1Ch 4 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Chr 4:1-7: 4:1-7 The genealogy of Judah continues, with links back to 2:1-55 . The connection to Hur , the ancestor of Bethlehem, is provided immediately (4:1-4 ; see 2:19-20 , 51-55 ).

Summary for 1Chr 4:1-7: 4:1-7 ^a The genealogy of Judah continues, with links back to 2:1-55 ^b. The connection to Hur, the ancestor of Bethlehem, is provided immediately (4:1-4 ^c; see 2:19-20 ^d, 51-55 ^e).
Summary for 1Chr 4:9-20: 4:9-20 ^f The exact genealogies of the remaining descendants of Judah are unknown—the Chronicler apparently had incomplete information.
Summary for 1Chr 4:9-10: 4:9-10 ^g The section on Jabez stands independently, allowing the Chronicler to explain the origin of his name; he is not mentioned previously, although Jabez was listed as the name of a town inhabited by some of the descendants of Hur’s son Salma (2:55 ^h). Jabez apparently received his name because he caused his mother pain, a fulfillment of the curse on Eve (Gen 3:16 ⁱ). Although his name was a curse, he was more honorable than any of his brothers, and his prayer changed the outcome of his life. The prayer is poetic; it consists of a plea for blessing followed by requests for prosperity and protection from harm. His last request might mean “keep me from causing trouble and pain.” God listened to his prayer and removed his curse.
Summary for 1Chr 4:13-15: 4:13-15 ^j The name Kenaz also appears as a descendant of Esau by Eliphaz (Gen 36:11 ^k); his descendants are known as the Kenizzites. The Kenizzites lived in the southern part of the land and had affiliations with Judah and Edom. Caleb son of Jephunneh was a Kenizzite (Num 32:12 ^l; Josh 14:6 ^m) and had a brother named Kenaz (Josh 15:17 ⁿ), whose family is listed here.
4:18 ^o Through Mered’s wife Bithia, a daughter of Pharaoh, the descendants of Judah included children of Egyptian heritage.
Summary for 1Chr 4:21-23: 4:21-23 ^p Now that Judah’s descendants through his wife Tamar have been recorded (2:4–4:20 ^q), the descendants of Shelah, Judah’s third son through Bathshua, are listed (see 2:3 ^r; Gen 38:2 ^s, 5 ^t).
Summary for 1Chr 4:24: 4:24–8:40 ^u After completing the genealogy of Judah’s descendants (2:3–4:23 ^v), the Chronicler turns to the records for the rest of the sons of Israel (cp. 2:1-2 ^w).
Summary for 1Chr 4:24-43: 4:24-43 ^x Simeon was Jacob’s second son; his tribe’s territory was in the southern part of Judah (Josh 19:1-9 ^y).
Summary for 1Chr 4:34-43: 4:34-43 ^z The list of men described as leaders of Simeon’s wealthy clans (4:34-38 ^aa) introduces the description of Simeon’s geographic expansion (4:38-43 ^ab). The tribe’s expansion involved thirteen family leaders during the days of Hezekiah (late 700s BC) in the area of Gerar. This might have been part of Hezekiah’s military action against Philistine territories (2 Kgs 18:8 ^ac).
4:39 ^ad Gerar: The actual territory is not certain, since Gedor (as in Hebrew) is a common name; the Greek variant Gerar would refer to a city in Philistia, to the west of Judah (Gen 10:19 ^ae).
4:41 ^af completely destroyed: See thematic note for Complete Destruction at end of chapter.

Thematic note: Complete Destruction
God instructed Saul to “completely destroy” the Amalekites, who had ambushed the Israelites after the Exodus (see Exod 17:8-16 ^ag; Deut 25:17-19 ^ah). The Hebrew word kharam (“completely destroy”) often means dedicating something or someone completely to the Lord, either by destroying it (1 Sam 15:3 ^ai; Josh 6:17-18 ^aj) or by giving it as an offering (see Lev 27:28-29 ^ak; Josh 6:19 ^al).
Complete destruction was called for in cases where those to be destroyed had committed a severe offense against God, such as worshiping false gods (Deut 7:1-6 ^am; 13:12-18 ^an). In 1 Samuel 15:3 ^ao, complete destruction is prescribed as God’s judgment on a nation that mistreated his chosen people. Those who curse God’s family are, in turn, cursed (Gen 12:3 ^ap).
God still judges the godless and impenitent. But in the new covenant, Christians are not called to be agents of such judgment. God calls us to exercise his mercy toward those who wrong us (see Luke 9:51-56 ^aq). We must completely destroy whatever within ourselves wars against Christ (Rom 8:12-13 ^ar; Col 3:5 ^as). And we must overcome the enemies of Christ by our faith, by the Good News, and by our love (Eph 6:10-20 ^at; 1 Jn 2:9-17 ^au). God will mete out judgment according to his justice and in his time (Rom 12:19 ^av; 2 Thes 1:6-10 ^aw).

Passages for Further Study
Exod 22:20 ^ax; Lev 27:28-29 ^ay; Num 21:2-3 ^az; Deut 7:1-6 ^ba, 26 ^bb; 13:12-18 ^bc; Josh 6:17-19 ^bd; 7:11-26 ^be; 1 Sam 15:3 ^bf; 1 Kgs 20:42 ^bg; Isa 43:26-28 ^bh