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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
2:3-4:23 The Tribe of Judah. The first and most extensive place is given to Judah. This material is of diverse origin and much of it is fragmentary, but the author has arranged it as follows into an artistic whole according to the principles of a large-scale inclusio (or concentric-ring structure in which the last elements repeat the first):
2:3 Shelah, the oldest surviving son of Judah
2:4-8 Perez and Zerah, Judah's sons by Tamar
2:9-3:24 Hezron, ancestor of David and his line
4:1-20 Perez's other descendants
4:21-23 Shelah's descendants
As is common in such literary arrangements, the central unit (2:9-3:24) is the focus of chief interest because it leads to David, the central human character in Chronicles. This unit has its own complex arrangement of materials (see below).
2:3-8 In the Chronicler's presentation, Judah is preeminent in Israel as a matter of divine choice, both as "leader" of the other tribes and as the source of David and his line, who are the bearers of divine promises of good for Israel (see 28:4). Judah's five sons demonstrate both Yahweh's judgment on disobedience (Er, Onan, Shelah) and his electing grace in continuing the lines of Perez and Zerah, the twins born from Judah's illicit union with Tamar (Genesis 38). Achan is ‘Akar ("trouble") in the Hebrew text, an example of wordplay on the troubler (Hb. ‘oker) of Israel (see Josh. 7:24-26). His breach of faith (broke faith, Hb. ma‘al) is the first instance of a key term in the book that denotes Israel's failure to reverence Yahweh and render to him his due in obedience and worship (see Lev. 26:40). The Chronicler sees this as the archetypal sin of Israel that punctuates its history from beginning to end (see 1 Chron. 5:26; 9:1; 10:13; 2 Chron. 12:2; 26:16, 18; 28:19; 29:6, 19; 30:7; 36:14). The terrible consequences of ma‘al include the loss of the Promised Land and the pain of exile; nevertheless, the Chronicler will show that these penalties can be reversed by heartfelt repentance and faithful obedience. Such a response is expressed above all in true worship according to the Law of Moses. The election of David, whose ancestry is given next, is concerned primarily with the establishment of such worship in Israel.
2:9-17 Verses 10-12 are drawn mainly from Ruth 4:19-22. In the Chronicler's presentation, only the line of David (1 Chron. 2:15) is derived from Ram, and the rest of Judah is considered under the rubric of Hezron's other sons, Jerahmeel and Caleb (Chelubai is a variant of "Caleb"). The genealogy of Ram down to David (vv. 10-17) and David's own descendants (3:1-24) form an inclusio (or literary "bookends") around the Calebites (2:18-24, 42-55) and Jerahmeelites (vv. 25-41). Although 1 Sam. 16:10-13 indicates that David was the eighth son of Jesse, the Chronicler presents him as the seventh, perhaps to indicate his favored place in God's purpose. Telescoping (the omission of names) is a common feature of these genealogies, and often carries theological significance. (See note on 1 Sam. 16:10.)
2:18-24 Caleb the son of Hezron is to be distinguished from the later contemporary of Joshua (see 4:15). He was a forefather of Bezalel (2:20), the principal craftsman for the tabernacle (Ex. 31:2; 2 Chron. 1:5). By placing a reference to Bezalel directly after the genealogy of David, the author indicates the very close connection between the Davidic monarchy and the temple, one of the central themes of his historical narrative.
2:25-41 Two lists (vv. 25-33 and 34-41) have been joined together here, probably from material preserved by this clan, the descendants of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron. The Jerahmeelites lived in the Negev, on Judah's southern frontier, in David's day (1 Sam. 27:10). If this record of
2:42-55 An addition to vv. 18-24, comprising early lists of the descendants of Caleb (vv. 42-50a) and his son Hur (vv. 50b-55). Personal and place names are found together in this section (Hebron, Beth-zur, Kiriath-jearim, Bethlehem), so "father" here sometimes denotes the "founder" or "leader" of a city.
