1 Chronicles 4

1 The descendants [sons, offspring] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, a son of Jacob]: Perez [breach, breakthrough], Hezron [surrounded by a wall], Carmi [vineyard, gardener], Hur [whiteness, purity], and Shobal [path, flow]. word study 2 Reaiah [son of Shobal, a Zorathite] son of Shobal was the father [to beget, to give birth] of Jahath, and Jahath was the father [to give birth, to bring forth] of Ahumai and Lahad. These [specific, notable] were the clans [family groups, tribes] of the Zorathites [people from the town of Zorah, a family group]. word study 3 These [specific, particular] were the sons [descendants, offspring] of Etam [a fortified town in Judah]: Jezreel [God sows, nurtures growth], Ishma [having God’s hearing], and Idbash [stout, strong]. And their sister [biological or close relative] was named [identified as, called] Hazzelelponi [facing the shade]. word study 4 Penuel [facing God] was the father [a male parent, ancestor, or founder] of Gedor, and Ezer [a helper, assistant] was the father of Hushah [hastening, swift]. These [specific descendants] were the descendants [sons, offspring] of Hur [a free, noble man], the firstborn [the first in birth, preeminent] of Ephrathah [a place of fruitfulness, abundance] and the father [a male parent, ancestor] of Bethlehem [house of bread, a place of nourishment]. word study 5 Ashhur [the father of a notable city] the father [abbi, a paternal figure] of Tekoa [a town in Judah, a place of habitation] had two [a pair, a dual unity] wives [women, female companions], Helah [a woman of strength, wife of Ashhur] and Naarah [a young, vibrant woman, mother of several children]. word study 6 Naarah [the wife of Ashhur] bore to him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari [diligently observed, a son of Judah]. These [specific descendants] were the descendants [sons, children] of Naarah [a woman of the tribe of Judah]. word study 7 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Helah [wife of Ashhur] were Zereth [an Israelite from Judah], Zohar [tawny, possibly referring to complexion or character], Ethnan [hire of unchastity, possibly implying a complex family history], word study 8 and Koz [Hakkoz, a leader], who was the father [to beget, give birth to] of Anub and Zobebah [a son of Koz] and of the clans [family, tribe] of Aharhel [a following host, descendant of Judah] son [descendant, offspring] of Harum [father of Aharhel]. word study 9 Now Jabez [a man of honor, more faithful to God] was more honorable [esteemed, respected] than his brothers [male siblings, close relatives]. His mother [female parent, maternal figure] had named him Jabez [meaning’pain’], saying, “Because I bore [gave birth to, brought forth] him in pain [with sorrow, in distress].” word study 10 And Jabez [a man of sorrow, a son of sorrow] called out to the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Israel, “If only You would bless [bestow divine favor upon] me and enlarge [expand, increase] my territory [border, land]! May Your hand [strength, power] be with me and keep me from harm [evil, adversity], so that I will be free from pain [sorrow, trouble].” And God [the one supreme God] granted the request [plea, prayer] of Jabez. word study 11 Chelub [closely related to] the brother of Shuhah was the father [parent, ancestor] of Mehir, who was the father [progenitor, ancestor] of Eshton [a descendant of Judah]. word study 12 Eshton [an Israelite from the tribe of Judah] was the father [in a literal sense, begetting] of Beth-rapha [house of healing], of Paseah [lame, halting], and of Tehinnah [supplication, prayer] the father [ancestor, progenitor] of Ir-nahash [city of the serpent]. These [specific individuals] were the men [male descendants, sons] of Recah [a place in Judah, near Jerusalem]. word study 13 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Kenaz [a hunter, brother of Caleb]: Othniel [lion of God, a Judge of Israel] and Seraiah [Jehovah is ruler]. The sons [descendants, offspring] of Othniel: Hathath [an Israelite from Judah] and Meonothai. word study 14 Meonothai [an Israelite from Judah] was the father [ancestor, progenitor] of Ophrah, and Seraiah [Jehovah is ruler] was the father of Joab, the father [leader, founder] of those living in Ge-harashim [valley of craftsmen, Charashim], which was given this name [designated, appointed] because its people were [skilled as] craftsmen [artificers, skilled workers]. word study 15 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Caleb [a faithful Israelite] son of Jephunneh [a leader from the tribe