Read 1 Chronicles 2
Israel’s Sons
2 These were the sons of Israel:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, 2 Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
Judah
To Hezron’s Sons
3 The sons of Judah:Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death. 4 Judah’s daughter-in-lawTamar bore Perez and Zerah to Judah. He had five sons in all.
5 The sons of Perez:Hezron and Hamul.6 The sons of Zerah:Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Kalkol and Darda—five in all.7 The son of Karmi:Achar, who brought trouble on Israel by violating the ban on taking devoted things.8 The son of Ethan:Azariah.9 The sons born to Hezron were:Jerahmeel, Ram and Caleb.
From Ram Son of Hezron
10 Ram was the father ofAmminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, the leader of the people of Judah. 11 Nahshon was the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, 12 Boaz the father of Obed and Obed the father of Jesse.13 Jesse was the father ofEliab his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, the third Shimea,14 the fourth Nethanel, the fifth Raddai, 15 the sixth Ozem and the seventh David. 16 Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah’s three sons were Abishai, Joab and Asahel. 17 Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.
Caleb Son of Hezron
18 Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah (and by Jerioth). These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab and Ardon. 19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20 Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri the father of Bezalel.21 Later, Hezron, when he was sixty years old, married the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead. He made love to her, and she bore him Segub. 22 Segub was the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three towns in Gilead. 23 (But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair, as well as Kenath with its surrounding settlements—sixty towns.) All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead.
24 After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.
Jerahmeel Son of Hezron
25 The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron:Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.27 The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel:Maaz, Jamin and Eker.28 The sons of Onam:Shammai and Jada.The sons of Shammai:Nadab and Abishur.29 Abishur’s wife was named Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.30 The sons of Nadab:Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.31 The son of Appaim:Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan.Sheshan was the father of Ahlai.32 The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother:Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.33 The sons of Jonathan:Peleth and Zaza.These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.34 Sheshan had no sons—only daughters.He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. 35 Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai.36 Attai was the father of Nathan,Nathan the father of Zabad,37 Zabad the father of Ephlal,Ephlal the father of Obed,38 Obed the father of Jehu,Jehu the father of Azariah,39 Azariah the father of Helez,Helez the father of Eleasah,40 Eleasah the father of Sismai,Sismai the father of Shallum,41 Shallum the father of Jekamiah,and Jekamiah the father of Elishama.
The Clans of Caleb
42 The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel:Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and his son Mareshah,who was the father of Hebron.43 The sons of Hebron:Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema. 44 Shema was the father of Raham, and Raham the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai.45 The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beth Zur.46 Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.47 The sons of Jahdai:Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph.48 Caleb’s concubine Maakah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah.49 She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah and to Sheva the father of Makbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Aksah.50 These were the descendants of Caleb.
The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah:Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim, 51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.52 The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were:Haroeh, half the Manahathites, 53 and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.54 The descendants of Salma:Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, 55 and the clans of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the Rekabites.
Go Deeper
Lists of family genealogies are key features in the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles. Although they are not everyone’s favorite chapters in Scripture, there are many reasons that genealogies were important to the Jewish people and are important for us as well. They served as proof of Jewish identity which meant being an heir to the blessings promised to Abraham back in Genesis 12 of land, seed, and blessing. They were crucial in tracing the line of the Messiah. These genealogies were also evidence of the historical accuracy of the Bible. These are not just a list of names. They are real people with real stories. We know that God uses every story, and He cares about the details. We should not simply read genealogies, we should study them.
This chapter continues the genealogies of the descendants of Israel (Jacob) and Judah, who is the fourth son of Jacob. “Israel” is the name that God gave Jacob when he was rebranded in Genesis 32. The twelve sons of Israel is where we get the twelve tribes of Israel. His sons were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. A majority of this chapter, however, goes through the descendants of Judah. There is a section in this chapter dedicated to the line of Perez, who was Judah’s son by explicit means of his daughter-in-law, Tamar (Genesis 38). Through Perez’s line comes a man named Boaz, who married Ruth and preserved Jacob’s family.
The line of Perez also includes King David, and the future Messiah. There are many prophecies about Judah’s family line. In Genesis 49, Israel (Jacob) spoke blessings over his twelve sons. He said, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his” (49:10). This means that the tribe of Judah will produce conquering kings, and a very specific King who will rule forever. This points to a future Victor who would come from the line of Judah: Jesus Christ.
