1 Chronicles 4:9-43
Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez. She had said, “I was in a lot of pain when he was born.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel. He said, “I wish you would bless me. I wish you would give me more territory. Let your power protect me. Keep me from harm. Then I won’t have any pain.” God gave him what he asked for.
Kelub was the brother of Shuhah and the father of Mehir. Mehir was the father of Eshton. Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah. Tehinnah was the father of Ir Nahash. These were the men of Rekah.
The sons of Kenaz were
Othniel and Seraiah.
The sons of Othniel were
Hathath and Meonothai. Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.
Seraiah was the father of Joab.
Joab was the father of Ge Harashim. Ge Harashim was called by that name because all its people were skilled workers.
The sons of Caleb were
Iru, Elah and Naam. Caleb was the son of Jephunneh.
The son of Elah was
Kenaz.
The sons of Jehallelel were
Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria and Asarel.
The sons of Ezrah were
Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon.
One of Mered’s wives had Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah by him. Ishbah was the father of Eshtemoa. These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah. Mered had married her.
His wife from the tribe of Judah had Jered, Heber and Jekuthiel by him. Jered was the father of Gedor. Heber was the father of Soko. Jekuthiel was the father of Zanoah.
Hodiah’s wife was the sister of Naham. Her sons were
the father of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maakathite.
The sons of Shimon were
Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan and Tilon.
The family line of Ishi included
Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.
Shelah was the son of Judah. The sons of Shelah were
Er and Laadah. Er was the father of Lekah. Laadah was the father of Mareshah. He was also the father of the family groups of the linen workers who lived in Beth Ashbea.
Other sons of Shelah were Jokim, Joash, Saraph and the men of Kozeba. Moab and Jashubi Lehem were ruled by sons of Shelah. The records of all these matters are very old. Some of Shelah’s sons were potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah. They stayed there and worked for the king.
The Family Line of Simeon
The family line of Simeon included
Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul. Shallum was Shaul’s son. Mibsam was Shallum’s son. Mishma was Mibsam’s son.
The family line of Mishma included Hammuel. Hammuel was Mishma’s son. Zakkur was Hammuel’s son. Shimei was Zakkur’s son.
Shimei had 16 sons and six daughters. But his brothers didn’t have many children. So their whole family group didn’t have as many people as Judah had. Shimei’s family group lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until David became king. Five of the villages around these towns were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan. The territory of all the villages around these towns reached all the way to Baalath. These were their settlements.
The tribe of Simeon kept its own family history.
Simeon’s family line included Meshobab, Jamlech and Joshah. Joshah was the son of Amaziah.
Simeon’s family line also included Joel and Jehu. Jehu was the son of Joshibiah. Joshibiah was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Asiel.
And the family line included Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah,
Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah
and Ziza. Ziza was the son of Shiphi. Shiphi was the son of Allon. Allon was the son of Jedaiah. Jedaiah was the son of Shimri. And Shimri was the son of Shemaiah.
The men whose names are listed above were leaders of their family groups.
Their families greatly increased their numbers. They spread out all the way to the edge of Gedor east of the valley. They looked for grasslands for their flocks. They found grasslands that were rich and good. The land had plenty of room. It was peaceful and quiet. Some of the people of Ham had lived there before.
The men whose names are listed lived at the time when Hezekiah was king of Judah. They came and attacked the Hamites in their homes. They also attacked the Meunites who were there. And they completely destroyed them. What happened to them is clear even to this day. The men of Simeon made their homes where the Meunites had lived. That’s because in that place there were enough grasslands for their flocks. Five hundred of these men came into the hill country of Seir and attacked it. They were led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel. These four men were the sons of Ishi. They killed the rest of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they still live there to this day.
1 Chronicles 5:1-26
The Family Line of Reuben
Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. But he slept with his father’s concubine. By doing that, he made his father’s bed “unclean.” That’s why his rights as the oldest son were given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel. So Reuben isn’t listed in the family history as the one who had the rights of the oldest son. Judah also did not have the rights of the oldest son. Judah didn’t have them even though he was the leader among his brothers. And a ruler came from his family line. But the rights of the oldest son belonged to Joseph. Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. Reuben’s sons were
Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
The family line of Joel includes
his son Shemaiah. Gog was the son of Shemaiah.
Shimei was the son of Gog. Micah was the son of Shimei.
Reaiah was the son of Micah. Baal was the son of Reaiah.
And Beerah was the son of Baal. Beerah was a leader of the people of Reuben. Tiglath-Pileser took Beerah as a prisoner to another country. Tiglath-Pileser was the king of Assyria.
Here are the relatives of the family groups of Reuben. They are listed in their family history.
They include Chief Jeiel, Zechariah and Bela. Bela was the son of Azaz. Azaz was the son of Shema. Shema was the son of Joel.
All of them made their homes in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. To the east they made their homes in the land up to the edge of the desert. That desert reaches all the way to the Euphrates River. They made their homes there because their livestock had increased in Gilead.
While Saul was king, the people of Reuben went to war against the Hagrites. They won the battle over them. Then they lived in the houses of the Hagrites. The people of Reuben lived in the entire area east of Gilead.
The Family Line of Gad
The people of Gad lived next to the people of Reuben in Bashan. They spread out all the way to Salekah.
Joel was their chief. Shapham was next. Then came Janai and Shaphat in Bashan.
Here are their relatives family by family. They included
Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber. The total number of them was seven.
These were the sons of Abihail. Abihail was the son of Huri. Huri was the son of Jaroah. Jaroah was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael. Michael was the son of Jeshishai. Jeshishai was the son of Jahdo. And Jahdo was the son of Buz.
Ahi was the leader of some of the families of Gad. Ahi was the son of Abdiel. Abdiel was the son of Guni.
The people of Gad lived in the land of Gilead. They lived in the villages of Bashan. They also lived on all the grasslands of Sharon as far as they reached.
All these names were written down in the family history. They were written during the time when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.
The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men able to serve in the army. Each one was able to handle a shield and sword. Each was also able to use a bow. Each was trained for battle. They went to war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. God helped his people fight against the Hagrites and all who were helping them. He handed over all those enemies to his people. That’s because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. They captured the livestock of the Hagrites. They captured 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys. They also took 100,000 people as prisoners. Many others were killed, because God won the battle over them. His people lived in the land until they themselves were taken as prisoners to other countries.
The Family Line of Half of the Tribe of Manasseh
The people in half of the tribe of Manasseh became a very large group. They made their homes in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon. Baal Hermon is also called Senir. Another name for it is Mount Hermon.
Here are the leaders of their families. They included Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave fighting men. They were also famous and were leaders of their families. But they weren’t faithful to the God of their people. They joined themselves to the gods of the nations of the land and worshiped them. God had destroyed those nations to make room for his people. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul. He was king of Assyria. He was also called Tiglath-Pileser. He took the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh to other countries as his prisoners. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan. And that’s where they still are to this day.
