Read 1 Chronicles 7
Issachar
7 The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron—four in all.
2 The sons of Tola:
Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel—heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered 22,600.
3 The son of Uzzi:
Izrahiah.
The sons of Izrahiah:
Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Ishiah. All five of them were chiefs.4 According to their family genealogy, they had 36,000 men ready for battle, for they had many wives and children.
5 The relatives who were fighting men belonging to all the clans of Issachar, as listed in their genealogy, were 87,000 in all.
Benjamin
6 Three sons of Benjamin:
Bela, Beker and Jediael.
7 The sons of Bela:
Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families—five in all. Their genealogical record listed 22,034 fighting men.
8 The sons of Beker:
Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker. 9 Their genealogical record listed the heads of families and 20,200 fighting men.
10 The son of Jediael:
Bilhan.
The sons of Bilhan:
Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar.11 All these sons of Jediael were heads of families. There were 17,200 fighting men ready to go out to war.
12 The Shuppites and Huppites were the descendants of Ir, and the Hushites the descendants of Aher.
Naphtali
13 The sons of Naphtali:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem—the descendants of Bilhah.
Manasseh
14 The descendants of Manasseh:
Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead. 15 Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister’s name was Maakah.
Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.
16 Makir’s wife Maakah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.
17 The son of Ulam:
Bedan.
These were the sons of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh.18 His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer and Mahlah.
19 The sons of Shemida were:
Ahian, Shechem, Likhi and Aniam.
Ephraim
20 The descendants of Ephraim:
Shuthelah, Bered his son,
Tahath his son, Eleadah his son,
Tahath his son, 21 Zabad his son
and Shuthelah his son.
Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock. 22 Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Then he made love to his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his family. 24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.
25 Rephah was his son, Resheph his son,
Telah his son, Tahan his son,
26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son,
Elishama his son, 27 Nun his son
and Joshua his son.
28 Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages. 29 Along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor,together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.
Asher
30 The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.
31 The sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.
32 Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer and Hotham and of their sister Shua.
33 The sons of Japhlet:
Pasak, Bimhal and Ashvath.
These were Japhlet’s sons.
34 The sons of Shomer:
Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah and Aram.
35 The sons of his brother Helem:
Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal.
36 The sons of Zophah:
Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran and Beera.
38 The sons of Jether:
Jephunneh, Pispah and Ara.
39 The sons of Ulla:
Arah, Hanniel and Rizia.
40 All these were descendants of Asher—heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders. The number of men ready for battle, as listed in their genealogy, was 26,000.
Go Deeper
First Chronicles 7 contains another list with lots of names. But when is a name more than just a name? Each person is a complex being, with a story, emotions, thoughts, friends, and family members (just like you). So, too, are the names listed in 1 Chronicles 7, outlining the tribes of Issachar, Naphtali, half of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher. The listing in this chapter highlights two main points for the historian: the continuation of Israel and the number of “fighting men” from each tribe.
In Genesis 22, we read that God told Abraham:
“I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
The continuation of Israel through the tribes’ children demonstrates God’s faithfulness to Abraham. And the number of fighting men is one of the tools God uses to help Israel “take possession of the cities of their enemies.” The historian of Chronicles is listing more than names; he is listing evidence that God did what He said He would do.
In addition to the listing of names, the writer of Chronicles calls out a few, so let’s take a closer look at two of these. Verse 24 specifically mentions that Ephraim’s granddaughter, Sheerah, “built Lower and Upper Beth Horon, as well as Uzzen Sheerah.” Not only did she build these cities, she built them well. While many cities were destroyed or lost with time, Lower and Upper Beth Horon may be found as Beit Ur al-Fauqa and Beit Ur al-Tahta in Palestine. Beth Horon becomes an important place for Israel’s success over the Amorites (Joshua 10). The writer of Chronicles knows this is coming and knows its importance, so he sets the stage with the establishment of this location here in 1 Chronicles 7.
Verse 40 offers commentary on the descendants of Asher:
“All these were descendants of Asher—heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders.”
The tribe of Asher played a crucial role in the conquest of Canaan and was among the first to receive its inheritance in the Promised Land. They settled along the Mediterranean Coast with excellent natural resources that became known for its abundance of olive trees, which provided them with a valuable resource for trade and commerce. The tribe provided warriors during the time of Judges, including the prophetess Deborah, who led the Israelites to victory against the Canaanites. During the reign of King David, the tribe of Asher was among the tribes that pledged their allegiance to him and supported him in his efforts to establish a unified kingdom of Israel. The writer of Chronicles foreshadows the importance of this tribe with this shoutout in this chapter.
As you read more of Chronicles, reference these first few chapters of genealogy. These names will begin to mean more than just names. They will begin to take the shape of God’s promises and provisions.
Questions
- The list of names in 1 Chronicles 7 is evidence of God’s faithfulness to Israel. What names would be on your list as evidence of God’s faithfulness in your life?
