1 Chronicles 4
Introduction
First Chronicles 4 continues the Chronicler's survey of Judah, gathering clans and settlements outside the main family line. Chapters 2-3 traced Judah's central line through Hezron, Ram, and the house of David; chapter 4 turns to related branches, including the descendants of Hur, Shelah, and other Judahite sub-clans, and notes the towns they founded and the trades they practiced. The chapter then shifts to Simeon (vv. 24-43), whose territory lay within Judah's allotment (Joshua 19:1-9) and whose history was closely tied to Judah's.
Its best-known passage is the brief prayer of Jabez (vv. 9-10), which interrupts the genealogy with a personal appeal to God. In the midst of names and clans, the Chronicler pauses to tell of a man marked by pain at birth, his petition, and God's answer. The chapter also offers glimpses of ordinary life in ancient Israel: linen workers, potters in royal service, and the "Valley of Craftsmen." The closing Simeonite material records military expansion in the days of Hezekiah, reminding the reader that even smaller tribes had their place in Israel's history.
Further Descendants of Judah (vv. 1-8)
1 The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. 2 Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites. 3 These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. And their sister was named Hazzelelponi. 4 Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem. 5 Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6 Naarah bore to him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah. 7 The sons of Helah were Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, 8 and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Zobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.
1 The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. 2 Reaiah son of Shobal fathered Jahath, and Jahath fathered Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites. 3 These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. 4 Penuel was the founder of Gedor, and Ezer was the founder of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, founder of Bethlehem. 5 Ashhur, the founder of Tekoa, had two wives: Helah and Naarah. 6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. 7 The sons of Helah: Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, 8 and Koz, who fathered Anub and Zobebah, and the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.
Notes
The opening verse resumes Judah's genealogy from 1 Chronicles 2:4-5, again beginning with Perez and Hezron. "Carmi" is unexpected here, since 1 Chronicles 2:9 does not list him among Hezron's sons. Some scholars therefore take the name as a textual irregularity or as a compressed reference to another family branch.
The expression "father of" (אֲבִי) appears repeatedly in this section and often means more than biological paternity. In genealogies it can denote the founder or leading figure of a town or clan. So when v. 4 says that Penuel was the אֲבִי of Gedor, the point is that he was its founder or chief, just as Hur is presented as the founder of Bethlehem. The note that Hur was the "firstborn of Ephrathah" supports this reading, since Ephrathah was the district around Bethlehem (Ruth 4:11, Micah 5:2).
The Zorathites in v. 2 are linked with Zorah, a town in the Shephelah of Judah later known as Samson's hometown (Judges 13:2). Tekoa in v. 5 would later be associated with the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1). Details like these root the genealogy in places the Chronicler's audience would have recognized.
The Prayer of Jabez (vv. 9-10)
9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, "If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain." And God granted the request of Jabez.
9 Now Jabez was more honored than his brothers. His mother had called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in sorrow." 10 And Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that you would truly bless me and enlarge my territory, and that your hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from evil so that it may not bring me pain!" And God granted what he asked.
Notes
This brief passage is the theological center of the chapter. The name יַעְבֵּץ plays on עֹצֶב, "pain" or "sorrow." His mother names him out of the pain of childbirth, so he enters the story marked by suffering. Yet the Chronicler says Jabez was נִכְבָּד, "honored" or "weighty," more than his brothers. The tension between a painful name and an honored life prepares for the prayer.
Jabez's prayer unfolds in four requests. He asks God to "truly bless" him; the Hebrew uses an emphatic construction (בָּרֵךְ תְּבָרֲכֵנִי, literally "blessing, bless me"). He asks that his territory be enlarged (הִרְבִּיתָ אֶת־גְּבוּלִי), that God's hand be with him, and that he be kept from evil so that it does not bring him pain. Here the wordplay comes to its point: Jabez asks God to spare him from the pain his name suggests. The Hebrew עָצְבִּי ("my pain") echoes the same root.
The closing line, "And God granted what he asked," is plain. There is no suspense and no qualification. The Chronicler simply records a direct answer to a direct prayer. The same pattern appears elsewhere in Scripture, as in Solomon's request in 1 Kings 3:5-14, and it accords with Jesus' later summons to ask in Matthew 7:7-8.
