The Descendants of Judah

1The descendants of Judah (praised):

Perez (breaking out), Hezron (surrounded by a wall), Carmi (my vineyard), Hur (hole), and Shobal (flowing).

2Reaiah (YHWH has seen) son of Shobal (flowing) was the father of Jahath (He will snatch up), and Jahath was the father of Ahumai (brother of waters) and Lahad (oppression). These were the clans of the Zorathites.

3These were the sons [These were of the father]a of Etam (lair of wild beasts): Jezreel (God sows), Ishma (desolation), and Idbash (stout). And their sister was named Hazzelelponi (facing the shade). 4Penuel (facing God) was the father (founder)b of Gedor (wall), and Ezer (treasure) was the father of Hushah (haste).

These were the descendants of Hur (hole), the firstborn of Ephrathah (place of fruitfulness) and the father of Bethlehem (house of bread).

5Ashhur (black) the father of Tekoa (a stockade) had two wives, Helah (rust) and Naarah (maiden).

6Naarah (maiden) bore to him Ahuzzam (possessor), Hepher (a well), Temeni (southern), and Haahashtari (I will observe the searching). These were the descendants of Naarah.

7The sons of Helah (rust) were Zereth (splendor), Zohar [Izhar],c Ethnan (hire of unchastity), 8and Koz (thorn), who was the father of Anub (confederate) and Zobebah (the slow) and of the clans of Aharhel (a following host) son of Harum (exalted).

The Prayer of Jabez

9Now Jabez (sorrow) was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez (distress),d saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

10And Jabez (sorrow) called out to the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.”

And God granted the request of Jabez.

More Descendants of Judah

11Chelub (caged) the brother of Shuhah (wealth) was the father of Mehir (price), who was the father of Eshton (effeminate). 12Eshton (effeminate) was the father of Beth-rapha (house of healing), of Paseah (limper), and of Tehinnah (supplication) the father of Ir-nahash (city of a serpent). These were the men of Recah (uttermost part).

13The sons of Kenaz (hunter):

Othniel (lion of God) and Seraiah (YHWH is ruler).

The sons of Othniel:

Hathath and Meonothai.e

14Meonothai (my habitations) was the father of Ophrah (fawn), and Seraiah (YHWH is ruler) was the father of Joab (YHWH is father), the father of those living in Ge-harashim (valley of craftsmen), which was given this name because its people were craftsmen.f

15The sons of Caleb (dog) son of Jephunneh (He will be facing):

Iru (watch), Elah (An oak), and Naam (pleasantness).

The son \sons/g of Elah:

Kenaz (hunter).

16The sons of Jehallelel (God is praised):

Ziph (battlement), Ziphah, Tiria (fear), and Asarel (God holds).

17The sons of Ezrah (help):

Jether (abundance), Mered (rebellion), Epher (a calf), and Jalon (YHWH lodges).

And Mered’s wife Bithiah gave birth \she gave birth/h to Miriam, Shammai (desolate), and Ishbah (he will praise) the father of Eshtemoa (fire of astonishment). 18These were the children of Pharaoh’s (great house) daughter Bithiah.i

Mered also (rebellion) took a Judean (Judahite)j wife, who gave birth to Jered (descended) the father of Gedor (wall), Heber (comrade) the father of Soco (bushy), and Jekuthiel (cleansing of God) the father of Zanoah (cast off).

19The sons of Hodiah’s (my majesty is YHWH) wife, the sister of Naham (comfort), were the fathers of Keilah (fortress) the Garmite (bony) and of Eshtemoa (fire of astonishment) the Maacathite.k

20The sons of Shimon (desert):

Amnon (faithful), Rinnah (shout), Ben-hanan (son of favor), and Tilon (gift).

The descendants of Ishi (He saves me):

Zoheth (releasing) and Ben-zoheth (son of Zoheth).

21The sons of Shelah (a petition) son of Judah (praised):

Er (awake) the father of Lecah (journey), Laadah (order) the father of Mareshah (crest of a hill) and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea (I shall make to swear), 22Jokim (YHWH raises up), the men of Cozeba (falsehood), and Joash (given by the Lord) and Saraph (to burn), who ruled in Moab (of his father) and Jashubi-lehem (returner of bread). (These names are from ancient records.) 23These were the potters who lived at Netaim (among plants) and Gederah (wall). They lived there in the service of the king.

The Descendants of Simeon

24The descendants of Simeon (heard):

Nemuel (day of God), Jamin (right hand), Jarib (he contends), Zerah (Zohar),l and Shaul (desired).

25The sons of Shaul:

Shallum (retribution), Mibsam (sweet odor), and Mishma (a hearing).

26The sons of Mishma (a hearing):

Hammuel (heat of God), Zaccur (mindful), and Shimei (renowned).

27Shimei (renowned) had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so their whole clan did not become as numerous as the sons of Judah (praised). 28They lived in Beersheba (well of seven), Moladah (birth / race), Hazar-shual (jackal village), 29Bilhah (troubled), Ezem (bone), Tolad (generation), 30Bethuel (dweller in God), Hormah (destruction), Ziklag (winding), 31Beth-marcaboth (house of the chariots), Hazar-susim (village of horses), Beth-biri (house of a creative one), and Shaaraim (double gate). These were their cities until the reign of David (beloved). 32And their villages were Etam (lair of wild beasts), Ain (spring), Rimmon (pomegranate), Tochen (measurement), and Ashan (smoke)—five towns— 33and all their surrounding villages as far as Baal [Baalath].m These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record:

34Meshobab (restored / backsliding), Jamlech (He will reign), Joshah (YHWH makes equal) son of Amaziah (YHWH is mighty), 35Joel (YHWH is God), Jehu (YHWH is He) son of Joshibiah (YHWH causes to dwell) (son of Seraiah (YHWH is ruler), son of Asiel (made by God)), 36Elioenai (unto YHWH are my eyes), Jaakobah (toward Jacob), Jeshohaiah (YHWH humbles), Asaiah (made by YHWH), Adiel (ornament of God), Jesimiel (God will place), Benaiah (YHWH has built up), 37and Ziza (shining) son of Shiphi (abundant) (son of Allon (oak), son of Jedaiah (praised of YHWH), son of Shimri (vigilant), son of Shemaiah (heard by YHWH)).

38These men listed by name were the leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39and they journeyed to the entrance of Gedor (wall), to the east side of the valley, in search of pasture for their flocks. 40There they found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful, and quiet; for some Hamites (hot) had lived there formerly.

41These who were noted by name came in the days of Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) king of Judah (praised). They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings as well as the Meunites (habitations) who were there, devoting them to destruction {cherem}n even to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. 42And five hundred of these Simeonites (heard) led by Pelatiah (YHWH delivers), Neariah (servant of YHWH), Rephaiah (healed of YHWH), and Uzziel (my strength is God), the sons of Ishi (He saves me), went to Mount Seir (shaggy) 43and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites (dwellers in a valley) who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.