21And the [1]sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jeshaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. 22And the sons of Shecaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six. 23And the [1]sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. 24And the sons of Elioenai; Hodaviah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Delaiah, and Anani, seven.
4The sons of Judah; Perez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. 2And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai and Lahad. These are the
21. and Jeshaiah . . . Shecaniah] The LXX. reads (with some blunders in reproducing the names), "and Jeshaiah his son, Rephaiah his son, Arnan his son, Obadiah his son, Shecaniah his son," thus adding five steps to the genealogy. The difference of reading in the Heb. text thus suggested is very slight. It is quite uncertain whether the Heb. or the reading of the LXX. is to be preferred: see the Introd. § 3, A 2.
23. Elioenai] A name meaning, "Mine eyes are towards Jehovah," cp. Ps. xxv. 15; cp. Jushab-hesed (ver. 20) and Hodaviah ("Give thanks to Jehovah" = Hoduiah), ver. 24.
Ch. IV. 1—23.Genealogies of the Tribes of Judah.
(Cp. ii. 3 ff.)
The material contained in these verses gives rise to no little perplexity, not only in itself but also when considered along with the genealogies of Judah in ii. 3 ff. Whether the Chronicler himself could have thrown any light on the points which puzzle us may well be doubted: he was more concerned to preserve all available genealogical matter than to consider or attempt to reconcile conflicting elements. Both the date and relationship of these notices must be confessed to be as yet uncertain, opinion being divided even on the question whether the list represents pre-exilic or post-exilic conditions. Remark that the list is essentially a Calebite one.
1. As Hezron was the son of Perez (ch. ii. 5) and (if the LXX. be right) Shobal was the son of Hur (ii. 50, note), we have in this verse five, if not six, generations.
Carmi] for the name, cp. ii. 7, and v. 3. Here, however, Carmi is certainly an error for Caleb: see ii. 4, 5, 9, 50 and also the structure of the present chapter. Thus in accord with the usual practice of the Chronicler the chief ancestors are first named (ver. 1), and then, in reverse order, their descendants—sons of Shobal and Hur (vv. 2—10), and sons of Chelub (= Caleb) (vv. 11—15).
2. Reaiah] Cp. note on ii. 52.