Interpretations
The Prayer of Jabez drew wide popular attention in the early 2000s through Bruce Wilkinson's book, which presented it as a model for seeking blessing and prosperity. That reading has been challenged from several directions. Some interpreters see the prayer as an example of faith: asking God for blessing, protection, and deliverance from evil fits well with the broader biblical pattern of prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Others caution against turning the passage into a formula for material success. The Chronicler's point is not that every ambitious request will be granted, but that Jabez, despite a name bound to sorrow, trusted God to change his lot. The passage is descriptive rather than prescriptive. It commends prayer, but should not be reduced to a technique for personal advancement.
More Descendants of Judah (vv. 11-23)
11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton was the father of Beth-rapha, of Paseah, and of Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These were the men of Recah. 13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai. 14 Meonothai was the father of Ophrah, and Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those living in Ge-harashim, which was given this name because its people were craftsmen. 15 The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz. 16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. And Mered's wife Bithiah gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18 These were the children of Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah. Mered also took a Judean wife, who gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. 19 The sons of Hodiah's wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. 21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea, 22 Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi-lehem. (These names are from ancient records.) 23 These were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the service of the king.
11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah fathered Mehir, who fathered Eshton. 12 Eshton fathered Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the founder of Ir-nahash. These were the men of Recah. 13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai. 14 Meonothai fathered Ophrah, and Seraiah fathered Joab, founder of the Valley of Craftsmen -- for they were craftsmen. 15 The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz. 16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Mered's wife conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the founder of Eshtemoa. 18 These were the children of Bithiah, daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered had taken. His Judean wife bore Jered the founder of Gedor, Heber the founder of Soco, and Jekuthiel the founder of Zanoah. 19 The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham: the founders of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. 21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the founder of Lecah, Laadah the founder of Mareshah, and the clans of linen workers at Beth-ashbea, 22 and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and then returned to Lehem. (These records are ancient.) 23 They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah; they lived there in the king's service.
Notes
Othniel son of Kenaz (v. 13) is the first judge of Israel, known from Judges 1:13 and Judges 3:7-11. He won Caleb's daughter Achsah by conquering Kiriath-sepher. The Chronicler does not retell those events, but his audience would have recognized Othniel as one of Israel's early deliverers.
The place name גֵּי חֲרָשִׁים in v. 14 literally means "Valley of Craftsmen." The Chronicler even explains the name: its inhabitants were חֲרָשִׁים, "craftsmen" or "artisans." The valley appears again in Nehemiah 11:35, suggesting that the name remained in use into the post-exilic period. The note also shows how skilled labor could be organized by clan and location in ancient Israel.
Bithiah (בִּתְיָה) in v. 18 stands out in this genealogy. Her name means "daughter of Yah," yet she is identified as Pharaoh's daughter. The combination suggests that an Egyptian woman had been incorporated into Israel's worshiping community. In that respect, she resembles other foreigners such as Rahab (Joshua 6:25) and Ruth (Ruth 1:16) who were brought into the covenant people.
The reference to linen workers in v. 21 and potters in v. 23 offers a glimpse of Judah's economic life. Linen production was a skilled and valuable trade; fine linen was used for priestly garments (Exodus 28:42) and for luxury goods. The potters "in the king's service" imply a system of royal workshops in designated settlements. Even the place names Netaim ("plantings") and Gederah ("enclosure" or "walled place") may reflect the agricultural and industrial character of these communities.
The parenthetical note in v. 22, "These records are ancient," is one of the Chronicler's rare editorial comments. The Hebrew עַתִּיקִים means "ancient" or "of old," and signals that he is drawing on old material.
Shelah (v. 21) was Judah's third son by Shua's daughter (Genesis 38:5). Unlike Perez and Zerah, who were born through Judah's union with Tamar (Genesis 38:27-30), Shelah's descendants appear here as a distinct branch within Judah. Their connection to particular towns and trades suggests that they preserved a recognizable identity within the larger tribe.
The Descendants of Simeon (vv. 24-33)
24 The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. 25 The sons of Shaul: Shallum, Mibsam, and Mishma. 26 The sons of Mishma: Hammuel, Zaccur, and Shimei. 27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so their whole clan did not become as numerous as the sons of Judah. 28 They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David. 32 And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan--five towns-- 33 and all their surrounding villages as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record:
24 The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. 25 Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. 26 The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. 27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many sons, and their entire clan did not multiply to match the sons of Judah. 28 They settled in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David. 32 Their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan -- five towns -- 33 along with all their surrounding villages as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they maintained their genealogical records.
