And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath ,.... Reaiah is the same with Haroeh, 1 Chronicles 2:52 the names are of the same signification: and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites ; who inhabited Zoreah, as the Targum, at least part of it; see 1 Chronicles 2:53 . read more
The Carrot of 1 Chronicles 4:1 is considered to lie doubtful between the Carmi of 1 Chronicles 2:7 or the Chelubai of 1 Chronicles 2:9 , in which last alternation the five names of this verse would repeat the line of descent with which chrii, had made us familiar. Even then the object or advantage of repeating the first four of these, so far as what follows is concerned, is not evident. We keep near the close of 1 Chronicles 2:1-55 . also in respect of another allusion to the... read more
EXPOSITION After the large space given to the "sons of David," of the tribe of Judah, in the previous chapter, this chapter returns for twenty-three verses to group together a few additional ramifications of the same tribe, whose registers were for some reasons, perhaps not very evident, preserved and known. The first verses follow in the direction already indicated in 1 Chronicles 2:1-55 ; near the end of which we were left with Shobal and Haroeh, probably the same with Reaiah (the... read more
1 Chronicles 4:2-3. The families of the Zorathites So denominated, not from a man, but a place named Zoreah, (1 Chronicles 2:53, and Joshua 15:33,) situated in the tribe of Judah. Here several families of that tribe settled; who were descended from Jahath, Ahumai, and Lahad, the sons and grandsons of Shobal. Of the father of Etam Descended from the proprietor or chief man of a place, called Etam, which was in this tribe, 1 Chronicles 4:32. read more
Descendants of Judah and Simeon (2:1-4:43)Having listed the children of Jacob (Israel) starting with the eldest son Reuben, the writer immediately turns his attention to the tribe of Judah, the tribe that produced the dynasty of David (2:1-17). He traces the line of David first, then goes back to deal with a number of other important people in Judah and lists their descendants (18-55). On completing this, he returns to list the family of David (3:1-9), the descendants of David who reigned after... read more
Zorathites. See 1 Chronicles 2:53 . read more
1. The family of Judah 4:1-23Jacob prophesied that his fourth son, Judah, would become the leader of the Israelites. Through him God would provide the greatest promised blessing to come (Genesis 49:8-12). The Davidic dynasty was one branch of Jacob’s descendants, so the writer had special interest in Judah."Many unrelated fragments have been brought together here in the interests of completeness." [Note: Williamson, p. 58.] Jabez’s prayer (1 Chronicles 4:10) shows that prayer and a... read more
B. The House of Israel chs. 4-7The writer’s next concern was to trace the line of people to whom and through whom God promised to bring blessing and salvation. That nation was Israel, the descendants of Jacob. The writer viewed Israel as consisting of 12 tribes, not just the tribes represented by the returnees from Babylonian exile. The nation as a whole would have a future. [Note: See Howard, pp. 253-56, for a discussion of the Chronicler’s concern to demonstrate the unity of all the... read more
Genealogies (continued)This chapter enumerates further descendants of Judah, and the descendants of Simeon.1. Sons] rather, ’descendants.’ Carmi] probably an accidental substitution (from 1 Chronicles 5:3) for Chelubai or Caleb: see 1 Chronicles 2:9, 1 Chronicles 2:18. 2. Reaiah] the Haroeh of 1 Chronicles 2:52, whence the posterity of Shobal is continued.9. And his mother.. sorrow] better,’ though his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow’ (Heb. ozeb). The sorrow... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:1-10
One reason, no doubt, why Ezra is here most particular in the register of the tribe of Judah is because it was that tribe which, with its appendages, Simeon, Benjamin, and Levi, made up the kingdom of Judah, which not only long survived the other tribes in Canaan, but in process of time, now when this was written, returned out of captivity, when the generality of the other tribes were lost in the kingdom of Assyria. The most remarkable person in this paragraph is Jabez. It is not said whose... read more