1 These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,
2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
3 The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto 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.
4 And Tamar his daughter in law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
5 The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.
6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.
7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.
8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.
10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;
11 And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,
12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,
13 And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,
14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,
15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:
16 Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.
17 And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.
18 And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.
19 And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.
20 And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.
21 And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was threescore years old; and she bare him Segub.
22 And Segub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead.
23 And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.
24 And after that Hezron was dead in Calebephratah, then Abiah Hezron's wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.
25 And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.
26 Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.
27 And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were, Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker.
28 And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of Shammai; Nadab and Abishur.
29 And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid.
30 And the sons of Nadab; Seled, and Appaim: but Seled died without children.
31 And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.
32 And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without children.
33 And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.
34 Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.
35 And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai.
36 And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad,
37 And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed,
38 And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah,
39 And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah,
40 And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,
41 And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
42 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.
43 And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema.
44 And Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkoam: and Rekem begat Shammai.
45 And the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the father of Bethzur.
46 And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez.
47 And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Gesham, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.
48 Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.
49 She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsa.
50 These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim.
51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Bethgader.
52 And Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites.
53 And the families of Kirjathjearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites,
54 The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.
55 And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.
The book of 1 Chronicles is part of the Old Testament in the Holy Bible and is believed to have been written by Ezra, a priest and scribe, around 430 BC. The book is essentially a historical record of the genealogy of the Israelites, tracing their lineage from Adam to the time of King David. The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles focus on the genealogies of the tribes of Israel, with chapter 2 specifically focusing on the descendants of Jacob's son, Judah.
The chapter begins with a list of the sons of Israel, also known as Jacob, who are the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. This list includes Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, and Benjamin. However, the focus of this chapter is on the tribe of Judah, which is the tribe from which King David and ultimately Jesus Christ would descend.
The first few verses of chapter 2 list the sons of Judah, who were Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three sons were born to Judah and his Canaanite wife, Shua. Er and Onan were both put to death by God for their wickedness, leaving Shelah as the sole heir of Judah. The genealogy then continues with the descendants of Shelah, including the line of Perez, who was born to Judah and his daughter-in-law, Tamar.
The genealogy of Judah then branches off into various families and clans, including the families of Hezron and Ram. Hezron's descendants include David's great-grandfather, Boaz, and his great-grandmother, Ruth. Ram's descendants include David's father, Jesse, and his grandfather, Obed.
Verse 13 of chapter 2 introduces Jesse, who is described as having seven sons. These sons were Eliab, Abinadab, Shimea, Nethanel, Raddai, Ozem, and David. This verse also mentions that David had an additional eight sons, but they are not named. This is the first mention of David in the book of 1 Chronicles, and it sets the stage for his eventual rise to kingship.
After listing the sons of Jesse, the genealogy of Judah continues with the descendants of Caleb, who was a prominent figure in the history of Israel. Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan, and he was one of the only two spies who had faith in God's promise to give them the land (Numbers 13-14). As a result, Caleb was granted a portion of the land of Canaan for himself and his descendants.
The genealogy of Caleb's descendants includes his sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, along with the towns and villages that they inhabited. This section highlights the importance of family and lineage in the Israelite culture, as well as the fulfillment of God's promises to His people.
At first glance, chapter 2 of 1 Chronicles may seem like a tedious list of names and genealogies. However, upon closer examination, it reveals important themes and lessons that are still relevant for us today.
1. The importance of lineage and family
The genealogy of Judah in this chapter serves as a reminder of the significance of family and lineage in the Israelite culture. Each person is listed with their descendants, highlighting the continuity and preservation of the family line. This emphasis on family is also seen in the mention of David's eight unnamed sons, who were most likely important figures in their own right, but are not as well-known as their father.
In today's society, the concept of family and lineage may not hold the same weight as it did in ancient times. However, the chapter serves as a reminder of the importance of cherishing and preserving our family heritage, as well as the value of passing down our faith and beliefs to future generations.
2. The fulfillment of God's promises
Throughout the chapter, we see how God's promises to the Israelites were fulfilled through the genealogy of Judah. From the birth of Perez, who would become an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ, to the inheritance of land for Caleb and his descendants, we see how God's faithfulness and sovereignty were evident in the lives of His people.
This serves as a reminder for us that God's promises are always fulfilled, even if it may take time. We can trust in His plans and have faith that He will bring about what He has promised in His perfect timing.
3. The inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan
The mention of Ruth, a Moabite woman, in the genealogy of Judah is significant as it shows the inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan for His people. Ruth's story is one of faith and loyalty, and her inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5) is a reminder that God's salvation is for all people, regardless of their background or ethnicity.
This also serves as a reminder for us to show love and kindness to those who may be different from us, as we are all part of God's family and recipients of His grace and mercy.
Chapter 2 of 1 Chronicles may seem like a simple genealogy, but it holds important themes and lessons that are still relevant for us today. It reminds us of the importance of family and lineage, the fulfillment of God's promises, and the inclusion of all people in His plan for salvation. As we continue to read through the genealogies of the tribes of Israel in the book of 1 Chronicles, we can learn more about the history and faithfulness of God's people and how it applies to our lives today.
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