What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 7:21? Zabad his son • This simple phrase continues the genealogy of Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son whom Jacob blessed with pre-eminence (Genesis 48:17-20). • By recording each link—Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath again, and now Zabad (1 Chronicles 7:20)—the Spirit underscores how carefully God tracks every generation (Matthew 1:1; Psalm 139:16). • Genealogies are not filler; they remind us that real people, in real time, carried the covenant forward. and Shuthelah his son • Shuthelah reappears as both ancestor (Numbers 26:35) and descendant, showing that family names were reused to honor previous faithfulness. • The repetition signals continuity: the tribe of Ephraim remained prominent among the northern tribes (Joshua 16:4-10; Judges 8:1-2). • God preserves lineage despite national turmoil—an assurance echoed later when Jesus’ genealogy survives exile (Matthew 1:12-16). Ezer and Elead were killed by the natives of Gath • The scene shifts abruptly from quiet genealogy to tragedy. Gath, one of the five Philistine cities (Joshua 13:3), produced warriors like Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4). • “Natives of Gath” (lit. men born in that land) stresses entrenched hostility between Philistines and Israelites (Judges 13:1; 1 Samuel 18:17). • Loss within a family line recalls earlier sorrows, such as Rachel dying in childbirth (Genesis 35:19) and the Benjamites’ near extinction (Judges 20:46-48). because they went down to steal their livestock • Scripture states the cause plainly: attempted theft. God’s law had already condemned stealing (Exodus 20:15). • Consequences were predictable: Philistines fiercely protected their herds, a key economic asset (1 Samuel 6:12; 2 Chronicles 26:6). • The episode illustrates the principle “whatever a man sows, he will reap” (Galatians 6:7) and echoes earlier warnings against coveting neighbors’ goods (Deuteronomy 5:21). • Ephraim’s later grief (1 Chronicles 7:22) shows how personal sin can ripple through an entire clan, much like Achan’s theft affected Israel at Ai (Joshua 7:1-5). summary 1 Chronicles 7:21 pauses the Ephraimite genealogy to spotlight a grim object lesson: two sons lost their lives because they breached God’s moral boundary and provoked a hostile population. The verse affirms that: • God records every name and every deed. • Disobedience carries real-world consequences, even for a favored tribe. • Yet the lineage continues, proving that divine purposes outlast human failure. With both warning and hope, the text invites us to walk in integrity so our own stories advance, rather than hinder, God’s unfolding plan. |
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