1 Chronicles 4:1–23

Now that God has made known His purposes about His King, the list names the children of the kingdom through the heads and chiefs of families. The tribes come in the appointed order, and the royal tribe of Judah comes first (1 Chron. 4). Judah appeared earlier in 1 Chron. 2 because David belongs to that tribe. There the point is David's genealogy, not the families of Judah. Here in chapter 4 the tribe itself comes first. It has first place as the royal tribe, next in importance to the royal family of David. Most of the great and honoured names of that tribe are connected with his family.

The list calls Carmi and Hur sons of Judah because they came from him in a direct line. They were clearly not his own sons, and neither was Shobal. Verse 50 of chapter 2 shows that Shobal was at least the great-grandson of Judah's grandson, and Reaiah was his son. So there were at least six generations.

In Chronicles the accuracy of the genealogies depends largely on how much value the Jews placed on them during their captivity. The disorder these lists show matches the state of the remnant we meet in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Quite a number among the people and among the priesthood could not prove their genealogy. They had no heads, yet people could still recognise them by the names of their families, groups and cities. In this way those names became, in effect, a "moral person," recognised as the stem of their ancestry… The great disorder that came in also helps explain why people counted very distant descendants of a clan's head as his sons.

Judah is then introduced to lead us to the royal race of David, the object also of the promises according to the election of God.

Two names stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. The first is David, for Judah's kingship is, as we have seen, the main subject of Chronicles. The second is Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who stands for the energy and the perseverance of faith. Hur, who plays a large part in Israel's history (Ex. 17:12; Ex. 24:14), is a son of Caleb's (1 Chron. 2:19, 50; 1 Chron. 4:1, 4). Jabez (1 Chron. 4:9-10) is of the same clan.

There is no proof that Caleb was the son of Hezron, son of Perez. If he was the same Caleb as in Numbers, he was the son of Jephunneh.

At the same time He records the names of those who came through the trials in this history without being blotted out of the book… Not all of Israel is there; and not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

There is something deeply sobering about being allowed to read through a record of names that people forgot long ago. God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their path through this world. One day our own names will be lost to people too, but God will forget neither us nor our ways.

A family descended from Shobal, son of Judah. They were probably given this name because they lived in Zorah. 1 Chr. 4:2. They are called ZAREATHITES in 1 Chr. 2:53.

A city in the west of Judah, but counted as part of Dan, on the Philistine border. Samson was born there, and he was buried nearby.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles contain very old names that we do not find anywhere else in the Old Testament. Many names are not the names of people, but of clans or families. Others are family lists we might call geographic. For lack of other material, they include the names of tribes, of districts, of cities. We find this again in 1 Chron. 2:18-24, 25-33, 42-55; 1 Chron. 4:1-23, 28-33.

Carmi and Hur are called sons of Judah because they came down from him. They were not his own sons, and neither was Shobal. Verse 50 shows that Shobal was at least the great-grandson of Judah's grandson, and Reaiah was Shobal's son. So there were at least six generations.

the genealogies leave out names on purpose, or put them in a different order, to bring out the purpose of the Spirit of God. This is especially true in the book we are studying.

Now that God has made known His purposes about His King, the record names the children of the kingdom through the heads and chiefs of families. The tribes come in the appointed order, and first is the royal tribe of Judah (1 Chron. 4). Chronicles named Judah earlier, in 1 Chron. 2, because David belongs to that tribe. There the point is not the families of Judah but David's family line. Here in chapter 4 the tribe comes first, holding first place as the royal tribe, next in importance to the royal family of David.

Above all, they were essential because of Messiah's kingship. His line had to run back through the series of kings to Judah, "the lawgiver," and then from Judah to Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Noah, Adam and God!

When they returned, these genealogies would matter enormously to the Israelites. They mattered so that the people would not seize what was not theirs — so that they would not be unjust — so that they would be content with what God had given them — so that they would tie themselves to all that was great and glorious in God's sight in the past. These genealogies counted for a great deal here. In their weakness they needed every cheer and encouragement.

Now that God has made known His purposes about His King, the record names the children of the kingdom through the heads and chiefs of families. It gives the tribes in the appointed order, and the royal tribe of Judah comes first (1 Chron. 4). Chapter 2 mentioned Judah earlier because David belongs to that tribe. The point there was not the families of Judah but David's genealogy. Here in chapter 4 the tribe comes first. It holds first place as the royal tribe, next in importance to the royal family of David.

A descendant of Judah. 1 Chr. 4:3. The meaning is doubtful. Some manuscripts read "sons of Etam," and others, "sons of the father of Etam." It may refer to the founder of the city named above.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles contain names of very ancient origin, which we do not find elsewhere in the Old Testament. Many names are not those of people, but of clans or families. Others are genealogies we might call geographic. For lack of other source material, they include the names of tribes, of districts, of cities… We find these again in 1 Chron. 2:18-24, 25-33, 42-55; 1 Chron. 4:1-23, 28-33.

Here, as elsewhere in these genealogies, women come up again and again. This is one more proof that these lists date only from after the captivity, from the middle of the disorder that marked Israel's ruin. The female line of descent gave them markers to trace a genealogy back. In normal times no one would have needed such mentions.

Chronicles comes from the time after the captivity, when everything had fallen into disorder. The destruction had left the Jews disheartened, and they never would believe in it till it came. They might have thought, "What is the use of a genealogy? Why care now about our lands or houses? Everything is ruined. All is gone." But the man who believed God knew that in seventy years they would return from their captivity. So care for God and confidence in His Word would make them guard their genealogies closely. Then, when they did return, they could enter into the portion God had allotted them. For this was what made every homestead in Israel so precious — that it was God who gave it.

I have no doubt that most of us have read these genealogies, thinking it was high time to skip over them… But I am quite sure that very few people, in comparison, have a clear, definite judgment as to why God has attached so much importance to these genealogies.

There is something deeply solemn about being allowed to go over such a record of names. Man forgot them long ago, but God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their pathway through this world. Some day our names likewise will be lost to mankind, but neither we nor our ways will be forgotten by God.

In 1 Chronicles 2:51, 54 and 4:4, "father of Bethlehem" may mean "prince of Bethlehem." The town is Beit Lahm today, six miles south of Jerusalem, on a narrow ridge that runs out from the central range of hills.

