What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 1:50? When Baal-hanan died • “When Baal-hanan died” (1 Chron 1:50) reminds us that every earthly ruler is subject to the God-ordained cycle of life and death (Genesis 36:38; 1 Samuel 2:6; Hebrews 9:27). • The Chronicler’s concise notice of Baal-hanan’s death underlines Scripture’s consistent message that human glory fades, yet the Lord’s purposes stand (Psalm 90:10; Isaiah 40:6-8). Hadad reigned in his place • Succession occurs without pause: “Hadad reigned in his place.” God sovereignly oversees the rise and fall of nations, even those outside Israel such as Edom (Genesis 25:23; Proverbs 21:1; Acts 17:26). • Edom’s line of kings listed in Genesis 36:31-39 and repeated here shows that the Lord kept His word to Esau by granting him a nation (Deuteronomy 2:12), while still directing redemptive history toward Israel (Romans 9:12-13). His city was named Pau • Identifying Hadad’s seat of power—“His city was named Pau”—anchors the narrative in real geography. Such detail confirms the historical trustworthiness of the text (Joshua 21:12; 1 Kings 9:15). • Though Pau’s exact location is uncertain today, its mention testifies that God works within specific times and places, not myth or abstraction (Luke 2:1-7). His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab • Scripture honors Hadad’s wife by name: “Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab.” Including female lineage highlights the value God places on women within His covenant purposes (Genesis 36:39; Ruth 4:13-17; 1 Peter 3:7). • The triple-generation reference (“Mehetabel…daughter of Matred…daughter of Me-zahab”) roots this queen firmly in history and family, mirroring genealogical care seen later in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38. summary 1 Chronicles 1:50 records a simple transition of power in Edom, yet each phrase affirms Scripture’s larger themes: human mortality, God’s sovereign ordering of rulers, the factual grounding of biblical history, and the enduring worth God assigns to every person named in His Word. |
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