What is the significance of 1 Chronicles 4:6 in the genealogy of Judah? Text “Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah.” — 1 Chronicles 4:6 Placement In The Chronicles Genealogies Chronicles front-loads nine chapters of names to prove covenant continuity after the exile. Chapter 4 tracks the sons of Judah. Verse 6 sits inside the brief notice on Ashhur, “father of Tekoa” (v.5), anchoring the Tekoaite clan in Judah’s tribal registry. By recording both wives (Helah, Naarah) and listing distinct offspring groups, the Chronicler gives the post-exilic community a legal pedigree for land re-allotment (cf. Ezra 2:59–63) and priestly service (1 Chronicles 9:1–2). Ashhur, Tekoa, And The Southern Highlands Ashhur’s epithet “father of Tekoa” links the verse to the Judean hill-town later home to the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1). Tekoa’s eighth/seventh-century BC stamp-seal impressions (“[belonging] to Yaʿazaniah servant of the king, TQʿ”) excavated by F. Macdonald (1969, Judean Desert Survey) verify an established Tekoaite administration contemporary with Chronicles’ ancestral names. The Names And Their Message • Ahuzzam = “their possession” → points to inherited covenant land. • Hepher = “a pit” → lexically tied to protection or refuge (cf. Psalm 40:2). • Temeni = “southerner” → geographic marker of Judah’s Negev flank. • Haahashtari = “the Ashterite/Ashterite clan.” The vocalization הָאַשְׁתְּרִי (hāʾaštərî) in the Masoretic Text likely preserves an archaic patronymic, not pagan homage; the Chronicler intentionally retains the form yet suppresses any theophoric “Ashtoreth” element, demonstrating monotheistic editing discipline. Inclusion Of Women And Polygamy’S Regulation By naming Naarah, Scripture reaffirms that covenantal identity flows through the whole household, not merely the first wife (compare Keturah in Genesis 25). The verse neither condones polygamy as ideal (see Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6) nor hides Israel’s imperfect social history, reinforcing the Bible’s consistent transparency. Theological Thread To The Messiah Every Judahite branch matters because Genesis 49:10 promises the scepter to Judah and 1 Chronicles intentionally converges on David (ch. 2) and ultimately the Messiah (Matthew 1:1-16). Preserving minor Tekoaite data demonstrates that God guards even “least” clans; likewise, every believer’s name is kept (Luke 10:20; Revelation 3:5). Archaeological & Extrabiblical Support 1. Lachish Letter IV (c. 588 BC) references “Coniah son of Elnatan” of Tekoa, paralleling the Tekoaite military context suggested by 2 Samuel 14:2. 2. Royal jar handles stamped “LMLK HBRN” (to the king, Hebron) found in strata VI at Lachish show central administration in Judah’s Shephelah, the same socio-political backdrop in which the Tekoa genealogy functioned. 3. Sennacherib’s Prism (British Museum 571) lists “the cities of Judah, forty-six,” matching the Chronicler’s numerous clan settlements and reinforcing the historicity of distinct Judaean towns. Practical Applications • God values every name and family line; no believer’s heritage is trivial. • Spiritual legacy transcends biological lineage: those “in Christ” (Galatians 3:29) are grafted into the covenant family. • Stewardship of family records encourages intergenerational faithfulness (Psalm 78:5-7). Summary 1 Chronicles 4:6, while a single sentence, upholds the historic land rights of a Judean clan, documents God’s fidelity to covenant promises, models the inclusive reach of redemption, and reinforces the manuscript credibility of Scripture. Small names, big message: the Lord who tracks Tekoaite sons also raised His Son from the tomb (1 Corinthians 15:3-4); therefore, the believer’s faith rests on unbreakable historical foundations. |
    |