CHAPTER 1
1. Adam, Sheth, Enosh,
2. Qeynan, Mahalal’el, Yared,
3. Hanokh, Methushelakh, Lamekh,
4. Noakh, Shem, Kham, and Yafeth;
5. The sons of Yafeth: Gomer and Magog, and Madai and Yawan and Thuval, and Meshekh and Tiras;
6. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz and Difath and Togarmah;
7. The sons of Yawan: Elishah and Tharshishah, Kittim and Dodanim;
8. The sons of Kham: Kush and Mitzrayim, Put and Kanaan;
9. The sons of Kush: Seva and Havilah and Savta and Raama and Savtekha; the sons of Raama: Sh’va and D’dan;
10. and Kush was the father of Nimrod; he began to be a hero on the earth.
11. Then Mitzrayim fathered Ludim and Anamim and L’havim and Nafthukhim
12. and Pathrusim and Kaslukhim, from which came the Filistines and Kaftorim.
13. And Kanaan fathered Tzidon, his firstborn, and Heth,
14. as well as the Y’vusite and the Emorite and the Girgashite
15. and the Hiwwite and the Arqite and the Sinite
16. and the Arwadite and the Tz’marite and the Hamathite.
17. The sons of Shem: Eylam and Ashur and Arpakhshad and Lud and Aram and ‘Utz and Khul and Gether and Meshekh.
18. And Arpakhshad fathered Shelakh, and Shelakh fathered ‘Ever,
‘Ever is the man from whose name we derive the term “Hebrew”.
19. and to ‘Ever were born two sons: the name of the one [was] Peleg (because in his days the earth was divided), and his brother’s name was Yauqtan.
The word for “divided up” in Hebrew is from the same root word as “Peleg”.
20. And Yauqtan was the father of Almdodad and Shalef and Khatzarmaweth and Yerakh
21. and Hadoram and Uzal and Diqlah
22. and Eyval and Avima’el and Sh’va
23. and Ofir and Khawilah and Yovav; all of these were the sons of Yauqtan.
24. Shem, Arpakhshad, Shelakh,
25. Ever, Peleg, Re’u,
26. Serug, Nakhor, Terakh,
27. Avram (he is Avraham).
28. The sons of Avraham [were] Yitz’haq and Yishma’el.
29. These are their birth records: the firstborn of Yishma’el [was] Nevayoth, then Q’dar and Adb’el and Mivsam,
30. Mishma’ and Dumah, Massa, Khadad, and Theyma,
31. Y’tur, Nafiysh, and Qedmah; these are the sons of Yishma’el.
32. And the sons of Q’turah, concubine of Avraham: she gave birth to Zimran and Yauqshan and M’dan and Midyan and Yishbaq and Shuakh, and the sons of Yauqshan [were] Sh’va and D’dan.
33. Then the sons of Midyan [were] ‘Eyfah and ‘Efer and Hanokh and Avida’ and Elda’ah: all of these were the sons of Q’turah.
34. Then Avraham fathered Yitz’haq. The sons of Yitz’haq [were] Esau and Isra’el.
35. The sons of Esau [were] Elifaz, Reu’el, and Yeush and Yaalam and Qorakh.
36. The sons of Elifaz[were] Theyman and Omar, Tz’fi and Gaatham, Q’naz and Thimna’ and ‘Amaleq.
37. The sons of Reu’el [were] Nakhath, Zerakh, Shammah, and Mizzah.
38. And the sons of Se’ir [were] Lotan and Shovalk and Tziv’on and ‘Anah and Diyshon and Ezer and Diyshan.
39. And the sons of Lotan [were] Khori and Homam, and a sister of Lotan [was] Timna’.
40. The sons of Shoval [were] Alyan and Manakhath and Eyval and Sh’fi and Onam.
And the sons of Tziv’on [were] Ayyah and ‘Anah.
41. The son of ‘Anah [was] Diyshon.
And the sons opf Diyshon [were] Khamrawn and Eshbawn and Yithrawn and Kherawn.
42. The sons of Etzer with Bilhawn and Zaavawn [and] Yaaqawn. The sons of Dishon were ‘Utz and Arawn.
43. Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before a king reigned over the sons of Israel: Bela’ the son of Beor (and the name of his [capital] city was Dinhavah),
Beor: This shows us whose family the prophet Bilaam of Numbers 22-25 comes from.
44. and when Bela’ died, Yovav the son of Zerakh from Botzrah reigned in his place.
45. And when Yovav died, then Khusham from the land of the Theymanite reigned in his place.
46. And when Khusham died, then Haded the son of B’dad (who attacked Midyan in the field of Mo’av) reigned in his place, and the name of his [capital] city was Ayoth.
Ayoth: alternate readings say Awiyth, moving the letter yodh from the third to the second position.
47. And when Hadad died, Samlah from Masreqah reigned in his place.
48. And when Samlah died, Sha’ul reigned in his place from the wide parts of the river.
River: probably the brook Zered, the northern border of the land of Edom. (Deut. 2:13)
49. And when Sha’ul died, Baal-Khanan the son of ‘Akhbor reigned in his place.
50. And when Baal-Khanan died, Hadad reigned in his place, and the name of his [capital] city was Pa’i, and his wife’s name was M’heytav’el the daughter of Matred the daughter of Mey-zahav.
His wife seems to have come from a matrilineal culture.
51. When Hadad died, the chiefs of Edom were Chief Timna’, Chief Alwah, Chief Yetheth,
52. Chief Aholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon,
53. Chief Q’naz, Chief Theyman, Chief Alluf, Chief Mivtzar,
54. Chief Magdi’el, Chief Iyram; these were the chiefs of Edom.
CHAPTER 2
1. These were the sons of Israel: Re’uven, Shim’on, Lewi, and Yehudah, Yissakhar and Z’vulun,
2. Dan, Yosef, and Binyamin, Nafthali, Gad, and Asher.
3. The sons of Yehudah were Er and ‘Onan and Shelah—three born to him from the daughter of Shua the Kanaanitess, and Er the firstborn of Yehudah was wicked in the eyes of YHWH, so He killed him.
4. Then Thamar, his daughter-in-law, bore to him Peretz and Zarakh; all the sons of Yehudah were five.
5. The sons of Peretz were Khetzron and Khamul.
6. and the sons of Zerakh [were] Zimri and Eythan and Heyman and Khalkol and Dara’—five of them in all.
7. And the son of Karmi, Akhar, the troubler of Israel, who broke faith in regard to what was off limits.
In Y’hoshua’s account, Akhar is called Akhan, but Akhar is a play on okher, here translated “troubler” (or stirrer-up, disturber). Broke faith: or acted treacherously, unfaithfully. Off limits: devoted to YHWH alone; particularly things He wanted destroyed.
8. And the son of Eythan [was] ‘Azaryah.
‘Azaryah: YHWH hone of das helped. Many people, including a king (a.k.a. Uzziyahu) and one of Daniel’s companions, thrown into the fiery furnace, were named after him throughout Israel’s history.
9. And the sons of Khetzron, who were born to him, [were] Y’rakhma’el and Ram and K’luvai.
Who were born: not likely a tautology; his wife may have also had several miscarriages.
10. And Ram fathered Amminadav, and Amminadav fathered Nakhshon, leader of the children of Yehudah.
11. Then Nakhshon fathered Salma’ and Salma’ fathered Boaz,
Salma' is called Salmon in the book of Ruth. -on is often an honorific or amplifying suffix—i.e., “Salma’ the great”, possibly because of his illustrious descendants.