3:1-24 The genealogy of Ram (2:10-17) is resumed in this composite list of David's descendants, recounted in three distinct sections: David's children (3:1-9); Solomon and the kings of Judah (vv. 10-16); and the postexilic generations (vv. 17-24). The literary arrangement of this material is an important indicator of the author's message: just as Judah heads the genealogies of Israel (though Reuben was in fact the firstborn), the line of David's descendants is placed in the center of the genealogy of Judah as the focus of hope and expectation.
3:1-9 Drawn mainly from 2 Sam. 3:2-5 and 5:14-16 (see notes there), with a few textual variations (Daniel for "Chileab," and the addition of Eliphelet, 1 Chron. 3:6, and Nogah, v. 7). The Chronicler's narrative omits discussion of the troubles that beset David's family in later years (2 Samuel 13-19; 1 Kings 1), but mention here of Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah, and Tamar implies that the reader is expected to be familiar with these accounts.
3:10-16 The complete Davidic line down to the exile is given here, following the spelling used in Kings (Azariah is a variant of "Uzziah," 2 Chronicles 26). The pattern is altered in 1 Chron. 3:15-16 because Josiah was succeeded by three of his sons, but not according to their birth order: Shallum (throne name: Jehoahaz), replaced by Jehoiakim, then his son Jeconiah (a variant of "Jehoiachin"), then Zedekiah, the last king of Judah.
3:17-24 Although the monarchy ceased to function as a political fact with the fall of Jerusalem (), the continuation of David's line after the exile still testified to God's promise of an enduring "house" for him, through which God's kingdom would be eternally established (17:10b, 14). Zerubbabel played a central role in the restoration of the temple (Ezra 5:2; Hag. 1:12-15). Possibly Ezra 3:2, which calls Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, implies an adoption or levirate marriage (see note on Matt. 22:24). It is unclear from 1 Chron. 3:21 whether this list runs for six generations or more into the postexilic period, but in either case it appears to extend down to, or close to, the Chronicler's own day. The preservation of the Davidic line in the family of Elioenai (v. 24) should inspire trust among the postexilic community in God's ancient promises, although no particular individual is identified here as David's successor. The Chronicler holds to the ancient messianic hope focused on the house of David, but does not specify how or through whom it will be fulfilled.
3:19 sons of Zerubbabel. Matthew 1:13 and Luke 3:27 both trace Jesus' descent from David through other sons of Zerubbabel than those mentioned here. Apparently they were using other historical records than those preserved in 1 Chronicles.
4:1-23 Information about other clans rounds off the genealogy of Judah and completes the literary inclusio (see note on 2:3-4:23) into which all this fragmentary and diverse material has been arranged: vv. 1-20 of ch. 4 supply additional details of the descendants of Perez (2:4-8), while 4:21-23 fill out the lineage of Judah's third son, Shelah (2:3), the first to have children after the "false starts" with Er and Onan.
4:1 "Caleb" would be expected here, rather than Carmi, which may reflect early scribal confusion (see Gen. 46:9) or textual corruption of "Chelubai" (1 Chron. 2:9).
4:9-10 Jabez prays that his name (Hb. ya‘bets), which contains the same three consonants (‘-b-ts) as the Hebrew for "pain" (‘otseb), will not be an ill omen, but rather that he will live under God's blessing and protection (with land equating to livelihood). That God answers heartfelt prayer is a prominent theme of the narrative. On the gift of territorial expansion and divine protection in response to prayer, see 5:20-22 and 2 Chron. 20:6-12.
4:13-15 The Kenizzites appear to have been a southern tribe that was absorbed into Judah. Othniel was the first major judge of Israel (Judg. 3:7-11) and a nephew of Caleb (Josh. 15:17).
4:21-23 linen workers . . . potters. These records from preexilic times (vv. 22-23) indicate that certain Israelite clans, at least, acted as guilds, specializing in particular trades or crafts such as linen work or pottery; see 2:55 on scribes. Lehem may be Bethlehem. Royal seal impressions from jar handles dating from the Iron II period () have been found throughout Israel. The impressions contain two-line inscriptions: the upper line reads "belonging to the king"; the lower line contains names of cities. The towns mentioned in 4:23 may have supplied such goods.
