1 Chronicles Chapter 2

A Genealogy of David

1Chronicles 2:1 These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,

I shared the words of Reuben before he died, in chapter one of the 1st Chronicles study that I found in the Anti-Nicene commentary, volume 8. That same volume has the words of Simeon also where he warns against envy and deceit. He confesses his jealousy of his brother Joseph. He speaks of Joseph's purity and also of warns against fornication.

My inclusion of these words the sons of Jacob gave to their children are mostly from the Anti-Nicene volumes I have on my computer through the Esword bible which one can download free anything that is not copywrited. Whether they are true or not is for the reader to decide but it does bring me joy to know all the sons of Jacob repented for their sins against Joseph.

Levi tells of his vision from God and his calling into the priesthood. He also foretells of the time the priests fall away from God, the crucifixion of Jesus in which he referred to Him as the savior of the world. He also foretells the latter day coming of this savior and the end of sin.

Judah tells his children of his inheriting the kingdom. I was surprised at the things he told that are not in the bible like his victory over certain wild animals, certain battles with the help of brothers at times and also Jacob. I realize the bible doesn't cover every event in anyone's life but the things necessary concerning the plan of God for our salvation and the genealogy that leads to the coming of God's Son, Jesus. There are probably things that happened along the way that wasn't included in the bible or perhaps it was meant to be discovered much later hidden in caves like the Dead Sea Scrolls.

He tells of the Lord slaying his two elder sons and his failure to give his youngest son to Tamar for a husband. The events concerning Tamar and the birth of her son is recorded in the bible. He mentions that part. His mention of Joseph was shorter than his brothers who spoke of him in more detail but Judah only speaks about going to Egypt because of the famine.

He warns against drunkedness and fornication which he himself was involved in. He confesses his sins in that area. Also he warned against the deceitful love of money. Judah also foretold the falling away of the nation of Israel and the coming of a savior in the latter days. It seems that they all knew of the Christ that was to come to save the nation in the end times.

Issachar seemed to be one that only had one wife and led a simple life not straying from his wife. He too warned his children of the falling away from the law of God in later years.

Zebulun speaks of more detail about Simeon and Gad wanting to kill Joseph. Zebulun was not in full agreement with them but feared them and kept silent about it to his father. He said that Joseph plead for his life. He was in the pit 3 days and 3 nights. Judah guarded the pit so that Simeon and Gad could not kill him. When they brought him out and sold him, Zebulun refused to take any of the money. When Rueben returned and found Joseph gone he mourned. He was going to deliver him back to his father. Dan was the one who thought of deceiving their father by dipping Joseph's garment in blood and making Jacob think a beast had killed him.

Zebulun also warns of the falling away of Israel in the last days but the redemption that comes afterward and that they should not grieve because he will be joined with them in the latter times. Referring to the resurrection.

1Chronicles 2:2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan confesses of his hatred for Joseph because his father loved Joseph more than the others. He rejoiced wanting his death but was glad to be rid of him. He warns his children to avoid anger and lying but to speak truth. He says to them to keep the commandments of the Lord avoiding hate, anger and lying. He too mentions Enoch and that they will be sold into slavery for departing from the Lord but delivered in the latter days when a savior shall arise from the tribe of Judah and all will be saved in the end.

We now know that savior is Jesus who God brought into the world by way of the tribe of Judah. Both Mary and her husband Joseph came from the trible of Judah. Through Joseph, Jesus inherits the kingdom, through Mary the natural seed came since Joseph was only a step father, not the real biological father.

Joseph speaks to his children before dying and related all that happened to him and how his brothers sold him into bondage. He went into more detail of the time the wife of Pharoah's chief captain tried to lure him into sin. It was a long drawn out time that she pursued after him with promises, threats, and didn't stop her pursuit until he ran leaving his garment behind. She turned on him when he finally was free of her. He talks about being beaten and sent to prison.

He also tells of the future that after his death the Egyptians will afflict them but he also foretells of the lamb of God coming to take away the sin of the world.

Benjamin tells of his seeing Joseph again and how God had blessed Joseph and brought him out of his bondage and kept him from being slain. He admonishes his children to obey the commandments and love their neighbors. He tells of how Joseph forgave their sins and told Jacob to pray for them.
He also mentions Cain and God's judgment upon him for killing Abel. He foretells the crucifixion of Christ whom he calls the only begotten prophet.

Naphtali was the son of Bilhah the maid of Rachel. He mentions that he read the writings of Enoch which most of the others read. He mentions the part that Enoch writes about the falling away of the descendants of Jacob and warns his children not to corrupt themselves. It was prophesied that they would go so far as to corrupt themselves as Sodom. After they repent God brings them back into their land but after many years they corrupt themselves again so they get scattered again.

He tells of a vision he saw about the scattering of the tribes but they will be reunited in the latter days. He tells of the time Jacob stated his belief that Joseph was alive somewhere, but like some of the other brothers, he was afraid to tell his father what really happened to Joseph.

