1 Crônicas 4

ARC · Chapter 4/29

1Os filhos de Judah foram: Perez, e Hezron, e Carmi, e Hur, e Sobal.

2E Reaias, filho de Sobal, gerou a Jahath, e Jahath gerou a Ahumai e a Lahad: estas são as familias dos zorathisas.

3E estes foram os filhos do pae de Etam: Jezreel, e Isma, e Idbas: e era o nome de sua irmã Hazzelelponi.

4E mais Penuel, pae de Gedor, e Ezer, pae de Husa: estes foram os filhos de Hur, o primogenito de Ephrata, pae de Beth-lehem.

5E tinha Ashur, pae de Tekoa, duas mulheres: Hela e Naara.

6E Naara lhe pariu a Ahuzzam, e a Hepher, e a Temeni, e a Haahastari; estes foram os filhos de Naara.

7E os filhos de Hela: Zereth, Jesohar, e Ethnan.

8E Kos gerou a Anub e a Zobeba: e as familias d'Aharhel, filho de Harum.

9E foi Jabes mais illustre do que seus irmãos: e sua mãe chamou o seu nome Jabes, dizendo: Porquanto com dôres o pari.

10Porque Jabes invocou o Deus de Israel, dizendo: Se me abençoares muitissimo, e meus termos amplificares, e a tua mão fôr comigo, e fizeres que do mal não seja afflicto! E Deus lhe concedeu o que lhe tinha pedido.

11E Chelub, irmão de Suha, gerou a Mehir: este é o pae de Esthon.

12E Esthon gerou a Bethrapha, e a Peseah, e a Tehinna, pae de Ir-nahas: estes foram os homens de Reca.

13E foram os filhos de Kenas: Othniel e Seraias; e filhos de Othniel: Hathath.

14E Meonothai gerou a Ophra, e Seraias gerou a Joab, pae dos do valle dos artifices; porque foram artifices.

15E foram os filhos de Caleb, filho de Jefone: Iru, Ela, e Naam: e os filhos de Ela, a saber, Kenas.

16E os filhos de Jehalelel: Ziph, e Zipha, e Tiria e Asareel.

17E os filhos de Ezra: Jether, e Mered, e Epher, e Jalon: e ella pariu a Miriam, e Sammai, e Isbah, pae de Esthemo.

18E sua mulher, judia, pariu a Jered, pae de Gedor, e a Heber, pae de Soco, e a Jekuthiel, pae de Zanohah; e estes foram os filhos de Bitia, filha de Pharaó, que Mered tomou.

19E foram os filhos da mulher de Hodias, irmã de Naham: Abikeila, o garmita, e Esthemo, o maacatita.

20E os filhos de Simeão: Amnon, e Rinna, e Ben-hanan, e Tilon: e os filhos de Ishi: Zoheth e Benzoheth.

21Os filhos de Sela, filho de Judah: Er, pae de Lecha, e Lada, pae de Maresa, e as familias da casa dos obreiros de linho, em casa de Asbea.

22Como tambem Jokim, e os homens de Cozeba, e Joás, e Saraph (que dominaram sobre os moabitas), e Jasubi-*lehem: porém estas coisas já são antigas.

23Estes foram oleiros, e habitavam nas hortas e nos cerrados: estes ficaram ali com o rei na sua obra.

24Os filhos de Simeão foram Nemuel, e Jamin, e Jarib, e Zera, e Saul,

25Cujo filho foi Sallum, e seu filho Mibsam, e seu filho Misma.

26E os filhos de Misma foram: Hammuel, seu filho, cujo filho foi Zaccur, e seu filho Simei.

27E Simei teve dezeseis filhos, e seis filhas, porém seus irmãos não tiveram muitos filhos: e toda a sua familia não se multiplicou tanto como as dos filhos de Judah.

28E habitaram em Berseba, e em Moluda, e em Hasar-sual,

29E em Bilha, e em Esem, e em Tholad,

30E em Bethuel, e em Horma, e em Ziklag,

31E em Beth-marcaboth, e em Hasar-*susim, e Beth-biri, e em Saaraim: estas foram as suas cidades, até que David reinou.

32E foram as suas aldeias: Etam, e Ain, e Rimmon, e Tochen, e Asan: cinco cidades.

33E todas as suas aldeias, que estavam em redor d'estas cidades, até Baal, estas foram as suas habitações e suas genealogias para elles.

34Porém Mesobab, e Jamlech, e Josa, filho de Amasias,

35E Joel, e Jehu, filho de Josibias, filho de Seraias, filho de Asiel,

36E Elioenai, e Jaakoba, e Jeshoaias, e Asaias, e Adiel, e Jesimiel, e Benaias,

37E Ziza, filho de Siphi, filho de Allon, filho de Jedaias, filho de Simri, filho de Semaia:

38Estes, registrados por seus nomes, foram principes nas suas familias: e as familias de seus paes se multiplicaram abundantemente.

