1 Chronicles 1 31

1 Chronicles 1:31 kjv

Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.

1 Chronicles 1:31 nkjv

Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

1 Chronicles 1:31 niv

Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

1 Chronicles 1:31 esv

Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.

1 Chronicles 1:31 nlt

Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

1 Chronicles 1 31 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Gen 36:20"These were the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah..."Direct parallel of Horite sons, confirms their lineage.
Gen 36:21"...Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom."Completes the list, identifying them as Horite chiefs.
Gen 36:29-30"These are the chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon..."Reaffirms their chieftain status and individual listing.
Deut 2:12"(The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but the people of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did to the people of their possession, whom the LORD gave to them.)"Describes Horite displacement by Edomites.
Deut 2:22"...as he did for the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them, and they dispossessed them and settled in their place..."Reinforces God's action in dispossessing the Horites.
Num 20:14"Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom..."Context of later interaction with descendants in Edom.
Gen 10:32"These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood."Shows origins of all nations, including the Horites.
Acts 17:26"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place..."Divine sovereignty over all national origins.
1 Chron 1:1"Adam, Seth, Enosh;"Opening of 1 Chronicles genealogies, establishes lineage from creation.
1 Chron 1:4"Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth."Connection to Noah, the ultimate ancestral source post-flood.
1 Chron 1:29"These are their genealogies: Ishmael, Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,"Part of the broader genealogies following Abraham.
1 Chron 1:32"The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah."Adjacent verse listing other non-Israelite Abrahamic lines.
Neh 7:64"...those searched for their registration among the genealogies, but they were not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean."Illustrates importance and validation by genealogies.
Titus 3:9"But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless."Contrasts the purpose of sound genealogies vs. fruitless ones.
Rom 9:10-13"And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'"God's sovereign choice within seemingly equal lineages.
Gen 25:25"The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau."Links Esau directly to the hairy region of Seir/Edom.
Mal 1:2-4"'I have loved you,' says the LORD. But you say, 'How have you loved us?' 'Is not Esau Jacob's brother?' declares the LORD. 'Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hills and given his heritage to jackals of the desert.'"Highlights the divine disfavor against Esau/Edom despite common lineage.
Ezek 25:12-14"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has incurred guilt by taking vengeance upon them...'"Shows later conflicts between Israel and Edom.
Isa 34:5-6"For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment on Edom, on the people I have devoted to destruction... and on Edom I devote to destruction."Prophetic judgment against Edom, connecting to their land/origins.
Ps 33:10-11"The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations."God's ultimate sovereignty over the destinies of all nations.

1 Chronicles 1 verses

1 Chronicles 1 31 Meaning

This verse enumerates the seven sons of Seir the Horite, serving as a genealogical record for the principal lineages of the Horite people who inhabited the land of Seir, later known as Edom. It establishes their specific identity and relationship within the broader family of nations descended from Noah, tracing a significant group that predated the Edomite dominion in that region. The meticulous detailing of these names highlights the importance of historical lineage in the Biblical narrative and God's sovereign hand over the formation of distinct peoples.

1 Chronicles 1 31 Context

1 Chronicles 1:31 is part of the extensive genealogical record that begins the book of 1 Chronicles. This introductory chapter establishes the foundational lineage from Adam, through the line of Shem, down to the immediate family of Abraham. Verses 29-32 specifically list Abraham's descendants who are not Israelites, including the Ishmaelites, Abraham's sons by Keturah, and the descendants of Esau. Within the Esauite line (which began in verse 28), verse 31 precisely lists the sons of Seir the Horite. This detail is crucial because the Horites were the original inhabitants of Seir (the region of Edom) before Esau's descendants dispossessed them and integrated them through intermarriage. For the post-exilic Israelite audience of Chronicles, these genealogies were vital for establishing their national identity, tribal affiliations, priestly functions, and the legitimacy of their land claims. Listing even non-Israelite nations demonstrates God's sovereignty over all peoples and confirms the ancient historical records found in Genesis.