Jesus has always been God’s “Plan A” to redeem and restore the broken world from the beginning (Genesis 3:15). He is called the “Lion of Judah” both in Genesis and Revelation. A lion is a symbol of a kingly tribe, and we know that King David was a descendant of Judah as well. Jesus is the long-awaited Lion of Judah who came to establish an eternal kingdom. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John received a revelation on the island of Patmos. It was said to him, “See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:5). Jesus is both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain for us. Just as the people of Israel looked forward to the future King from the line of Judah who would reign, we get to look back on what He has done and celebrate. Jesus is a Warrior-King who will one day return and reign in glory!
Questions
- What names in these genealogies were familiar to you? What do you know about these people?
- What can we learn from the descendants of Judah? How does this line fit into God’s sovereign plan throughout Scripture?
- What does Jesus’ family line teach us about how God accomplishes His purposes?
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7 responses to “1 Chronicles 2”
4 Judah’s daughter-in-lawTamar bore Perez and Zerah to Judah.
This is such an odd sentence! Amazing to see the authenticity in the retelling of the lineages. No whitewashing taking place!
All roads lead to Jesus.
Names and birth order all mean something to God. Every person who chooses God is an opportunity to further God’s Kingdom. We=you and I are not lost in the crowd, your name, your prayers, and your faithfulness matter to God.
Are you building a legacy for your future generations to follow?
God may I bring to my world around me, today in these minutes, more of You. God thank You that I speak, think and act with a true heart with You in mind. God when I do stumble, thank You that Your Holy Spirit is right there, nudging me. God I am so thankful, grateful and blessed beyond all comprehension. God continue to give me eyes to see You in all situations. Give me words that edify You all day. Thank You for me making the choice of having the fruit of the spirit evident in my life. God I give this day, these minutes to You for You to be an active integral part of my life in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank God that thru unperfect human we have Jesus christ who came and paid it all for us.
Yes, and Amen!
As I read these names of descendants and lineages, I’m reminded they are part of a greater story preserved for thousands of years leading to the distinctive scarlet thread of Christ. Each name carried a piece of history collectively culminating with the Savior who would sacrificially redeem the world. (Hint—download the YouVersion app and have these challenging names read aloud when you chose the Bible tab).
At first glance, this chapter feels like nothing more than a list of people I don’t know with names I can’t pronounce. But something significant happens once I stop skimming — and start noticing. There are some really interesting details inserted into this catalog of strangers. Before I know it, I’m engaged, curious, asking questions.
In the book of CHRONICLES. Who knew?!
One of the things that surprised me was just how many women are actually named here: wives, concubines, daughters. That’s unusual.
Other details are just downright uncomfortable. Judah has two sons by Tamar, his daughter-in-law. Ick. Caleb marries and fathers a son by his widowed mother-in-law. Double ick.
But what a powerful plot point that turns out to be! It’s through this unconventional alliance that we get the line of Bethlehem — the birthplace of Jesus. (For more on that story, see https://meetinggodinthemargin.com/2017/07/10/what-on-earth-is-an-ephrathite/ )
And then there are the names that get remembered for their infamy:
Er (Ur) Judah’s firstborn, was so bad before God that God killed him. (And I thought I had problem children!) Just a few generations later, we meet Achar (Achan), a descendant of Judah’s son Zerah. When his parents decided to name him “trouble,” did they have any idea how much trouble he would cause? Achan is the guy who stole all that forbidden stuff from Jericho and caused the death of 36 men (see Joshua 7).
Then a couple of guys get a footnote because they are prominent leaders: Nahshon (v. 10) and Segub (v. 22). Other men are mentioned with “they had no sons”—as if to say, “their story ends here.”
Whatever their story, I doubt the people in this chapter were walking around thinking, “Oh, I’m an important verse in the lineage of the Messiah.” They just lived their lives — successful and scandalous, faulty and faithful.
Their stories matter — then and now — because God wrote them all into His larger purpose. And maybe that’s the takeaway for us, too. We can’t see how our stories end; we don’t yet know how they all fit together. But maybe we don’t need to.
We can trust we are ALL part of God’s perfect narrative.
The genealogy includes individuals with flawed pasts, such as Judah and Tamar. Yet, God’s grace is evident as He uses imperfect people to fulfill His perfect plan. This is a powerful reminder that our past does not define us; rather, God’s grace and redemption do. “Judah’s firstborn, Er, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put him to death” (1 Chronicles 2:3) shows that despite human failure, God’s purposes endure.