Judah in Relationship to the Kingship: 1 Chronicles 2

Narrator: Ivona Gentwo
1 Chronicles 2  •  7 min. read  •  grade level: 11
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1 Chronicles 2
At the beginning of this chapter, the names of the sons of Jacob, called Israel, are mentioned — not in order — with the aim, I think, of presenting them to us as being all, without distinction, objects of God's purposes in grace. Thus we find first of all Leah's children, then Rachel's children mentioned between Dan and Naphtali, the sons of Bilhah, and lastly Gad and Asher, the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid.
What we observe here gives opportunity to mention something that seems not yet to have drawn our attention.
Jacob's sons and the twelve tribes are enumerated, if I am not mistaken, twenty-two times in Scripture, and each time in a different order. It would take more space than is available to us to examine the reasons for this in detail. Besides here in verses 1 and 2 of our chapter, we find this enumeration three more times in 1 Chronicles.1
Let us return to the subject of our chapter:
In Chronicles the accuracy of genealogies depends in large measure on the importance the Jews placed upon them during their captivity, and the disorder they reveal corresponds to the state of the Remnant as we find them in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Quite a number among the people and among the priesthood could not prove their genealogy. Though lacking heads, they could nonetheless be recognized by the names of their families, groups, and cities, which in this way became in essence a "moral person," recognized as the stem of their ancestry (cf. Ezra 1 and here 1 Chron. 2:50,54-55; 4:450These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim, (1 Chronicles 2:50)
54The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, 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. (1 Chronicles 2:54‑55)
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 Bethlehem. (1 Chronicles 4:4)). In addition, the great disorder that came in explains, at least in part, why very distant descendants of the head of a clan were considered as his sons. (See for example, Shobal, the great-grandson of one of Judah's grandsons (cf. 1 Chron. 2:50; 4:150These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim, (1 Chronicles 2:50)
1The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. (1 Chronicles 4:1)). This same disorder also explains why we see a family head, whose name had not been previously mentioned, suddenly appearing and counted as the head of a clan (1 Chron. 1:8:33).
Caleb's genealogy offers a striking example of this disorder and of how fragmentarily the genealogical registers were preserved. Caleb (who is not without purpose, I think, called Chelubai in 1 Chron. 2:99The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai. (1 Chronicles 2:9)) is the son of Hezron and the great-grandson of Judah. We find his genealogy in 1 Chron. 2:18-2018And 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. (1 Chronicles 2:18‑20), and the descendants of his two wives, Azubah and Ephrath. In 1 Chron. 2:42-4942Now 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. 49She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. (1 Chronicles 2:42‑49) we again find descendants of this same Caleb by his concubines. He is called the brother of Jerahmeel (the son of Hezron, 1 Chron. 2:99The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai. (1 Chronicles 2:9)). But at the very end of this enumeration we are suddenly brought into the presence of Achsah the daughter, as we know, of Caleb the son of Jephunneh (Josh. 15:1616And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. (Joshua 15:16)). In 1 Chron. 2:50-5550These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim, 51Salma the father of Bethlehem, 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; Bethlehem, 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. (1 Chronicles 2:50‑55), for the third time in this chapter, we meet the descendants of Caleb, the son of Hezron, through Hur, the first-born of Ephratah, a part of whose genealogy has already been given us in 1 Chron. 2:2020And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel. (1 Chronicles 2:20).
Must we conclude from all this that the text of Chronicles is a human and capricious compilation and that thus the historical value of this book is nil? This is what the rationalists assert, but thank God, their reason is always at fault when it attacks His Word. No enlightened Christian will deny that the genealogies of Chronicles are composed of fragments gathered up in the midst of general confusion, yet documents upon which God sets His seal of approval. So it is true that a number of passages in these genealogies are of very ancient origin, not mentioned in the other books of the Old Testament.
