1 Chronicles Chapter 7 — Genealogies of Six Tribes
This chapter records the genealogies of six tribes of Israel: Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher, focusing on their descendants and military strength.
1Of the sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four.
2The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers’ houses, of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations. Their number in the days of David was twenty-two thousand six hundred.
3The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, five; all of them chief men.
4With them, by their generations, after their fathers’ houses, were bands of the army for war, thirty-six thousand; for they had many wives and sons.
5Their brothers among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, listed in all by genealogy, were eighty-seven thousand.
6The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael, three.
7The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor; and they were listed by genealogy twenty-two thousand thirty-four.
8The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher.
9They were listed by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor, twenty thousand two hundred.
10The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar.
11All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, mighty men of valor, seventeen thousand two hundred, who were able to go out in the army for war.
12So were Shuppim, Huppim, the sons of Ir, Hushim, and the sons of Aher.
13The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, Shallum, and the sons of Bilhah.
14The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his concubine the Aramitess bore. She bore Machir the father of Gilead.
15Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah. The name of the second was Zelophehad; and Zelophehad had daughters.
16Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh. The name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.
17The sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.
18His sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.
19The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
20The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son,
21Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take away their livestock.
22Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.
23He went in to his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and he named him Beriah,*“Beriah” is similar to the Hebrew word for “misfortune”. because there was trouble with his house.
24His daughter was Sheerah, who built Beth Horon the lower and the upper, and Uzzen Sheerah.
25Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son,
26Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,
27Nun his son, and Joshua his son.
28Their possessions and settlements were Bethel and its towns, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer with its towns; Shechem also and its towns, to Azzah and its towns;
29and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth Shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, and Dor and its towns. The children of Joseph the son of Israel lived in these.
30The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Serah was their sister.
31The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith.
32Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and Shua their sister.
33The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet.
34The sons of Shemer: Ahi, Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram.
35The sons of Helem his brother: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.
36The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah,
37Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
38The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara.
39The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.
40All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, chief of the princes. The number of them listed by genealogy for service in war was twenty-six thousand men.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
1 Chronicles 7:22
“Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.”
This verse provides a rare personal and emotional detail within the genealogies, showing the human impact of loss.
1 Chronicles 7:27
“Nun his son, and Joshua his son.”
This brief reference traces the lineage of Joshua, the famous leader who succeeded Moses.
1 Chronicles 7:40
“All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, chief of the princes.”
This verse summarizes the characteristics of the tribe of Asher as noble and courageous leaders.
Chapter Summary
1 Chronicles 7 continues the genealogical records of the tribes of Israel, specifically focusing on Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher. The text emphasizes the military strength of these tribes, frequently identifying individuals as 'mighty men of valor' and providing census-like counts of those ready for war. For the tribe of Issachar, it notes a force of eighty-seven thousand. The lineage of Ephraim includes a poignant moment where the tribe's namesake mourns the loss of his sons killed in a livestock raid, followed by the birth of Beriah and the mention of his daughter Sheerah, who built several cities. The chapter also identifies the lineage leading to Joshua the son of Nun, a key figure in Israel's history. Finally, the chapter details the descendants of Asher, noting their status as 'choice and mighty men' and providing their military registration numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
This chapter lists the descendants of six specific tribes: Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher. These genealogies help establish the heritage and population of these groups within Israel.
The text records that Ezer and Elead were killed by the men of Gath while they were attempting to take away livestock. This event caused their father, Ephraim, to mourn for many days until his brothers came to comfort him.
Sheerah was a descendant of Ephraim. She is notable for building the towns of Beth Horon the lower and the upper, as well as Uzzen Sheerah, highlighting the role of women in the tribe's expansion.
Study Note
The reference to Joshua son of Nun in verse 27 connects these post-exilic genealogical records back to the era of the conquest of Canaan.
Related Chapters
1 Chronicles 8
The next chapter provides a more detailed genealogy specifically for the tribe of Benjamin.
Joshua 1
Joshua, mentioned in this chapter's genealogy, is the central figure of the book of Joshua.
Numbers 26
This chapter provides an earlier census of the tribes that can be compared with the numbers in 1 Chronicles.
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