39E chegaram até á entrada de Gedor, ao oriente do valle, a buscar pasto para as suas ovelhas.

40E acharam pasto fertil e terra espaçosa, e quieta, e descançada; porque os de Cão habitaram ali d'antes.

41Estes pois, que estão descriptos por seus nomes, vieram nos dias de Ezequias, rei de Judah, e feriram as tendas e habitações dos que se acharam ali, e as destruiram totalmente até ao dia d'hoje, e habitaram em seu logar: porque ali havia pasto para as suas ovelhas.

42Tambem d'elles, dos filhos de Simeão, quinhentos homens foram ás montanhas de Seir; e a Pelatias, e a Nearias, e a Rephaias, e a Uzziel, filhos de Ishi, levaram por cabeças.

43E feriram o restante dos que escaparam dos amalekitas, e habitaram ali até ao dia d'hoje.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

The genealogies of Judah continue with additional details, including the brief but striking story of Jabez, who prays to God asking for blessing and protection, and is answered. Then comes the genealogy of the tribe of Simeon and its territories.

Explanation

Amid so many names, the story of Jabez stands out as a small emotional narrative: he is described as 'more honorable than his brothers,' and his mother named him Jabez (which sounds like 'pain' in Hebrew) because of the suffering she endured in childbirth. Despite a name associated with pain, he prays asking for blessing, expanded territory, and protection from evil, and God grants his request. This small account, surrounded by genealogical lists, shows that even amid seemingly impersonal records, there is room for individual stories of genuine faith. Jabez's prayer became, centuries later, a popular model of prayer for blessing and purpose.

