1 Chronicles 7

Chapter context

What is happening in 1 Chronicles 7?

memoryworshipgenealogyDavid

1 Chronicles 7 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as genealogies from Adam onward. First Chronicles surveys Israel through genealogies and then retells David’s reign with special attention to worship, Levites, and preparations for the temple. Read this chapter with the wider themes of memory, worship, and genealogy in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimrom, four. ² And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father’s house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred. ³ And the sons of Uzzi; Izrahiah: and the sons of Izrahiah; Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five: all of them chief men. ⁴ And with them, by their generations, after the house of their fathers, were bands of soldiers for war, six and thirty thousand men: for they had many wives and sons. ⁵ And their brethren among all the families of Issachar were valiant men of might, reckoned in all by their genealogies fourscore and seven thousand. ⁶ The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three. ⁷ And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four. ⁸ And the sons of Becher; Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and Alameth. All these are the sons of Becher. ⁹ And the number of them, after their genealogy by their generations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour, was twenty thousand and two hundred. ¹⁰ The sons also of Jediael; Bilhan: and the sons of Bilhan; Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar. ¹¹ All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty men of valour, were seventeen thousand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle. ¹² Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children of Ir, and Hushim, the sons of Aher. ¹³ The sons of Naphtali; Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah. ¹⁴ The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare: (but his concubine the Aramitess bare Machir the father of Gilead: ¹⁵ And Machir took to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maachah;) and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and Zelophehad had daughters. ¹⁶ And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. ¹⁷ And the sons of Ulam; Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. ¹⁸ And his sister Hammoleketh bare Ishod, and Abiezer, and Mahalah. ¹⁹ And the sons of Shemidah were, Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam. ²⁰ And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son, ²¹ And Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle. ²² And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. ²³ And when he went in to his wife, she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house. ²⁴ (And his daughter was Sherah, who built Bethhoron the nether, and the upper, and Uzzensherah.) ²⁵ And Rephah was his son, also Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son, ²⁶ Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, ²⁷ Non his son, Jehoshuah his son, ²⁸ And their possessions and habitations were, Bethel and the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Gaza and the towns thereof: ²⁹ And by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Bethshean and her towns, Taanach and her towns, Megiddo and her towns, Dor and her towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel. ³⁰ The sons of Asher; Imnah, and Isuah, and Ishuai, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. ³¹ And the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel, who is the father of Birzavith. ³² And Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their sister. ³³ And the sons of Japhlet; Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet. ³⁴ And the sons of Shamer; Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. ³⁵ And the sons of his brother Helem; Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal. ³⁶ The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah, ³⁷ Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. ³⁸ And the sons of Jether; Jephunneh, and Pispah, and Ara. ³⁹ And the sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia. ⁴⁰ All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father’s house, choice and mighty men of valour, chief of the princes. And the number throughout the genealogy of them that were apt to the war and to battle was twenty and six thousand men.

