The big picture
1 Chronicles 2 opens in verse 1 with “These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 28 with “And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of Shammai; Nadab, and…”, and closes in verse 55 with “And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites…” Repeated or prominent terms include sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Chronicles · King James Version · 551 Chronicles 2:1-8
1–8: These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar…
1 Chronicles 2:1–8 opens with “These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,” and reaches “And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, with particular weight carried by sons, Judah, daughter.
Context that brings the passage to life
“These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,” Naming Israel and Issachar keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Chronicles 2:1-8
King James Version1These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,
2Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
3The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD ; and he slew him.
4And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
5The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.
6And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.
7And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.
8And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
1 Chronicles 2:9-16
9–16: The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram…
1 Chronicles 2:9–16 opens with “The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.” and reaches “Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, with particular weight carried by begat, Amminadab, Boaz.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.” Naming Chelubai and Hezron keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 2:9-16
King James Version9The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.
10And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;
11And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,
12And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,
13And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,
14Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,
15Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:
16Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.
1 Chronicles 2:17-24
17–24: Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.
1 Chronicles 2:17–24 opens with “And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.” and reaches “And after that Hezron was dead in Caleb-ephratah, then Abiah Hezron’s wife bare him Ashur the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, with particular weight carried by bare, begat, father.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.” Naming Amasa and Abigail keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.” Naming Azubah and Caleb keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 2:17-24
King James Version17And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.
18And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.
19And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.
20And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.
21And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was threescore years old; and she bare him Segub.
22And Segub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead.
23And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.
24And after that Hezron was dead in Caleb-ephratah, then Abiah Hezron’s wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.
1 Chronicles 2:25-32
25–32: The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn…
1 Chronicles 2:25–32 opens with “And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren…” and reaches “And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, with particular weight carried by sons, children, firstborn.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.” Naming Ahijah and Bunah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 2:25-32
King James Version25And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.
26Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.
27And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were, Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker.
28And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of Shammai; Nadab, and Abishur.
29And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid.
30And the sons of Nadab; Seled, and Appaim: but Seled died without children.
31And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.
32And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without children.
1 Chronicles 2:33-40
33–40: The sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of…
1 Chronicles 2:33–40 opens with “And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.” and reaches “And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, with particular weight carried by begat, Sheshan, sons.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.” Naming Jerahmeel and Jonathan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 2:33-40
King James Version33And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.
34Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.
35And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai.
36And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad,
37And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed,
38And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah,
39And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah,
40And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,
1 Chronicles 2:41-48
41–48: Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
1 Chronicles 2:41–48 opens with “And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.” and reaches “Maachah, Caleb’s concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, with particular weight carried by begat, father, sons.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.” Naming Jekamiah and Elishama keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema.” Naming Hebron and Korah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 2:41-48
King James Version41And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
42Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.
43And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema.
44And Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkoam: and Rekem begat Shammai.
45And the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the father of Beth-zur.
46And Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez.
47And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.
48Maachah, Caleb’s concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.
1 Chronicles 2:49-55
49–55: She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of…
1 Chronicles 2:49–55 opens with “She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of…” and reaches “And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 2 develops its own movement around sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, with particular weight carried by father, Beth, jearim.
Context that brings the passage to life
“She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter…” Naming Achsah and Caleb keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim,” Naming Caleb and Ephratah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 2:49-55
King James Version49She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah.
50These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim,
51Salma the father of Beth-lehem, Hareph the father of Beth-gader.
52And Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites.
53And the families of Kirjath-jearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites.
54The sons of Salma; Beth-lehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.
55And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Chronicles 2:1 begins with “These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,”
Where the chapter turns
1 Chronicles 2:34 forms a natural hinge: “Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.”
The final note
1 Chronicles 2:55 leaves the reader with “And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words sons, begat, father, bare, firstborn, Caleb help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Which gifts come before the prohibition?
Life, the garden, food and meaningful work. The command occurs inside generosity.
How does chapter 2 deepen chapter 1?
It concentrates on dependence, partnership and responsibility within the shared human calling.
KJV words made clear
- begat
- became the father of
- unto
- to
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.