What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 4:31? Beth-marcaboth • This settlement appears in the original allotment for the tribe of Simeon (Joshua 19:5) and is repeated in 1 Chronicles 4:31 to underline that God kept His word about Israel’s tribal boundaries. • Located in the Negev—the dry southern reaches of Judah—it likely served as a strategic hub on caravan routes. That fits the surrounding context of 1 Samuel 27:6–10, where David and his men moved freely through this region. • By citing the town again generations later, the Chronicler highlights God’s faithfulness: what He assigns, He preserves, even in an arid land (Psalm 37:18). Hazar-susim • Also listed with Simeon in Joshua 19:6, this “enclosure” town probably supported flocks and herds, connecting with the shepherd image woven through Scripture (Genesis 46:34; John 10:14). • Its mention reminds us that the tribe of Simeon relied on pastoral life in territory technically inside Judah’s borders, demonstrating inter-tribal cooperation long before the united monarchy (Judges 1:3). • 1 Chronicles 4:38-41 later shows Simeonite leaders pushing southward for more grazing land, a continuation of the story anchored in places like Hazar-susim. Beth-biri • Named again only in Joshua 19:6, this town lies in the same cluster. The Chronicler’s repetition affirms the literal continuity of these communities from Joshua to David—roughly four centuries (Acts 13:20). • Such continuity matters: it proves that Israel’s census lists (Numbers 26:14) translated into real villages where families lived, worshiped, and raised children, fulfilling Deuteronomy 1:8. • The stable existence of Beth-biri until David’s reign mirrors God’s promise to plant His people securely (2 Samuel 7:10). Shaaraim • Mentioned earlier in the account of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:52), Shaaraim marks the western edge of the Shephelah. Its reappearance links the Simeonite register to David’s rise. • Because David’s early victories radiated from this vicinity, the Chronicler subtly shows how God was preparing the nation’s future king while preserving Simeon’s settlements (Psalm 78:70-71). • “These were their cities until the reign of David” signals a historical pivot: when David assumed power, administrative boundaries shifted (2 Samuel 5:5-9), and Simeon’s identity blended more fully into Judah (1 Kings 12:21). summary 1 Chronicles 4:31 is more than a catalog of obscure towns; it is a testimony that God faithfully sustained Simeon’s inheritance from Joshua’s conquest right up to David’s throne. Each place—Beth-marcaboth in the desert, Hazar-susim among the flocks, Beth-biri in family life, and Shaaraim on the military frontier—shows a facet of God’s provision. By recording that they endured “until the reign of David,” Scripture marks the moment when the Lord transitioned Israel from tribal loose-knit living to united monarchy, all without losing track of a single village He had promised. |
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