1 Chronicles 4 17

1 Chronicles 4:17 kjv

And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

1 Chronicles 4:17 nkjv

The sons of Ezrah were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. And Mered's wife bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

1 Chronicles 4:17 niv

The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered's wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.

1 Chronicles 4:17 esv

The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. These are the sons of Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married; and she conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa.

1 Chronicles 4:17 nlt

The sons of Ezrah were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. One of Mered's wives became the mother of Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah (the father of Eshtemoa).

1 Chronicles 4 verses

1 Chronicles 4 17 Meaning

1 Chronicles 4:17 continues the detailed genealogy of Judah, specifically through the line of Ezrah. It lists four sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. The second part of the verse, "And she bore Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa," introduces three more individuals. The identity of "she" is a key interpretive point, with many scholars understanding her to be a wife of Mered (from Ezrah's line), linking this part of the verse to the expanded discussion of Mered's family in subsequent verses (1 Chr 4:18-19). This highlights the continuation and establishment of specific family lines and settlements within the tribe of Judah.

1 Chronicles 4 17 Context

1 Chronicles chapter 4 delves deeply into the genealogies of the tribe of Judah, tracing various lines of descent and highlighting key individuals, their family relationships, and often, the settlements or territories associated with them. This chapter follows a comprehensive, albeit selective, listing of Israelite tribes, demonstrating God's faithfulness in preserving His people through countless generations despite trials like the Babylonian exile. The primary audience for Chronicles, compiled after the exile, were the returning Israelites. For them, these genealogies were crucial for re-establishing tribal identities, land claims, priestly and levitical responsibilities, and connection to the covenant promises, particularly the Davidic line. Verse 17, within this context, serves to record the descendants of Ezrah, one of Judah's numerous sub-tribes, further populating the narrative with names that represent the continuous unfolding of God's covenant with Israel. The precise relationships in verses 17-18 are complex and have generated scholarly discussion, emphasizing the Chronicler's intricate attention to detail in tracking the families.

1 Chronicles 4 17 Word analysis

• And the sons of Ezrah:

  • And (וַיְהִי - va-yi-hi / וּבְנֵ֥י - u-ve-ney): A simple conjunctive "and," connecting this segment to the ongoing genealogical list.
  • the sons of (בְּנֵ֥י - b’nei): A common biblical phrase denoting direct male descendants, whether immediate sons or broader lineage.
  • Ezrah (עֶזְרָ֔ה - Ezrah): A Hebrew name meaning "help" or "my help." He is a descendant of Judah. His specific placement within the genealogy signifies another branch of Judah's expansive family, foundational to the post-exilic community.

• Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon:

  • Jether (יֶ֖תֶר - Yetar): A Hebrew name, often meaning "abundance" or "remainder." This specific Jether is a son of Ezrah and part of the lineage of Judah. (Not Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, or Jether from Judges 8:20, or King David's son from 2 Sam 17:25).
  • Mered (מֶ֣רֶד - Mered): A Hebrew name meaning "rebellion" or "revolt." Despite its meaning, this individual is part of Judah's legitimate line, suggesting personal names in genealogies did not always define character or status. He is central to the interpretive challenges of the following phrase due to the narrative connecting "she" to him.
  • Epher (עֵ֑פֶר - Epher): A Hebrew name possibly meaning "dust" or "calf," or even related to the land of "Ophir." This is a distinct individual from the Epher listed as a Midianite clan (Gen 25:4).
  • Jalon (יָל֖וֹן - Yalon): A Hebrew name, possibly derived from a root meaning "to lodge" or "to murmur." Another distinct branch within Ezrah's lineage.

• And she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa:

  • And she bare (וַתַּהַ֖ר וְאֵ֣לֶּה / וַתֵּלֶד - va-teled or va-tahar in other interpretations):
    • The verb yalad (ילד) means "to bear" or "to give birth to."
    • "she" (הִ֗יא - hi): This pronoun is highly significant. While grammatically it would refer to Ezrah's wife, a strong scholarly and textual argument (supported by some modern translations like NIV) suggests it refers to one of Mered's wives, likely mentioned in the immediate succeeding verse (1 Chr 4:18), either Hodiah or Bithiah, Pharaoh's daughter. This interpretation makes Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah children of Mered, not Ezrah. This complex parentage emphasizes specific intermarriages within the tribal structure and links Mered's lineage to a more detailed account.
  • Miriam (מִרְיָ֗ם - Miryam): A very common Hebrew name, meaning "bitter" or "rebellion" (or "wished for child"). This is not the more famous prophetess Miriam, sister of Moses, given the different timeframe and tribal affiliation (she was a Levite). Her inclusion here signifies the importance of recording daughters as well as sons in specific instances within the genealogies, highlighting female contribution or status.
  • Shammai (וְשַׁמַּ֣אי - ve-Shammai): A Hebrew name likely derived from "to hear" or "to make desolate." Another member of this family branch. There are several individuals named Shammai in the Bible.
  • Ishbah (וְיִשְׁבָּ֛ח - ve-Yishbah): A Hebrew name meaning "He will praise."
  • the father of Eshtemoa (אֲבִ֖י אֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ - avi Eshtemoa):
    • the father of (אֲבִ֖י - avi): Denotes Ishbah as the progenitor or founder of the town/family of Eshtemoa. This indicates his significant role in establishing or leading this particular settlement, tying the genealogy directly to the geography and socio-political structure of Judah.
    • Eshtemoa (אֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ - Eshtemoa): A town in the hill country of Judah, which later became a priestly city (Josh 21:14). Mentioning its founder underscores the historical roots of the Israelite presence and the divine providence in establishing their inheritance within the promised land.

1 Chronicles 4 17 Bonus section

The intricate detail in 1 Chronicles, especially concerning these genealogies, goes beyond simple record-keeping. It served a vital theological and practical purpose for the post-exilic community.

1. Identity Affirmation: After generations in exile, tracing one's lineage back to the founding patriarchs (Judah in this case) reaffirmed a lost or weakened identity. It answered the question, "Who are we, and where do we belong?"
2. Land Claims and Inheritance: The specific linking of individuals like Ishbah to towns like Eshtemoa provided crucial documentation for property rights and tribal land boundaries, vital for resettlement after the return from Babylon.
3. Religious Legitimacy: While this verse isn't about priests, the larger Chronicler's genealogies also validated claims to priestly or levitical service, ensuring only those from the legitimate lineages could perform temple duties.
4. Divine Faithfulness: The very act of God preserving such a meticulous record of His people through all trials, including the exile, served as a profound testament to His unchanging faithfulness to His covenant promises to Abraham and David. It demonstrated that even in perceived absence or defeat, God's plan for His people endured.

1 Chronicles 4 17 Commentary

1 Chronicles 4:17 offers a dense but critical piece of the elaborate Judean genealogies compiled by the Chronicler. Far from being a mere list of names, this verse underscores the careful and specific preservation of Israel's lineage. The sons of Ezrah are clearly defined, grounding a particular branch of Judah's heritage. The subsequent phrase concerning Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah presents a subtle yet significant genealogical puzzle. The interpretive nuance regarding "she" highlights the Chronicler's intricate method of weaving family lines, sometimes across distinct marriages, a complexity best understood in relation to the immediately following verses (1 Chr 4:18-19). This emphasis on "Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa," also ties specific family branches directly to significant geographical locations or settlements within Judah's tribal allotment. For the returning exiles, this established legitimacy, ancestral claims to land, and reinforced their identity as God's chosen people, tracing their roots back through a divinely preserved lineage.