1 Chronicles 4:1-43
Prayers and Settlements
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1The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
2Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.
3These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. And their sister was named Hazzelelponi.
4Penuel 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.
5Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.
6Naarah bore to him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.
7The sons of Helah were Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan,
8and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Zobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.
9Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”
10And 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.
11Chelub the brother of Shuhah was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.
12Eshton was the father of Beth-rapha, of Paseah, and of Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These were the men of Recah.
13The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.
14Meonothai 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.
15The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.
16The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
17The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. And Mered’s wife Bithiah gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18These 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.
19The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
20The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth.
21The 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,
22Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi-lehem. (These names are from ancient records.)
23These were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the service of the king.
24The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul.
25The sons of Shaul: Shallum, Mibsam, and Mishma.
26The sons of Mishma: Hammuel, Zaccur, and Shimei.
27Shimei 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.
28They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual,
29Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,
30Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,
31Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David.
32And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns—
33and all their surrounding villages as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record:
34Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah,
35Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel),
36Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,
37and Ziza son of Shiphi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah).
38These men listed by name were the leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly,
39and they journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, in search of pasture for their flocks.
40There they found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful, and quiet; for some Hamites had lived there formerly.
41These 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.
42And five hundred of these Simeonites led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to Mount Seir
43and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.
Berean Standard Bible
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The descendants of Judah continue, and the record pauses over Jabez. His mother named him because she gave birth in pain, but he asks the God of Israel to bless him, enlarge his territory, remain with him, and keep him from harm. The text says God granted what he asked.
The list then moves through families and towns, giving linen workers and potters space beside clan leaders. The potters at Netaim and Gederah work in the king's service; this record remembers what people make as well as whom they descend from.
Simeon's descendants are also remembered. Their growing families seek pasture for their flocks. In Hezekiah's days they attack the Hamites and Meunites living there and settle in their place. The land is described as peaceful before the attack; we should not retell its seizure as an empty piece of ground becoming available.
The final account tells how Simeonite families struck the remnant of Amalek and lived in their place. These warfare passages belong to Israel's historical setting and are not permission for modern violence. The account records what these families did without giving us a command to take someone else's land.
Questions
1 Why was Jabez given his name?
AnswerHis mother named him Jabez because she had given birth to him in pain.
2 What did Jabez ask God to do?
AnswerHe asked for blessing, enlarged territory, God's presence, and protection from harm and pain.
3 Which ordinary work is remembered?
AnswerIt names craftsmen, linen workers, and potters in the king's service. It also records families seeking pasture for their flocks.
4 Why did the Simeonite families seek new pasture?
AnswerTheir families had grown greatly and they needed pasture for their flocks. The account also tells us that other people lived on the land they took.
What This Means for Us
Jabez asks the God of Israel for blessing, His presence, and protection from harm. God grants his request. We can ask for help just as plainly, but these verses do not promise wealth or freedom from pain to everyone who repeats his words.
The same chapter remembers people making cloth and pottery. We can bring God our needs and hopes while taking the work already before us seriously. His care matters in an ordinary working day as well as in a memorable answer to prayer.
Prayer
God of Israel, meet us in the names and wounds we carry. Give us enough blessing to serve well, keep us near You, and make our ordinary work useful to others. Amen.
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