4
More of Judah’s Descendants
1 Judah’s descendants were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. 2 Reaiah, son of Shobal, was the father of Jahath. Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.
3 These were the first settlers in Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. Their sister’s name was Hazelelponi. 4 Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, who first settled Bethlehem.
5 Ashhur, who first settled Tekoa, had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6 Naarah gave birth to Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were Naarah’s sons. 7 Helah’s sons were Zereth, Izohar, and Ethnan. 8 Koz was the father of Anub and Zobebah, and he was the ancestor of the families of Aharhel, son of Harum.
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez [Painful], because she said that his birth was painful. 10 Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, “Please bless me and give me more territory. May your power be with me and free me from evil so that I will not be in pain.” God gave him what he prayed for.
11 Chelub, Shuhah’s brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton was the first to settle Beth Rapha. He was the father of Paseah and Tehinnah, who first settled the city of Nahash. These were the men from Recah.
13 Kenaz’s sons were Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel were Hathath and Meonothai.* 14 Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, who first settled the valley of Craftsmen. (It was named this because they were craftsmen.) 15 The sons of Caleb, son of Jephunneh, were Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah’s son was Kenaz.
16 Jehallelel’s sons were Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17 Ezrah’s sons were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. His wife gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, who first settled Eshtemoa. 18 His Judean wife was the mother of Jered, who first settled Gedor, Heber, who first settled Soco, and Jekuthiel, who first settled Zanoah.
19 The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham, first settled Keilah of the Garmites and Eshtemoa of the Maacathites. 20 Shimon’s sons were Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. Ishi’s sons were Zoheth and Ben Zoheth.
21 The descendants of Shelah, son of Judah, were Er, who first settled Lecah, Laadah, who first settled Mareshah, families of the guild of linen workers at Beth Ashbea, 22 Jokim, Joash, Saraph, and the men of Cozeba. Saraph ruled Moab and Jashubi Lehem (according to ancient records). 23 They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah. They lived there with the king and did his work.
Simeon’s Descendants
24 Simeon’s sons were Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. 25 Shaul’s son was Shallum. Shallum’s son was Mibsam. Mibsam’s son was Mishma. 26 Mishma’s son was Hammuel. Hammuel’s son was Zaccur. Zaccur’s son was Shimei. 27 Shimei had 16 sons and 6 daughters. But his brothers didn’t have many children, so their entire family didn’t become as large as the people of Judah.
28 Simeon’s descendants lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David became king. 32 Their five cities were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan. 33 They also had all the villages around these cities as far as the city of Baal. These places were where they lived, and they had their own genealogical records:
34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah (son of Amaziah), 35 Joel, Jehu (son of Joshibiah, grandson of Seraiah, and great-grandson of Asiel), 36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, and 37 Ziza (son of Shiphi, grandson of Allon, great-grandson of Jedaiah, a descendant of Shimri and Shemaiah). 38 These who are mentioned by name were leaders in their families, and the number of people in their households increased.
39 They moved to the outskirts of Gedor, on the east side of the valley, to find pasture for their flocks. 40 They found pasture that was rich and good. The land was vast, peaceful, and quiet because the Hamites used to live there. 41 In the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, the men listed here knocked down tents and killed the Meunites. They claimed the Meunites for God and destroyed them. (Even today no Meunites live there.) They lived in that land in place of the Meunites in order to have pasture for their flocks. 42 Ishi’s sons Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel led 500 of Simeon’s male descendants to Mount Seir. 43 They killed the Amalekites who were left. Simeon’s descendants still live there today.
* 4:13 Greek; Masoretic Text omits “and Meonothai.”