Study notes

1 Chronicles 2

Introducing 1 ChroniclesWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

1:1–2:2

The Chronicler starts by showing Israel's place among the nations. He traces their ancestry from Adam to Jacob, using information from Genesis.

1:1–9:34 Section

The family lines recorded in 1 Chronicles start with Adam. They stop around the year 538 BC. That is when Cyrus allowed Jews living in Babylon to return to Judah.

These family lines were a short way to describe the entire history of God’s people. That history was told in the books of the Bible from Genesis to 2 Kings. After Adam, the family lines follow many people that God chose to make a covenant with. This includes Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David.

The family lines also follow people groups that God didn’t make a covenant with. This includes the families of Ishmael and Esau. These families were important in the history of the 12 tribes of Israel. The family lines follow Jacob’s sons except for Dan and Zebulun. They were part of the northern kingdom.

1 Chronicles made something clear about the tribes of the northern kingdom. They never returned from Assyria. That is where they had been forced to live in exile. 1 Chronicles also made something clear about God. God answered people who cried out to him and trusted him for help. This was true when Jabesh prayed (prayer). It was true when the tribes east of the River Jordan prayed during a battle.

The family lines focus on the tribes of Judah and of Levi and on King David. 1 Chronicles follows these family lines until the end of the exile of the southern kingdom. This helped Jews to understand something important. They had faced the covenant curses. They had been forced to leave the land God had given them. But God was still faithful to them. Those who had returned to Judah should remember David’s example. They should remember the example of the Levites David appointed. They should obey the Mount Sinai covenant and worship God faithfully.

1:34–2:2

Isaac’s genealogy first lists Esau's descendants (1 Chronicles 1:35–54) and then continues with Israel. The history of Edom is divided into three parts:

Esau's sons (1 Chronicles 1:35–37)
Seir's descendants (1 Chronicles 1:38–42)
The kings who ruled Edom (1 Chronicles 1:43–54)

This arrangement follows Genesis 36.

2:3

Er and Onan, the first two sons of Judah, faced destruction because of their sins (Genesis 38:6–10). The descendants of Shelah appear as an addition at the end of Judah's genealogies (1 Chronicles 4:21–23).

2:3–8

The genealogy of Judah is detailed, including background information on David's ancestors. Compare Genesis 46:12.

2:3–15

The genealogies show all the people of Israel (1 Chronicles 2:1–2), but they focus more on David's ancestors from the tribe of Judah.

2:4–5

The main ancestral line of David comes from Perez, one of Tamar's sons. Tamar was Judah's widowed daughter-in-law.
Hamul, one of Perez's sons, is not mentioned at all. The Chronicler might not have had information about him.

2:6–8

For the family history of Zerah, compare Joshua 7:1, 17; 1 Kings 4:31 (Mahol might be another name for Zerah).

2:7

devoted things: See “Complete Destruction” Theme Note.

2:9

Caleb was the most notable direct descendant of Hezron, so the author describes his descendants in detail (1 Chronicles 2:42–55). This Caleb was apparently different from Caleb, son of Jephunneh, who was a descendant of Kenaz (see study note on 1 Chronicles 4:13–15).

2:9–55

The descendants of Hezron are listed up to the time of David in several sections:

The direct line from Hezron to David (1 Chronicles 2:9–17; compare Ruth 4:18–22)
The other descendants of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:18–41)
The descendants of Hezron’s son Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:42–55)

2:10–17

The passage about Ram's descendants shows a direct line from Ram to Jesse and then lists Jesse's children.

2:14–15

The Chronicler lists David as the seventh son of Jesse, while Samuel lists him as the eighth (1 Samuel 16:6–13; 17:12). Samuel does not mention the names of David’s fourth, fifth, or sixth brothers:

Nethanel
Raddai
Ozem

Later, the Chronicler mentions a brother named Elihu, who might have been an additional son (see study note on 1 Chronicles 27:18). The number seven, considered the “perfect” number, might symbolize that God chose David to rule.