12. and Boaz fathered Oved and Oved fathered Yishai,
13. and Yishai fathered Eli’av, his firstborn, and Avinadav the second, and Shim’a’ the third,
14. N’than’el the fourth, and Raddai the fifth,
15. Otzem the sixth, and Dawid the seventh,
16. and their sisters [were] Tz’ruyah and Avigayil, and the sons of Tz’ruyah [were] three: Avishai and Yo’av and Asah-El.
These famous sons were known by their mother, not their father, probably because she was Dawid’s sister, and her husband was little-known. Yet Avigayil’s husband is mentioned (v. 17), while Tz’ruyah’s is not; did he do something else so shameful that his name was obliterated? Avigayil may have been a fairly common name in those days, as Dawid also married someone by that name.
17. And Avigayil gave birth to Amasa’, and Amasa’s father was Yether the Yishma’elite.
18. And Khalev the son of Khetzron had children by his wife Azuvah and by Y’rioth, and these were her sons: Yesher and Shovav and Arddon.
Khalev: the Kh’luvai of v. 9. Y’rioth may have been a concubine, since she is not called “wife”, yet her children seem to have been more significant, since their names were remembered, while the wife’s were not.
19. But when Azuvah died, Khalev took Efrath as his wife, and she bore him Khur.
Efrath: or possibly “a fruitful one” (the meaning of the word, if not a name). Verse 24 even suggests it may have been the name of the place she was from.
20. And Khur fathered Uri and Uri fathered B’tzal’El.
All of these names are well-known from the days Israel was in the wilderness of Sinai.
21. And afterward, Khetzron went into the daughter of Makhir the father of Gil’ad. When he married her, he was 60 years old, and she bore him S’guv,
22. and S’guv was the father of Ya’ir, who owned 23 cities in the land of Gil’ad.
23. But G’shur and Aram took Ya’ir’s tent-villages from them, along with Q’nath and its 60 suburbs; all of these [belonged to] the sons of Gil’ad’s father Makhir.
Or, they took Ya’ir’s tent-villages from G’shur and Aram. Suburbs: literally, daughters.
24. And after Khetzron died while Khalev was in Efrath, his wife Aviyah bore him Ashkhur, the founder of T’qoa.
Founder: literally, father, but T’qoa is also the hometown of the prophet Amos and now of my friend Bruce Brill.
25. And the sons of Y’rakhme’el, Khetzron’s firstborn, [were]: Ram, the firstborn, then Vunah, then Oren, then Otzem, [then] Akhiyah.
26. And Y’rakhme’el had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she [was] the mother of Onam.
Atarah means “crown”.
27. And the sons of Ram, Y’rakhme’el’s firstborn, were Maatz and Yamin and ‘Eqer.
28. And Onam’s sons were Shammai and Yada, and Shammai’s sons were Nadav and Avishur.
29. And Avishur’s wife’s name was Avihayil, and she bore him Akhban and Molid.
30. And Nadav’s sons were Seled and Apayim, but Seled died [with] no sons,
31. while Apayim’s children [included] Yish’i, and Yish’i’s sons [included] Sheshan, and Sheshan’s children [included] Akhlai.
32. And the sons of Yada, brother of Shammai, [were] Yether and Yonathan, and Yether died [with] no sons
33. but Yonathan’s sons [were] Peleth and Zaza’; these have been the descendants of Y’rakhme’el.
34. And Sheshan had no sons, but only daughters, and Sheshan had an Egyptian servant, whose name was Yarkha’,
35. and Sheshan gave his daughter to Yarkha’, and she bore him ‘Athai.
36. And Athai fathered Nawthawn, and Nawthawn fathered Zawvawd,
37. and Zawvawd was the father of Eflal, and Eflal was the father of Oved,
38. and Oved fathered Yehu, and Yehi fathered ‘Azaryah,
39. and ‘Azaryah fathered Khelez, and Khelez fathered El’asah,
40. and El’asah was the father of Sismai, and Sismai was the father of Shallum,
41. and Shallum was the father of Y’qamyah, and Y’qamyah was the father of Elishama.
42. And the descendants of Kalev the brother of Y’rakhm’el [were] Meysha, his firstborn (he was the father of Zif), and the sons of Mareshah, the father of Khevron,
43. and the sons of Khevron were Qorakh, Tappuakh, Reqem, and Shema,
44. and Shema was the father of Rakham, and Rakham, the father of Yawrkaw’am, and Reqem was the father of Shammai,
45. and Shammai’s son was Maon, and Maon was the father of Beyth-Tzur.
Father: in this case, the founder, since Beyth-Tzur is a town.
46. And Eyfah, Kalev’s concubine, gave birth to Khawrawn and Motza’ and Gawzez, and Khawrawn was the father of Gawzez.
Gawzez: apparently named after his uncle, unless this is an account of some kind of incest.
47. And the children of Yawh’dai [were] Regem and Yothawm and Geyshawn and Feleth and Eyfah and Shaw’af.
48. Kalev’s concubine, Maakhah, gave birth to Shever and Tirkhanah.
Kalev had several concubines in addition to his wife. This is not the Kalev from the time of the conquest of Kanaan under Y’hoshua.
49. She also gave birth to Shaaf, the father of Madmannah, [and] Sh’va’ the father of Makhbenah and the founder of Giv’ah. And Kalev’s daughter was ‘Akhsah.
50. These have been the descendants of Kalev the son of Khur, the first [one] born at Efratah. Shovawl was the founder of Kiryath-Y’awrim.
Kiryath-Y’awrim means “village of forests”.
51. Salma’ was the founder of Beyth-Lekhem [House of Bread] and Kharef was the fonder of Beyth-Gawder [Place of a Wall].
Beyth-Lekhem was the home of Naomi, Boaz, and David, and later Yeshua.
52. And Shovawl, the founder of Kiryath-Y’awrim, had descendants: Haro’eh and half of the Manukhoth.
Manukhoth: inhabitantgs of Manakhath (“place of restfulness”).
53. And the families of Kiryath-Y’awrim were the Yithrites, the Puthites, the Shumawthities, and the Mishraites; from these came [those who settled in] Tzor’a and Eshta’ol.
54. The descendants of Salma’ [were the inhabitants of] Beyth-Lekhem, N’tofah, ‘Atroth Beyth-Yo’av, and half of the Mawnakhthites, the Tzawr’ites.
55. And the families of the recorders who lived at Ya’betz [were the] Tir’athites, [the] Shim’athites, [and the] Sukhathites; these were the Qiynites who came from Khammath, the founder of the House of Rekhav.
CHAPTER 3
1. Now these were the sons of Dawid, who were born to him in Khevron: the firstborn Amnon, born to Akhinoam the Yizre’elitess; the second, Dani’el, born to Avigayil the Karmelitess.
2. Third [place] belongs to Avshalom, the son of Maakhah, daughter of Thalmai, king of G’shur; the fourth, Adoniyah, the son of Khaggith.
3. The fifth, Sh’fatyah, [born] to Avital; the sixth, Yithr’am, by his wife ‘Eglah.
4. Six [children] were born to him in Khevron, and he reigned there seven years and six months, then he reigned 33 years in Yerushalayim.