Micah used a different name for the town in Judah. He prophesied that out of "Bethlehem Ephrathah," though it was "too little to be among the clans of Judah," would come the One who would be the Judge and Ruler of Israel (Micah 5:1-2). Ephrath or Ephrathah was Bethlehem's ancient name (Gen. 35:16, 19; 48:7). The town bore it when Rachel, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, died.

In one place it is called Bethlehem Ephrathah, that is, "the fruitful," because the ruler of Israel was to come from there. Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4, 15; John 7:42. This led Herod to massacre the infants. Matt. 2:16-18.

Two names stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. First, David, for Judah's kingship is the main subject of Chronicles, as we have seen. Then Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who stands for the energy and perseverance of faith. Hur, who plays a large part in Israel's history (Ex. 17:12; 24:14), is a son of Caleb's (1 Chron. 2:19, 50; 4:1, 4).

No one man could be a perfect picture of Christ. Moses' hands were heavy, so Aaron and Hur held them up. This only brings out more clearly the truth of the intercession of Christ. Aaron, though not yet set apart for the office, represents the priesthood, and Hur, if the meaning of his name may guide us, stands for light or purity. Together, then, they mean the priestly intercession of Christ kept in holiness before God — an intercession that always works and always prevails, because it rests on all that Christ is and has done.

In Chronicles the accuracy of the genealogies depends largely on how much the Jews valued them during their captivity. The disorder in them matches the state of the remnant we meet in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Many among the people and among the priests could not prove their line. They had no family head left, yet the names of their families, groups, and cities still marked them out. Such a name became, in effect, a "moral person," standing as the stem of their ancestry (see Ezra 1, and here 1 Chron. 2:50, 54-55; 4:4).

Must we conclude from all this that Chronicles is a human, random compilation, and that the book has no historical value at all? That is what those who trust human reason alone claim. But thank God, their reasoning is always at fault when it attacks His Word. No thoughtful Christian will deny that the genealogies of Chronicles are made up of fragments gathered while everything was in confusion. They are still documents on which God sets His seal of approval.

These genealogies were imperfect. Israel's condition carried the mark of the ruin that had fallen on them, but also the mark of God's goodness. He had brought back a remnant, and He had preserved all that was needed to place them in the record of His people. These genealogies served as a way to recognise the people. Happy the man who had kept his own, and who valued the heritage of Jehovah enough to treasure it! It was a proof of faith. Someone might have asked, "What use are these genealogies in Babylon?"

Chapter 4 begins a new section, though we have had Judah before. This is another feature peculiar to Chronicles. It repeats things even where nothing is complete, but it never repeats for no reason. The earlier section brings in Judah so that David and the royal line can follow. Here Judah comes forward because he is a leader among the tribes of Israel.

Son of Hezron and father of Tekoa. 1 Chr. 2:24; 1 Chr. 4:5.

A city of Judah, probably founded by the man just named. Rehoboam built or fortified it "for defence" (2 Chr. 11:6). The "wise woman" whom Joab sent to speak to the king about bringing Absalom back came from this city (2 Sam. 14:2, 4, 9). It stood on a hill, so it was a good place to blow the trumpet in time of danger, as in Jer. 6:1. The prophet Amos was among its herdsmen.

It was very unusual for women's names to appear in a genealogy. They might be needed as links in the chain of descent — for example, where a man had different wives and the record had to show which wife a title came through.

All this shows what God set up for marriage: the union of one man and one woman, the two and only two, becoming one. Anything more than this is not of God, but comes from human lust. Lamech, the sixth from Adam, was the first to break this order, and he had two wives. Long after this, Jacob's two wives gave their servants to him, so that he had four wives. God counted the twelve sons of these four women equally as sons of Jacob, and they became the heads of the twelve tribes. It might have been thought that God would not bless the children of these unions, but He did.

There is something deeply solemn about being allowed to read such a record. People forgot these names long ago, yet God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their path through this world. Some day our names too will be lost to people, but God will never forget us or our ways.

It is all the more striking to find in Chronicles the picture of grace at work in the heart of man, because these books were written, as we have seen, after the final ruin of the people and of kingdom rule. But what comfort for the poor remnant, back from Babylon in servitude and contempt, to find their own history here, written in those disastrous times by the Spirit of God Himself. Every page shows that no unfaithfulness on the part of the people could change God's counsels or alter the grace by which He would establish His eternal purposes for His people in the person of Christ.

Now that God has made known His purposes about His King, He names the children of the kingdom through the heads and chiefs of their families. The tribes come in the order God appointed, and the royal tribe of Judah comes first (1 Chron. 4). Judah was mentioned before in 1 Chron. 2, because David comes from that tribe. There the point is David's genealogy, not the families of Judah. Here in chapter 4 the tribe comes first. It has first place as the royal tribe, next in importance to David's royal family.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles hold very old names that we find nowhere else in the Old Testament. Many names are not people at all, but clans or families. Other lists we might call geographic. For lack of any other source, they give us the names of tribes, of districts, of cities. We find this again in 1 Chron. 2:18-24, 25-33, 42-55; 1 Chron. 4:1-23, 28-33.

Son of Ashur, or a city founded by Ashur, a descendant of Judah. 1 Chr. 2:24; 1 Chr. 4:5.

It is all the more striking to find in Chronicles this picture of grace at work in the heart of man, because these books were written, as we have seen, after the final ruin of the people and of the kingdom. But what comfort for the poor remnant, back from Babylon in servitude and contempt, to find their history here! The Spirit of God Himself wrote it in those disastrous times. It shows on every page that no unfaithfulness of the people could change God's plans, or alter the grace by which He would establish His eternal purposes for His people in the person of Christ.

The Jews would not believe the destruction was coming until it came, and it left them disheartened. They might have thought, "What is the use of a genealogy? Why care now about our lands or houses? Everything is ruined. All is gone." But the man who believed God knew that in seventy years they would return from captivity. So care for God and confidence in His Word made them guard their genealogies closely. Then, when they did return, they could enter on the portion God had allotted them. This is what made every home in Israel so precious — God Himself gave it. A man did not earn it by his own labour or skill. It was the gift of God to them.