Fun facts

  • The Prayer of Jabez, though it takes up only two verses, became extremely popular in contemporary Christian culture after a best-selling book published in the late 1990s based on this text.
  • The name Jabez, related to the Hebrew word for 'pain,' is an example of how names in ancient culture often reflected the circumstances of birth, and overcoming that meaning through prayer is the central point of this small story.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 1 Crônicas 4:1The chapter returns to Judah, but now following Hur’s branch — Pharez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal — to detail families and cities the earlier list had not explored.
  2. 1 Crônicas 4:2Reaiah, Shobal’s grandson, gives rise to the families of the Zorathites — the same clan linked to the city of Zorah, Samson’s birthplace much later in Israel’s history.
  3. 1 Crônicas 4:3One more small branch of Judah, linked to the city of Etam near Bethlehem — it even includes the sister’s name, Hazelelponi, a rare detail in a list that is almost always only men.
  4. 1 Crônicas 4:4Penuel and Ezer appear as “fathers” — that is, founders — of Gedor and Hushah, and the list reminds us again that Hur is the father of Ephratah, linking this branch directly to Bethlehem.
  5. 1 Crônicas 4:5Ashur, the same one mentioned earlier as “the father of Tekoa,” had two wives, Helah and Naarah — the list will detail the sons of each one in the next two verses.
  6. 1 Crônicas 4:6The four sons Naarah bore to Ashur — one more branch within Judah’s great tree that keeps spreading into smaller and smaller clans.
  7. 1 Crônicas 4:7The three sons of Ashur’s other wife, Helah — the list treats the two families separately, the usual way when a man had more than one wife.
  8. 1 Crônicas 4:8Coz fathers two more sons and the list names the families of Aharhel — names that set the stage for the next verse, the most famous in the whole chapter.
  9. 1 Crônicas 4:9In the middle of hundreds of names with no story, the text pauses to tell about Jabez: his own mother gave him this name, which recalls the word “sorrow,” because the birth was difficult — but even with such a heavy name, he becomes more honorable than his brothers.
  10. 1 Crônicas 4:10Jabez’s prayer asks for quite concrete things — a larger territory, protection, freedom from the suffering his own name (which recalls the word “sorrow”) had carried since birth. In the middle of an immense list of names with no story at all, it is one of the few verses that pauses to tell about a real person, and that is why it stands out.
  11. 1 Crônicas 4:11Chelub, Shuah’s brother, fathers Mehir, father of Eshton — the genealogical list returns to its normal rhythm right after the breather that was Jabez’s story.
  12. 1 Crônicas 4:12Eshton fathers three sons, among them Tehinnah, called the father of Ir-nahash — and the list calls this group the “men of Rechah,” a city or clan that appears only here in the Bible.
  13. 1 Crônicas 4:13Here appears Othniel, son of Kenaz — the same Othniel who, in Joshua and Judges, conquers the city of Debir, marries Achsah, and becomes the first judge of Israel after the death of Joshua.
  14. 1 Crônicas 4:14Seraiah’s son, Joab, is called “father” of the Valley of Craftsmen — a place named that way because a whole family of craftsmen lived and worked there.
  15. 1 Crônicas 4:15Take note: this Caleb is the son of Jephunneh, the famous faithful spy who enters Canaan together with Joshua — different from the other Caleb, son of Hezron, mentioned earlier in chapter 2.
  16. 1 Crônicas 4:16The four sons of Jehaleleel close out one more small branch of Judah’s tree, with no story attached beyond the names.
  17. 1 Crônicas 4:17Among the sons of Ezra is Mered, whose marriage will gain a curious detail right in the next verse.
  18. 1 Crônicas 4:18Mered marries Bithiah, described as Pharaoh’s daughter — an Egyptian princess entering Judah’s genealogy — besides also having sons with a Jewish wife, each family recorded separately.
  19. 1 Crônicas 4:19One more branch through the wife of Hodiah, whose sons carry the names of two different cities, the Garmite and the Maachathite, showing how these families spread across several territories.
  20. 1 Crônicas 4:20These sons of Shimon and of Ishi have nothing to do with the tribe of Simeon that comes later — it is just a coincidence of name within Judah’s own genealogy.
  21. 1 Crônicas 4:21The sons of Shelah, Judah’s third son, include founders of cities and even a whole family of linen weavers — showing that these genealogies also recorded the trade of each clan.
  22. 1 Crônicas 4:22The list names men who came to rule over Moab before returning to Bethlehem, and then the text itself remarks, “these are ancient things” — a rare moment when the chronicler admits that even he is not certain of everything.
  23. 1 Crônicas 4:23This part closes with the potters — craftsmen who lived near gardens and hedges, working directly in the king’s service, one more example of a family defined by its trade, not only by blood.
  24. 1 Crônicas 4:24Now the genealogy of the tribe of Simeon truly begins — Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul, the sons of the patriarch Simeon himself, one of Jacob’s twelve sons.
  25. 1 Crônicas 4:25Simeon’s line runs through Shallum, Mibsam, and Mishma — three generations quickly summarized before the list opens up again.
  26. 1 Crônicas 4:26Three more generations after Mishma — Hamuel, Zacchur, and Shimei — setting the stage for the next verse, which explains why the tribe of Simeon was small.
  27. 1 Crônicas 4:27Here is the explanation for an important fact: Shimei had sixteen sons, but his brothers did not have nearly as many, and so Simeon never grew the way Judah did — the reason its territory ends up inside Judah’s own land.
  28. 1 Crônicas 4:28The list of cities where the Simeonites lived begins, among them Beer-sheba — a city linked to Abraham and Isaac since Genesis, now occupied also by the tribe of Simeon.
  29. 1 Crônicas 4:29Three more cities of the tribe of Simeon — names that also appear on the list of Judah’s cities in Joshua, showing the overlap in territory between the two tribes.
  30. 1 Crônicas 4:30The list of cities continues, including Ziklag — the same place that, centuries later, the Philistine king Achish will give David as a refuge while he was fleeing from Saul.
  31. 1 Crônicas 4:31The list of Simeon’s cities closes with the note “unto the reign of David” — a way of saying that this territorial arrangement was ancient, from before the monarchy was firmly established.
  32. 1 Crônicas 4:32Five smaller villages complete Simeon’s territory, a small space compared to Judah’s, reflecting exactly the growth problem mentioned earlier.
  33. 1 Crônicas 4:33A summary closes the section: all the villages around these cities, as far as Baal, made up the dwellings and the recorded genealogy of the tribe of Simeon.
  34. 1 Crônicas 4:34A new list of Simeon’s leaders begins in a more recent generation — family names that set the stage for a story of territorial expansion told next.
  35. 1 Crônicas 4:35More names from this generation of Simeonite leaders, including a chain of four generations named all at once, in the compact way common to these lists.
  36. 1 Crônicas 4:36The list of leaders continues — seven names at once, all heads of families within the tribe of Simeon at this later time.
  37. 1 Crônicas 4:37The list of leaders closes with Ziza, whose lineage is traced back five generations — the chronicler likes to show the full root before telling what these men did.
  38. 1 Crônicas 4:38A summary explains the reason for listing so many names: these were the princes of their families, and these families had grown considerably — the opposite of the problem from centuries before.
  39. 1 Crônicas 4:39These leaders of Simeon set out in search of new pasture for their flocks, going as far as the entrance of Gedor, on the east side of the valley — the start of a small story of land conquest.
  40. 1 Crônicas 4:40They find rich pasture, land that is wide, quiet, and free of conflict — because those who lived there before were descendants of Ham, a people the list does not identify in more detail.
  41. 1 Crônicas 4:41This shift in territory, already in the time of King Hezekiah, shows the Simeonites still on the move centuries after the original conquest of Canaan, still looking for new pasture for their flocks. It is a reminder that these lists of lands are not just ancient bureaucracy: they record flesh-and-blood people struggling to survive.
  42. 1 Crônicas 4:42Five hundred men of Simeon go even farther, to the mountains of Seir (the territory of Edom), led by four captains from the family of Ishi — a military expedition, not just a search for pasture.
  43. 1 Crônicas 4:43These five hundred men finish exterminating the Amalekites who still remained there — carrying out, centuries later, the ancient order against Amalek that goes back to the time of Moses and Saul.

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