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Glossary

Tola Person v. 1-2: A scarlet worm. (1. ) Eldest son of Issachar ( Gen. 46:13 ). (2. ) A judge of the tribe of Issachar who “judged” Israel twenty-three years ( Judg. 10:1 , 2), when he died, and was buried in Shamir. He was succeeded by Jair.
David Person v. 2: Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25 .
Shemuel Tribe v. 2: Heard of God. (1. ) The son of Ammihud. He represented Simeon in the division of the land ( Num. 34:20 ). (2. ) Used for “Samuel” ( 1 Chr. 6:33 , R. V. ). (3. ) A prince of the tribe of Issachar ( 1 Chr. 7:2 ).
Uzzi Person v. 2-3, 7: The Lord is my strength. (1. ) The son of Bukki, and a descendant of Aaron ( 1 Chr. 6:5 , 51; Ezra 7:4 ). (2. ) A grandson of Issachar ( 1 Chr. 7:2 , 3). (3. ) A son of Bela, and grandson of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 7:7 ).
Joel Person v. 3: Jehovah is his God. (1. ) The oldest of Samuel’s two sons appointed by him as judges in Beersheba ( 1 Sam. 8:2 ). (See VASHNI. ) (2. ) A descendant of Reuben ( 1 Chr. 5:4 , 8). (3. ) One of David’s famous warriors.
Obadiah Person v. 3: Servant of the Lord. (1. ) An Israelite who was chief in the household of King Ahab ( 1 Kings 18:3 ).
Becher Tribe v. 6, 8: First-born; a youth, the second son of Benjamin ( Gen. 46:21 ), who came down to Egypt with Jacob.
Benjamin Person v. 6, 10: Son of my right hand. (1. ) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel ( Gen. 35:18 ). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place.
Jerimoth Person v. 7-8: Heights. (1. ) One of the sons of Bela ( 1 Chr. 7:7 ). (2. ) 1 Chr. 24:30 , a Merarite Levite. (3. ) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:5 ). (4. ) A Levitical musician under Heman his father.
Elioenai Person v. 8: Toward Jehovah are my eyes, the name of several men mentioned in the Old Testament ( 1 Chr. 7:8 ; 4:36 ; Ezra 10:22 , 27). Among these was the eldest son of Neariah, son of Shemaiah, of the descendants of Zerubbabel.
Joash Person v. 8: Whom Jehovah bestowed. (1. ) A contracted form of Jehoash, the father of Gideon ( Judg. 6:11 , 29; 8:13, 29, 32). (2. ) One of the Benjamite archers who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:3 ).
Zemira Person v. 8: Vine-dresser, a Benjamite; one of the sons of Becher ( 1 Chr. 7:8 ).
Chenaanah Person v. 10: Merchant. (1. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 7:10 ). (2. ) The father of Zedekiah ( 1 Kings 22:11 , 24).
Ehud Tribe v. 10: Union. (1. ) A descendant of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 7:10 ), his great-grandson. (2. ) The son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin ( Judg. 3:15 ).
Jeush Person v. 10: Assembler. (1. ) The oldest of Esau’s three sons by Aholibamah ( Gen. 36:5 , 14, 18). (2. ) A son of Bilhan, grandson of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 7:10 ). (3. ) A Levite, one of the sons of Shimei ( 1 Chr. 23:10 , 11).
Naphtali Person v. 13: My wrestling, the fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid ( Gen. 30:8 ). When Jacob went down into Egypt, Naphtali had four sons ( Gen. 46:24 ). Little is known of him as an individual.
Shallum Person v. 13: Retribution. (1. ) The son of Jabesh, otherwise unknown. He “conspired against Zachariah, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead” ( 2 Kings 15:10 ).
Zelophehad Tribe v. 15: First-born, of the tribe of Manasseh, and of the family of Gilead; died in the wilderness.
Ezer Person v. 21: Treasure. (1. ) One of the sons of Seir, the native princes, “dukes,” of Mount Hor ( Gen. 36:21 , 27). (2. ) 1 Chr. 7:21 ; (3. ) 4:4. (4. ) One of the Gadite champions who repaired to David at Ziklag (12:9).
Gath Place v. 21: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jett.
Zabad Person v. 21: Gift. (1. ) One of David’s valiant men ( 1 Chr. 11:41 ), the descendant of Ahlai, of the “children of Sheshan” (2:31). (2. ) A descendant of Tahath (7:21). (3. ) The son of Shemath.
Beriah Person v. 23, 30-31: A gift, or in evil. (1. ) One of Asher’s four sons, and father of Heber ( Gen. 46:17 ). (2. ) A son of Ephraim.
Lower Beth-horon Place v. 24: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Beit Ur al Tahta.
Upper Beth-horon Place v. 24: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Beit Ur al Fauqa.
Uzzen-sheerah Place v. 24: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Beit Ur al Tahta.
Ammihud Person v. 26: People of glory; i. e., “renowned. ” (1. ) The father of the Ephraimite chief Elishama, at the time of the Exodus ( Num. 1:10 ; 2:18 ; 7:48 , 53). (2. ) Num. 34:20 . (3. ) Num. 34:28 .
Elishama Person v. 26: Whom God hears. (1. ) A prince of Benjamin, grandfather of Joshua ( Num. 1:10 ; 1 Chr. 7:26 ). (2. ) One of David’s sons ( 2 Sam. 5:16 ). (3. ) Another of David’s sons ( 1 Chr. 3:6 ).
Ayyah Place v. 28: Called also Azzah, which is its Hebrew name. Modern identification: Et Tell.
Bethel Place v. 28: House of God. (1. ) A place in Central Palestine, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, at the head of the pass of Michmash and Ai. It was originally the royal Canaanite city of Luz ( Gen. 28:19 ). Modern identification: Beitin.
Gezer Place v. 28: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tel Gezer.
Naaran Place v. 28: Boyish, juvenile, a town in Ephraim between Bethel and Jericho ( 1 Chr. 7:28 ). Modern identification: Tell el Jisr.
Shechem Place v. 28: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tell Balatah.
Beth-shan Place v. 29: House of security or rest, a city which belonged to Manasseh ( 1 Chr. 7:29 ), on the west of Jordan. The bodies of Saul and his sons were fastened to its walls. Modern identification: Tel Bet Shean.
Dor Place v. 29: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tel Dor.
Megiddo Place v. 29: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tel Megiddo.
Taanach Place v. 29: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tell Ta’anakh.
Serah Person v. 30: Abundance; princess, the daughter of Asher and grand-daughter of Jacob ( Gen. 46:17 ); called also Sarah ( Num. 26:46 ; R. V., “Serah”).
Heber Person v. 31-32: Passing over. (1. ) Son of Beriah and grandson of Asher ( Gen. 46:17 ; 1 Chr. 7:31 , 32). (2. ) The Kenite ( Judg. 4:11 , 17; 5:24), a descendant of Hobab. His wife Jael received Sisera.
Shomer Person v. 32: Watchman. (1. ) The mother of Jehozabad, who murdered Joash ( 2 Kings 12:21 ); called also Shimrith, a Moabitess ( 2 Chr. 24:26 ). (2. ) A man of Asher ( 1 Chr. 7:32 ); called also Shamer (34).
Shua Person v. 32: Wealth. (1. ) A Canaanite whose daughter was married to Judah ( 1 Chr. 2:3 ). (2. ) A daughter of Heber the Asherite ( 1 Chr. 7:32 ).
Pasach Tribe v. 33: Clearing, one of the sons of Japhlet, of the tribe of Asher ( 1 Chr. 7:33 ).
Zophah Person v. 35-36: Spreading out, a son of Helem ( 1 Chr. 7:35 ), a chief of Asher.
Harnepher Tribe v. 36: A chief of the tribe of Asher ( 1 Chr. 7:36 ).
Jephunneh Person v. 38: Nimble, or a beholder. (1. ) The father of Caleb, who was Joshua’s companion in exploring Canaan ( Num. 13:6 ), a Kenezite ( Josh. 14:14 ). (2. ) One of the descendants of Asher ( 1 Chr. 7:38 ).
Jether Person v. 38: Surplus; excellence. (1. ) Father-in-law of Moses ( Ex. 4:18 marg. ), called elsewhere Jethro (q. v. ). (2. ) The oldest of Gideon’s seventy sons ( Judg. 8:20 ).