The big picture
1 Chronicles 4 opens in verse 1 with “The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 22 with “And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab…”, and closes in verse 43 with “And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this…” Repeated or prominent terms include sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Chronicles · King James Version · 431 Chronicles 4:1-8
1–8: The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.
1 Chronicles 4:1–8 opens with “The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.” and reaches “And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 4 develops its own movement around sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare, with particular weight carried by father, sons, begat.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.” Naming Carmi and Hezron keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi:” Naming Etam and Hazelelponi keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 4:1-8
King James Version1The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.
2And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.
3And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi:
4And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Beth-lehem.
5And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.
6And Naarah bare him Ahuzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.
7And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan.
8And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.
1 Chronicles 4:9-16
9–16: Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his…
1 Chronicles 4:9–16 opens with “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying…” and reaches “And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 4 develops its own movement around sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare, with particular weight carried by sons, begat, father.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with…” Naming Jabez and Because keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the father of Eshton.” Naming Chelub and Eshton keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 4:9-16
King James Version9And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
11And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the father of Eshton.
12And Eshton begat Beth-rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Rechah.
13And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath.
14And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.
15And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.
16And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.
1 Chronicles 4:17-24
17–24: The sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she…
1 Chronicles 4:17–24 opens with “And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and…” and reaches “The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul:” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 4 develops its own movement around sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare, with particular weight carried by father, sons, bare.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the…” Naming Epher and Eshtemoa keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.” Naming Eshtemoa and Garmite keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families…” Naming Ashbea and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 4:17-24
King James Version17And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.
19And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.
20And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Ben-zoheth.
21The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea,
22And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And these are ancient things.
23These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.
24The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul:
1 Chronicles 4:25-32
25–32: Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.
1 Chronicles 4:25–32 opens with “Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.” and reaches “And their villages were, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities:” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 4 develops its own movement around sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare, with particular weight carried by Beth, children, cities.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.” Naming Mibsam and Mishma keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brethren had not many children, neither did all their family…” The number six makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Chronicles 4:25-32
King James Version25Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.
26And the sons of Mishma; Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei his son.
27And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brethren had not many children, neither did all their family multiply, like to the children of Judah.
28And they dwelt at Beer-sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-shual,
29And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad,
30And at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag,
31And at Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susim, and at Beth-birei, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign of David.
32And their villages were, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities:
1 Chronicles 4:33-40
33–40: All their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal…
1 Chronicles 4:33–40 opens with “And all their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their…” and reaches “And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 4 develops its own movement around sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare, with particular weight carried by pasture, Adiel, Allon.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And all their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their…” Naming Baal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,” Naming Asiel and Jehu keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 4:33-40
King James Version33And all their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their genealogy.
34And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah,
35And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,
36And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah,
37And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah;
38These mentioned by their names were princes in their families: and the house of their fathers increased greatly.
39And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
40And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old.
1 Chronicles 4:41-43
41–43: These written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and…
1 Chronicles 4:41–43 opens with “And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and…” and reaches “And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 4 develops its own movement around sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare, with particular weight carried by dwelt, smote, sons.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that…” Naming Hezekiah and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 4:41-43
King James Version41And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.
42And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.
43And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Chronicles 4:1 begins with “The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.”
Where the chapter turns
1 Chronicles 4:22 forms a natural hinge: “And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And these are ancient things.”
The final note
1 Chronicles 4:43 leaves the reader with “And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words sons, father, begat, dwelt, bare, Beth help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What opportunity exists before the murder?
Cain receives a warning and a call to resist sin in verse 7. Anger is not treated as an irresistible excuse.
What do the two speeches about vengeance reveal?
God limits retaliation against Cain; Lamech celebrates escalation.
KJV words made clear
- dominion
- responsibility or rule
- begat
- became the father of
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
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.