Notes
The transition from Judah to Simeon is natural, since Simeon's territory lay entirely within Judah's allotment (Joshua 19:1-9). In that sense Jacob's word in Genesis 49:7, that Simeon would be "scattered in Israel," came to pass. Simeon did not hold a fully separate territory, but lived within Judah's region.
The list of Simeon's sons in v. 24 broadly matches Genesis 46:10 and Numbers 26:12-14, though several names appear in variant forms. "Nemuel" corresponds to "Jemuel" in Genesis, "Jarib" to "Jachin," and "Zerah" to "Zohar." Such differences likely reflect records from different times or traditions.
Verse 27 adds an important demographic note. Shimei had many children, but his brothers did not, and the tribe as a whole never grew to the size of Judah. That helps explain Simeon's gradual absorption into Judah and its relative obscurity in later history. By the time of the divided monarchy, Simeon had largely merged with Judah and is seldom mentioned on its own.
The cities listed in vv. 28-31 overlap substantially with the city lists in Joshua 15:26-32 and Joshua 19:2-8. Several are notable elsewhere in Scripture: Beersheba marked Israel's southern boundary (Judges 20:1); Ziklag was the town Achish gave to David (1 Samuel 27:6); and Hormah was associated with Israel's defeat after its presumptuous attack on the Canaanites (Numbers 14:45).
The phrase "until the reign of David" (v. 31) suggests that these towns were later reorganized, perhaps through Davidic administration or through their fuller incorporation into Judah's structures.
Simeonite Expansion (vv. 34-43)
34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel), 36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 and Ziza son of Shiphi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah). 38 These men listed by name were the leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39 and they journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, in search of pasture for their flocks. 40 There they found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful, and quiet; for some Hamites had lived there formerly. 41 These who were noted by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings as well as the Meunites who were there, devoting them to destruction even to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. 42 And five hundred of these Simeonites led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to Mount Seir 43 and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.
34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah son of Seraiah son of Asiel, 36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 and Ziza son of Shiphi son of Allon son of Jedaiah son of Shimri son of Shemaiah. 38 These, listed by name, were princes in their clans, and their ancestral houses spread out greatly. 39 They went toward the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, seeking pasture for their flocks. 40 They found rich and good pasture, and the land was broad, tranquil, and at peace, for the former inhabitants there were of Ham. 41 These who are recorded by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and attacked the tents of the Hamites and the Meunites who were found there, and they devoted them to destruction to this day, and settled in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks. 42 And some of the Simeonites -- five hundred men -- went to Mount Seir, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, sons of Ishi. 43 They struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.
Notes
This final section shifts from genealogy to narrative and describes two Simeonite campaigns. The first (vv. 39-41) belongs to the reign of Hezekiah (c. 715-686 BC). Simeonite clan leaders moved toward Gedor in search of pasture and displaced the Hamite and Meunite inhabitants. The Meunites were associated with the region of Mount Seir and are mentioned elsewhere in 2 Chronicles 20:1 and 2 Chronicles 26:7.
The phrase "devoting them to destruction" renders the Hebrew חֵרֶם, the "ban," the total destruction of an enemy as an act devoted to God. The same term is used for Jericho (Joshua 6:17-21) and for the command against Amalek (1 Samuel 15:3). By using this word, the Chronicler places the Simeonite action in continuity with Israel's earlier conquest traditions.
The second campaign (vv. 42-43) is directed against the "remnant of the Amalekites" in Mount Seir. The Amalekites were longstanding enemies of Israel, and their destruction had been commanded in Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Saul failed to complete that task (1 Samuel 15), while David fought them repeatedly (1 Samuel 30). Against that backdrop, the notice that five hundred Simeonites struck the remnant carries weight. The statement that "they have lived there to this day" means that the Simeonites remained in Seir at least until the source behind this record was written.
The expression "to this day" appears twice in this section (vv. 41, 43) and likely comes from the earlier source the Chronicler is using rather than from the Chronicler's own present. By the post-exilic period, such territorial claims were largely matters of memory, yet the record still affirms that even a small tribe like Simeon shared in Israel's story and mission.