Lexical Summary Segub: Segub Original Word: שְׂגוּב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Segub From sagab; aloft; Segub, the name of two Israelites -- Segub. see HEBREW sagab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sagab Definition "exalted," two Isr. NASB Translation Segub (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs שְׂגוּב proper name, masculine (exalted); — 1 son of rebuilder of Jericho (Hiel) 1 Kings 16:34 Qr (Kt שׂגיב; ζεγουβ; ᵐ5L omits verse). 2 of Judah 1 Chronicles 2:21,22 (Σερουχ, ᵐ5L Σεγουβ). Topical Lexicon IdentificationSegub (Strong’s Hebrew 7687) is a personal name borne by two individuals in the Old Testament record: a son of Hezron in the tribe of Judah, and the youngest son of the Bethelite Hiel whose death marked the grim cost of rebuilding Jericho. Though the name itself suggests exaltation or loftiness, the canonical context attaches to it lessons in covenant faithfulness, prophetic certainty, and the outworking of promise and judgment across generations. Biblical Occurrences “In his days Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. At the cost of Abiram his firstborn he laid its foundation, and at the cost of Segub his youngest he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD spoken through Joshua son of Nun.” “Later, Hezron was united with the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead. He married her when he was sixty years old, and she bore to him Segub.” “Segub was the father of Jair, who possessed twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead.” Genealogical Context The Chronicler situates Segub within the expansive Judahite genealogy: • Hezron, grandson of Judah, marries a daughter of Machir of Manasseh, forming a bridge between the southern and northern tribes. This Segub therefore stands at a strategic genealogical junction—Judah by descent, yet allied to Manasseh through maternal lineage and geographically connected to Gilead. His line demonstrates the unity of Israel’s tribes under divine promise. Historical Setting of the Jericho Incident In the northern kingdom’s dark reign of Ahab, Hiel undertakes to rebuild Jericho. The enterprise defies Joshua’s prophetic curse pronounced centuries earlier: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundations, and at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.” (Joshua 6:26). The deaths of Abiram and Segub bookend the construction, verifying the immutability of God’s word even in an age of idolatry. Though anonymous in life, the younger Segub becomes a signpost of judgment; his name is forever linked to a warning against presumption and covenant disregard. Theological Themes 1. Certainty of Prophecy Segub’s death completes Joshua’s curse verbatim, illustrating that divine pronouncements neither lapse nor dilute with time. The episode offers sobering assurance that God’s promises of blessing and judgment alike remain operative. 2. Covenant Continuity Across Generations The genealogical Segub demonstrates God’s faithfulness to integrate tribal lines and extend covenant blessing (illustrated in Jair’s later territorial success). Even obscure individuals matter in the tapestry of redemption history. 3. Leadership and Inheritance Through Segub’s son Jair we observe how God raises deliverers from unexpected quarters. Segub’s brief mention precedes a legacy of territorial dominion that benefits Israel during the Judges period. Ministry Significance • Preaching and Teaching: Segub’s appearances furnish a dual illustration—warning and hope. His mention in 1 Kings equips teachers to stress obedience to revealed truth, while his mention in 1 Chronicles encourages believers that God can use hidden faithfulness to produce far-reaching fruit. Practical Application 1. Trust the total reliability of Scripture; centuries cannot erode the authority of God’s word. Segub’s name surfaces only three times, yet his story—set in both promise and peril—encapsulates enduring truths about God’s sovereignty, the seriousness of sin, and the unexpected pathways of grace. Forms and Transliterations וּבִשְׂג֤וּב וּשְׂג֖וּב ובשגוב ושגוב שְׂגֽוּב׃ שגוב׃ śə·ḡūḇ śəḡūḇ seGuv ū·ḇiś·ḡūḇ ū·śə·ḡūḇ ūḇiśḡūḇ ūśəḡūḇ useGuv uvisGuvLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 16:34 HEB: [וּבִשְׂגִיב כ] (וּבִשְׂג֤וּב ק) צְעִירוֹ֙ NAS: with the [loss of] his youngest son Segub, according to the word KJV: thereof in his youngest [son] Segub, according to the word INT: his firstborn laid Segub his youngest and set 1 Chronicles 2:21 1 Chronicles 2:22 3 Occurrences |
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