of Judah]: Iru [watch, reflection], Elah [oak valley], and Naam [pleasant, lovely]. The son [child, heir] of Elah [strong, oak tree]: Kenaz [hunter, pursuer]. word study 16 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Jehallelel [God is praised]: Ziph [battlement], Ziphah [battlement], Tiria [fearful, one who inspires fear], and Asarel [God holds, supported by God]. word study 17 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Ezrah [an Israelite from the tribe of Judah]: Jether [meaning abundance], Mered [Ezrah’s son], Epher [a calf], and Jalon [Ezrah’s son]. And Mered’s wife [a woman of Judah] Bithiah gave birth [to conceive, became pregnant] to Miriam [rebellion], Shammai [a man from Judah], and Ishbah [a father, a leader] the father [abbi, a patriarch] of Eshtemoa [a city in Judah, I will make myself heard]. word study 18 These were the children [sons, descendants] of Pharaoh’s daughter [Bath, the Egyptian princess] Bithiah [daughter of an Egyptian king]. Mered also took a Judean [Judahite, from the tribe of Judah] wife [woman, female partner], who gave birth [bore, brought forth] to Jered [ancestor] the father of Gedor, Heber [the companion, friend] the father [ancestor, patriarch] of Soco, and Jekuthiel [God’s cleansing, purification] the father [ancestor, patriarch] of Zanoah [the cast-off, rejected one]. word study 19 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Hodiah’s wife [woman, female], the sister [biological sibling, close relative] of Naham, were the fathers [ancestors, male parents] of Keilah [a city in Judah, a fortified place] the Garmite [a descendant of Garam, someone strong] and of Eshtemoa [a city in Judah, a place of hearing] the Maacathite [someone from the city of Maakah, a pressed people]. word study 20 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Shimon [an Israelite from the tribe of Judah]: Amnon [meaning ‘faithful’], Rinnah [meaning ‘shout’ or ‘cry’], Ben-hanan [son of favor, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah], and Tilon [a brother of Amnon]. The descendants [sons, offspring] of Ishi [meaning ‘He saves me’]: Zoheth [an Israelite from the time of the Divided Monarchy] and Ben-zoheth [son of Zoheth, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah]. word study 21 The sons [descendants, family members] of Shelah [a patriarch] son of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah]: Er [the firstborn] the father [ancestor, progenitor] of Lecah, Laadah the father [ancestor, progenitor] of Mareshah and the clans [families, tribes] of the linen workers [those who wrought fine linen, skilled craftsmen] at Beth-ashbea [the house of Ashbea, a place of fine linen production], word study 22 Jokim [a descendant of Judah], the men of Cozeba [a city of falsehood, also known as Achzib], and Joash [given by the Lord] and Saraph [an Israelite], who ruled [had dominion, were in charge] in Moab [a land of the descendants of Lot] and Jashubi-lehem [another name for Bethlehem, house of bread]. (These names are from [written in, recorded in] ancient [old, from a long time ago] records [chronicles, historical accounts].) word study 23 These were the potters [craftsmen, makers of clay vessels] who lived at Netaim [among plants, a fertile place] and Gederah [a walled town, with enclosures]. They lived there [in that place, dwelling] in the service [for the work, in employment] of the king [the royal ruler, with authority]. word study 24 The descendants [sons, offspring] of Simeon [Shimeon, the second son of Jacob]: Nemuel [day of God], Jamin [right hand], Jarib [he will contend], Zerah [rising, shining], and Shaul [desired, asked for]. word study 25 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Shaul: Shallum [his son, a personal name], Mibsam [his son, meaning sweet], and Mishma [his son, a hearing, one who listens]. word study 26 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Mishma [a hearing, one who is heard]: Hammuel [heat of God, God’s fervor], Zaccur [mindful, one who remembers], and Shimei [famous, renowned, heard by God]. word study 27 Shimei [a common Israelite name] had sixteen [ten and six] sons and six daughters, but his brothers [male siblings or close relatives] did not have many [a large number of] children, so their whole clan [family or tribe] did not become as numerous [multiply or increase] as the sons [descendants or offspring] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, son of Jacob]. word study 28 They lived [dwelt, remained, and abided] in Beersheba [well of the sevenfold oath], Moladah [birth or race], Hazar-shual [jackal