What are we to learn from these genealogical records? We believe they teach us a precious lesson about the Lord's faithful care of His people Israel, and about His loving interest in them and in everything that concerns them. He watches over them, from generation to generation, even though they are scattered and lost to human view. He knows all about "the twelve tribes," and in due time He will bring them out into the open. He will plant them in the inheritance He destined for them, in the land of Canaan, as He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The object of the Holy Spirit in Chronicles is not history, except as a secondary thing, but the bringing in of the Son who is to reign over all. Christ the Son will not only be King of the Jews as Son of David, and the Heir of the promises as Son of Abraham; as Son of Man He will be King of kings and Lord of lords. Other names come in and shine among their fellows, and side purposes are reached along the way, but the great purpose of God centres in His Son. The genealogy points to Him.

Zereth. Son of Ashur, a descendant of Judah. 1 Chr. 4:7.

Ashur. Son of Hezron and father of Tekoa. 1 Chr. 2:24; 1 Chr. 4:5.

God has now made known His purposes about His King. So the record names the children of the kingdom through the heads and chiefs of their families. The tribes come in the appointed order, and first is the royal tribe of Judah (1 Chron. 4). Judah came up earlier in 1 Chron. 2, because David belongs to that tribe. The point there was David's genealogy, not the families of Judah. Here in chapter 4 the tribe itself comes first. It holds first place as the royal tribe, second in importance only to David's royal family.

The genealogies became so important because the books of Chronicles were written after the captivity, when everything was thrown into disorder. The Jews had never been willing to believe the destruction would come, and when it came they lost heart. They might have thought, "What use is a genealogy? Why care now about our lands or houses? Everything is ruined. All is gone." But the man who believed God knew that in seventy years they would return from their captivity. So care for God and confidence in His Word made them guard their genealogies closely, in order that, when they did return, they might take up the portion God had given them. This is what made every home in Israel so precious: God gave it. It was not something a man earned by his own work or skill. It was God's gift to them.

It deeply sobers the soul to be allowed to read through such a record of names. Men forgot these names long ago, but God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their path through this world. Some day our own names will be lost to mankind too, but God will not forget us or our ways.

"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers." Is this a hint that his brothers had forgotten that God was the Giver of their good things? Here the record does not say they prayed, and they have no such answer. God grants Jabez what he asked for. Among that rebellious and stubborn people there were men of faith, and Jabez was one.

Chronicles opens with the genealogies of the children of Israel, tracing the chosen race right back to Adam. The record begins with his name, and as far as nature goes, every name that follows is only one more addition to the first man. "The second man is from heaven." … all through these lists, which God chose to preserve and which will be kept on high forever, we see in one person after another the fruit of the new life, shown to the glory of Him who gave it.

Now that God has made known His purposes about His King, the record names the children of the kingdom through the heads and chiefs of families. The tribes come in their appointed order, and the royal tribe of Judah comes first (1 Chronicles 4). Judah appeared earlier, in 1 Chronicles 2, because David belongs to that tribe. There the point is David's own line, not the families of Judah. Here in chapter 4 the tribe comes first. It holds first place as the royal tribe, next in importance to David's royal family.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles hold very old names that we find nowhere else in the Old Testament. Many of the names are not people at all, but clans or families. Other lists are what we might call geographic. For lack of any other material, they include the names of tribes, of districts, and of cities. We meet this again in 1 Chronicles 2:18-24, 25-33, 42-55 and 1 Chronicles 4:1-23, 28-33.

Son of Harum, of the tribe of Judah. 1 Chronicles 4:8. The old Greek translation of the Old Testament has Rechab, the son of Jarin.

The books of Chronicles come from the time after the captivity, when everything had fallen into disorder. That is why the genealogies mattered so much. The Jews were crushed by a ruin they refused to believe until it came. They might have thought, "What use is a genealogy? Why care now about our lands or our houses? Everything is ruined. All is gone." But the man who believed God knew that seventy years would see them come back from their captivity. So care for God and confidence in His Word made them guard their family records, so that when they did return they could take up the portion God had given them. This is what made every home in Israel so precious: God gave it. It was not just something a man earned by his own work or skill. It was the gift of God to them.

The tables do not give every name; many are left out. That shows at once what these long lists of names are for. The record keeps only those who had a part in accomplishing the purpose of God, the channels God chose for carrying out His purpose. There are many lessons to gather from these genealogies, which people so often think unprofitable. Even those opening chapters of Chronicles come under the statement of 2 Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."

As for what we are to learn from these genealogical records, we believe they teach us a most precious lesson about Jehovah's faithful care of His people Israel, and His loving interest in them and in all that concerns them. He watches over them, from generation to generation, even though they are scattered and lost to human view. He knows all about "the twelve tribes." He will bring them to light at the right time, and plant them in the inheritance meant for them, in the land of Canaan, just as He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

It is sweet and helpful to the soul to trace out the brief notes of what divine grace had done in one person and another. If this were only a human book, such notes would seem out of place among long lists of names. These were people who walked their often lowly paths, with faith at work and the conscience active. The passage about Jabez is of this kind. He was more honourable than his brothers because he set the Lord before him.

Jabez's mother had borne him with sorrow and had named him Jabez: "Sorrow." She had herself experienced the consequences of sin. She acknowledged the curse that followed for man, God's righteous sentence on the woman whom the serpent had deceived. For God had said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children" (Gen. 3:16). Jabez's mother accepted this sentence by faith. She made so little effort to escape it that she passed it on to her son, giving him the name "Sorrow." On man's side the fall destroyed all hope of happiness, and sorrow was his fatal portion.

The very first words about Jabez are, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers." The Spirit of God leaves us in no doubt about the reason for this praise from God. His name means "sorrowful," or "causing pain." So the reason he was more honourable than his brothers had nothing to do with what he was by nature. He was more honourable than his brothers because of his dealings with God.

When David was fleeing from Saul, Ahimelech the priest fed David and his followers. The priest also spoke up for David, saying to Saul, "And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house?" It seems to me that in David faithfulness was a mark that showed he was honourable... Yes, that is what it means to be honourable: to be faithful to God, faithful to the saints in relation to the truth, faithful to what you know.

"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers." Is this a hint that his brothers had forgotten that God was the Giver of their good things? Here the record does not say that they prayed, and they have no such answer. God grants Jabez what he requested. Among that rebellious and stiff-necked people there were men of faith, and Jabez was one.

