1 Chronicles 1:38 kjv
And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.
1 Chronicles 1:38 nkjv
The sons of Seir were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
1 Chronicles 1:38 niv
The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.
1 Chronicles 1:38 esv
The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
1 Chronicles 1:38 nlt
The descendants of Seir were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.
1 Chronicles 1 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 36:20 | These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. | Directly parallels the listing of Seir's sons. |
| Gen 36:21 | These are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir... | Identifies them as influential leaders or clan heads. |
| Deut 2:12 | The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them... | Provides historical context of Horite displacement. |
| Deut 2:22 | The people of Esau, who live in Seir, did the same to the Horites... | God cleared the land for Esau's descendants. |
| 1 Chr 1:1 | Adam, Seth, Enosh... | Indicates the comprehensive genealogical scope of Chronicles. |
| 1 Chr 1:32-34 | Children of Keturah... sons of Abraham... | Illustrates the broad scope of nations included in the chronicler's lineage. |
| Gen 10:1-32 | The generations of the sons of Noah... | Places these lineages within the universal ancestry of humanity. |
| Num 1:1-46 | Registration of the community of Israel by ancestral houses... | Highlights the importance of precise lineage for identity and organization. |
| Ezra 2:59-63 | Some sought their records... but they could not be found, so they were excluded... | Shows the practical necessity of genealogical records for priestly service. |
| Neh 7:61-65 | Some of those who came up from Tel Melah... could not prove their father's house... | Demonstrates the importance of lineage for re-establishing communal order after exile. |
| Lk 3:23-38 | Jesus himself began his ministry when he was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli... | Underscores the enduring importance of genealogies in God's redemptive plan to Messiah. |
| Mt 1:1-17 | The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. | Establishes the legal Messianic lineage of Christ. |
| Titus 3:9 | But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and quarrels about the law... | Contrasts unproductive disputes with purposeful, divinely revealed genealogies. |
| 2 Tim 2:16 | But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness. | Calls for focusing on edifying truth rather than speculative discussions. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God... | Emphasizes spiritual lineage and membership in God's family over physical birthright. |
| Gal 3:29 | And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. | Explains that spiritual adoption into Abraham's covenant family transcends physical lineage. |
| Isa 63:16 | For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; You, O Lord, are our Father... | God's fatherhood transcends human genealogical recognition. |
| Heb 11:7-22 | By faith Noah... by faith Abraham... by faith Isaac invoked future blessings... | Links faith and God's covenant promises across generations, regardless of detailed lineage records. |
| Gen 36:8 | So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir... | Confirms the territory that became associated with Edom. |
| Jer 49:7-22 | Concerning Edom. Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Is wisdom no more in Teman...? | Prophecies against Edom, whose ancestors are traced here, showing divine judgment over nations. |
| Amos 1:11 | Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment..." | Further highlights divine judgment over descendants of Esau's lineage. |
| Mal 1:2-3 | "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated." | God's sovereign choice exercised within related lineages. |
| Rom 9:10-13 | When Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac... before they were born or had done anything good or bad—so that God's purpose of election might continue... | Theological exposition of God's choice regarding Jacob and Esau, going beyond mere birthright. |
1 Chronicles 1 verses
1 Chronicles 1 38 Meaning
This verse enumerates the seven direct descendants of Seir, the progenitor of the Horite people, who were among the earliest inhabitants of the mountainous region later known as Edom. It provides a foundational lineage for the Horite chieftains or clans who coexisted with and were later displaced by the descendants of Esau in that land.
1 Chronicles 1 38 Context
This verse forms part of the expansive genealogies that initiate the book of 1 Chronicles. The Chronicler, addressing a post-exilic community, meticulously records human lineage from Adam, systematically moving through Abraham, his sons, and then branches out to various groups that formed the surrounding nations and eventually the tribes of Israel. 1 Chronicles 1:38 specifically places the "sons of Seir," representatives of the Horite people, within this universal historical record. The inclusion of these foreign ancestors demonstrates the Chronicler's intent to establish a comprehensive historical framework, acknowledging other peoples whose histories intersected with Israel's, particularly those in areas like Edom. For its original audience, these detailed lineages reaffirmed their identity, connection to covenant promises, and inheritance, grounding them in a continuous history under God's sovereignty despite the upheaval of exile.
