1 Chronicles 4:40 kjv
And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old.
1 Chronicles 4:40 nkjv
And they found rich, good pasture, and the land was broad, quiet, and peaceful; for some Hamites formerly lived there.
1 Chronicles 4:40 niv
They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.
1 Chronicles 4:40 esv
where they found rich, good pasture, and the land was very broad, quiet, and peaceful, for the former inhabitants there belonged to Ham.
1 Chronicles 4:40 nlt
They found lush pastures there, and the land was spacious, quiet, and peaceful. Some of Ham's descendants had been living in that region.
1 Chronicles 4 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | Land promise to Abraham. |
| Gen 13:15 | "For all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever." | God's specific promise of land inheritance. |
| Exod 3:8 | "I have come down to deliver them...to bring them up to a good and broad land..." | Description of the Promised Land. |
| Deut 8:7-9 | "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land...a land where you will eat bread without scarcity..." | Abundance and fertility of the land. |
| Deut 12:10 | "...and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around..." | Theme of divine rest in the land. |
| Josh 1:13 | "...and the Lord your God will give you rest and will give you this land." | God providing rest for His people. |
| Josh 21:44 | "And the Lord gave them rest all around, just as he had sworn..." | Fulfillment of the promise of rest. |
| Josh 23:1 | "...and the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies." | Long-term security and peace in the land. |
| Neh 9:25 | "And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things..." | Similar description of rich, inherited land. |
| Ps 23:2 | "He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters." | Metaphorical imagery of provision and rest. |
| Ps 37:11 | "...but the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant prosperity." | The righteous inheriting the land and prosperity. |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations before them...and allotted them their inheritance." | God displacing nations for Israel's inheritance. |
| Ps 105:44 | "And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the toil of the peoples..." | God's hand in land acquisition. |
| Prov 10:22 | "The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it." | Divine blessing brings prosperity. |
| Jer 49:31 | "Arise, go up against a nation at ease, that dwells securely..." | Reference to people "at ease" or secure. |
| Ezek 20:6 | "that floweth with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands" | Further description of the land's excellence. |
| Matt 5:5 | "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." | New Testament echo of inheriting the land. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Discusses God's rest and entering into it. | The broader concept of divine rest. |
1 Chronicles 4 verses
1 Chronicles 4 40 Meaning
1 Chronicles 4:40 describes the rich, spacious, and secure land discovered by the Simeonites. It highlights the divine provision of abundance, peace, and security for God's people as they expanded their territory, succeeding the previous inhabitants who were descendants of Ham.
1 Chronicles 4 40 Context
First Chronicles chapter 4 focuses primarily on the genealogies of Judah and Simeon. Verses 24-43 specifically detail the descendants and territorial movements of the tribe of Simeon. The tribe of Simeon was historically diminished and later absorbed into Judah's territory (Josh 19:1, 9), but the Chronicler emphasizes their growth and expansion. This verse describes a specific event where a group of Simeonites, driven by a need for pasture (perhaps due to population increase mentioned in 1 Chr 4:27), migrated to the Gerar region, which was formerly inhabited by the Hamites. This expansion exemplifies God's continued provision of land and rest for His people, even beyond their initial designated territories. The historical setting is likely after the initial conquest of Canaan, when tribal lands were established, and further settlement and displacement of remnants occurred.
1 Chronicles 4 40 Word analysis
- And they found: This signifies active discovery and appropriation, often implying divine guidance or enabling. It underscores the practical reality of their migration and settlement.
- fat pasture: (Hebrew: mir'eh shamēn, מִרְעֶה שָׁמֵן)
- Mir'eh refers to grazing land, pasture.
- Shamēn means "fat," "rich," "fertile," indicating abundant and excellent forage for livestock. It implies prosperity and plentiful resources, directly supporting their nomadic lifestyle with large flocks.
- and good: (Hebrew: v'tov, וְטוֹב)
- Tov means "good," "pleasant," "excellent," "agreeable." It affirms the high quality of the land not just for grazing but generally, emphasizing its desirability and blessing.
- and the land: (Hebrew: v'ha'eretz, וְהָאָרֶץ)
- Ha'eretz means "the land," specifically referring to the physical territory they encountered.
- was wide: (Hebrew: rachavat yadáyim, רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם)
- Literally "wide of hands" or "ample space." This emphasizes the spaciousness and lack of confinement, allowing for expansion and unimpeded settlement without immediate pressure from other populations. It connotes freedom and potential for growth.
- and quiet: (Hebrew: v'shuqetet, וְשׁוּקֶטֶת)
- Shuqetet means "tranquil," "undisturbed," "restful," "at peace." This describes the absence of conflict or threats from inhabitants, ensuring safety and stability.
- and at ease: (Hebrew: v'sha'ananah, וְשַׁאֲנַנָּה)
- Sha'ananah means "secure," "prosperous," "untroubled," "confident," or "peaceful." It implies a state of security and lack of worry, both internally and externally. In other contexts, this term can describe a negative complacency (Jer 49:31), but here it denotes desirable, God-given peace.
- for they that dwelt there beforetime: Refers to the previous inhabitants of the land whom the Simeonites encountered and likely displaced.
- were of Ham: (Hebrew: haggoním meCham, הַגֹּנִים מֵחָם)
- Cham refers to Ham, one of Noah's sons (Gen 10). The descendants of Ham populated various regions, including Canaan (Gen 10:6). This detail is crucial. It connects the previous inhabitants to a lineage cursed by Noah through Canaan (Gen 9:25-27), marking them as peoples whom Israel was commissioned to dispossess due to their wickedness (Lev 18:24-28, Deut 9:4-5). This legitimizes Israel's claim and reinforces the divine justice at play.
1 Chronicles 4 40 Bonus section
The chronicler often highlights successful outcomes and divine favor. The ease of the Simeonites' settlement here contrasts with some of the harder-fought battles elsewhere in Judges or Joshua, portraying a seamless, divinely ordained transition. The specific mention of "Ham" ties this local tribal expansion back into the broader biblical narrative of the "Table of Nations" and God's sovereign hand in establishing and removing peoples from the land. This historical detail validates the Israelite presence and their divine right to the land they possess.
1 Chronicles 4 40 Commentary
1 Chronicles 4:40 presents a succinct picture of divine providence and territorial expansion for the tribe of Simeon. Driven by a pragmatic need for sustenance for their growing flocks, the Simeonites ventured forth and discovered a land perfectly suited to their needs: exceedingly fertile for pasture, broad and spacious, and notably, peaceful and undisturbed. The chronicler emphasizes not just the land's physical attributes, but its existing tranquility. This state of "quiet" and "at ease" signals a remarkable absence of resistance, allowing the Simeonites to settle securely.
The critical concluding phrase, "for they that dwelt there beforetime were of Ham," provides the theological rationale for this easy conquest and peaceful occupation. This identifies the prior inhabitants as Hamites, a broader term often including the Canaanites and other peoples whose territories were part of the promised land and whom God intended for disinheritance due to their practices. Thus, the Simeonites' discovery and settlement are not merely an opportunistic land grab, but an act consistent with God's long-standing promise to grant Israel the land of its former inhabitants, providing them with "rest" (Josh 21:44). This verse underscores God's faithfulness in providing richly for His people, even in the details of their grazing land and territorial security, illustrating how His blessings often manifest in practical, tangible ways that provide true rest and prosperity.