April 15 A READ 1 CHRONICLES 1–9
David’s Ancestors
OVERVIEW
Chronicles gives a priestly perspective on the history of God’s people. The anonymous chronicler (possibly Ezra) carefully weds the nation’s history with the sovereign hand of God to show God’s purposes at work in the affairs of his people. For generations God has been preparing a people (the Jews), a king (David), and a kingdom (Judah) through whom he would bless the world. In spite of the nation’s unbelief, disobedience, and even displacement from the land, God’s plan for them is still at work—a warming comfort for those about to return to rubble-strewn Jerusalem after a seventy-year absence.
MY DAILY WALK
It has been said, “Always treat your mother and father with respect, for without them you might be somebody else!”
The chronicler spends nine chapters showing how important it was for God’s people to trace their roots and cling to their ancestral ties. Why? Because many of God’s promises were made to an individual and his descendants, such as Abraham (Genesis 15) and David (2 Samuel 7). Take away the roots, and you take away the promises. For a people languishing in exile and wondering if God had forgotten them, their heritage became their hope.
Do a little New Testament research to discover the rich heritage you have because of your position in the family of God. Start with Galatians 3:29; 4:7; Titus 3:7; James 2:5; and 1 Peter 1:3-4.
NEVER TRY TO MAKE YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER ANOTHER YOU; ONE IS ENOUGH.
INSIGHT
The End of the Old Testament | 1 Chr. 1:1
First and Second Chronicles were originally one book: the very last book of the Hebrew Bible. That is why Christ in Luke 11:51 spoke of the martyrs from Abel (Genesis 4:8) to Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:21). He was speaking of all the martyrs from A to Z, from first to last, in the Hebrew Scriptures.
INSIGHT
Shame on a Name | 1 Chr. 8:33
Baal is not a proper name but a title: “master.” It is used to describe the owner of a house, land, or cattle. During the period of the judges, it was applied by many to the Lord and appeared in many individuals’ names (for example, see Judges 7:1). But Baal was also the name of the chief male god of Canaan. Scribes often found the custom of using Baal in personal names so abhorrent that they put the word bosheth (which means “shame”) in place of Baal. Hence the writer of 2 Samuel substitutes Ishbosheth in place of Esh-baal (1 Chr. 8:33; see 2 Samuel 2:8) and Mephibosheth in place of Merib-baal (1 Chr. 8:34; see 2 Samuel 9:6).
From Adam to Noah’s Sons
1The descendants of Adam were Seth, Enosh, 2Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, 3Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4and Noah.
The sons of Noah were* Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Descendants of Japheth
5The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
6The descendants of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath,* and Togarmah.
7The descendants of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.
Descendants of Ham
8The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim,* Put, and Canaan.
9The descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 10Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth.
11Mizraim was the ancestor of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 12Pathrusites, Casluhites, and the Caphtorites, from whom the Philistines came.*
13Canaan’s oldest son was Sidon, the ancestor of the Sidonians. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites,* 14Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, 15Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 16Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites.
Descendants of Shem
17The descendants of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
The descendants of Aram were* Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.*
18Arphaxad was the father of Shelah.
Shelah was the father of Eber.
19Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means “division”), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother’s name was Joktan.
20Joktan was the ancestor of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22Obal,* Abimael, Sheba, 23Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were descendants of Joktan.
24So this is the family line descended from Shem: Arphaxad, Shelah,* 25Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26Serug, Nahor, Terah, 27and Abram, later known as Abraham.
Descendants of Abraham
28The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. 29These are their genealogical records:
The sons of Ishmael were Nebaioth (the oldest), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.
32The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
The sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan.
33The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
All these were descendants of Abraham through his concubine Keturah.
Descendants of Isaac
34Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac were Esau and Israel.*
Descendants of Esau
35The sons of Esau were Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
36The descendants of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho,* Gatam, Kenaz, and Amalek, who was born to Timna.*
37The descendants of Reuel were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
Original Peoples of Edom
38The descendants of Seir were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
39The descendants of Lotan were Hori and Hemam.* Lotan’s sister was named Timna.
40The descendants of Shobal were Alvan,* Manahath, Ebal, Shepho,* and Onam.
The descendants of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah.
41The son of Anah was Dishon.
The descendants of Dishon were Hemdan,* Eshban, Ithran, and Keran.
42The descendants of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.*
The descendants of Dishan* were Uz and Aran.
Rulers of Edom
43These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites*:
Bela son of Beor, who ruled from his city of Dinhabah.
44When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah became king in his place.
45When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites became king in his place.
46When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad became king in his place and ruled from the city of Avith. He was the one who destroyed the Midianite army in the land of Moab.
47When Hadad died, Samlah from the city of Masrekah became king in his place.
48When Samlah died, Shaul from the city of Rehoboth-on-the-River became king in his place.
49When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Acbor became king in his place.
50When Baal-hanan died, Hadad became king in his place and ruled from the city of Pau.* His wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Me-zahab. 51Then Hadad died.
The clan leaders of Edom were Timna, Alvah,* Jetheth, 52Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54Magdiel, and Iram. These are the clan leaders of Edom.