No connecting link is given in chapter 4 to show that he was born of Judah, yet his name appears in the middle of that family register. Was the land the Lord enlarged in answer to his prayer named after him? If so, 1 Chronicles 2:55 supports the idea that he belonged to the Kenites. They were the descendants of Hobab, who came with Israel at Moses' express invitation, and their children lived among the people of Judah. A Kenite could not claim a portion in Israel on the ground that he was of Israel; yet he might call on the God of Israel, and ask to be blessed with Israel.

Wherever there has been faith, God has blessed His people individually. Jabez, the son of affliction, seeking blessing in the presence of the God of Israel, did not fail to find it... So the power of the king was gone, and the order of the kingdom with it. Yet wherever there was faith, God blessed those of His people who trusted in Him.

What has been preserved here of the genealogies of the people is a moving remnant, through grace, of those who had fallen under a sad condemnation. It shows us something else: wherever there has been faith, God has blessed His people as individuals. Jabez, the son of affliction, seeking blessing in the presence of the God of Israel, did not fail to find it.

Chapter 4 gives no link to show that he was born of Judah. His name simply appears in the middle of Judah's family register. Was that border, which the LORD enlarged in answer to his prayer, named after him? If so, 1 Chronicles 2:55 supports the impression that he belonged to the family of the Kenites, who came with Israel at Moses' invitation and lived among the people of Judah. A Kenite could not claim a share in Israel on the ground that he was of Israel. Yet he might call on the God of Israel, and ask to be blessed with Israel.

Jabez began with this conviction, and so he was "more honourable than his brothers." Then he "called on the God of Israel." He knew that only the LORD could deliver him from the curse of sin. He knew, moreover, that this deliverance could be so complete that he, Jabez, would be able to be without sorrow!

God had cursed man and the earth from which he was taken (Genesis 3:17). He alone could cancel this sentence and replace it with blessing, the first proof that sorrow has ended... "I will bless you," the LORD had said to Abraham. When everything is in ruin, Jabez' faith goes back to the counsels of grace and to the promises of God... In the same way, God has abolished all the consequences of sin through Christ's sacrifice. So we can be blessed in Him with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Here and there these genealogies highlight people whose borders God extended in the promised land. At that time most of the people had failed to conquer their inheritance... So it is with us: our spiritual borders expand in the heavenly sphere while we are on earth. To reach this we must recognise our hopeless ruin. We have shown that we cannot extend our borders ourselves. So we must show humble dependence that relies on the grace of God alone to possess them.

"Oh, that you would bless me indeed!" I wish that were our prayer all the time, wanting to receive blessing from God. Why? Just for our own personal advancement? No, first for our encouragement and strengthening, so that we can then be of help to others, because if we have blessing in our souls it is bound to flow out to others.

He does not rely on his natural energy to enlarge his borders, but rather on the power of God. This is all the more striking since he came from a family known for its energy.

The evil that brought sorrow into this world has not disappeared; it is always present. Jabez knows this well, for he does not ask that it be removed, but he wants to be kept from the evil whose existence he sees. Here again, he recognises that it is not his will, but the power of God alone that is able to keep him.

How easy it is to point the finger at someone else and be grieved because they have said or done something wrong! And how easy it is to forget our own failures. Are we grieved when we sin, when we fail? It is a mark of a tender conscience.

How could sorrow still remain in the heart of this man of God when God had granted all his requests? No doubt sorrow has not disappeared from the earth, and neither has the evil that caused it. But Jabez' heart was full of the excellent things granted to him, so it had no room for sorrow.

In Israel there were sad failures, and failures in the best of men. Still, for all that, something truly divine was at work in that poor people from the beginning onward. So we can see that these genealogies had a character far higher than might appear at first sight. I have no doubt that most of us have read them thinking it was high time to skip over them. Few of us have a clear, settled judgment why God has attached so much importance to them.

Our chapter deals with the genealogies of the tribes of Judah and Simeon. It brings before us some who were well known in Israel, such as Caleb, who brought back a good report from the land. God allowed him, along with Joshua, to enter the promised land. Others, like Jabez, have no mention in Scripture outside this book. Yet God has put their names in the divine record, to teach us what He values in His people, and what should occupy us as the people of God.

In verse 11 of our chapter we have Chelub, who is the Caleb of verse 15. In Numbers 13 we read of him: "But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, 'Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.'"... These devoted men teach us valuable lessons about the inheritance of God. We are not only to prize God's inheritance; we are to possess it; we are even now to lay hold of what soon shall be fully ours with Christ. By the Spirit we can enter into the spiritual reality of what is ours in Christ.

The idea that genealogies give all the steps has no foundation, and in Chronicles they are only a gathering up of memorials.

The books of Chronicles were written after the captivity, when everything was thrown into disorder. The Jews would never believe the ruin was coming until it came, and now they were disheartened. They might have thought, "What is the use of a genealogy? What is the use of caring now about our lands or houses? Everything is ruined. All is gone." But the man who believed God knew that seventy years would see them return from their captivity. So care for God and confidence in His Word would make them guard their genealogies closely, so that when they did return they might enter on the allotment of God. For this was what made every homestead in Israel so precious — that it was God who gave it. It was not just something a man earned by his own labour or skill. It was the gift of God to them.

In Chronicles the Holy Spirit's object is not history, except as a side matter. It is the bringing in of the Son Who is to reign over all. Christ the Son will not only be the King of the Jews as Son of David, and the Inheritor of the promises as Son of Abraham; as Son of man He will be King of kings and Lord of lords. So His genealogy runs down from Adam, that He, the last Adam, should win back the headship over the lower creation which the first Adam lost. Other names come in and shine among their fellows, and side purposes are served along the way, but the great purpose of God centres in His Son. The genealogy points to Him.

Verses 1 to 23 take up the family line of Judah for the second time. Two names stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. The first is David, because Judah's kingship is, as we have seen, the main subject of Chronicles. The second is Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who stands for the energy and the perseverance of faith.

Now that God has made His purposes about His King known, the children of the kingdom are named through the heads and chiefs of families. The tribes come in the appointed order, first the royal tribe of Judah (1 Chron. 4). Judah was mentioned earlier in 1 Chron. 2 because David is of that tribe: the point there is not the families of Judah, but David's own line. Here in chapter 4 the tribe comes first, holding first place as the royal tribe, next in importance to the royal family of David. Most of the great and honoured names of that tribe are connected with his family.

Sometimes the family lists in Chronicles hold very ancient names that we do not find anywhere else in the Old Testament. Many names are not those of people, but of clans or families. Other lists we might call geographic: for lack of any other source material, they include the names of tribes, of districts, of cities.