1 Chronicles 1 31 Word analysis

  • These (אֵ֣לֶּה – ’ēlleh): A demonstrative pronoun, referring to the subsequent list of names, indicating them as the specified "sons." In this context, it introduces the particular sub-group being detailed.
  • were the sons of (בְּנֵ֤י – bə·nê): A common Hebrew construct noun phrase literally meaning "sons of." This signifies direct lineal descent, establishing a familial and tribal relationship from the ancestor 'Seir'. It emphasizes the identity of the named individuals through their paternal origin.
  • Seir (שֵׂעִ֔יר – śe·‘îr): This name is deeply significant. Primarily, "Seir" refers to the mountainous region south-east of the Dead Sea, which became the land of Edom. The name itself possibly derives from a Hebrew root meaning "hairy" or "shaggy," likely referring to the rough, mountainous terrain. Here, "Seir" is personified as the eponymous ancestor of the Horite people, linking their lineage directly to their ancestral land. The Horites ("cave dwellers") were the aboriginal inhabitants whom the Edomites (descendants of Esau) later displaced. The Chronicler includes Seir to establish the lineage of the people indigenous to the territory that became Edom, underscoring the historicity of their presence.
  • Lotan (לוֹטָ֔ן – lô·ṭān): Listed first, this name likely suggests leadership. Its meaning is obscure but possibly related to "to cover" or "secret."
  • Shobal (שׁוֹבָ֑ל – šō·ḇāl): Meaning obscure, possibly related to "flowing" or a "leader's staff."
  • Zibeon (צִבְעוֹן֙ – ṣib·‘ōwn): Its root might be linked to "speckled" or "hyena." He is significant in Genesis 36 as the father of Anah, who found water in the wilderness.
  • Anah (וַעֲנָה֙ – wa·‘ă·nāh): A notable Horite. His name can mean "answer" or "affliction." Genesis 36:24 provides a unique detail about him discovering warm springs or bringing forth mighty ones, making him a distinct figure even among these ancestral lists. The "wa-" prefix (waw-conjunctive) simply means "and."
  • Dishon (דִּישׁוֹן֙ – dî·šōwn): Means "threshing" or "trampling," perhaps indicative of strength or activity related to agriculture or war.
  • Ezer (וְאֵ֔צֶר – wə·’ê·ṣer): Means "help" or "treasure," suggesting assistance or value.
  • Dishan (וְדִישָֽׁן׃ – wə·ḏî·šān): Similar to Dishon, possibly another form of "threshing" or linked to a type of gazelle/antelope. The ending "wan" is just the "and" conjunction, so the name is Dishan.

  • Word Group: "These were the sons of Seir": This phrase succinctly identifies the origin and familial relationships of the subsequent names. It points to a distinct tribal or clan unit, linking these individuals directly to their ancestral homeland, Seir. This precise formulation is characteristic of Biblical genealogies, providing clarity of lineage and heritage. The phrase implicitly confirms that the Horites, though later intermingled with Edomites, had their own distinct origins and chieftains, an important historical note for a Chronicler recording all the families of the earth relevant to Israel's story.
  • Word Group: "Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan": This enumeration is a structured list of names, typical of genealogical records. The fixed order and comprehensive listing (seven sons, a complete number) convey the chronicler's diligence in preserving ancestral details. It validates the Genesis record and underscores the identity of these historical figures who collectively formed the foundational leadership of the Horite people. The specificity serves to anchor these figures in historical reality, despite their relative obscurity in broader narratives, and provides a direct, traceable lineage for a people group relevant to the geographic context of Israel.

1 Chronicles 1 31 Bonus section

The chronicler's extensive genealogies in chapters 1-9 are more than mere lists; they serve as a critical link between the Genesis narratives and the post-exilic community in Judah. By starting with Adam and moving through various lineages, including non-Israelite ones like the Horites, the chronicler grounds the Israelite identity in the grand sweep of redemptive history. The careful preservation of the Horite names implicitly underlines the idea that all human history is within God's comprehensive plan, and even the "non-chosen" nations have a divinely appointed place and history. This would have been encouraging to a struggling community trying to understand their place amidst the powerful gentile nations, affirming God's overarching sovereignty. Furthermore, the detailed account reinforces the unity of the human race and the meticulous divine knowledge of individual lineages, setting a precedent for God's personal acquaintance with His creation.

1 Chronicles 1 31 Commentary

1 Chronicles 1:31, though a simple list of names, is significant within the Chronicler's larger theological and historical framework. It forms part of the expansive genealogies tracing humanity's lineage from Adam, emphasizing God's meticulous ordering of nations and the deep historical roots of the peoples surrounding Israel. By enumerating the sons of Seir the Horite, the chronicler not only provides a precise historical record of the aboriginal inhabitants of Edom, confirming and amplifying details found in Genesis 36, but also highlights God's sovereign hand in establishing the "allotted periods and boundaries" for every nation (Acts 17:26).

This inclusion reminds the post-exilic community that their own lineage is part of a divinely ordained, intricate tapestry of humanity. It shows God's concern for all peoples, not just Israel, as well as His oversight in the displacement of the Horites by the Edomites, fitting into the larger pattern of peoples being given their inheritances. It solidifies the historical reality of the biblical narrative and sets the stage for later interactions and divine judgments involving Edom.