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1 Chronicles7

1 Chronicles 7 meticulously details the genealogies and military strengths of several Israelite tribes. It begins with Issachar, Benjamin, and Naphtali, highlighting their valiant men and numerous fighting forces. The chapter then traces the lineage of Manasseh and Ephraim, including a notable incident of Ephraim's sons being slain, before concluding with the extensive genealogies and military count of Asher.
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The Descendants of Issachar

1
The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron—four in all.
2
The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, the heads of their families. In the days of David, 22,600 descendants of Tola were numbered in their genealogies as mighty men of valor. ​
3
The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah:
4
Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs. In addition to them, according to their genealogy, they had 36,000 troops for battle, for they had many wives and children. ​
5
Their kinsmen belonging to all the families of Issachar who were mighty men of valor totaled 87,000, as listed in their genealogies.

The Line of Benjamin

6
The three sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael. ​
7
The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, heads of their families—five in all. There were 22,034 mighty men of valor listed in their genealogies.
8
The sons of Becher:
9
Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth; all these were Becher’s sons. Their genealogies were recorded according to the heads of their families—20,200 mighty men of valor.
10
The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan:
11
Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. All these sons of Jediael were heads of their families, mighty men of valor; there were 17,200 fit for battle.
12
The Shuppites and Huppites were descendants of Ir, and the Hushites were descendants of Aher. ​

The Sons of Naphtali

13
The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum—the descendants of Bilhah. ​

The Families of Manasseh

14
The descendants of Manasseh: Through his Aramean concubine, Asriel, as well as Machir the father of Gilead. ​
15
Machir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. The name of his sister was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.
16
Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.
17
The son of Ulam: Bedan.
18
These were the sons of Gilead son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.
19
And these were the sons of Shemida: Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

The Genealogy of Ephraim

20
The descendants of Ephraim:
21
Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son. Ezer and Elead were killed by the natives of Gath, because they went down to steal their livestock. ​
22
Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him.
23
And again he slept with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. So he named him Beriah, because tragedy had come upon his house. ​
24
His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah. ​
25
Additionally, Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son,
26
Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,
27
Nun his son, and Joshua his son. ​
28
Their holdings and settlements included Bethel and its villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages as far as Ayyah and its villages. ​
29
And along the borders of Manasseh were Beth-shean, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.

The Clans of Asher

30
The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.
31
The sons of Beriah: Heber, as well as Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith.
32
Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, and of their sister Shua.
33
The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were Japhlet’s sons.
34
The sons of Shemer: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.
35
The sons of his brother Helem: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.
36
The sons of Zophah:
37
Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
38
The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara.
39
The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.
40
All these were the descendants of Asher—heads of their families, choice and mighty men of valor, and chiefs among the leaders. The number of men fit for battle, recorded in their genealogies, was 26,000. ​

Study Notes for 1 Chronicles 7

Verse 2

The Chronicler frequently emphasizes the military strength of the tribes (valiant men of might), linking the people’s vitality to their capacity for warfare and defense, a key concern for the post-exilic audience.

Verse 4

The large population and military size of Issachar are attributed directly to their fertility ('many wives and sons'), demonstrating the biblical value placed on large, effective families as the basis of national strength.

Verse 6

This list of Benjamin’s sons (Bela, Becher, Jediael) differs significantly from the list in Genesis 46:21. The Chronicler often focuses on the main clans that survived and were politically relevant in the post-exilic period, omitting others.

Verse 12

Shuppim and Huppim are difficult to place here; they appear elsewhere as sons of Benjamin (Gen. 46:21) or associated with Dan (Num. 26:42). The reference to 'Aher' (meaning 'another') may indicate a fragmented or uncertain lineage appended to the Benjamin list.

Verse 13

The genealogy of Naphtali is notably brief, listing only the four founding fathers. This brevity suggests that detailed records for this northern tribe may have been scarce or less relevant to the Chronicler's primary focus on the southern kingdom.

Verse 14

Manasseh is presented through the line of Machir, who was born to an Aramitess concubine. Machir is pivotal because he is the 'father of Gilead,' highlighting the importance of the Manassite settlement in Transjordan.

Verse 21

This passage recounts an unusual tragedy, likely referring to an early, ill-fated raid by Ephraimite clans into the coastal plain near Philistine Gath, pre-dating the main conquest. This detail emphasizes suffering within the tribal history.

Verse 23

The name Beriah means 'in trouble' or 'with evil,' serving as a memorial name commemorating the disaster where his brothers were killed (v. 21). This illustrates how clan names often served as historical markers of significant events.

Verse 24

Sherah is an important figure, credited with founding significant cities (Upper and Nether Beth-horon), which became strategic locations. The inclusion of a daughter as a city-builder is rare and highlights female leadership in this clan history.

Verse 27

This genealogy is crucial because Non is the father of Jehoshua (Joshua). The Chronicler thus embeds the greatest leader of the conquest period within the detailed lineage of the tribe of Ephraim.

Verse 28

This geographical summary emphasizes the vast and central territory held by Ephraim, ranging from Bethel in the south to Shechem and the towns around Gaza (though control over Gaza itself was temporary), defining the core of the Joseph tribes.

Verse 40

The chapter concludes by stressing the high military readiness of Asher (26,000 fighting men). The Chronicler consistently emphasizes the military capability of the northern tribes, integrating them into the unified strength of Israel.

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