Son of Tehinnah, 1 Chr. 4:12; or, as suggested in the margin, "Tehinnah, founder of the city of Nahash."

Obscure name in the genealogy of Judah. 1 Chr. 4:12.

So we can see that these family lists have a far higher character than they seem to have at first sight. I have no doubt that most of us have read them and thought it was high time to skip over them. I have no doubt we have often wondered why they were ever written at all, and why they should be in the Bible... But I am sure that relatively few people have a clear, distinct judgment about why God has attached so much importance to these lists.

These genealogies were imperfect. The state of Israel carried the mark of the ruin that had come on them, but also the mark of the goodness of God, who had brought back a remnant and had preserved all that was needed to place them in the record of His people. If the proof needed to give them that title was missing, those who belonged to the people stopped enjoying their proper privileges, and the priests their place as priests, until a priest stood up with Urim and with Thummim. These records served as a way to recognise the people. Happy is the one who had kept his own, and who valued the inheritance of Jehovah enough to prize it! It was a proof of faith, for it might have been said, What use are these genealogies in Babylon?

Last of all, and above all, they were essential for Messiah's kingship, for His line must go back through the series of kings to Judah "the lawgiver," and then from Judah to Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Noah, Adam and God!

Son of Kenaz, brother or nephew of Caleb. He took Kiriath-sepher, and married Achsah, Caleb's daughter. Later he became one of the judges. He defeated Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. Under him the land had rest forty years. Joshua 15:17; Judges 1:13; Judges 3:9, 11; 1 Chr. 4:13.

In Numbers 32:12 and Joshua 14:6, 14 Caleb is called "the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite." Caleb's younger brother Othniel, to whom Caleb gave his daughter Achsah as wife, is likewise called "the son of Kenaz." And in Genesis 36:11 we learn that Kenaz is an Edomite name. So at some point the family of Kenaz, and with it the family of Caleb the son of Jephunneh, was brought into the tribes of Israel, like so many other foreigners — Jethro, Rahab and Ruth — who became members of the people of God because of their faith. So Caleb, who by birth really had no right of citizenship in Israel, received that right in the middle of Judah because of his faith. He became part of the family of Caleb the son of Hezron, as 1 Chronicles 2:49 and the passages already cited in Joshua show. The surviving fragments of the genealogy of Caleb the son of Hezron confirm the place God gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. This substitution is one of the important points the Spirit of God calls our attention to here.

To summarise, the name of Caleb is highlighted in this chapter. This name carries the thought of "virtue," that is, of moral energy. With a goal in view, it enables the believer to overcome obstacles. It separates him from every weight and from the sin that so easily entangles him. 2 Peter 1:5 says, "In your faith have also virtue." Caleb is an example in this. The same name is linked with people of the same calibre as the son of Jephunneh: Othniel and Achsah (1 Chron. 4:13), Hur, Jair — though Jair later lost everything his energy had at first won — and the house of Rechab.

We have already spoken of Othniel in his private, domestic life (Judges 1). God had in this way fitted him to be the first judge in Israel. Having fought to win a wife, he became the owner of his own personal inheritance and of springs to water it. God now uses him to fight for others, and it is always like this. Before God uses a Christian in public, that Christian must first have grown in the knowledge of the Lord and in the power of his privileges. Where this is missing, it usually explains why our service is so limited and our hearts so little taken up with heavenly things.

It is the same Othniel of whom we read in chapter 1:13 and Joshua 15:17. Othniel means "lion of God," and as he was of Judah, he is the type of Him who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Upon him rested the Spirit of the Lord. The king of Mesopotamia was given into his hands, and a rest followed for Israel. So we too must return to the Lord and expect our deliverance from Him. What grace towards His people is shown in this first deliverance!

Verse 13 gives the honoured name of Othniel. At Caleb's challenge he took Kiriath-sepher, and received Caleb's daughter Achsah as his wife. She received from her father "the upper springs and the lower springs" (Joshua 15:16-19). These devoted men teach us valuable lessons concerning the inheritance of God. We are not only to value God's inheritance; we are to make it ours. Even now we are to lay hold of what will soon be fully ours with Christ.

Finally, in 1 Chronicles 4:13-15 we find the descendants of Caleb the son of Jephunneh and of his brother Kenaz. But here now, in this portion, this genealogy is truncated.

Two names especially stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. First, that of David, for Judah's kingship is, as we have seen, the principal subject of Chronicles. Secondly, that of Caleb the son of Jephunneh who represents the energy and the perseverance of faith.

'Craftsmen,' as in the margin. 1 Chr. 4:14: compare Nehemiah 11:35.

Son of Seraiah: described as "the father of the valley of Charashim," or craftsmen. 1 Chr. 4:14.

The people of God have yet other duties and other activities beside enlarging their borders as Jabez. Joab is "the father … of craftsmen" (v. 14). God has entrusted us with certain functions. They are humble, but very useful in their place. We do well to attend to them without coveting higher things. This will keep us in humility. Among the sons of Shelah are found "linen workers," potters, and gardeners (vv. 21, 23). These were not noble occupations. Their importance came from this: these men "… lived with the king for his work." Although very humble, they were his fellow workers within the limits that his work assigned to them. For this reason the king kept them around him. Theirs was the great privilege of living near him — a privilege many nobles and princes wanted and never got.

So it is with us too. Let us each fulfill our task. Let us beware of wanting a high position among the people of God. Let us be content with humble things instead. What our Lord asks is that we carry them out diligently. Let us be faithful in little things as long as we work together in His works. Leave the future reward aside. Even now we will gain the priceless advantage of "living with the king" and of looking on His face.

There is something deeply solemn to the soul in being allowed to go over such a record of names. People forgot them long ago. Yet God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their pathway through this world. Some day our names likewise will be lost to mankind, but neither we nor our ways will be forgotten by God.

Verses 1 through 23 take up the genealogy of Judah for the second time. Two names stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. First, David, because Judah's kingship is, as we have seen, the main subject of Chronicles. Second, Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who stands for the energy and perseverance of faith.

And besides Jabez we have Caleb, a well-known name, the son of Jephunneh, the son of Kenaz, if we may conclude that from Numbers 32:12: "Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite." He matched Joshua in faithfulness, and the two of them were the only men who left Egypt and reached the promised land. Everyone else who entered Canaan was born in the wilderness.