When we read Revelation we see that in the great tribulation all the tribes will be there. They are probably being gathered back into their land now just before the coming of Jesus but first there is to be a great tribulation. They probably do not yet know which tribe they are from but God knows where they are and which tribe they are from until this day. (April 2025).

Gad confesses to his children having so much hatred for Josepth that he wished him dead. He and Judah were the ones that decided to sell him to the Ishmaelites. He warns his children of being consumed with hate and tells them to keep the law of God. This was before Moses but they knew the law of God from the book of Enoch and their father Abraham who knew God.

Asher does not say much about himself but warns against being two faced. He explains the ways of men in that they do some good but do evil at the same time. One may be violent, commit fornication for instance but help the poor. His goodness to the poor whether it is sincere or to deceive is still a mixture of good and evil. He stresses the need for repentance and warns them about what happened to Sodom that sinned and was destroyed forever. He too warns of their nation falling away into sin but regathered in the last days.

1Chronicles 2:3 The 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.

The scriptures themselves do not go into detail of why the Lord slew Er and Onan. Other writings indicate that it had something to do with sin against Tamar. Neither son wanting to have children by her. Whatever their sin was, it was wicked enough that God slew them.

1Chronicles 2:4 And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.

Judah failed to give Tamar his son Shelah so she plotted a way to have children by Judah. Dressing herself up to be a harlot. When Judah found out she was pregnant she wanted her put to death for committing fornication but when she revealed to him by whom she was pregnant, he repented and realized the sin was his own in that he failed to give him Shelah for a husband. She finally had twins. Judah tells of this in the Testaments of the Patriarchs in volume 8 at the anti-nicene fathers writings in which every single son of Jacob got right with God and repented of their sins before they died. I rejoiced to have found those and read about them.

1Chronicles 2:5 The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.
6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.
7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.

This story is in Joshua chapter six and seven. Six is where Joshua warns against taking the things that were accursed. Achar (Achan) took things he wasn't supposed to take and hid it among his stuff.

It is not clear whose son Carmi was but he was the father of Achan. It is assumed that he is the son of Zemir who was the son of Zerah.

1Chronicles 2:8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.

From the twin sons of Judah and Tamar, Pharez was the one chosen to be the line from which Jesus eventually would come into the human race. That line continues through Hezron. Both the line from the kings and the line for the Messianic line comes from Pharez and then Hezron. It would seem like Zerah's line is dropped here and the scriptures continue with the Messianic line of Pharez.

1Chronicles 2:10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;

Nahshon was a leader at the time of the exodus. He is mentioned in Numbers chapter 2.

1Chronicles 2:11 And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,

The mother of Boaz was Rahab the woman that hid the spies when the Israelites were ready to take Jericho down. She made a bargain with them for her and her family to be saved from the overthrow of Jericho. In a way, she was saved by faith in the God of Israel.

1Chronicles 2:12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,

The story of Boaz is told in the book of Ruth the Moabite. Ruth was also a type of being saved by faith when she chose to follow her mother in law Niaomi and made Niaomi's God her God. Later me met and married Boaz.

1Chronicles 2:13 And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,
14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,
15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:

So we have the kingly line of David as well as the Messianic line. All this planned by God. David was the youngest son of Jesse. Jesse had eight sons so one must have died or didn't have children so wasn't listed in the genealogy that leads to Jesus.

1Chronicles 2:16 Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.
17 And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.
18 And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.

This Caleb was an ancestor to the Caleb that was part of the exodus who with Joshua survived the judgment of God who didn't allow anyone that was part of the unbelieving Israelites that feared to go in and take the land that was given them. Only Joshua and Caleb believed God in that incident. As a result, Israel had to wait another 40 years until the 1st generation died off and only the children of that generation under 20 was allowed to enter the promised land along with Joshua and Caleb.

1Chronicles 2:19 And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.
20 And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.
21 And 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.
22 And Segub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead.

We are seeing here those that were the warriors in the conquest of the land of Canaan.

1Chronicles 2:23 And 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.
24 And after that Hezron was dead in Calebephratah, then Abiah Hezron's wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.
25 And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.
26 Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.
27 And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were, Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker.
28 And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of Shammai; Nadab, and Abishur.
29 And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid.
30 And the sons of Nadab; Seled, and Appaim: but Seled died without children.
31 And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.
32 And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without children.
33 And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.
34 Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.
35 And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai.
36 And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad,
37 And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed,
38 And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah,
39 And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah,
40 And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,
41 And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
42 Now 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.
43 And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema.
44 And Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkoam: and Rekem begat Shammai.
45 And the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the father of Bethzur.
46 And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez.
47 And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.
48 Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.
49 She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah.
50 These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim,
51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Bethgader.
52 And Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites.
53 And the families of Kirjathjearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites.
54 The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.
55 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 father of the house of Rechab.

Since Rechab married into the tribe of Judah after the fall of Jericho, they all became part of the tribe of Judah. The Kenites were decendants of the father of Moses, Jethro.

My thoughts on this is that Rahab's faith opened the door to all her family becoming part of the inheritance and promise of Israel by believing in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

1 Chronicles Chapter 3