5. And these [are the ones] born to him in Yerushalayim: Shim’a, Shovav, Nathan, and Shlomo, belonging to Bath-shua, daughter of Ammi’el,
6. as well as Yib’khar, Elishawma’, and Elifelet,
7. and Nogah and Nefeg and Yafia,
8. and Elishama’, Elyada, and Elifelet—nine [of them],
9. all the sons of Dawid, besides the children of the concubines, and their sister was Thawmawr.
10. And Shlomo’s son was R’khav’am; his son was Aviyah. His son was Asa’. His son was Y’hoshafat.
11. His son was Yoram. His son was Akhazyahu. His son was Yoash.
12. His son was Amatzyahu. His son was Azaryah. His son was Yotham.
13. His son was Akhaz. His son was Hizqiyahu. His son was M’nasheh.
14. His son was Awmon, His son was Yoshiyahu.
15. And the sons of Yoshiyahu: the firstborn, Yokhanan; the second, Y’hoyaqim; the third, Tsidqiyahu; the fourth, Shallum.
16. And the descendants of Y’hoyaqim [were] his son Y’kawnyah and his son Tsidqiyah.
17. And the descendants of Y’kawnyah [were] Assir, his son Sh’alti’el,
18. and Malkiram and P’dawyah and Shen’atzar, Y’qamyah, Hoshama, and N’davyah.
19. And the sons of P’dayah [were] Z’rubbavel and Shim’i, and the sons of Z’rubbavel [were] M’shullam and Khananyah (both of whose sister [was] Shlomiyth)
20. and Khashuvah and Ohel and Berekhyah and Khasadyah [and] Yushav-Hesed: five [in all].
Something appears to be missing here. Luke actually lists Khanayah as Z’rubbavel’s grandson. (3:27) Bertheau theorizes that these latter five were born to him after the return from exile, and the others before. Others suggest that the latter five had a different mother than the first two.
21. And the son of Khananyah: Pelatyah and Y’sha’yah; the sons of R’fawyah, sons of Arnawn, sons of Ovadyah, [and] sons of Sh’khanyah.
22. And the sons of Sh’khanyah: Sh’ma’yah. And the sons of Sh’ma’yah [were] Khattush and Yig’al and Bawriyah and N’aryah and Shawfawt—six [in all].
The six counts the descendants of Sh’khanyah, not Sh,ma’yah.
23. And the son of N’aryah: Elyoeynai, along with Khizqiyah and ‘Azriqam—three [in all].
24. And the sons of Elyoeynai [were] Hodauyahu and Elyashiv and Flawyah and Aqquv and Yokhawnawn and D’lawyah and ‘Anawni—seven [in all].
CHAPTER 4
1. The sons of Y’hudah [were] Peretz, Khetzron, and Karmi, and Khur, and Shovawl.
2. And R’awyawh, son of Shovawl, was the father of Yakhath, and Yakhath was the father of Akhumai and Lawhad; these are the families of the Tzawrathite.
3. And these [had] ‘Eytam of Yizre’el [as] father: both Yishma’ and Yidbash, and their sister’s name was Hatzlelponi.
4. And P’nu’el was the father of G’dor, and ‘Ezer was the father of Khushawh. These were the sons of Khur, firstborn of Efrawthawh, founder of Beyth-Lehem.
Beyth-Lehem: birthplace of Boaz, King Dawid, and Yeshua the Messiah.
5. And Ashkhur, founder of T’qoa had two wives: Khel’awh and Naarawh.
6. And Naarawh bore to him Akhuzzam and Khefer and Theym’ni and Ha’akhashtari; these were the sons of Naarawh.
7. And the sons of Khel’awh [were] Tzereth and Tzokhar and Ethnawn.
8. And Qotz gave birth to Anuv and Hatzovevawh and the families of Akharkhel son of Harum.
9. And Ya’betz was more honorable than his brothers. Now his mother called his name Ya’betz, saying, “…because I gave birth to him in pain.”
Ya’betz: the letters in his name are an inverted form of the word for “pain” here.
10. And Ya’betz called on the Elohim of Israel, saying, “If you would really bless me and enlarge my border and [if] Your hand would come to be with me and bring me away from evil so that I may not cause pain…” And Elohim brought him what he requested.
Not cause pain: He did not want his name to be prophetic of any further pain-giving than he had already caused his mother.
11. And Kh’lub the brother of Shukhawh became the father of M’khir; he was the father of Eshton.
12. and Eshton was the father of Beyth-rawfaw and Paseakh and Tekhinnawh, the founder of Serpent City; these were the people of Rekhawh.
13. And the sons of Q’naz [were] Awthniel and S’rawyah, and the sons of Awthniel [were] Khathath
14. and M’onothai [who] was the father of Awfrawh, and S’rawyah was the father of Yo’av, the founder of the Valley of Kharawshim, because they were blacksmiths.
Kharawshim means “blacksmiths”, “artisans”, “craftsmen”, or possibly “engravers”.
15. And the sons of Kalev, the son of Y’funneh, [were] Itru, Elawh, and Noam, and the sons of Eah [included] Q’naz.
16. And the children of Y’hallel’El [were] Zif and Zifawh, Thiryah, and Asar’el.
17. And the sons of ‘Ezrawh [were] Yether, Mered, ‘Efer, and Yawlon, and she conceived Miryam, Shammai, and Yishbakh, the founder of Eshtemoa,
18. and his Y’hudahite wife gave birth to Yered, the father of G’dor, Khever, the father of Sokhoh, and Y’quthiel, the father of Zanoakh. And these [were] the sons of Bithyah, the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took [as a wife].
This may have given rise to the idea that the daughter of Pharaoh, who raised Moshe, was also named Bithyah.
19. And the sons of Hodiyah’s wife, the sister of Nakham, the father of Q’ilawh the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maakhathite.
20. And the sons of Shim’on [were] Amnon and Rinnawh, Ben-Khanan, and Tilon, and the descendants of Yish’i [were] Zokheth and Ben-Zokheth.
21. The sons of Shelah, the son of Yehudah, [were] Er, the father of Lekhawh and La’dawh the founder of Mareshah and the families of the House of the Workers [in] Fine Linen, belinging to the household of Ashbea
So Shelah named a son after his brother Er, who died childless, as the first Er’s own brother ‘Onan had refused to do.
22. as well as Yoqim and the men of Khozeva and Yoash and Saraf, who took possession of Moav, and Yashuvi-Lakhem—and the records are ancient,
23. They were the potters who lived [at] N’taim and G’derah, with the king; when he worked, they lived there.
24. The sons of Shim’on [were] N’mu’el, Yamin, Yariv, Zerakh, [and] Sha’ul.
This is now apparently speaking of the tribe of Shim’on, as contrasted with the Shim’on in verse 20; Shim’on was a common name throughout the centuries.
25. Shallum [was] his son; Mivsam [was] his son; Mishma’ [was] his son.
26. And the sons of Mishma’ [were] Khamuel, his son; Zakkur [was] his son; Shim’i [was] his son,
27. and Shim’i had 16 sons and 6 daughters, and his brothers had no children, and none of their families became as numerous as the descendants of Y’hudah.
Their families: those of the tribe of Shim’on, which was allotted cities within the territory of Y’hudah, not a separate tribal land, due to Shim’on’s actions at Sh’khem along with Lewi. (Gen. 49:5-7)
28. And they lived at Be’er-Sheva’, Molawdah, and Khatzar-Shual
Molawdah means “birthplace”. Khatzar-Shual means “Foxville”.