Finally, in 1 Chronicles 4:13-15 we find the descendants of Caleb the son of Jephunneh and of his brother Kenaz. But here, in this part, the genealogy is cut short.

Must we conclude from all this that the text of Chronicles is a human and random compilation, and that the book therefore has no historical value? That is what those who rely on human reason claim. But thank God, their reasoning always fails when it attacks His Word. No well-taught Christian will deny that the genealogies of Chronicles are made up of fragments picked up in a time of general confusion. Yet they are documents on which God sets His seal of approval.

So Caleb, who by birth had no right of citizenship in Israel, received that right inside Judah because of his faith. He was brought into the family of Caleb the son of Hezron, as we see in 1 Chronicles 2:49 and in the passages from Joshua already mentioned.

Joshua 14 tells us that Caleb was the son of Jephunneh, a Kenizzite who had probably come from the mountains of southern Canaan and had attached himself to the tribe of Judah. So by birth he was a stranger to the covenants of promise. He was one of the first-fruits of the Gentile harvest, and the Old Testament holds many other examples. But the barrier of his birth did not stop him from being an Israelite in spirit. The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus as people once separated from the commonwealth of Israel. Now, in Christ Jesus, they had been brought near by the blood of Christ, so they were no longer strangers but fellow citizens with the saints (Ephesians 2).

To sum up, the name of Caleb stands out in this chapter. The thought tied to this name is "virtue" — that is, moral energy which, with a goal in view, enables the believer to get past obstacles, separating him from every weight and the sin that clings so closely. 2 Peter 1:5 tells us to "supplement your faith with virtue." Caleb is an example of this. Other people of the same calibre as the son of Jephunneh are linked with this name: Othniel, Achsah (1 Chronicles 4:13; 1 Chronicles 2:49); Hur (1 Chronicles 2:19, 50; 1 Chronicles 4:1, 4).

Caleb is here, as once before, the Kenizzite, and elsewhere a Kenaz is said to be his brother. We will not go into the difficulties of his genealogy here. But what does the name mean? "Container of strength" is at least as good as any meaning offered, and it fits the whole line of Caleb's history. Read that way, Othniel, whom we hear of in the next chapter and in Judges, would be the fitting son of Kenaz.

One person's faithfulness, even in the darkest days of the church, stirs up spiritual energy in others. Othniel sees Caleb's faith and is moved to act the same way. He serves his first campaign under Caleb, and wins a good standing for himself, for he becomes the first judge in Israel.

Verses 1 to 23 go through the family line of Judah a second time. Two names stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. First, David, because Judah's kingship is, as we have seen, the main subject of Chronicles. Second, Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who stands for the energy and endurance of faith.

The Jews were discouraged by the destruction they had refused to believe in until it came. They might have thought, "What is the use of a genealogy? Why care now about our lands or houses? Everything is ruined. All is gone." But the man who believed God knew that seventy years would see them come back from their captivity. So his care for God and his confidence in His Word would make him guard his family records closely. Then, when they did return, they could take up the portion God had given them. This is what made every homestead in Israel so precious — that God gave it. It was not just something a man earned by his own labour or skill. It was God's gift to them.

What importance can we attach to this genealogy of unknown names? Remember that we are in the kingdom of God, where one wheel fits the next in His chariot as it moves forward. How good it is to leave meaningless chatter behind for a world like this, where everything has meaning! No doubt there are depths and heights here that we cannot explore. Even so, this encourages us onward, and at every step we gain something in view.

David learned by experience what the name of Ziph means; it means "refining." Suffering and endurance refined him, and that process made the shepherd-king ready for the high place ahead of him.

It deeply sobers the soul to be allowed to read through a record of names that people forgot long ago. God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their path through this world. One day our names will be lost to people too, but God will never forget us or our ways.

There is little to say here except that the Lord is glad to record even the names of His servants... He has been a dwelling place for His own in every generation. More than that, He honours those who honour Him. He records their names in His word now, and He will glorify them in person on the great day that is coming quickly.

Everything that comes from nature ends in complete failure and is worth nothing before God. Grace is the only thing we can count on, as we rest on the counsels and election of grace, which are settled forever.

Verses 1 to 23 take up the genealogy of Judah for the second time. Two names stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. First, David, because Judah's kingship is, as we have seen, the main subject of Chronicles. Second, Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who stands for the energy and perseverance of faith.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles contain very ancient names that we find nowhere else in the Old Testament. Many names are not people at all, but clans or families. Other genealogies we might call geographic. For lack of any other source material, they include the names of tribes, districts and cities.

In Chronicles the accuracy of the genealogies depends largely on how much the Jews valued them during their captivity. The disorder these lists show matches the state of the remnant that we find in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Quite a number of the people, and of the priests, could not prove their genealogy.

Sheshan married his daughter to his servant Jarha, an Egyptian, and their children were counted with Israel (1 Chron. 2:34-41). On the other hand, Mered the son of Ezra married Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Chron. 4:17-18), and had sons. If Joseph's wise advice had been followed (Gen. 46:33-34), these mixed marriages would never have happened as the years went on.

And it makes no difference who the person is — low and vile, or high and noble! Gentiles are woven into the two tribes that led the house of Israel: Joseph, through Ephraim, ruling by right of the birthright, and Judah, from whom the true David comes. Egypt's noble daughter Asenath is joined to Joseph; the disgraced Tamar to Judah; further down the line Rahab, from the doomed city; and Ruth, a woman of Moab… God would not be limited to Israel when it was a question of showing grace… Now that the work of the cross is done, how much more is the boundless character of grace — God's grace — proclaimed.

It deeply sobers the soul to be allowed to go over a record like this — names people forgot long ago, yet God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their path through this world. One day our names too will be lost to the world, but God will forget neither us nor our ways.

It is all the more striking to find in Chronicles this picture of grace at work in the heart of man, for these books were written, as we have seen, after the final ruin of the people and of the kingdom. But what comfort for the poor remnant, back from Babylon, still in servitude and despised, to find their history here, written in those disastrous times by the Spirit of God Himself! Every page shows that no unfaithfulness on the part of the people could change God's counsels or alter the grace by which He would establish His eternal purposes for His people in the person of Christ.

