What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 1:42?

The sons of Ezer

“The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.” (1 Chronicles 1:42)

• Ezer is one of Seir the Horite’s sons (1 Chronicles 1:38; Genesis 36:20–21).

• The exact repetition of Genesis 36:27 underscores Scripture’s internal consistency.

• Listing Edomite (Horite) clans right after Abraham’s line shows God’s faithfulness to His promise that “many nations” would descend from Abraham (Genesis 17:4–6).

• These names remind us that God tracks every family line, not just Israel’s (Acts 17:26).

---

Bilhan

• Also found in Genesis 36:27 and named among the Edomite chiefs in Genesis 36:29.

• Though the Bible tells us nothing more, his inclusion illustrates that “none are hidden from His sight” (Hebrews 4:13).

• God’s orderly record of even lesser-known leaders reflects His sovereignty over every sphere (Romans 13:1).

---

Zaavan

• Reappears in Genesis 36:27, then as a chief in Genesis 36:30.

• His presence in multiple lists shows that God’s word does not forget what He has earlier stated (Psalm 119:89).

• Each obscure name invites us to remember that God values every life equally (Psalm 139:13–16).

---

Akan

• The same name is listed in Genesis 36:27 and included among the leaders in Genesis 36:30.

• That a man about whom we know nothing more is nevertheless remembered in Scripture highlights Jesus’ assurance that even a sparrow does not fall without the Father’s care (Matthew 10:29–31).

---

The sons of Dishan

“The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.” (1 Chronicles 1:42)

• Dishan, another son of Seir the Horite (1 Chronicles 1:38; Genesis 36:21), fathered these two sons.

• Genesis 36:28 records the same list, further confirming the reliability of the chronicler’s work.

• By preserving Edomite lines, God shows He is Lord over all nations, a truth echoed in Isaiah 19:25.

---

Uz

• This is not the same Uz descended from Shem (Genesis 10:23), yet the name evokes Job 1:1, “There was a man in the land of Uz…”—a region tied to Edom in Lamentations 4:21.

• The overlap in names points to the intertwined histories of surrounding peoples and to God’s hand directing them all (Deuteronomy 2:4–5).

---

Aran

• Appears only here and in the corresponding list in Genesis 36:28.

• Even one-time names in Scripture matter; they remind us that “the LORD knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19).

• Aran’s quiet mention assures believers that obscurity before men is never obscurity before God (Luke 12:7).

---

summary

1 Chronicles 1:42 faithfully repeats Genesis 36’s record of two Horite clans—Ezer’s and Dishan’s—highlighting Bilhan, Zaavan, Akan, Uz, and Aran. These brief genealogical notes:

• Confirm the historical accuracy of Scripture through agreement between Moses and the chronicler.

• Demonstrate God’s care for every nation descended from Abraham’s wider family, not just Israel.

• Remind us that each person, famous or forgotten, is known and numbered by the Lord.