Caleb's fragmentary genealogy, which we have cited above, is very instructive in this regard. We know from a number of Scripture passages (Num. 13:6;14:30, 38; 32:12; 34:196Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. (Numbers 13:6)
30Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. (Numbers 14:30)
38But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. (Numbers 14:38)
12Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord. (Numbers 32:12)
19And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. (Numbers 34:19); Deut. 1:3636Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord. (Deuteronomy 1:36): Josh. 14:1313And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. (Joshua 14:13)) what favor Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, won from God by his perseverance, moral courage, faithfulness, and zeal to conquer a portion in the land of Canaan. The Lord's approval was upon him, whereas Caleb, the son of Hezron and of Judah, despite his numerous descendants, is not mentioned as the object of God's special favor. But if the fragmentary genealogies of Caleb the son of Judah are proof of the existing disorder, God puts these together fragments for a special purpose, and we find a deeper thought in them. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, is the one whom God has particularly in view, as the Word teaches us; he is the one whom He introduces in so extraordinary a way into the genealogy of the son of Hezron (1 Chron. 2:4949She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. (1 Chronicles 2:49)). It is in view of him that this genealogy is inscribed next to that of David, as forming part of the tribe of Judah, from whence the royal race comes. But what connection does Caleb the son of Jephunneh, whose daughter was Achsah, have with Caleb the son of Hezron? Here we find a most interesting fact which has perhaps not been given sufficient attention. Caleb the son of Jephunneh was not originally of the people of Judah. In Num. 32:1212Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord. (Numbers 32:12) and Josh. 14:6, 146Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. (Joshua 14:6)
14Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. (Joshua 14:14) he is called Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite. Likewise, Caleb's younger brother Othniel, to whom Caleb gave his daughter Achsah as wife, is called "the son of Kenaz" (Josh. 15:1717And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. (Joshua 15:17); Judg. 1:13; 3:9, 1113And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. (Judges 1:13)
9And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. (Judges 3:9)
11And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. (Judges 3:11)). Now in Gen. 36:1111And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. (Genesis 36:11) we learn that Kenaz is an Edomite name. Hence the conclusion that at some point of time the family of Kenaz, and therefore the family of Caleb the son of Jephunneh, was incorporated into the tribes of Israel just as so many other foreigners, such as Jethro, Rahab, and Ruth, who in virtue of their faith became members of the people of God. This explains a characteristic phrase in Josh. 15:1313And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. (Joshua 15:13): "And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua... that is, Hebron." And in Josh. 14:1414Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. (Joshua 14:14): "Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed Jehovah the God of Israel."
Thus Caleb, who by his origin really had no right of citizenship in Israel, received this right amidst Judah by virtue of his faith and was incorporated into the family of Caleb the son of Hezron, as it appears in 1 Chron. 2:4949She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. (1 Chronicles 2:49) and in the passages already cited in Joshua. The fragments preserved of the genealogy of Caleb the son of Hezron confirm the place that God assigned to Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and this substitution is one of the important points the Spirit of God calls our attention to here.
To summarize, the name of Caleb is highlighted in this chapter. With this name is associated the thought of "virtue," that is, of moral energy which in view of a goal to be attained enables the believer to surmount obstacles, separating him from every weight and the sin which so easily entangles him. 2 Peter 1:55And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (2 Peter 1:5) says, "In your faith have also virtue." Caleb is an example in this.
With this name are associated characters of the same caliber as the son of Jephunneh: Othniel, Achsah (1 Chron. 4:13; 2:4913And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath. (1 Chronicles 4:13)
49She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. (1 Chronicles 2:49)); Hur (1 Chron. 2:19, 50; 4:1, 419And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur. (1 Chronicles 2:19)
50These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim, (1 Chronicles 2:50)
1The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. (1 Chronicles 4:1)
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 Bethlehem. (1 Chronicles 4:4)); Jair (although this latter later lost everything that his energy had at first acquired, 1 Chron. 2:22-2322And 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. (1 Chronicles 2:22‑23)); the house of Rechab (1 Chron. 2:5555And 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. (1 Chronicles 2:55)).
 
1. See Appendix.