Chapter 4 begins a section that is somewhat new, though we have had Judah before. This is another feature that marks Chronicles — it repeats things now and then, even where nothing is complete, but it never merely repeats. In the earlier section, Judah comes in to bring us David and the royal line. Here Judah comes forward because he is a leader among the tribes of Israel... Here we have Judah again simply in his place among the different tribes. So his line is carried on in a general way as before, but with a view to the people, and not the kingdom.

Jered. Father or founder of Gedor. 1 Chr. 4:18.

Zanoah. Son of Jekuthiel. 1 Chr. 4:18. The Rabbis interpret "Jekuthiel was chief of Zanoach," referring to No. 2.

Hodiah. One of the wives of Ezra, of Judah. 1 Chr. 4:19. The same apparently as JEHUDIJAH, which signifies "the Jewess," in 1 Chr. 4:18.

Sheshan married his daughter to his servant Jarha, an Egyptian, and Israel counted their children as its own (1 Chron. 2:34-41). On the other hand Mered the son of Ezra married Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Chron. 4:17-18), and had sons. If Joseph's wise advice had been followed (Gen. 46:33-34) as the years went by, these mixed marriages would not have happened.

How sovereign the grace which will not overlook the outcast Gentile!... Gentiles are interwoven with the two tribes, the most prominent as being leaders in the house of Israel: Joseph, through Ephraim, ruling in virtue of the birthright, and Judah, of whom is the true David; Egypt's noble daughter, Asenath, with Joseph; the ignoble Thamar, with Judah; lower down the line, Rahab, of the doomed city; and Ruth, a Moabitess... God would not be limited to Israel when it was a question of showing grace; He was as to law, but even under the old covenant, which was special to Israel, He chooses from among the Gentiles whom He will bless.

At the same time He records the names of those who came through the trials this history describes, and who were never blotted out of the book. Here it is only the outward picture of that blessed memorial of the people of His grace, but this is in fact what we find. Not all Israel is there; and not all who come from Israel are Israel.

It stirs the soul deeply to be allowed to read through such a record of names. People forgot them long ago, yet God has remembered every one, with every detail of their path through this world. One day our own names will be lost to mankind too, but God will forget neither us nor our ways.

Chapter 4 begins a partly new section — not that we have not had Judah before. This is another unusual feature of Chronicles. It repeats at times, even where nothing is complete, but it is never only repetition. The earlier section brings Judah in so as to bring in David and the royal line. Here Judah comes forward because he is a leader among the tribes of Israel… Here we have Judah again simply in his place among the different tribes. So Chronicles carries his line on in a general way as before, only with a view to the people, and not the kingdom.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles contain very old names. We do not find them anywhere else in the Old Testament. Many names are not names of people, but of clans or families. Others are genealogies we might call geographic. For lack of other source material, they include the names of tribes, of districts, and of cities… We find this again in 1 Chron. 4:1-23.

Keilah was about six miles south-east of Adullam. David heard that the Philistines had invaded and were fighting against this walled city. So he asked the Lord about it.

Hodiah: one of the wives of Ezra, of Judah. 1 Chr. 4:19. Apparently the same as Jehudijah, which means "the Jewess," in 1 Chr. 4:18.

Naham: a man of Judah, father of Keilah and Eshtemoa. 1 Chr. 4:19.

The enemies are all conquered, but not all driven out… But Israel has to dispossess them. As long as the enemies hold anything, the enjoyment of the people of God is not complete. More than that, Israel is allowing something among them that could keep making them fail. If the enemy is not destroyed, he will be quick to lift his head and corrupt the people, if he cannot overcome them. This was in fact the snare once the Israelites were settled in the land of their possession. It says of the two and a half tribes: "Yet the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day" (Joshua 13:13).

There is something deeply solemn about being allowed to go over a record of names that people forgot long ago. Yet God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their path through this world. One day people will lose our names too. But God will never forget us or our ways.

And God even takes account of those we might have forgotten: the temple servants and Solomon's servants. These people may not have been of Jewish descent, and they did lowly work. But God is pleased to mention all the names of the fathers of those who went up to Jerusalem. In the same way, members of the body of Christ have different tasks, duties, and abilities. The most prominent ones may not be the most important ones (1 Cor. 12).

Now that God has made known His purposes about His King, the record names the children of the kingdom through the heads and chiefs of families. It gives the tribes in the appointed order, first the royal tribe of Judah. Judah appeared before, in 1 Chronicles 2, because David is of that tribe. There the point is not the families of Judah but David's genealogy. Here in chapter 4 the tribe comes first. It has the pre-eminence as the royal tribe, next in importance to the royal family of David.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles contain names of very ancient origin, which we do not find elsewhere in the Old Testament. Many names do not belong to single people, but to clans or families. Others are genealogies we might call geographic. Where no other source material existed, they include the names of tribes, of districts, of cities. We find this again in 1 Chronicles 4:1-23.

In Chronicles the accuracy of genealogies depends in large measure on the importance the Jews placed upon them during their captivity. The disorder these lists reveal matches 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. The great disorder that came in also explains, at least in part, why very distant descendants of the head of a clan were counted as his sons.

The books of Chronicles were written after the captivity, when everything was thrown into disorder. The Jews were disheartened by the destruction they had refused to believe in until it came. They might have thought, "What is the use of a genealogy? What is the use of caring now about our lands or houses? Everything is ruined. All is gone." But the man who believed God knew that seventy years would see them return from their captivity. So care for God and confidence in His Word would make them guard their genealogies closely, in order that, when they did return, they might enter upon the land God had allotted them. For this was what made every homestead in Israel so precious — that it was God that gave it.

The books of Chronicles are much more fragmentary than those of Kings. At the same time they are more closely tied to what follows. The reason is this: they look at the line of promise and purpose, and so they keep to David and those who inherited the kingdom of David's race. The books of Kings, on the other hand, look at the kingdom of Israel as a whole… there it is not purpose, but responsibility.

There is something deeply solemn to the soul about being allowed to go over such a record of names. People forgot them long ago, but God has remembered every one, with every detail of their pathway through this world. Some day our names likewise will be lost to mankind, but neither we nor our ways will be forgotten by God.

But we may still be challenged with a question like this: "Do you believe that the long string of names in the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles — those genealogical tables — are divinely inspired? Were they written for our learning? And if so, what are we to learn from them?" We declare without hesitation our reverent belief that all of these are inspired by God. And we have no doubt at all that their value, interest and importance will be proved in full, in time, in the history of that people to whom they specially apply.

