sons of Judah. The descendants of Judah (note especially 1 Chronicles 2-4) and Levi (1 Chronicles 6, 9) are given in more detail than those from the other ten tribes. This correlates with the fact that one was the kingly tribe (Genesis 49:10), the other the priestly tribe (Deuteronomy 33:8-10). All of these genealogies, however, seem superficially incomplete, sometimes even contradictory and unorganized. No doubt most of the problems could be solved if they had been preserved in complete form, recognizing that many different men had identical names in ancient Israel, just as in modern America. These lists were apparently compiled by Ezra the scribe (or at least someone of his time) after the return from the Babylonian captivity, using all the available records he could find still preserved. It was important for him to establish the inheritance of the various families as accurately as possible, since they had originally been given by God in perpetuity (Leviticus 25:23-55). Incomplete though these may have been on the human level, they do give us assurance that God does not forget His promises and that He has kept these genealogies in complete form on the divine level. Furthermore, their inclusion in the divinely inspired Scriptures of the Old Testament (note Paul's testimony in 2 Timothy 3:16, 17), assures us that these lists of names are “profitable” to the “man of God.” If nothing else, they show us that God does care about all individuals—not just nations or leaders of nations—and also that these Old Testament records are not just myths or allegories but are real historical records of real people and events.

Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur. Only Pharez was an actual son of Judah. The others were “sons” in the sense of descendants.

Ephratah, the father of Beth-lehem. Contrast 1 Chronicles 2:54. According to 1 Chronicles 2:19, Ephrath was the second wife of Caleb (not the Caleb associated with Joshua, however—see note on 1 Chronicles 2:18), but the town Ephratah could hardly have been named after her, since it was known by that name in Moses time and probably even before Jacob's time (see Genesis 35:16). It was also known as Bethlehem by the time of Moses (Genesis 35:19). Micah, (the prophet in the days of Jothan, Ahaz and Hezekiah) also was familiar with both names (Micah 5:2). It may be that the Ephraths, Ephratah, and Bethlehem, mentioned here in the Chronicles genealogical lists were people named after this town (or region), because of its importance in the history of Israel. Rachel died and was buried there, and she was the mother of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin.

Caleb the son of Jephunneh. This Caleb was the Caleb associated with Joshua in the conquest of the promised land (see Joshua 14:6). Two other Calebs are mentioned in these lists (1 Chronicles 2:19, 42).

sons of Shelah. Shelah, Judah's third and youngest son, apparently named his son Er in memory of his older brother, whom the Lord had slain because of wickedness (Genesis 38:2-7).

ancient things. This intriguing insertion in what seems a mundane recital of genealogical records tells us that these records have actually been handed down from times that were ancient even when the Chronicles were written.

Simeon. The genealogy of Simeon is more or less incorporated with that of Judah, since Simeon's inheritance, being south of that of Judah, eventually caused them to become essentially identified with Judah. Some Simeonites seem to have migrated north, merging with the tribe of Dan.

they of Ham. The reference is probably to the Egyptians. Egypt is called “the land of Ham” (Psalm 105:23), and the customary name for Egypt in the Bible is Mizraim, the second son of Ham. In the original dispersion from Babel, Mizraim and his descendants probably spent some time in the southern areas of Canaan's land on their eventual migration into Egypt. This was the area later taken over by the Simeonites in the lands officially assigned by Joshua to the tribe of Judah.

mount Seir. Mount Seir was in the land of the Edomites, although a contingent of Amalekites had evidently taken over a section of it. However, in the days of King Hezekiah, the Simeonites were able to extend their territory into this area, expelling the Amalekites and the remaining Edomites.