1 Chronicles 4:7

And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:1-43 Genealogies. - In this chapter we have a further account of Judah, the most numerous and most famous of all the tribes; also an account of Simeon. The most remarkable person in this chapter is Jabez. We are not told upon what account Jabez was more honourable than his brethren; but we find that he was a praying man. The way to be truly great, is to seek to do God's will, and to pray earnestly. Here is the prayer he made. Jabez prayed to the living and true God, who alone can hear and answer prayer; and, in prayer he regarded him as a God in covenant with his people. He does not express his promise, but leaves it to be understood; he was afraid to promise in his own strength, and resolved to devote himself entirely to God. Lord, if thou wilt bless me and keep me, do what thou wilt with me; I will be at thy command and disposal for ever. As the text reads it, this was the language of a most ardent and affectionate desire, Oh that thou wouldest bless me! Four things Jabez prayed for. 1. That God would bless him indeed. Spiritual blessings are the best blessings: God's blessings are real things, and produce real effects. 2. That He would enlarge his coast. That God would enlarge our hearts, and so enlarge our portion in himself, and in the heavenly Canaan, ought to be our desire and prayer. 3. That God's hand might be with him. God's hand with us, to lead us, protect us, strengthen us, and to work all our works in us and for us, is a hand all-sufficient for us. 4. That he would keep him from evil, the evil of sin, the evil of trouble, all the evil designs of his enemies, that they might not hurt, nor make him a Jabez indeed, a man of sorrow. God granted that which he requested. God is ever ready to hear prayer: his ear is not now heavy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Read, "These are the sons of the father (i. e. chief) of Etam" 2 Chronicles 11:6, a city of Judah, not far from Bethlehem.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 4

1Ch 4:1-8. Posterity of Judah by Caleb the Son of Hur.

1. the sons of Judah—that is, "the descendants," for with the exception of Pharez, none of those here mentioned were his immediate sons. Indeed, the others are mentioned solely to introduce the name of Shobal, whose genealogy the historian intended to trace (1Ch 2:52).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Understand here,

and Coz, out of the beginning of the following verse. The like ellipses we have in the end of 2 Chronicles 4:13, and of 2 Chronicles 7:18.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the sons of Helah,.... The other wife:

were Zereth, and Zoar, and Ethnan: nowhere else mentioned.

Geneva Study Bible

And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

1 Chronicles 4:7

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The first wife, Helah, bore three sons, Zereth, Jezoar, and Ethnan, who are not elsewhere met with. For the Kethibh יצחר there is in the Keri וצחר, the name of a son of Simeon (Genesis 46:10), and of a Hittite chief in the time of the patriarchs (Genesis 23:8), with whom the son of Helah has nothing to do.