1 Chronicles 1:16 kjv
And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
1 Chronicles 1:16 nkjv
the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
1 Chronicles 1:16 niv
Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.
1 Chronicles 1:16 esv
the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.
1 Chronicles 1:16 nlt
Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites.
1 Chronicles 1 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 10:27 | Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah... | Direct parallel list of Joktan's sons. |
| Gen 10:30 | The territory of their settlement ranged from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country. | Geographic spread of Joktan's descendants. |
| 1 Chr 1:19-20 | These were the sons of Joktan: Almodad... Ophir, Havilah... | Full list of Joktan's children in Chronicles. |
| Gen 5:1-32 | This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God... | Example of comprehensive biblical genealogies. |
| Gen 11:10-26 | These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpaxad... | Lineage of Shem leading to Eber and Joktan. |
| Deut 32:8 | When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind... | God's sovereign allocation of nations. |
| Ps 147:19-20 | He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation. | Distinction of Israel among other nations. |
| Isa 45:12 | I made the earth and created mankind upon it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens... | God as the sole Creator of all humanity. |
| Acts 17:26 | And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth... | Unity of human origin from Adam. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members... | Spiritual inclusion of diverse peoples in God's household. |
| Gal 3:8 | And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith... | God's ancient plan for the salvation of nations. |
| Rev 7:9 | After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages... | Future worship from all diverse peoples. |
| Gen 9:1 | And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” | Divine command for post-flood human proliferation. |
| Gen 1:28 | And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it...” | Original creation mandate for humanity's spread. |
| Matt 1:1-17 | The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. | Emphasis on meticulous lineage for Messiah. |
| Luke 3:23-38 | Jesus himself was about thirty years old... being the son... son of Adam, son of God. | Jesus' lineage traced to Adam, showing universality. |
| Ezra 2:59-63 | These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha... but they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent... | Importance of genealogies for identity post-exile. |
| Neh 7:5-64 | My God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. | Verifying lineage and rightful inheritance. |
| 1 Chr 2:1-55 | These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun... | Transition from universal to Israel's specific lineage. |
| Zech 8:20-23 | Peoples of many cities shall come, and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another... to seek the Lord... | Prophecy of diverse nations seeking the Lord. |
| Rom 1:20 | For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen... | All creation speaks of God's existence and nature. |
| Ps 22:27-28 | All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. | Universal worship acknowledging God's sovereignty. |
1 Chronicles 1 verses
1 Chronicles 1 16 Meaning
1 Chronicles 1:16, "and Uzal, and Diklah," is a continuation of the meticulously recorded genealogy of Joktan, a son of Eber, from the prominent lineage of Shem. These two names represent individuals who were either patriarchs or the foundational figures of distinct peoples or geographical regions, primarily believed to be situated in ancient South Arabia. This verse underscores the vastness and diverse distribution of humanity, illustrating how nations spread forth from common ancestors according to God's command. While brief, it is a testament to the comprehensive biblical account of humanity's origins, predating and encompassing the more focused narrative on Abraham and the nation of Israel.
1 Chronicles 1 16 Context
1 Chronicles chapter 1 opens with a detailed and expansive genealogical record, beginning with Adam, the first man, and methodically tracing humanity's origins through the descendants of Noah, particularly through his son Shem. This verse, 1 Chronicles 1:16, fits into the listing of the thirteen sons of Joktan, a significant branch of Shem's descendants. For the post-exilic community in Judah to whom the Chronicler addressed his work, these extensive genealogies were not mere historical trivia. They were vital documents establishing their continuous link to God's ancient covenants, authenticating their claim to land, their identity as God's chosen people, and the validity of their priestly and royal lines after returning from exile. The inclusion of names like Uzal and Diklah, representing geographically distant peoples, demonstrates that Israel’s history is rooted in a much larger narrative of global human origins, emphasizing a divine plan that encompassed all of humanity before narrowing its focus to a covenant with Israel.
1 Chronicles 1 16 Word analysis
- and: (וְ – və) This ubiquitous Hebrew conjunction functions here simply as "and," linking each son in the enumerated list. Its repeated use creates a rhythmic, systematic effect, emphasizing the thoroughness of the genealogical record.
- Uzal: (אוּזָל – Uzal) A proper noun, identified as one of Joktan's sons. While its etymological meaning is not commonly derived from Hebrew, this name is historically and geographically significant. It is widely identified by scholars and ancient tradition with San'a, a prominent ancient city and region in present-day Yemen, located in South Arabia. Its inclusion indicates the geographical dispersion and settlement of Joktan's descendants across what were considered distant and distinct territories by the Chronicler’s audience, demonstrating the comprehensive biblical understanding of world peoples.
- Diklah: (וְדִקְלָה – vəDiqlah) Another proper noun, also one of Joktan's sons. The name "Diklah" is often linked to the Hebrew root
דקל(dekel), meaning "palm tree" or "palm grove." This suggests a connection to a specific region or people known for its palm tree abundance, likely also in South Arabia, though its precise location is less certainly identified than Uzal. Its presence further details the varied groups that emerged from Joktan's line, painting a picture of diverse communities spreading and inhabiting various parts of the ancient world.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "and Uzal, and Diklah": This phrase serves as a further enumeration in a longer list of names of Joktan’s descendants (found in Gen 10:26-29 and repeated in 1 Chr 1:20-22). The structure, with the repeated conjunction "and," is characteristic of ancient Near Eastern genealogical and historical records, indicating completeness and a formal cataloging of ancestral lines. By naming these specific groups (tribal ancestors or regions), the Chronicler solidifies the biblical claim that all humanity originated from a single source and dispersed over the earth, underscoring God's meticulous oversight of history from its inception.
1 Chronicles 1 16 Bonus section
- The emphasis on genealogies in 1 Chronicles serves to counteract the disorientation and identity crisis experienced by the post-exilic community, reaffirming their place in a divine continuum and linking their contemporary struggles to a purposeful history orchestrated by God.
- Biblical genealogies, including this verse, are not just random lists but function to demonstrate divine promises kept, especially regarding the multiplication of descendants (Gen 12:2; 15:5) and the peopling of the earth.
- The meticulous cataloging of distant and perhaps less significant names (compared to the direct line leading to David or Christ) highlights the Bible's commitment to historical reality, positing real individuals and real dispersals as integral parts of God's overarching narrative, distinguishing it from mythical origins prevalent in contemporary pagan cultures.
1 Chronicles 1 16 Commentary
1 Chronicles 1:16, though seemingly just a pair of names, is part of a purposeful literary and theological project by the Chronicler. These genealogies are not just ancient data; they serve as a critical foundation for the Chronicler's narrative, assuring the returning exiles of their continuous identity as the people of God, stretching back to the dawn of creation. Uzal and Diklah represent distant peoples from the Arabian Peninsula, indicating the vast scope of the Abrahamic blessing (Gen 12:3, extending to all families of the earth) and even God's prior command to Noah's descendants to "fill the earth." The very act of naming them legitimizes their existence within God's ordered plan for humanity, acknowledging the broad and diverse human family before focusing on the unique role of Israel. For the original audience, such precise documentation reinforced their belonging to a larger, divinely ordered history, giving them hope and grounding for rebuilding their lives and faith in Judah.