Lexical Summary Sukathim: Sukathites Original Word: שׂוּכָתִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Suchathite Probably patronymic from a name corresponding to sowk (feminine); a Sukathite or descendant of an unknown Israelite named Sukah -- Suchathite. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as sok Definition a family of scribes NASB Translation Sucathites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שׂוּכָתִים adjective, of a people masculine plural a family of scribes 1 Chronicles 2:55; Σωχαθιειμ, ᵐ5L Σουχαθειμ. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence “The clans of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.” (1 Chronicles 2:55) Genealogical Context The single reference appears near the close of Judah’s lineage in 1 Chronicles, where the Chronicler pauses to highlight three scribal families settled at Jabez. By naming the Sucathites alongside the Tirathites and Shimeathites, Scripture locates them within the professional guild of copyists and legal experts embedded among the descendants of Judah. Yet the same verse identifies these families as Kenites, a people first encountered in the wilderness with Moses (Numbers 24:21–22) and later found dwelling among Judah (Judges 1:16). Their presence in Judah’s genealogy illustrates how non-Israelite groups were enfolded into covenant life through shared loyalty to the LORD. Kenite Heritage and the House of Rechab The closing clause, “These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab,” links the Sucathites to the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35). The Rechabites are remembered for their steadfast obedience to their ancestor’s command to abstain from wine and settle in tents, an obedience Jeremiah used to shame Judah’s disobedience to God’s word. By extension, the Sucathites inherited both the Kenite legacy of early covenant friendship (Exodus 18:10–12) and the Rechabite model of faithfulness, providing a living testimony within Judah to the blessings promised to those who hear and keep divine instruction. Role among the Scribes Old Testament scribes preserved the commandments (Deuteronomy 17:18), interpreted the law (Ezra 7:6, 10), and served the monarchy and priesthood (2 Chronicles 34:13). That a Kenite clan held this office shows that devotion to the written revelation, not lineage alone, qualified a community for service. The Sucathites thus stand as an early embodiment of the later ideal voiced by Ezra: “for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him” (Ezra 7:6). Their residence at Jabez, a locality otherwise obscure, underscores how God raised up centers of textual transmission even in small communities so that “from the least of them to the greatest” His word would be known. Historical Significance 1 Chronicles was compiled after the exile to reassure a restored community of its continuity with the past. Mentioning the Sucathites validated the presence of learned scribes throughout Judah’s history, reinforcing the Chronicler’s appeal to renew covenant fidelity. Moreover, the deliberate spotlight on a Kenite-Rechabite heritage challenged post-exilic exclusivism, reminding readers that covenant inclusion has always been by faith and obedience rather than ethnicity alone. Ministry Implications 1. The Sucathites exemplify the ministry of Scripture preservation. Their quiet labor points modern believers to the indispensable service of those who copy, translate, and teach God’s word. Spiritual Lessons • God often entrusts His word to seemingly marginal groups, confounding human expectations (1 Corinthians 1:27–29). In a single verse, the Sucathites remind readers that devotion to the Lord’s revelation transcends ethnic boundaries, sustains covenant continuity, and calls every generation to steward His word with reverence. Forms and Transliterations שׂוּכָתִ֑ים שוכתים śū·ḵā·ṯîm suchaTim śūḵāṯîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 2:55 HEB: תִּרְעָתִ֥ים שִׁמְעָתִ֖ים שׂוּכָתִ֑ים הֵ֚מָּה הַקִּינִ֣ים NAS: the Shimeathites [and] the Sucathites. Those KJV: the Shimeathites, [and] Suchathites. These INT: the Tirathites the Shimeathites the Sucathites Those are the Kenites 1 Occurrence |
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