And Coz ,.... Another son of Helah, and brother of the before mentioned: begat Anub, and Zobebah ; of whom we nowhere else read: and the families of Aharhel, the son of Harum ; these were of the posterity of Coz; the Targum is, "and the family of Aharhel, this is Hur, the firstborn of Miriam;'which is not at all probable. read more
The son of Harum - Jabez should be mentioned at the end of this verse, else he is as a consequent without an antecedent. 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
The link of connection between the persons named in this verse and the tribe of Judah is utterly unknown. The introduction of them, abrupt as it is, is, however, paralleled by many others ira-mediately following in this chapter, as well as elsewhere. Nothing has yet been produced in elucidation of any one of the persons designated by these names, or of their relation to the context. 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
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
(8) Coz begat Anub.—Coz (thorn) is unknown.Anub.—LXX., Ενωβ. Comp. Anâb, (Joshua 11:21; Joshua 15:50), a town in the hill-country near Debir (Kirjathsepher). The word appears to mean “grape-town” so that “Coz begat Anub” reminds us of Matthew 7:16. Comp. Isaiah 5:6; Isaiah 7:23.Zobebah.—Heb., ha-zobebah, “she that goeth (or floweth) softly.” Perhaps so called from a neighbouring brook. Comp. Isaiah 8:6.The families of Aharhel the son of Harum.—The word Aharhel signifies “behind the rampart;”... 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