Day 107 1 Chronicles 4-6 Supplemental Note

1 Chronicles Chapter 4
Continuing on from chapter 2, the genealogy of the clans (see Family, Clan, Tribe, Nation) of Judah is further detailed, as shown in the excerpt below. Note also how place names (see also Bible Places) are connected to people e.g. "Hur, the first-born of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem" - the literal translation of that verse is "Ephrathah was governor of Bethlehem." The city of Bethlehem in Judah (see Two Bethlehems) was also earlier known was Ephrathah i.e. "So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem" (Genesis 35:19 RSV).

"The sons of Judah: Perez [see Tamar and Judah], Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. Reaiah the son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.
These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi, and Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah.
These were the sons of Hur, the first-born of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.
Ashhur, the father of Tekoa, had two wives, Helah and Naarah; Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.
The sons of Helah: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. Koz was the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum." (1 Chronicles 4:1-8 RSV)

Simeon was the second-born son of Jacob/Israel, after Reuben and before Levi (see Children of Jacob). His mother was Leah.

"The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; Shallum was his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers had not many children, nor did all their family multiply like the men of Judah. They dwelt in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazarshual, Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, Bethmarcaboth, Hazarsusim, Bethbiri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David reigned. And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities, along with all their villages which were round about these cities as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record." (1 Chronicles 4:24-33 RSV)

1 Chronicles Chapter 5
Reuben was the actual firstborn of Israel's children, but because of his immoral behavior "his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel." Reuben's tribal inheritance was east of The Jordan River along with Gad and half of Manasseh. The eastern tribes were the first to be conquered by the Assyrians (see Ancient Empires - Assyria), prior to the The Galilee Captivity.

"The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel, for he was the first-born; but because he polluted his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel [see The Israelite Patriarchs - Joseph], so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright; though Judah became strong among his brothers and a prince was from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph, the sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chieftain of the Reubenites." (1 Chronicles 5:1-6 RSV)

Prior to their fall to the Assyrians however, the Reubenites and other eastern tribes successfully defended their lands in Gilead.

"The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men, who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, ready for service. They made war upon the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab; and when they received help against them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried to God in the battle, and He granted their entreaty because they trusted in Him." (1 Chronicles 5:18-20 RSV)

Their fall to the Assyrians inevitably came however because of their idolatry, "So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh."

"The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land; they were very numerous from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. These were the heads of their fathers' houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses. But they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day." (1 Chronicles 5:23-26 RSV)

1 Chronicles Chapter 6
The descendants of Levi, the Levites, were assigned a separate responsibility in Israel - the priesthood and related service. Because they served throughout the other tribal territories, the Levites were given no tribal territory of their own, however they were given their own self-sufficient cities throughout the land of Israel. Moses (see The Education Of Moses; also Why Did Christ Put Moses To Death?) and Aaron were Levites, as was John The Baptist (see also John's Last Days).

"The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas of Abishua, Abishua of Bukki, Bukki of Uzzi, Uzzi of Zerahiah, Zerahiah of Meraioth, Meraioth of Amariah, Amariah of Ahitub, Ahitub of Zadok, Zadok of Ahimaaz, Ahimaaz of Azariah, Azariah of Johanan, and Johanan of Azariah, it was he who served as priest in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem. Azariah was the father of Amariah, Amariah of Ahitub, Ahitub of Zadok, Zadok of Shallum, Shallum of Hilkiah, Hilkiah of Azariah, Azariah of Seraiah, Seraiah of Jehozadak; and Jehozadak went into exile when The Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar" [see King Nebuchadnezzar; also Wednesday January 31 2007 - Nebuchadnezzar The Believer] (1 Chronicles 6:1-15 RSV)

Levites had different skills and levels of service. Among them were the Temple musicians.

"These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of The Lord, after the Ark [see The Ark Of The Covenant] rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting [see The Tabernacle In The Wilderness], until Solomon [see also The United Kingdom] had built the house of The Lord in Jerusalem [see Temples]; and they performed their service in due order. These are the men who served and their sons" (1 Chronicles 6:31-33 RSV)

The sons of Aaron served as the high priesthood, which was symbolic of the coming of Jesus Christ (see the Fact Finder question below).

"But Aaron and his sons made offerings upon the altar of burnt offering and upon the altar of incense for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar [see also The Lines Of Eleazar and Ithamar] his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son." (1 Chronicles 6:49-53 RSV)