What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 4:5? Ashhur • 1 Chronicles 4 situates Ashhur within the royal tribe of Judah, echoing the earlier note in 1 Chronicles 2:24 that he was “born to Hezron” through the wife Abijah. • His appearance in a genealogy underscores God’s faithfulness to Abraham’s promise of countless descendants (Genesis 17:6–7) and anticipates the line that eventually leads to David and, ultimately, to Christ (Matthew 1:1–3). • Scripture never treats these lists as dry records; rather, each name reminds us that God notices individuals (Psalm 139:15–16) and weaves their lives into His redemptive plan. the father of Tekoa • “Father” here functions the way it does in Genesis 4:20–21—describing not only biological parenthood but also the founding or leading of a community. • Tekoa was a Judean town later fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:6) and known as the hometown of the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1). • The phrase shows God planting His people in specific places (Acts 17:26), turning family lines into communities that serve His wider purposes. • Tekoa’s later call to sound the trumpet against invading armies (Jeremiah 6:1) illustrates how one man’s legacy can shape an entire region’s role in God’s story. had two wives • Scripture records, without endorsing, the polygamy of certain Old Testament figures—e.g., Lamech (Genesis 4:19), Elkanah (1 Samuel 1:2). • Moses’ law tolerated, yet regulated, multiple wives (Deuteronomy 21:15–17), while also warning kings against multiplying them (Deuteronomy 17:17). • The New Testament restores God’s creational ideal of one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4–6; 1 Timothy 3:2). • By noting Ashhur’s two wives, the chronicler gives an honest snapshot of the era, reminding readers that even respected leaders needed the grace ultimately provided in Christ (Romans 3:23–24). Helah and Naarah • Verses 6–7 continue: “Naarah bore Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. The sons of Helah were Zereth, Zohar, Ethan, and Koz”. • God values women enough to name them, a counter-cultural statement in ancient times; compare Rahab in Joshua 2:1 and Ruth in Ruth 1:4. • The children of these two wives reinforce the multiplication theme God envisions for His covenant people (Genesis 12:2). • Later mention of “Tekoa” in prophets and kings traces back to this family, illustrating Proverbs 22:6—how early foundations influence future generations. summary Ashhur, a Judahite patriarch, founded Tekoa and fathered two separate family lines through Helah and Naarah. The verse highlights God’s careful record-keeping, His sovereign placement of families in strategic locations, and His patience with human shortcomings such as polygamy. Ultimately, 1 Chronicles 4:5 points to a faithful God who turns individual lives into building blocks for His unfolding redemptive plan. |
    |