1 Chronicles 1 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

1 Chronicles 1

From Adam to Abraham

1:1 Adam, Seth, Enosh; 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech; 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

5 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 6 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath,¹ and Togarmah. 7 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

8 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 9 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 10 Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man.²

11 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 12 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim.

13 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 14 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 15 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 16 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

17 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. And the sons of Aram:³ Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 19 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg⁴ (for in his days the earth was divided), and his brother’s name was Joktan. 20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Obal,⁵ Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.

24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu; 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah; 27 Abram, that is, Abraham.

From Abraham to Jacob

28 The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. 29 These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. 32 The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the descendants of Keturah.

34 Abraham fathered Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. 35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and of Timna,⁶ Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

38 The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Hemam;⁷ and Lotan’s sister was Timna. 40 The sons of Shobal: Alvan,⁸ Manahath, Ebal, Shepho,⁹ and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. 41 The son¹⁰ of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan,¹¹ Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.¹² The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

43 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel: Bela the son of Beor, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 44 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 45 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 47 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 48 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates¹³ reigned in his place. 49 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor, reigned in his place. 50 Baal-hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pai; and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51 And Hadad died.

The chiefs of Edom were: chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom.

Footnotes

[1] 1:6 Septuagint; Hebrew Diphath
[2] 1:10 Or He began to be a mighty man on the earth
[3] 1:17 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks And the sons of Aram
[4] 1:19 Peleg means division
[5] 1:22 Septuagint, Syriac (compare Genesis 10:28); Hebrew Ebal
[6] 1:36 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:12); Hebrew lacks and of
[7] 1:39 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:22); Hebrew Homam
[8] 1:40 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Alian
[9] 1:40 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Shephi
[10] 1:41 Hebrew sons
[11] 1:41 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:26); Hebrew Hamran
[12] 1:42 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:27); Hebrew Jaakan
[13] 1:48 Hebrew the River

Commentary

These early chapters record the names of real people; they are evidence for the truth of Scripture. The genealogies are important, since a Jew would be required to trace his ancestors.

v1-4: From Adam to the sons of Noah. Adam was no less real than Noah. Also listed Gen 5.

v5-7: The sons of Japheth, from whom Europe was populated. See Gen 10.2-5

v8-16: The sons of Ham, who was cursed in Gen 8.18-27. From this line came many enemies of Israel; Nimrod, living in Babylon, the Philistines, and the Canaanites. See Gen 10.6-20.

v17-23: The sons of Shem. The narrative refers to the tower of Babel, where language was confused. This is the first historical event mentioned here; the earth was divided, as a result of man's pride and self-importance. See Gen 10.21-26.

v24-28: The line of Shem to Abram (Abraham) and his sons. Abraham had descendants through Ishmael (v29-31), Keturah his concubine (v32-33), and through Isaac (v34-37).

v29-31: The sons of Ishmael, the twelve princes (Gen 17.20). See Gen 25.12-18.

v32-33: The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine. See Gen 25.1-4.

v34: The two sons of Isaac were Israel (Jacob), see 2.1, and Esau.

v35-37: Esau's family. The rest of this chapter, listing the families of Seir and Edom. Esau was called Edom.

v38-42: The people of Seir, who dwelt in Edom.

v43-54: The 8 kings and 11 chiefs of Edom. See Gen 36.

Long before Israel had a king, Edom had had several. Esau was a carnal man, and his people followed his example. In contrast to the later kings of Judah, the kings of Edom had no continuing line. They also lived in two different cities, implying an on-going animosity.