">Ameers</span> or <span class= "ital">chieftains in their clans.</span><p><span class= "bld">And the house of their fathers increased.</span>—<span class= "ital">And their father-houses had spread greatly.</span> Finding their territory too strait for them under these conditions, and probably also because of the encroachments of their powerful neighbours, the Judæans and Philistines, the Simeonite chieftains went forth at the head of their clans to seek new settlements.<p><span class= "bld">And</span> (so) <span class= "bld">they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley.</span>—Gedor can hardly be the town of that name in the hill country of Judah (<a href="/joshua/15-58.htm" title="Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor,">Joshua 15:58</a>). The LXX. read Gerar (<span class= "greekheb">Γεραρα</span>)<span class= "ital">.</span><p><span class= "bld">Even unto the east side of the valley.</span>—<span class= "ital">So</span> <span class= "ital">far as to the east of the valley,</span> that is, apparently, the valley of or near the unknown Gedor, or Gerar. The only considerable valley south-east of Judah is the Arabah, below the Dead Sea. That this locality is meant appears likely from the vicinity of Mount Seir and the Amalekites (<a href="/1_chronicles/4-42.htm" title="And 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.">1Chronicles 4:42</a>).<p><span class= "bld">To seek pasture for their flocks.</span>—This statement is of interest as proving that even so late as the reign of Hezekiah, those Israelite clans which bordered on the desert were still nomades, like the Beidawis. (Comp. <a href="/context/genesis/13-5.htm" title="And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.">Genesis 13:5-12</a>).<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-40.htm">1 Chronicles 4:40</a></div><div class="verse">And they found fat pasture and good, and the land <i>was</i> wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for <i>they</i> of Ham had dwelt there of old.</div>(40) <span class= "bld">And they found fat pasture and good.</span>—If Gerar was the right reading in <a href="/1_chronicles/4-39.htm" title="And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.">1Chronicles 4:39</a>, we might compare <a href="/genesis/26-17.htm" title="And Isaac departed there, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelled there.">Genesis 26:17</a> <span class= "ital">seq.</span><p><span class= "bld">And the land was wide.</span>—<a href="/genesis/34-21.htm" title="These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.">Genesis 34:21</a>. Literally, <span class= "ital">broad of both hands</span>—<span class= "ital">i.e.,</span> on both sides. An open plain is meant.<p><span class= "bld">And quiet and peaceable.</span>—Like Laish, which the Danites took by surprise (<a href="/judges/18-7.htm" title="Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelled careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.">Judges 18:7</a>; <a href="/judges/18-28.htm" title="And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lies by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelled therein.">Judges 18:28</a>).<p><span class= "bld">They of Ham had dwelt there of old.</span>—That is, <span class= "ital">they who were then dwelling there were Hamites or Canaanites</span> (<a href="/1_chronicles/1-8.htm" title="The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.">1Chronicles 1:8</a>).<p><span class= "bld">Of old.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">before </span>(<span class= "ital">lephānîm</span>)<span class= "ital">;</span> that is, <span class= "ital">before the Simeonite invasion.</span><p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-41.htm">1 Chronicles 4:41</a></div><div class="verse">And 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 <i>there was</i> pasture there for their flocks.</div>(41) <span class= "bld">These who were written by name.</span>—The Ameers enumerated in <a href="/context/1_chronicles/4-34.htm" title="And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah,">1Chronicles 4:34-37</a>.<p><span class= "bld">Smote their tents.</span>—These Hamites, like the men of Laish, were nomades.<p><span class= "bld">And the habitations that were found there.</span>—Heb. text, <span class= "ital">the wells:</span> Heb. marg., <span class= "ital">the Maonites,</span> in Hebrew a very similar word. LXX., <span class= "greekheb">τοὺς</span> <span class= "ital">Mivaíovs,</span> the Maonites or Minacans. The text may be compared with the Syriac, which reads, “And all springs of water that were there they stopped up.” But the Margin is probably correct, as the verb which the Syriac supplies is wanting in the Hebrew. The Maonites appear to have been sojourners from Maon, south of the Dead Sea, near Petra, now called <span class= "ital">Maân.</span> (Comp. <a href="/2_chronicles/20-1.htm" title="It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.">2Chronicles 20:1</a>.)<p><span class= "bld">Destroyed them utterly.</span>—<span class= "ital">Devoted them to God for destruction;</span> <a href="/joshua/6-17.htm" title="And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.">Joshua 6:17</a>, “the city shall be accursed unto the Lord.” This practice was not peculiar to Israel, but was common to the Semitic races. Mesha, king of Moab, in like manner devoted the inhabitants of Nebo, 7,000 in number, to destruction in the name of ‘Ashtar-Chemosh. (See the Stele of Dibân, lines 14-17, in Dr. Ginsburg’s <span class= "ital">The Moabite Stone.</span>)<p><span class= "bld">Unto this day</span>—That is, <span class= "ital">to the time when this record was first written, long before the chronicler borrowed it from his sources.</span><p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-42.htm">1 Chronicles 4:42</a></div><div class="verse">And <i>some</i> of them, <i>even</i> 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.</div>(42) <span class= "bld">Went.</span>—Or, <span class= "ital">had gone</span> (marched). The time of this expedition to mount Seir is not expressed; but for that very reason it is likely to have been nearly contemporaneous with the events just described. The band of five hundred would seem to have belonged to the clans which had already smitten the Hamites. Neither Ishi (<span class= "ital">Yish’i</span>) nor his sons are otherwise known. If a totally different expedition were intended, the expression, “and of them—of the sons of Simeon—five hundred men,” would be a needlessly misleading periphrasis for, “And some of the sons of Simeon.” “Of them” can only refer to the clans whose emigration in the days of Hezekiah has been the subject of this section.<p> <div class="versenum"><a href="/1_chronicles/4-43.htm">1 Chronicles 4:43</a></div><div class="verse">And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.</div>(43) <span class= "bld">The rest of the Amalekites that were escaped.</span>—Literally, <span class= "ital">the remnant of the survivors </span>(<span class= "ital">pelêtâh,</span> an abstract collective word) <span class= "ital">belonging to Amalek.</span> These Amalekites are usually supposed to have been some who had taken refuge in Seir from Saul and David’s exterminating wars (<a href="/1_samuel/14-48.htm" title="And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.">1Samuel 14:48</a>; <a href="/1_samuel/15-7.htm" title="And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until you come to Shur, that is over against Egypt.">1Samuel 15:7</a>; <a href="/2_samuel/8-12.htm" title="Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.">2Samuel 8:12</a>. Comp. <a href="/1_chronicles/1-36.htm" title="The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.">1Chronicles 1:36</a>, where Amalek appears as a partly Edomite stock.)<p><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers<br /><br />Text Courtesy of <a href="//biblesupport.com" target="_top">BibleSupport.com</a>. Used by Permission. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../1_chronicles/3.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="1 Chronicles 3"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="1 Chronicles 3" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../1_chronicles/5.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="1 Chronicles 5"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="1 Chronicles 5" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/1_chronicles/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="/commentaries/ellicott/sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><br /><br /><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></body></html>