1 Chronicles 1 38 Word analysis
- The sons of Seir: (בְּנֵי שֵׂעִיר, b'nei Se'ir) "B'nei" signifies "sons of," denoting direct male progeny or, more broadly in a tribal context, the founders or leaders of distinct clans and their descendants. "Se'ir" is both a proper name of an individual, an ancestor, and the geographical name of the mountainous region. This phrase precisely identifies the direct patrilineal lineage establishing a foundational Horite tribal group.
- Lotan: (לוֹטָן, Lotan) The first listed son of Seir. This name appears consistently in the Genesis parallel.
- Shobal: (שׁוֹבָל, Shobal) Another direct male descendant of Seir. His inclusion reiterates the patriarchal lineage structure.
- Zibeon: (צִבְעוֹן, Tsiv'on) Listed as a son of Seir. The Genesis account (36:24-25) expands on Zibeon's family, noting he was the father of Anah's mother, adding layers to the familial connections within these ancient peoples.
- Anah: (עֲנָה, Anah) A son of Seir. Intriguingly, in Genesis 36:24, Anah is famous for discovering "hot springs" or "mules" (depending on the interpretation of יֵמִים, yemim) in the wilderness while tending donkeys. This specific detail in Genesis, though not repeated in Chronicles, implies an importance attached to Anah, suggesting an economic or cultural contribution recognized in ancient traditions, illustrating that even genealogical lists held rich underlying narratives.
- Dishon: (דִּישׁוֹן, Dishon) Identified as one of Seir's sons. Its consistent appearance across both Genesis and Chronicles reinforces the fixed nature of this ancestral line.
- Ezer: (אֵצֶר, Ezer) Another son of Seir, contributing to the complete enumeration of this ancestral generation.
- Dishan: (דִּישָׁן, Dishan) The final name in the direct listing of Seir's sons in this verse. The structure signifies the completion of this particular generation's roster.
1 Chronicles 1 38 Bonus section
- Scholarly comparison of the genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1 and Genesis 36 reveals minor textual variations in spelling or omission/inclusion of certain direct descendants. These differences are often understood as results of different textual transmission paths, a Chronicler's editorial selectivity for his specific theological and historical purposes, or the reflection of distinct genealogical traditions (e.g., direct biological versus clan heads). They generally do not invalidate the overall historical authenticity of the lists but rather offer insights into ancient methods of record-keeping.
- The "Horites" (חֹרִי, Horî) are ethnically distinct from the Edomites (descendants of Esau) but historically linked through their interaction in the region of Seir. The name itself possibly derived from a root meaning "cave" or "hole," suggesting a characteristic of their dwelling places, potentially pointing to an older, non-urbanized societal structure compared to later settled peoples.
- The inclusion of this Horite lineage contributes to the universal scope of the biblical narrative, emphasizing that all humanity originates from a single source and is under the ultimate sovereignty of the one true God, even as God's special covenant relationship and redemptive plan focus uniquely on Israel. These "other" lineages fill out the geopolitical map of the ancient Near East, crucial for understanding Israel's subsequent interactions with surrounding nations.
1 Chronicles 1 38 Commentary
1 Chronicles 1:38, though a brief list of names, functions as an essential brick in the extensive genealogical structure of the Chronicler. Its primary purpose is not merely to list names but to establish the comprehensive historical context of Israel by including adjacent, related, or influential peoples. The inclusion of the sons of Seir the Horite serves to link these pre-Edomite inhabitants of Seir into the broader divine plan for human history, showing how God's providential hand guided the destinies of nations even beyond Israel's immediate lineage. This deepens the understanding of the land's history and its diverse populations prior to and during the Edomite settlement. For the original post-exilic audience, such a meticulous record affirmed the continuity of their identity, lineage, and connection to God’s covenant promises, reinforcing the message that God’s memory and faithfulness extended to all historical details surrounding His chosen people.