29. and in Vilhah and ‘Etzem and in Tholawd
30. and in B’thu’el and in Khormah and in Tziqlag
31. and in Beyth-Markavoth and in Khatzar Susim and in Beyth-Bir’i and in Shaarayim. These were their cities until the reign of Dawid.
Beyth-Markavoth means “place of chariots”. Shaarayim means “two gates”—not so common in small cities. This town seems to have been located recently, as the small tel did have two gates.
32. And their villages [were] Eytam, Rimmon, Tokhen, and ‘Awshawn—five cities [in all]--
33. and all the villages that were around these cities, as far as Boal—these were their dwelling-places, and they maintained genealogies for themselves:
34. Both Y’shovav and Yamlekh, and Yoshawh, the son of Amatzyah,
35. and Yoel and Yehu, son of Yoshivyah, son of Serawyah, son of ‘Asiel,
36. and Elyoeynai, Yaaqovah, Y’shokhayah, ‘Asahyah, ‘Adiel, Y’shimiel, and B’nawyah,
37. and Ziza, son of Shif’i, son of Allon, son of Y’dawyah, son of Shimri, son of Sh’ma’yah.
38. These who were introduced by [their] names [were] leaders in their families, and the household of their fathers increased abundantly.
39. And they traveled to the entrance of G’dor, as far as the eastern end of the valley to look for pasture for their flocks.
40. And they found robust, good pasture, and the land was broad of hand, tranquil, and secure, because some descendants of Kham had lived there beforehand.
Secure: or easy, prosperous, carefree, quiet—i.e., free from problems caused by either outsiders or qualities of the land itself. The easiness may have stemmed from the fact that they did not have to break fresh ground, but were able to use what the Khamites (remaining unconquered since the days of Y’hoshua) had left there. (Examples of what was promised in Deut. 6:11.)
41. And these who were written about by name came in the days of Hizqiyahu, king of Y’hudah, and attacked their tents and the M’unites who were found there and devoted them to destruction [as it remains] to this day, and they dwelt in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks.
Devoted: as a gift to YHWH, who had permitted them to dispossess the Kanaanites, who had wrongfully usurped this land. They destroyed their tents (v. 41) and the paraphernalia of their culture, as they had been told to do at Y’rikho (Y’hoshua 6:18-19), but the land was already cleared for them to use for their animals.
42. And some of those from among the sons of Shim’on went to Mount Se’ir—500 men—with P’latyah, N’aryah, R’fawyah, and Uzziel, the sons of Yish’i, at their head
43. and struck down the remnant of the ‘Amaleqites who had escaped, and they have dwelt there to this day.
CHAPTER 5
1. And the descendants of Re’uven, the firstborn of Israel (because he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the descendants of Yosef, the son of Israel, and [his] genealogy is not listed as belonging to the birthright,
2. though Y’hudah became the strongest among his brothers, and a leader came from him, but the birthright was Yosef’s).
This is highly significant today as Yosef is regaining his identity. Though we were out of covenant for so long, YHWH brought us back through Yeshua, and thus the ancient promises and blessings can still be ours, and other blessings (including that of being ruler) still devolve upon Y’hudah. It is not either-or.
3. The descendants of Re’uven, Israel’s firstborn, [were] Hanokh and Pallu, Khetzron and Karmi.
4. The descendants of Yoel [were] his son Sh’ma’yah, his son Gog, his son Shim’i,
5. his son Mikhah, his son R’awyah, his son Baal,
6. his son B’erah,whom Tiglath-Piln’eser, king od Ashshur, carried into exile; he was the leader of the Re’uvenite[s],
7. along with his relatives by their families, when genealogically enrolled by their generations—the head Y’iel and Z’kharyahu
8. and Bela’, the son of ‘Azaz, the son of Shema’, the son of Yoel; he lived in Aroer as far as Nevo and Baal-Me’on,
9. and he settled toward the sunrise as far as the entry to the uninhabited land that [reaches] from the Ferath River, because their livestock had multiplied [greatly] in the land of Gil’ad.
Ferath: also known as the Euphrates.
10. And in the days of Sha’ul they made war with the Hagri’ites, and they fell by their hand, so they lived in their tents over the whole face of [the region] eastward from Gil’ad.
11. And the descendants of Gad lived beside them, in the land of Bashan as far as Salkhah.
Bashan: known today as the Golan Heights, and possibly extending further south across the Yarmuq River into what is now northern Jordan.
12. And Yoel was the chief in Bashan, then Shafam the second, then Yaanai and Shafat.
13. And their brothers belonging to their ancestral house [were] Mikha’el and M’shullawm and Sh’va and Yorai and Ya’khan and Zia and ‘Eber—seven [in all].
14. These [are] the descendants of Avikhayil, the son of Khuri, the son of Yaroakh, the son of Gil’ad, the son of Mikha’el, the son of Yakhdo, the son of Buz;
15. Akhi the son of ‘Avdiel, the son of Guni, was the head of their ancestral house.
16. Now they dwelt in Gil’ad—in Bashan and its daughter [village]s and in all the open flatlands over their farthest reaches.
Farthest reaches: literally outgoings (i.e., extremities of the habitable, non-desert area).
17. All of them were registered by genealogies in the days of Yotham, king of Y’hudah, and of Yarav’am, king of Israel--
18. the descendants of Re’uven, Gadites, and half the tribe of M’nasheh, from men capable of carrying shield and sword, holding the bow with their feet--well-taught in warfare: 44,760 who went out in the army.
19. And they made war with the Hagri’ites and Y’tur and Nafiysh and Nodav.
20. And they were helped in regard to them, and the Hagri’ites and all who were with them were delivered into their hand, because they cried out to Elohim in [the midst of] the battle, and He was moved by their prayer because they put their trust in Him.
21. And they captured their livestock—50,000 of their camels, and 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 of their donkeys, and 100,000 souls of men.
22. And many [who were] wounded fell because the war was of Elohim, and they dwelt [there] in their stead until the exile.
23. So the descendants of half of the tribe of Menashe settled in the land; they increased from Bashan as far as Baal-Khermon and S’nir and Mount Khermon.
Mt. Khermon (meaning “the most off-limits place” due to its inaccessibility because of perennial snow) is also the border of Israel, Syria, and Lebanon today.
24. And these were the heads of their ancestral houses: ‘Efer and Yish’i and Eliel and ‘Azriel and Yirm’yah and Hodavyah and Yakhdiel—heroic, capable men of renown, belonging to their ancestral households.
25. But they were unfaithful to the Elohim of their ancestors and prostituted themselves after the Elohim of the peoples of the land whom Elohim had exterminated from before them,
26. so the Elohim of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Ashshur, that is, the spirit of Tiglath-Pilneser, king of Ashshur, and he took captive some belonging to the Re’uvenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of M’nasheh, and he took them to Khalakh and Khavor and Hara’ and the River Gozan to this day.
That is: Pul was the name of the third in a series of kings known in Assyria as Tukulti-apil-êshar-ra. He had previously been a general and a governor of Calha (Kalhu, modern-day Nimrud) who seized the throne from the previous King Ashur-nirari V in a rebellion...He was one of the brilliant military leaders of his time, and his army was one of the most professional and effective in the region. He first conquered the kingdoms near Assyria, including Urartu (Armenia), Phoenicia, Arpad, and Hamath. The rulers of Damascus, Arabia (Kedar), and Israel paid tributes to this powerful king. Tiglath-Pileser turned east and conquered the territories of the Medes and Persians. Finally, he got rid of Nabu-Mukin-Zeri, the ruler of Babylon and made himself king there.” (Kat Cendana) Gozan: Guzana in Assyrian records.