- If your name was on someone else’s list, how would you be described as contributing to the Kingdom of God?
- Pick one of the tribes listed to follow through 1 Chronicles. Draw a family tree, make notes, and see how God uses them in His bigger story.
Watch This
When studying history, it’s helpful to understand the end when you start to study the beginning. The tribes outlined in 1 Chronicles 7 all belong to the “lost tribes of Israel.” To learn more about these groups, check out this video on GotQuestions.org.
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6 responses to “1 Chronicles 7”
God is faithful. Sometimes we see the end result and sometimes it happens in the future BUT GOD says all His promises are yes and amen.
PHILLIPS version of the Bible says in 2 Cor1:20
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom Silvanus, Timothy and I have preached to you, is himself no doubtful quantity, he is the divine “yes”. Every promise of God finds its affirmative in him, and through him can be said the final amen, to the glory of God. We owe our position in Christ to this God of positive promise: it is he who has consecrated us to this special work, he who has given us the living guarantee of the Spirit in our hearts. Are we then the men to say one thing and mean another?
If we have to wait or do not get to see the end result, if you are faithful then God is too. And through all these names we see His faithfulness to the mighty men, that are warriors and also some women.
Thank You that I can say over and over BUT GOD. God You are so faithful and I am so fickle. I know in my knower that You are with me and not against me. That Your promises are Yes and amen but that means I have a part to play. Thank You God that I do not just sit on the sidelines. that I am a player for the team. God help me to be more assertive in my actions and the details. God give me shema hearing action, to obedience when You tell me, what, where, or how to share who are. God thank You for the minutes of this day, that I can glorify You. God help my humility, gentleness and gratitude today. God help me to think of myself less today in these minutes. God help my reations and my impulse toward others. God I am so thankful for Jesus’ in my stead. God thank You for being so very grateful and overly thankful because of what was accomplised on my behalf. God let me say, do and think to Your glory, honor and blessings to You in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.
Insightful when these genealogies call out women. Given the culture at that time, they must have had a significant impact in order to bear mention! Impressive!
There are too many to list of those who have shown me God’s path and faithfulness. At the top, however, would be my parents, who intentionally taught and lived the gospel in our home. It has forever marked me on my faith journey of following Christ. Oh, how truly blessed I am to have been influenced and guided by their example.
Where would any of us be without our “great crowd of witnesses?” 😇 ❤️
Dry, boring, unnecessary genealogies. That about sums up 1 Chronicles. Every day I open my Bible, grimace and grit my teeth, just hoping to get through them.
And every day—with “mercies that are new every morning”—God reveals something fresh, personal and powerful.
When the Bible says, “All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16), that’s not biblical hyperbole.
All means ALL.
(Even a boring list of people I don’t know, with names I can’t pronounce! 😉)
Which is why I shouldn’t have been surprised to find today’s chapter “useful for teaching and training.” Because it comes less than 24 hours after I had a meeting with an estate-planning attorney about preserving family legacies—the kind that involve property, records and rightful heirs. Then today, I read a chapter… about preserving family legacies.
(Coincidence? Or Divine timing?!)
My lawyer shared a story about the complexities of tracking down heirs and distributing inheritances, especially when connections aren’t clear. And I was surprised to learn that the stack of outdated paperwork (shoved in the back of my file cabinet) may actually hold some indispensable documents. “It’s a good idea,” she pointed out, “to keep good legal records.” Especially the kind that tell us who people are, how they’re connected, and the resources they may have to pass on. Better to store them than shred them—because without them, total chaos can ensue.
Needless to say, I entered today’s passage with greater perspective and deeper appreciation. What we have here is the kind of genealogical record-keeping that is essential for preserving lineage, identity, and inheritance. Such lists secure the continuity of God’s covenant people, reinforce tribal identity, establish social/legal standing, and even record warrior heritage.
Every name matters. Every connection matters. Every LIFE matters.
Studying these genealogies in 1 Chronicles isn’t a pointless exercise in bureaucratic boredom, leading us down endless, unnecessary paper trails. True, such records don’t make for exciting reading—but they are essential to REMEMBER.
We can be thankful that someone’s done the sacred work of record-keeping, when it would have been far simpler to “empty the files and shred the stuff.”
Because records… preserve the LEGACY. And legacies are about so much more than mere positions or property. When we curate them carefully, we ensure that future generations can honor what came before… and step into what God has next.
Legacies tell the story of where we come from, the line we are part of, and the holy inheritance God has for us all.
As I read these long lists of names, God shows me the individual value of each name known by Him underscoring that no role is too small in His grand plan.
It also emphasizes the importance of knowing and honoring our spiritual and family heritage as a testimony of God’s work.
I honor my mother’s love and obedience for the Lord in raising up 11 children that she was blessed with as best as she knew how.
I also recognize the discipling I have received at HC. This is the path set before me by my loving Father. Jeremiah 29:11