In Israel there were sad blots, and blots on the best of them. Yet even so, something truly divine was at work among that poor people from the beginning onward. So we can see that these genealogies had a far higher character than they seem to have at first sight. I have no doubt that most of us have read them thinking it was high time to skip over them, and have often wondered why they were written at all.

Sometimes the genealogies of Chronicles contain very ancient names, which we do not find anywhere else in the Old Testament. Many names are not those of single people, but of clans or families. Others are genealogies we might call geographic. For lack of other source material, they include the names of tribes, of districts, of cities. We find this kind of list again in 1 Chron. 2:18-24, 25-33, 42-55; 1 Chron. 4:1-23, 28-33.

In Judah's history we find Judah's utter wandering and misery. Yet in it, and out of it, comes the genealogy of grace. He marries Canaanites. Sin is in his family. He sleeps with his own daughter-in-law. All was gone wrong. Yet out of this sprang the One in whom men would find blessing.

God has entrusted us with certain duties. They are humble, but very useful in their place, and we do well to attend to them without wanting higher things. This keeps us humble. Among the sons of Shelah we find fine linen workers, potters, and gardeners (vv. 21, 23). These were not noble occupations. Their importance came from one thing: these men "lived with the king for his work." Though very humble, they were his fellow workers, within the limits his work set for them. For this reason the king kept them near him. Theirs was the great privilege of living close to him — a privilege many nobles and princes wanted in vain.

In Revelation 19:8 we are taught that "the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints." So the workers of the house of Ashbea bring before us a precious privilege that belongs to the people of God. It is the privilege of working out, in the practical details of life, the features of divine righteousness that are for the pleasure of God. Each act of practical righteousness in the lives of the saints of this present age is a stitch in that beautiful garment. In it the Bride of Christ will appear before His eye on the day of the marriage of the Lamb. Many of these ornamental stitches are made in times of deepest sorrow, in the trials and persecutions of the saints, as well as in the ordinary, day by day work of life.

Another bright jewel shines among the seemingly dull genealogies of the early chapters. It is the one in chapter 4:21-23. This seems to please God so much that He turns aside to draw attention to it. No doubt He does so to teach and encourage those who want to serve Him in a way He accepts, in their own day and measure.

It deeply sobers the soul to be allowed to go over such a record of names. Man forgot them long ago. Yet God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their pathway through this world. One day our names will be lost to mankind too. But God will forget neither us nor our ways.

Then comes Shelah (v. 21). So the three branches from Judah — Pharez, Zerah, and Shelah — have a place here. Shelah was the eldest, since Er and Onan were killed in judgment. Yet there is no name of note among them such as Jabez and Caleb. They are workers in fine linen, as others were craftsmen (v. 14). There were princes among them "who had dominion in Moab," perhaps those appointed to gather gifts (tribute) from Moab (18:2). But "these are ancient things." Remember that this genealogy was written after the return from Babylon. They lost what honour they had through their sin.

Jokim (Jah sets up) and Joash (Jah supports) need no interpretation in the line of purpose. Moab in Jeremiah 48:11 and 29 speaks of ease, pride, haughtiness. Saraph means burning, or judgment. It reminds us of the self-judgment we need, so that we may obey the word which says, "walk ... as wise, making the best use of the time" (that is, not at ease, not idlers) "because the days are evil."

City of Judah. 1 Chr. 4:22. Probably the same as Chezib, Genesis 38:5, and Achzib, Joshua 15:44; Micah 1:14.

The word "ancient" means "removed." Matters relating to God's purpose are not connected with this world. They lie far removed from the sphere of natural man's interests. "Our citizenship is in heaven." The features expressed in the names we have considered are old and unchanging.

The words "And these are ancient things" contradict the rather peculiar notion that this king was Nebuchadnezzar.

Must we conclude from all this that the text of Chronicles is a human and random compilation? Must we say the historical value of this book is therefore nothing? 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 made up of fragments gathered up in the middle of general confusion. Yet they are documents on which God sets His seal of approval. So it is true that a number of passages in these genealogies are very ancient in origin, and are not mentioned in the other books of the Old Testament.

The people of God have other duties and activities besides enlarging their borders as Jabez did. Joab is "the father… of craftsmen" (v. 14). God has entrusted us with certain functions. They are humble, but very useful in their place. We do well to pay attention to them without coveting higher things. This will keep us in humility. Among the sons of Shelah we find linen-workers, potters, and gardeners (vv. 21, 23). These were not noble occupations. Their importance came from one thing: these men "dwelt with the king for his work."

They were very humble, yet they were his fellow workers, within the limits his work set for them. For this reason the king kept them around his person. Theirs was the great privilege, coveted in vain by many nobles and princes, of dwelling near him.

Let us remember that this genealogy was written after the return from Babylon. What honour they had was lost through their sin… These descendants of princes seem to be gardeners to the king of Babylon.

The words "And these are ancient things" contradict the rather odd idea that this king was Nebuchadnezzar.

The word "ancient" means "removed." Matters that relate to God's purpose are not connected with this world. They are far removed from what interests the natural man. "Our citizenship is in heaven." Further, a vessel useful to the Master must be a purged — that is, separated or removed — vessel.

Now we come to the character of the service. "These are the potters" — to fashion or form. This was true of the man who writes in Galatians 4:19: "my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!" Here is the New Testament potter at work, as the LORD Himself is the potter in Jeremiah 18:6.

The potters formed vessels that would serve the king. They worked outside, among the clay they took their material from. And are there not devoted servants of the Lord who care for those who are to be vessels in His service? Their work lies outside, but it receives honourable mention.

It has a voice for all who care for the tender plants of the Lord's garden. It speaks too for those who tend the hardier ones that make up the hedges, and who are set to mark the boundaries in divine things.

There was the fragrant atmosphere of the divine plantations, where God's servants laboured and lived with Him. There was also the protection of the "hedges." God's plants need shelter from the influences of the outside world. They must be kept separate from everything that would damage them and so spoil the pleasure of the One whose plants they are.

Shelah and his descendants lived there, yet not alone. One is already there: "they dwelt with the king for his work." The Lord is in His assembly, He delights to be there, and such are with Him. "With Him" speaks of holy intimacy and companionship. Dwelling with comes before working for. As we know Him, we are able to serve Him properly.