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The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath; and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites. These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. The name of their sister was Hazzelelponi. Penuel was the father of Gedor and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn 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 were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. Hakkoz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez,[a] saying, “Because I bore him with sorrow.”

10 Jabez called on the God[b] of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”

God granted him that which he requested. 11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton became the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These are the men of Recah. 13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath. 14 Meonothai became the father of Ophrah: and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of Ge Harashim; for they were craftsmen. 15 The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz. 16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon; and she bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18 His wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took. 19 The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben Zoheth. 21 The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea; 22 and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. These records are ancient. 23 These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah: they lived there with the king for his work.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:9 “Jabez” sounds similar to the Hebrew word for “pain”.
  2. 4:10 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

Descendants of Judah

The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.(A) Reaiah son of Shobal became the father of Jahath, and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. These were the sons[a] of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi, and Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.(B) Ashhur father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah;(C) Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari.[b] These were the sons of Naarah. The sons of Helah: Zereth, Izhar,[c] and Ethnan. Koz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel son of Harum. Jabez was honored more than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”(D) 10 Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory and that your hand might be with me and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!” And God granted what he asked. 11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton became the father of Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Recah. 13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah; and the sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.[d](E) 14 Meonothai became the father of Ophrah, and Seraiah became the father of Joab father of Ge-harashim,[e] so-called because they were artisans.(F) 15 The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the son of Elah: Kenaz. 16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. These are the sons of Bithiah, daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married,[f] and she conceived and bore[g] Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah father of Eshtemoa. 18 And his Judean wife bore Jered father of Gedor, Heber father of Soco, and Jekuthiel father of Zanoah. 19 The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. 21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er father of Lecah, Laadah father of Mareshah, and the families of the guild of linen workers at Beth-ashbea;(G) 22 and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who married into Moab but returned to Lehem[h] (the records[i] are ancient). 23 These were the potters and inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah; they lived there with the king in his service.

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Footnotes

  1. 4.3 Gk Compare Vg: Heb the father
  2. 4.6 Or the Ahashtarite
  3. 4.7 Or Zohar
  4. 4.13 Gk Vg: Heb lacks and Meonothai
  5. 4.14 That is, valley of artisans
  6. 4.17 The clause: These are . . . married is transposed from 4.18
  7. 4.17 Heb lacks and bore
  8. 4.22 Vg Compare Gk: Heb and Jashubi-lahem
  9. 4.22 Or matters