CHAPTER 6
1. And the sons of Lewi were Gershon, Q’hath, and M’rari.
2. And the sons of Q’hath were Amram, Yitzhar, Hevron, and ‘Uzziel.
3. And the children of Amram [were] Aharon, Moshe, and Miryam, and the sons of Aharon [were] Nadav and Avihu, El’azar, and Ithamar.
4. El’azar fathered Pin’has, and Pin’has fathered Avishua.
5. Avishua fathered Buqqi, and Buqqi was the father of ‘Uzzi.
6. And ‘Uzzi was the father of Z’rakhyah, and Z’rakhyah was the father of M’rawyoth.
7. M’rawyoth was the father of Amaryah, and AMaryah was the father of Akhituv.
8. Akhituv was the father of Tzawdoq, and Tzawdoq was the father of Akhima’az.
9. And Akhima’az was the father of ‘Azaryah, and ‘Azaryah fathered Yochanan.
10. Then Yochanan became the father of ‘Azaryah; [it was] he who served as priest in the House that Shlomoh built in Yerushalayim.
11. And ‘Azaryah became the father of Amaryah, and Amaryah became the father of Akhituv.
12. Then Akhituv was the father of Tzawdoq, and Tzawdoq was the father of Shallum.
13. And Shallum fathered Hilqiyah, and Hilqiyah fathered ‘Azaryah.
14. Then ‘Azaryah fathered S’rawyah, and S’rawyah fathered Y’hotzawdawq.
15. And Y’hotzawdawq went into YHWH’s exile of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim by the hand of N’vukhadnetzar.
16. The sons of Lewi were Gershom, Q’hath, and M’rari.
17. Now these are the names of Gershom’s sons: Livni and Shim’i.
18. And the sons of Q’hath were Amram, Yitzhar, Hevron, and ‘Uzziel.
19. The sons of M’rari [were] Makhli and Mushi. And these [have been] the families of the Lewites according to their ancestries.
20. Belonging to Gershom [were] his son Livni, his son Yakhath, his son Zimmah,
21. his sons Yo’akh, his son ‘Iddo, his son Zerakh, [and] his son Y’athrai.
22. The sons of Q’hath [were] his son ‘Amminadav, his son Qorakh, his son Assir,
23. his son Elqawnah, his son Evyasaf, his son Assir,
24. his son Thakhath, his son Uriel, his son ‘Uzziyah, [and] his son Sha’ul.
25. And the sons of Elqawnah [were] ‘Amawsai and Akhimoth.
26. [As for] Elqawnah, the descendants of Elqawnah [were] his son Tzofai, his son Nakhath,
27. his son Eliav, his son Y’rokham, [and] his son Elqawnah.
28. The sons of Shmu’el: the firstborn and a second, that is, Aviyah
It is unstated here that Shmu’el was the son of Elqawnah. (1 Shmu’el 1:1, though some of his genealogy differs ) Elsewhere we learn that his firstborn’s name was Yo’el. (v. 33; 1 Shmu’el 8:2)
29. The sons of M’rari [were] Makhli, his son Livni, his son Shim’i, his son ‘Uzzah,
30. his son Shim’a, his son Khagguyah, [and] his son ‘Asawyah.
31. And these [are the ones] Dawid appointed over the hands of song [in the] House of YHWH from [the time] the ark came to rest
32. (and they were ministering before the Dwelling Place—the Tent of Appointment—with song until Shlomoh built the House of YHWH in Yerushalayim, and they remained by their custom overt heir duties).
33. Now these are the ones who were stationed, and their descendants: Of the sons of the Q’hathites, Heymawn the singer, the son of Yo’el, the son of Shmu’el
34. the son of Elqawnah, the son of Y’rokhawm, the son of Eliel, the son of Thoakh,
35. the son of Tzuf, the son of Elqawnah, the son of Makhath, the son of ‘Amawsai,
36. the son of Elqawnah, the son of Yo’el, the son of ‘Azaryat, the son of Tz’fanyah,
37. the son of Thakhath, the son of Assir, the son of Evyasaf, the son of Qorakh,
38. the son of Yitz’har, the son of Q’hath, the son of Lewi, the son of Israel.
39. And his relative Asaf, who stood at his right hand—Asaf the son of Berekhyah, the son of Shim’a,
40. the son of Mikha’el, the son of Baaseyah, the son of Malkiyah,
41. the son of Ethni, the son of Zerakh, the son of ‘Adawyah,
42. the son of Eythan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shim’i,
43. the son of Yakhath, the son of Gershom, the son of Lewi.
44. And the sons of M’rari, their brothers on the left, [were] Eythan, the son of Qishi, the son of ‘Avdi, the son of Mallukh,
45. the son of Khashavyah, the son of Amatzyah, the son of Hilqiyah,
46. the son of Antzi, the son of Bawni, the son of Shawmer,
47. the son of Makhli, the son of Mushi, the son of M’rari, the son of Lewi.
Mushi must have named his son after his brother.
48. And their relatives, the Lewites, were assigned to all the service of the Dwelling Place—the House of Elohim.
49. And Aharon and his sons made smoke arise on the altar of ascending and on the altar of incense for all the work of the Holy of Holies and to make coverings for Israel according to all that Moshe the servant of Elohim had commanded.
50. And these are the descendants of Aharon: his son El’azar, the son Pin’has, his son Avishua,
51. his son Buqqi, his son ‘Uzzi, his son Z’rakhyah,
52. his son M’rawyoth, his son Amaryah, his son Akhituv,
53. his son Tzawdoq, [and] his son Akhima’atz.
54. Now these are the settlements of the descendants of Aharon according to their arrangements within their borders: for the family of the Q’hathites—because they were theirs according to lot:
55. and they assigned them Hevron in the land of Y’hudah, and the space that they cleared out around it,
Cleared out: literally, dispossessed or drove something out of. The term may have come from driving their cattle out into it.
56. but the city’s fields and enclosed villages they gave to Kalev, the son of Y’funneh,
57. while to the sons of AHaron they gave the cities of refuge: Hevron, and Livnah with its cleared-out area, and Yathir, and Eshtemoa with its cleared-out areas,
58. and Khilez with its cleared-out areas, and D’vir with its cleared-out areas,
59. and ‘Awshawn with its cleared-out areas, and Beyth-Shemesh with its cleared-out areas.
60. From the tribe of Binyamin, Geva’ with its cleared-out areas, and ‘Alemeth with its cleared-out areas, and ‘Anathoth with its cleared-out areas: all of their cities were 13 cities among their families.
61. And to the descendants of Q’hath—the remainder of the clan of the tribe—they gave 10 cities by lot from half of the tribe of M’nasheh.
This was the half west of the Yarden River.
62. And to the descendants of Gershom by their families, they gave 13 cities from the tribe of Yissakhar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Nafthali, and from the tribe of M’nasheh in Bashan.
Bashan: called the Golan Heights today. This was the eastern part of M’nasheh.
63. To the descendants of M’rari, they gave 12 cities by lot from the tribe of Re’uven and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Z’vulun.
