What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 2:34? Sheshan had no sons 1 Chronicles 2:34 opens with a fact that would have sounded ominous in an ancient, patriarch-centered culture: “Now Sheshan had no sons”. • Lineage and land normally flowed from father to son (Numbers 1:18; Deuteronomy 25:5). • Because Sheshan belonged to the tribe of Judah, the absence of a male heir might seem to threaten that branch of the royal line; yet God’s sovereignty over genealogy is on display all through 1 Chronicles (1 Chronicles 9:1, Ezra 2:62). • Scripture repeatedly shows the Lord overcoming apparent dead ends—Abraham and Sarah’s barrenness (Genesis 18:10-14) or Hannah’s (1 Samuel 1:5-20)—so the statement invites us to watch for His provision here as well. But only daughters “…but only daughters.” • The text affirms the value of daughters by recording them; that is unusual in ancient genealogies. God ensures they are not invisible (cf. Numbers 27:1-8, where daughters receive an inheritance; Job 42:13-15, where daughters are named alongside sons). • Sheshan will later give one of these daughters to Jarha in marriage (1 Chronicles 2:35), echoing how the daughters of Zelophehad safeguarded their family’s portion by marrying within the tribe (Numbers 36:6-9). • The mention anticipates Proverbs 31:28, where a virtuous woman’s legacy is honored. God’s plan never sidelines women; He weaves them into salvation history, as with Miriam (Exodus 15:20-21), Deborah (Judges 4:4), and Mary (Luke 1:30-33). He also had an Egyptian servant named Jarha The verse continues: “He also had an Egyptian servant named Jarha.” • Jarha’s nationality reminds us of the “mixed multitude” that left Egypt with Israel (Exodus 12:38). Foreigners could join the covenant people by faith (Exodus 12:48; Isaiah 56:3-7). • In the next verse Sheshan gives his daughter to Jarha, and their son Attai continues the Judahite line (1 Chronicles 2:35-36). God keeps His promises even by incorporating a Gentile servant—foreshadowing the grafting in of the nations (Romans 11:17; Galatians 3:8). • Jarha moves from servant to son-in-law, paralleling how believers move from slaves to sons through Christ (John 15:15; Ephesians 2:19). summary 1 Chronicles 2:34 teaches that God’s covenant purposes are never thwarted. A family without sons gains an heir; daughters receive honor; a foreign servant is welcomed into Judah’s line. The verse showcases the Lord’s faithfulness, the dignity He grants women, and His gracious inclusion of outsiders—assuring us that He will likewise fulfill every promise He has made to us in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). |
    |