1 Chronicles 1

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1 Chronicles chapter 1 provides a comprehensive genealogical record, beginning with Adam and tracing humanity's lineage through Noah's sons: Japheth, Ham, and Shem. It then focuses on the descendants of Shem, particularly the line leading to Abraham, Isaac, and Esau. The chapter concludes by extensively listing the kings and dukes who reigned in the land of Edom.

From Adam to Noah 1–4

Adam, Seth, Enosh,

Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,

Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech,

Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The Descendants of Japheth 5–7

The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

And the sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, and Diphath, and Togarmah.

And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

The Descendants of Ham 8–16

The sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

And the sons of Cush: Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raama, and Sabteca. And the sons of Raamah: Sheba, and Dedan.

And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

and Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whence came the Philistines), and Caphtorim.

And Canaan begat Sidon his first-born, and Heth,

and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,

and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.

The Descendants of Shem 17–23

The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.

And Arpachshad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.

And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,

and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

and Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.

From Shem to Abraham 24–27

Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah,

Eber, Peleg, Reu,

Serug, Nahor, Terah,

Abram (the same is Abraham).

The Family of Abraham 28–34

The sons of Abraham: Isaac, and Ishmael.

These are their generations: the first-born of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,

Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.

And the sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba, and Dedan.

And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau, and Israel.

The Descendants of Esau (Edom) 35–42

The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah.

The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.

The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

And the sons of Seir: Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan.

And the sons of Lotan: Hori, and Homam; and Timna was Lotan’s sister.

The sons of Shobal: Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon: Aiah, and Anah.

The sons of Anah: Dishon. And the sons of Dishon: Hamran, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.

The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, and Zaavan, Jaakan. The sons of Dishan: Uz, and Aran.

The Kings of Edom 43–50

Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel: Bela the son of Beor; and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.

And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.

And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead; and the name of his city was Avith.

And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.

And Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the River reigned in his stead.

And Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.

And Baal-hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his stead; and the name of his city was Pai: and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab.

The Dukes of Edom 51–54

And Hadad died. And the chiefs of Edom were: chief Timna, chief Aliah, chief Jetheth,

chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon,

chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar,

chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Chronicles 1

Verse 1

Adam, Sheth, Enosh — The line runs through Seth, whose name (Sheth) means one put in place of another: Eve said God 'hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew' (Gen 4:25). Luke's genealogy reaches the same man from the other end: 'which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God' (Luke 3:38).

Verse 5

The sons of Japheth — These names are taken from Gen 10, where 'the isles of the Gentiles' were divided 'every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations' (Gen 10:5). Madai is the Medes and Yavan the Greeks; Magog, Meshech and Tubal recur in Ezek 38:2.

Verse 8

Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan — Mitsrayim is Egypt, in a dual form (Upper and Lower Egypt), and Kenaan is the land later promised to Abraham's seed. Cush is Ethiopia. The same four sons are listed in Gen 10:6.

Verse 10

he began to be mighty upon the earth — Gibbor is a mighty man, a warrior or champion; the verb chalal marks him as the first of such. The words repeat Gen 10:8. Assyria is later called 'the land of Nimrod' (Micah 5:6).

Verse 12

(of whom came the Philistines,) — The verb is yatsa, to come forth, placing the Philistines in the Casluhim line. Beside it stand the Caphthorim, and Scripture says the Caphtorims 'came forth out of Caphtor' (Deut 2:23). The Philistines became Israel's chief western enemies.

Verse 17

The sons of Shem — Asshur is Assyria, Aram is Syria (the highland) and Elam a people east of Babylon. Of these only Arphaxad's line continues to Abraham (vv.18, 24; Luke 3:36). Asshur's later power is foretold: 'until Asshur shall carry thee away captive' (Num 24:22, said of the Kenite).

Verse 19

the earth was divided — Peleg's name comes from palag, to split, the verb used here. The division is commonly tied to the LORD's act at Babel: he 'did there confound the language of all the earth' and 'scatter them abroad' (Gen 11:9). The wording repeats Gen 10:25.

Verse 24

Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah — This is the second pass through Shem's line, now dropping the Joktan branch (vv.19–23) to follow one family to Abraham. It matches Gen 11:10, where Shem 'begat Arphaxad two years after the flood', and Luke 3:34–36, which traces the same line in reverse.

Verse 27

Abram; the same is Abraham — Abram means high father; Abraham, father of a multitude. The change was God's own: 'thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee' (Gen 17:5). Neh 9:7 recalls that the LORD 'gavest him the name of Abraham'.

Verse 28

Isaac, and Ishmael — Yitschaq means laughter; Yishma'el means God will hear, given because 'the LORD hath heard thy affliction' (Gen 16:11). God said, 'my covenant will I establish with Isaac' (Gen 17:21), so Ishmael's line is set out first (vv.29–31), and Isaac's is taken up at v.34.

Verse 32

Keturah, Abraham's concubine — The Hebrew is pilegesh, a secondary wife; Gen 25:1 says Abraham 'took a wife, and her name was Keturah'. Her sons were sent 'eastward, unto the east country' (Gen 25:6). Midian, her son, later oppressed Israel (Judg 6:1).

Verse 34

Esau and Israel — Jacob appears under his new name, Yisrael, meaning he will rule as God; he was told, 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel' (Gen 32:28). Esau is traced first (vv.35–54) so that Israel's line can follow.

Verse 35

The sons of Esau — Three mothers lie behind the five names: Adah bore Eliphaz, Bashemath bore Reuel, and 'Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah' (Gen 36:4–5). Eliphaz means God of gold. These sons were 'born unto him in the land of Canaan'.

Verse 38

the sons of Seir — Seir is 'the Horite, who inhabited the land' (Gen 36:20). The Horims 'dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them' (Deut 2:12). The seven sons are named here, with their descendants in vv.39–42.

Verse 43

before any king reigned over the children of Israel — This is the same heading as Gen 36:31. Edom's rulers (vv.43–50) came from different towns, Bozrah (v.44) and the land of the Temanites (v.45) among them, each 'in his stead'. Israel's own king was foretold in Gen 49:10 under the sceptre of Judah.

Verse 51

the dukes of Edom — Allup is a chieftain, a clan head. After the kings, the list gives eleven chiefs (vv.51–54), 'according to their habitations in the land of their possession' (Gen 36:43). Genesis names the same chiefs at Gen 36:40–43, with Alvah for Aliah.