64. So the descendants of Israel gave the Lewites these cities with their cleared-out areas.
65. And they assigned [them] by lot from the tribe of the sons of Y’hudah and from the tribe of the sons of Shim’on, and from the tribe of the sons of Binyamin, these cities which are assigned by their names.
66. And some of the sons of Q’hath had as their cities from the territory of the tribe of Efrayim.
67. And they gave them, as [one of the] cities of refuge, Sh’khem and its cleared-out areas in the mountains of Efrayim, as well as Gezer and its cleared-out areas,
68. and Yoqm’am and its cleared-out areas, and Beyth-Horon and its cleared-out areas,
69. as well as Ayalon and its cleared-out areas and Gath-Rimmon and its cleared-out areas.
70. And from the half-tribe of M’nasheh, ‘Aner with its cleared-out areas and Bil’am with its cleared-out areas belonged to the remained of the clan of the descendants of Q’hath.
71. For the descendants of Gershom, from the family of the [other] half of the tribe of M’nasheh, [were] Golan in the Bashan with its cleared-out areas, as well as Ashtaroth with its cleared-out areas;
Golan was another city of refuge. (Deut. 4:43)
72. from the tribe of Yissakhar, Qedesh with its cleared-out areas, Dawvrath with its cleared-out areas,
73. Ramoth with its cleared-out areas, and ‘Anem with its cleared-out areas.
74. And from the tribe of Asher, Mawshawl with its cleared-out areas, ‘Avdon with its cleared-out areas,
75. Huqoq with its cleared-out areas, and R’khov with its cleared-out areas.
76. Then from the tribeof Nafthali, Qedesh in the Galil with its cleared-out areas, Khamon with its cleared-out areas, and Qiryathayim with its cleared-out areas.
77. The rest of the sons of M’rari [received] from the tribe of Z’vulun, Rimmono with its cleared-out areas and Thavor with its cleared-out areas.
78. On the other side of the Yarden [from] Y’rikho, eastward from the Yarden, from the tribe of Re’uven, [they were given] Betzer in the wilderness and its cleared-out areas, Yakhtzah with its cleared-out areas,
79. Q’demoth with its cleared-out areas, and Meyfaath with its cleared-out areas.
80. And from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gil’ad and its cleared-out areas, Makhanayim with its cleared-out areas,
81. Heshbon with its cleared-out areas, and Ya’zeyr with its cleared-out areas.
CHAPTER 7
1. Now the sons of Yissakhar [were] Tola’, Pu’ah, Yawshuv, and Shimron—four [in all].
2. And the sons of Tola’ [were] Uzzi and R’fawyah and Y’ri’el and Yakhmai and Yivsawm and Shmu’el—heads of households of their ancestor Tola’, heroes of the army for their generations. In the days of Dawid their number was 22,600.
3. And the sons of Uzzi: Yisrakhyah, and the sons of Yisrakhyah: Mikha’el and Ovadyah and Yo’el, Yishiyah—5, all of them head [men].
4. And over them for their generations, according to their ancestral households, troops of war forces, [were] 36,000, because their wives and children had become numerous.
5. And their relatives, belonging to all the families of Yissakhar, army heroes, [were] 87,000, all enrolled by their geneaologies.
6. Binyamin: Bela’ and Bekher and Y’dia’el—3 [in all].
7. And the sons of Bela’ [were] Etzbon and Uzzi and Uzzi’el and Y’rimoth and Iri—5 heads of ancestral households, army heroes and listed by their genealogies: 22,034.
8. And the sons of Bekher: Z’mirah and Yoash and Eliezer and Elyoenai and Awmri and Y’remoth and Aviyah and Anathoth and Awlawmeth; all of these are the sons of Bekher,
9. and they were enrolled in their genealogy by their generations—heads of ancestral houses, army heroes: 20,200.
10. And the sons of Y’dia’el: Bilhawn, and the sons of Bilhawn [were] Y’ush and Binyamin and Ehud and Kh’naanah and Zeythawn and TYharshish and Akhishawhar.
11. All these sons of Y’dia’el [were] heads of ancestral households, army heroes (17,200) who went out to the army for war.
12. And Shuppim and Khuppim [were] the sons of Ir, and Khushim was the son of Akher.
13. Now the sons of Nafthali [were] Yakhtzi’el and Guni and Yetzer and Shallum. [These have been] the sons of Bilhah.
14. The descendants of M’nasheh [were] Asri’el (whom his Aramean concubine bore; she gave birth to Makhir the father of Gil’ad).
15. And Makhir took a wife for Khuppim and for Shuppim, and the name of his sister was Maakhah, and the name of the second was Tz’lawfkhad, but Tz’lawfkhad had [only] daughters.
16. And Maakhah the wife of Makhir gave birth to a son, and she called his name Peresh, and his brother’s name was Sheresh, whose sons were Ulawm and Rawqem.
17. And the sons of Ulam: B’dawn. These [were] the descendants of Gil’ad, the son of Makhir, the son of M’nasheh.
18. And his sister, Hammolekheth, gave birth to Ish’hod and Aviezer and Makhlah,
19. and the sons of Sh’mida [were] Akhyawn and Sh’khem and Liqkhi and Aniy’am.
20. And the sons of Efrayim [were] Shuthawlath and his son Bered and his son Thakhath and his son El’awdah and his son Thakhath
21. and his son Zawvawd and his son Shuthelakh and his son ‘Ezer and his son El’ad, and the men of Gath who were born in that land killed them, because they came down to take their cattle,
22. and their father Efrayim mourned them for many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.
23. Then he went into his wife and she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Beriy’ah, because tragedy had come upon his household.
Tragedy: bera’ah, related to the name Beriy’ah.
24. And his daughter was She’erah, and she built Lower and Upper Beyth-Horon and Uzzen-She’erah.
Uzzen-She’erah: possibly “She’erah’s portion”.
25. And Refakh was his son as well as Reshef ,and Telakh his son and Takhan his son,
26. Laadawn his son, ‘Ammihud his son, and Elishama’ his son,
27. Nun his son, and Y’hoshua his son,
28. and their possessions and settlements were Beyth-El and its suburbs, and Naarawn to the east and Gezer and its suburbs to the west, and Sh’khem and its suburbs as far as Ayyah amd its suburbs.
Suburbs: literally “daughters”, i.e., dependencies.
29. And on the hands of the descendants of M’nashe [were] Beyth Sh’an and its suburbs, Taanakh and its suburbs, Megiddo and its suburbs, [and] Dor and its suburbs; in these dwelt the descendants of Yosef, son of Israel.
30. The sons of Asher [were] Yimnah and Yishwah and Yishiwi and B’riy’ah, and their sister [was] Serakh.
31. And the sons of B’riy’ah [were] Khever and Malki’el; he was the father of Birzayith.
32. And Khever fathered Yaflet and Shomer and Khotham, and their sister [was] Shua’.
33. And the sons of Yaflet [were] Pawsakh and Bimhal and ‘Ashwath: these are the sons of Yaflet.
34. And the sons of Shawmer [were] Akhi and Roh’gah and Khubbah and Arawm.
Khubbah: alt. reading, Yakhbah.
35. And the sons of Helem (whose brother was Tzofakh) [were] Yimnah and Shelesh and ‘Awmawl.
36. The sons of Tzofakh [were] Suakh and Harnefer and Shual and Beri and Yimrah,
37. Betzer and Hod and Shamaw’ and Yithrawn and B’era’.
38. The sons of Yether [were] Y’funneh and Fispah and Araw’.
39. And the sons of ‘Ulla’ [were] Arakh and Khanni’el and Ritzyaw’.
40. All of these [were] descendants of Asher—heads of ancestral households, select army heroes and heads of the leaders, and they were enrolled by genealogies when they went out in battle. Their count was 26,000 men.