village, a place of refuge], word study 29 Bilhah [a troubled place], Ezem [in the territory of Judah], Tolad [meaning generation, a city in Simeon’s territory], word study 30 Bethuel [man of God, nephew of Abraham], Hormah [a place of devotion], Ziklag [a town of refuge, given to David], word study 31 Beth-marcaboth [house of the chariots], Hazar-susim [village of horses], Beth-biri [house of a creative one], and Shaaraim [double gate]. These [specific cities] were their cities [settlements, towns] until [as far as, up to the time of] the reign [kingly rule, dominion] of David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel]. word study 32 And their villages [small settlements, towns] were Etam [a fortified town, lair of beasts], Ain [a place of springs], Rimmon [a city, a Syrian deity], Tochen [a place of measurement], and Ashan [a city in the lowland]—five [a quantity of five, a number of completion] towns [cities, places with walls]— word study 33 and all [every one of, the entirety of] their surrounding villages [towns, settlements] as far as [until, up to] Baal [the Phoenician deity, a false god]. These [these specific ones, they] were their settlements [habitats, dwelling places], and they kept [maintained, preserved] a genealogical record [their family history, a declaration of their lineage]: word study 34 Meshobab [restored or backsliding], Jamlech [a king or ruler], Joshah [Jehovah makes equal] son [a descendant or offspring] of Amaziah [Jehovah is mighty], word study 35 Joel [Jehovah is God], Jehu [a king’s name, meaning Jehovah is He] son [descendant, offspring] of Joshibiah [Jehovah causes to dwell] (son [offspring, descendant] of Seraiah [Jehovah is ruler], son [offspring, descendant] of Asiel [God has made, my God has made]), word study 36 Elioenai [unto Jehovah are my eyes], Jaakobah [toward Jacob], Jeshohaiah [Jehovah humbles], Asaiah [God has made], Adiel [ornament of God], Jesimiel [God will place], Benaiah [Jehovah has built], word study 37 and Ziza [shining one, radiant] son of Shiphi [abundant, overflowing] (son of Allon [great tree, oak], son of Jedaiah [praised by God], son of Shimri [vigilant, watchful], son of Shemaiah [heard by God, obedient]). word study 38 These [specific, named individuals] men listed by name were the [princes, chiefs] leaders of their [families, kindreds] clans [and tribes]. Their [fathers’, ancestral] families [houses, lineages] increased [multiplied, broke forth] greatly [in abundance, to a multitude], word study 39 and they journeyed [to walk, to move from one place to another] to the entrance [the act of entering, a place of access] of Gedor [a place in Palestine], to the east [the direction of the sunrise] side of the valley [a deep, narrow valley or gorge], in search of [to seek, to look for] pasture [a place where animals graze, a feeding ground] for their flocks [a group of sheep or goats, a congregation]. word study 40 There they found [abundant, fat] rich, good [pleasant, beneficial] pasture, and the land [earth, territory] was spacious [broad, wide], peaceful [quiet, still], and quiet [at ease, secure]; for some [descendants of] Hamites had lived [dwelt, resided] there [in that place] formerly. word study 41 These [noted by name, written in the records] who were noted by name came in the days [period of time, era] of Hezekiah [a king of Judah, a faithful servant of God] king of Judah [the southern kingdom of Israel]. They attacked [struck, smote] the Hamites [a group of people, descendants of Ham] and Meunites [a group of people, the Meunim] there in their dwellings [tents, homes], devoting them to destruction [utterly destroying, dedicating to God] even to this day [until now, continually]. Then they settled [dwelt, lived] in their place [stead, room], because there was pasture [grazing land, food for their flocks] for their flocks [sheep, livestock]. word study 42 And five hundred [a large group, 500 men] of these Simeonites [descendants of Shimeon, the second son of Jacob] led by Pelatiah [Jehovah delivers], Neariah [servant of Jehovah], Rephaiah [healed of Jehovah], and Uzziel [my strength is God], the sons [descendants, male offspring] of Ishi [He saves me], went [to walk, to journey] to Mount Seir [a mountain in Idumaea, the hairy or shaggy mountain] word study 43 and struck down [smote, defeated] the remnant [what was left, survivors] of the Amalekites [enemies of Israel, descendants of Esau] who had escaped [survived, been delivered]. And they have lived [dwelt, remained] there [in that place, to this location] to this day [until now, as far as this time]. word study