1 Chronicles 2

Passage overview

1 Chronicles 2 records the genealogies of Israel with special attention to Judah and the lines that lead toward David’s family. After briefly listing Israel’s sons, the chapter focuses on Judah’s descendants, especially the lines of Perez, Hezron, Ram, Jesse, and David, while also preserving many related family branches.

1verseThese are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,

2verseDan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

3verseThe sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah, which three were born to him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; and he killed him.

4verseTamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.

5verseThe sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

6verseThe sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara—five of them in all.

7verseThe son of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who committed a trespass in the devoted thing.

8verseThe son of Ethan: Azariah.

9verseThe sons also of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai.

10verseRam became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;

11verseand Nahshon became the father of Salma, and Salma became the father of Boaz,

12verseand Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse;

13verseand Jesse became the father of his firstborn Eliab, Abinadab the second, Shimea the third,

14verseNethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,

15verseOzem the sixth, and David the seventh;

16verseand their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three.

17verseAbigail bore Amasa; and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite.

18verseCaleb the son of Hezron became the father of children by Azubah his wife, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.

19verseAzubah died, and Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur.

20verseHur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel.

21verseAfterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he took as wife when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub.

22verseSegub became the father of Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead.

23verseGeshur and Aram took the towns of Jair from them, with Kenath, and its villages, even sixty cities. All these were the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.

24verseAfter Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah, Hezron’s wife, bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.

25verseThe sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah.

26verseJerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah. She was the mother of Onam.

27verseThe sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker.

28verseThe sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur.

29verseThe name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail; and she bore him Ahban and Molid.

30verseThe sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim; but Seled died without children.

31verseThe son of Appaim: Ishi. The son of Ishi: Sheshan. The son of Sheshan: Ahlai.

32verseThe sons of Jada the brother of Shammai: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died without children.

33verseThe sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.

34verseNow Sheshan had no sons, but only daughters. Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.

35verseSheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as wife; and she bore him Attai.

36verseAttai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad,

37verseand Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed,

38verseand Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu became the father of Azariah,

39verseand Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah,

40verseand Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Shallum,

41verseand Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama.

42verseThe sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.

43verseThe sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema.

44verseShema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai.

45verseThe son of Shammai was Maon; and Maon was the father of Beth Zur.

46verseEphah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez.

47verseThe sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jothan, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph.

48verseMaacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah.

49verseShe bore also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah.

50verseThese were the sons of Caleb, the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim,

51verseSalma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.

52verseShobal the father of Kiriath Jearim had sons: Haroeh, half of the Menuhoth.

53verseThe families of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; from them came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites.

54verseThe sons of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites.

55verseThe families of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

Main Content Breakdown

  • 2:1-2 : briefly mentions the list of Israel’s twelve sons, and then focuses on the tribe of Judah.
  • 2:3-9 : The sons of Judah and their descendants (especially the descendants of Hezron) are introduced.
  • 2:10-17 : From the descendants of Ram the line continues through David’s father, Jesse, and Jesse’s sons. The genealogy of the house of David becomes clearly evident.
  • 2:18-55 : Among Judah’s descendants, various families and their branches, along with the genealogies of Bethlehem, Eder, and many other towns, are described in detail. This includes the historical significance that leads the tribe of Judah to play a central role among the people of Israel.

The Overall Meaning of 1 Chronicles 2

At first glance, this chapter may seem to be nothing more than listing bloodlines, but in fact it bears witness that the covenant and election God promised are carried forward beyond one generation into the next. Through the tribe of Judah, the line of the house of David is established, which contains an important theological meaning showing how the biblical story of covenant history unfolds through people.

Points to Meditate On

  • The genealogy reminds us that the history of one person, one family, and one tribe is all within God’s work.
  • We can reflect on how God fulfills His promises faithfully through the flow of this lineage.

Apply It to Me

  • I can also believe and trust that my life is within God’s great plan.
  • As I think about how my small obedience and dedication today may become a great stepping-stone for future generations, I can make the decision to live faithfully.