CHAPTER 8
1. And Binyamin fathered Bela’, his firstborn, and Ashbel the second, and Akhrakh the third,
2. Nokhah the fourth, and Rawfaw’ the fifth,
3. and the sons of Bela’ [were] Addawr and Geraw’ and Avihud
4. and Avishua and Naamawn and Akhoakh
5. and Geraw’ and Sh’fufawn and Khurawm.
6. And these are the sons of Ehud; these are the ones who were the heads of the ancestors for the inhabitants of Geva who were forced to move to Manakhath:
7. Naamawn and Akhiyah and Geraw’. (He made them leave and he was the father of Uzza and Akhihud.
8. And Shakharayim had children in the land of Moav, from his expelling them as well as Khushim and Baaraw’, his wives.
9. And from the renewal of his wife, he fathered Yovav and Tzivyaw’ and Meyshaw’ and Malkawm
10. and Y’utz and Sawkhyah and Mirmah; these were his sons, heads of the ancestors.
11. And from Khushim he fathered Avituv and Elpaal.
12. The sons of Elpaal [were] ‘Ever and Mish’awm and Shawmed (he built Ono and Lod and its suburbs)
13. and B’riah and Shema’ (they were the heads of the ancestors for the inhabitants of Ayawlon; they drove away the inhabitants of Gath)
14. and Akhyo and Shawshawq, Yiremoth
15. and Z’vadyah and ‘Arawd and ‘Awder
16. and Mikha’el and Yishpah and Yokhaw’—sons of B’riah.
17. And Z’vadyah and M’shullawm and Khizqi and Khawver
18. and Yishm’ray and Yizli’ah and Yovawv [were] the sons of Elpaal.
19. And Yaqim and Zikhri and Zavdi
20. and Eliy’enai and Tzill’thai and Eliy’el
21. and ‘Adawyah and B’raw’yah and Shimrawth [were] the sons of Shim’i.
22. And Yishpawn and ‘Ever and Eliy’el
23. and ‘Avdon and Zikhri and Khanawn
24. and Khananyah and ‘Elawm and ‘Antothiyah
25. and Yifd’yah and Fenu’el [were] the sons of Shawshawq.
26. And Shamsh’rai and Sh’kharyah and ‘Athalyah
27. and Yaareshyah and Eliyah and ZIkhri [were] the sons of Y’rokhawm.
28. These were the heads of the fathers by their genealogies; the chiefs of these dwelt in Yerushalayim.
29. And at Giv’on lived the founder of Guv’on, whose wife’s name was Maakhah,
30. and his firstborn son was ‘Avdon, then Tzur and Qiysh and Baal and Nawdawv
31. and G’dor and Akhyo and Zawkher
32. and Miqloth (who was the father of Shim’ah); in fact, they, alongside their brothers, lived in Yerushalayim with their relatives.
33. And Ner was the father of Qiysh, and Qiysh was the father of Sha’ul, and Sha’ul was the father of Y’honawthawn and Malkhi-shua and Avinawdawv and Eshbaal.
34. And Y’honawthawn’s son was Meriv-Baal and Meriv-baal was the father of Mikhah.
35. And the sons of Mikhah [were] Piython and Melekh and Tha’rea and Awkhawz.
36. And Awkhawz was the father of Y’hoaddah and Y’hoaddah fathered ‘Awlemeth and ‘Awzmaveth and ZIMri, and Zimri was the father of Motzaw’.
37. And Motzaw’ was the father of Bin’aw’; Rawfah was his son; El’awsah was his son; Awtzel was his son.
38. And Awtzel had six sons, and these were their names: ‘Azriqawm, Bokhru, and Yishmaw’el and Sh’aryah and ‘Ovadyah and Khawnawn; all of these were the sons of Awtzal.
39. And the sons of his brother ‘Esheq [were] his firstborn Ulawm, the second, Yeush, and the third, Elifelet.
40. And the sons of Ulawm became heroes of the army—benders of the bow with their feet—and had many sons and grandsons (150!). All of these were from the sons of Binyamin.
CHAPTER 9
1. So all of Israel was recorded by genealogies, and indeed they were written in the book of the kings of Israel, but Yehudah was taken away to Bavel because of their unfaithfulness.
2. And the first inhabitants who were on their inherited properties in their cities of Israel [were] the Cohanim, the Levites, and those assigned [to their service].
Cohanim: priestly officiators.
3. And in Yerushalayim lived [some] from the sons of Yehudah and [some] from the sons of Binyamin and [some] from sons of Efrayim and M’nasheh:
4. Uthai the son of ‘Ammihud the son of ‘Awmri the son of Imri the son of Bawni, of the sons of Peretz, the son of Yehudah;
5. and from the Shilonite, the firstborn ‘Asawyah and his sons,
6. and from [among] the sons of Zerakh, Y’u’el, and their 690 relatives.
7. And from the sons of Binyamin, Sallu’ the son of M’shullawm the son of Hodaw’yah the son of Snu’ah,
8. and Yivn’yah the son of Y’rokhawm, and Elah the son of Uzzi the son of Mikhri, and M’shullawm the son of Sh’fatyah the son of R’u’el the son of Yivniyah.
9. And their brothers, according to their genealogies, were 956. All of these men were ancestral heads of the household of their fathers.
10. And from the Cohanim, Y’da’yah and Y’hoyariv and Yawkhin
11. and ‘Azaryah the son of Khilqiyah the son of M’shullawm the son of Tzawdoq the son of M’rawyoth the son of Akhituv (the chief officer over the House of Elohim),
12. and ‘Adawyah the son of Y’rokhawm the son of Pashkhur the son of Malkiyah, and Maasai the son of ‘Adi’el the son of Yakhz’rah the son of M’shullawm the son of M’shillemith the son of Immer,
13. and their relatives, heads of ancestral households, 1760 heroes skilled in the work of service [in] the House of Elohim.
14. And from the Levites, Sh’ma’yah the son of Khashshuv the son of ‘Azriqawm the son of Khashavyah of the sons of M’rari,
15. and Baqbaqqar. Kheresh, and Gawlawl, and Mattanyah the son of Miykha’ the son of Zikhri the son of Awsawf,
16. and ‘Ovadyah the son of Sh’ma’yah the son of Gawlawl the son of Y’duthun, and Berekhyah the son of Asa’ the son of Elqawnah, who lived in the courts of the N’tofathite.
17. And the gatekeepers [were] Shallum and ‘Aqquv and Talmon and Akhimawn and their relatives; Shallum was the head [man].
18. And up to that time they had been gatekeepers for the camps of the sons of Lewi at the Gate of the King on the east.
19. And Shallum, son of Qore’, son of Evyawsawf, son of Qorakh, and the brothers from the household of his ancestor—the Qorakhites—were in charge of the work of the service, guardian of the threshold of the Tent, as their ancestors had been over the camp of YHWH, guardians of the entrance
It is an amazing tribute to both YHWH’s highly-nuanced justice and the bravery of men who recognized their own ancestor’s failings and turned away from them, that the descendants of the rebellious Qorakh (see Numbers chapter 16) should not only be allowed to survive (Num. 26:11) but be given such a high position and noble office right in YHWH’s House.
