What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 7:36? The sons of Zophah 1 Chronicles 7:36 lists “The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, and Imrah.” Zophah appears in a long record that traces the tribe of Asher (1 Chronicles 7:30–40). God had promised that every tribe and family would inherit land in Canaan (Genesis 17:8; Joshua 19:24–31). These names prove that promise really was fulfilled: entire clans grew from Zophah, took their places in the land, and helped Asher become, as Jacob foretold, “rich in food” (Genesis 49:20) and, as Moses blessed, “favored by his brothers” (Deuteronomy 33:24). Each son’s name anchors a clan to real ground, real history, and the ever-reliable faithfulness of God. Suah • Suah heads the first clan under Zophah. When Numbers 1:40–41 counts Asher for military service in the wilderness, the total includes Suah’s descendants—even if they are never mentioned by name. • Later, in Numbers 26:44–47, the second census shows Asher’s numbers actually rose during the forty years in the desert. Suah’s clan contributed to that growth, illustrating Psalm 115:14, “May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children.” • Every time the tribe mustered for battle (Judges 6:35; 7:23) or brought offerings to the tabernacle (Numbers 7:72–77), Suah’s household was represented. Their quiet obedience teaches that even unrecorded acts of faithfulness matter to God (Hebrews 6:10). Harnepher • Harnepher’s clan would have shared in the allotment of fertile coastal land given to Asher (Joshua 19:28–30). Living in a rich agricultural region fulfilled God’s promise of daily provision (Psalm 37:25). • Though silently present, Harnepher’s line forms part of the heritage that welcomed Christ: by New Testament times a prophetess named Anna, “of the tribe of Asher” (Luke 2:36), still traced her lineage back through lists like this. • The continuity from Harnepher to Anna underscores Isaiah 40:8: “The word of our God stands forever.” What God records, He preserves. Shual • Shual’s people helped form the fighting strength praised in 1 Chronicles 7:40: “They were mighty men of valor… heads of the princes.” • By standing shoulder to shoulder with brothers from Issachar and Zebulun when Deborah called for help (Judges 5:17), Asher as a tribe was rebuked for lingering on the coast, yet some clans did respond. Shual’s descendants may well have been among the willing—a reminder that family choices echo through history (Joshua 24:15). • Their beaches and harbors made them merchants (Ezekiel 27:17). Shual’s clan likely contributed goods of oil and grain, becoming part of God’s provision to the world. Beri • Beri’s clan shares its root with “Beriah” (1 Chronicles 7:31), another Asherite. Together these families remind us that God often repeats gracious themes in family histories, weaving them into His larger plan (Romans 8:28). • The territory Asher held bordered Phoenicia. Encounters with outsiders could lead to compromise, yet Beri’s name preserved inside a covenant document shows that God can keep a remnant holy in challenging surroundings (1 Peter 1:1–2). • Every tithe of harvest (Leviticus 27:30) and every pilgrim journey to Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16) would have seen Beri’s clan participating, connecting them to worship at the very heart of Israel’s life. Imrah • Imrah completes Zophah’s line, demonstrating God’s concern for the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Even the last-listed receives the same divine attention as the first. • His descendants joined the national assemblies under King Hezekiah and Josiah, when letters summoned “Asher” to seek the LORD (2 Chronicles 30:11; 34:6). Some mocked, but “others humbled themselves and came,” quite possibly including Imrah’s line—evidence of the soft hearts God looks for (Isaiah 57:15). • Revelation 7:6 foresees twelve thousand sealed from Asher. Imrah’s clan may be among that prophetic number, showing that a name recorded early in Scripture still matters in the final plan of God. summary 1 Chronicles 7:36 is more than a roster; it is a testimony to God’s meticulous faithfulness. Each son—Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, and Imrah—became a clan through which the tribe of Asher inherited land, provided warriors, merchants, and worshipers, and ultimately carried forward the line that greeted the Messiah. Their recorded names assure us that no act of obedience, no family, and no promise of God is ever forgotten. |
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