20. when Pin’has, son of El’azar, had previously become captain over them; YHWH was with him.
With him: See Numbers 25:7ff for the story behind why.
21. Z’kharyah the son of M’shelemyah was keeper of the door of the Tent of Appointment.
22. All of them had purified [themselves] as gatekeepers of the threshold—212. They, in their courtyards, were enrolled in their genealogy. They, in their [steadfast] faithfulness, had appointed Dawid and Shmu’el the Seer,
23. so they and their sons were over the gates of the House of YHWH, the Hosue of the Tent, as [their] assigned duties.
24. They became the gatekeepers for the four directions: east, west, north, and south,
Directions: literally, winds.
25. and their brothers in their enclosed settlements would come for the seven days, from time to time, [to serve] along with these,
26. because they were trustworthy—4 epic gatekeepers [among] the Levites they were—and they were put in charge over the chambers [associated with the sanctuary] and over the treasuries of the House of Elohim,
27. and they lodged all around the House of Elohim because they were given the responsibility of guarding it and [were] in charge of opening it up morning by morning.
28. And some of them were in charge of the implements of service, because according to quantity they brought them in, and according to quantity they took them out.
Quantity: by count for accounting and inventory purposes.
29. And some of them were put in charge of the tools or over all the vessels of the Holy Place or over the sifted flour or over the wine and the oil and the incense and the spices.
30. And some of the priests’ sons compounded the ointment-mixture for the spices.
This was the holy mixture which it is forbidden to replicate for personal purposes. (Ex. 30:38)
31. And Matithyah, from among the Levites, was Shallum the Qorakhite’s firstborn; he was entrusted with the responsibility for the bread that was baked in pans.
32. And some of their brothers from among the Q’hathites were in charge of setting in order the bread that was in rows, every Sabbath.
33. And these were the singers—the heads of ancestral households of the Levites—in the open chambers, because day and night they were given that responsibility.
34. These were the heads of the households for the Levites according to their genealogies; these heads dwelt in Yerushalayim.
35. And at Giv’on dwelt the founder of Giv’on, Y’i’el, and his wife’s name was Maakhah.
36. And his firstborn son was Avdon, then Tzur and Qish and Baal and Ner and Nawdawv
37. and G’dor and Akhyo and Z’kharyah and Miqloth,
38. and Miqloth fathered Shim’am and Af; they dwelt in Yerushalayim with their brothers alongside their [other] relatives.
39. And Ner was the father of Qish and Qish was the father of Sha’ul and Sha’ul was the father of Y’honathan and Malki-shua and Avinawdawv and Eshbaw’al.
40. And Y’honathan’s son was M’riv-Baal, and M’riv-Baal fathered Mikhah.
41. And the sons of Mikhah [were] Piython and Melekh and Takhrea.
42. And Akhaz fathered Yaarah, and Yaarah fathered ’Alemeth and ‘Azmaweth and Zimri, and Zimri fathered Motza’.
Akhaz may have been another son of Mikhah.
43. And Motza’ fathered Bin’a’, and his son was R’fawyah, and his son was El’awsah, and his son was Awtzel.
44. And Awtzel had six sons, and these were their names: ‘Azriqawm, Bokhru, and Yishma’el and Sh’aryah and ‘Ovadyah and Khawnawn; these were the sons of Awtzel.
CHAPTER 10
1. Now the Filistines made war on Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Filistines, and fell, mortally wounded on Mount Gilboa.
Men: literally, man—acting as one unit. Gilboa: the southern border of the Yezre’el Valley where it meets the Yarden Valley—the high ground overlooking one of the largest battlegrounds in Israel, quite close to the future site of Armageddon (Heb., Har Megiddo).
2. And the Filistines followed hard after Sha’ul and his sons, and the Filistines killed Yonathan and Avinadav and Malkhi-shua, Sha’ul’s sons.
Followed hard: literally, stuck to. Yonathan was the crown prince, first in line for the throne.
3. And the battle grew heavy upon Sha’ul, and the archers found [their target in] him, and he was pierced by the arrows they shot.
4. So Sha’ul said to the one carrying his weapons, “Draw your sword and thrust me through, lest these uncircumcised [men] come and have fun abusing me!” But the weapon-carrier was not willing [to do so], because he was very reverential, so Sha’ul took the sword and fell on it.
Reverential: or afraid to, full of respect (for the king’s position, just as Dawid would not lift a hand against YHWH’s anointed). Fell on it: positioned the blade in his abdomen or chest so his weight would make it pierce him.
5. Now when the weapon-carrier saw that Sha’ul was dead, he, too, fell on the sword and died.
6. So Sha’ul and his three sons died; thus his whole house died together.
House: when used with a king’s name, this is an idiom for a dynasty (or potential one); the royal line of Dawid (and by extension the whole Kingdom of Yehudah) would be called “the House of Dawid”, such as on the inscription found at tel Dan in the 1990s.
7. And when all of the men of Israel who were in the valley (because they had fled) saw that Sha’ul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled, and the Filistines came and lived in them.
Valley: that is, the Yezre’el.
8. And what took place the next day when the Filistines came to strip the slain [was that] they found Sha’ul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9. And they stripped him and took away his head and his weapons, and sent [word] all around the land of the Filistines to proclaim the glad news to their idols and to the people.
Proclaim the glad news: the Hebrew term for “evangelize”. But here it was a one-sided “gospel”, only good news to the uncircumcised invaders, not to Israel.
10. And they put his armor in the house of their gods, and they fastened his skull [to the wall of] the House of Dagown.
Dagown: the “great fish”, the chief god of the Filistines. Located in Gaza, this appears to have been the temple Shimshon destroyed in his death (Judges 16:21-30), but after it had been rebuilt, the ark of the covenant was brought here when Shmu’el the prophet was just a young boy. (1 Shmu’el 5:2) It was a place they celebrated such victories over enemies that had been very hard to conquer, crediting them to their god.
11. And when all of Yavesh-Gil’ad heard about all that the Filistines had done to Sha’ul,
Yavesh-Gil’ad: a city of the M’nashites about 25 miles across the Yarden River from Beth Sh’an, the city at the confluence of the Yezre’el and Yarden valleys where his and Yonathan’s bodies had been hung on the wall. (1 Shmu’el 31) It is the place King Sha’ul saved from the gross indignities imposed by the neighboring Ammonites (1 Shmu’el 11), and they were now returning the honor to him.
12. all the capable men rose up and carried off the bodies of Sha’ul and his sons and brought them to Yavesh and buried their bones under the terebinth oak at Yavesh, and fasted for seven days.
13. Thus Sha’ul died for having broken faith with YHWH, in regard to the word of YHWH, which he was not careful to keep and also because he sought out a medium to consult
The story is in 1 Shmu’el 28.
14. and did not consult YHWH, so He had him put to death and turned the kingdom over to Dawid, the son of Yishai.
THE FIRST BOOK OF
Chronicles
("Matters of the Days")
INTRODUCTION: The Chronicles parallel the books of the Kings, but from the perspective of a different scribe, as different types of details, possibly from a different political viewpoint, are given. While the books of Kings seem to be more from Yehudah’s perspective, the Chronicles tend to favor the Northern Kingdom of Israel. (Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg) The Chronicles are the final book set in the Jewish order of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Beyth-Lekhem as it appeared in 1995.
Beyth Sh'an
