1 Chronicles 4:24-6:81 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Simeon, Reuben, Gad, Manasseh, and Levi
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Memory Verse: 6:31-32
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Outline

MAPS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
A MAP OF THE DIVISION OF CANAAN
A LIST OF ISRAEL'S KINGS AND PROPHETS
A TIMELINE OF ISRAEL'S HISTORY
A TIMELINE FROM BABYLON TO ROMAN EMPIRES

SORRY, THE COMMENTARY FOR THIS BOOK IS NOT FINISHED.
A LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE COMPLETED.

I. Simeon (4:24-43)

>1. Why did the Simeon's descendants have to travel as far as Gedor, Hamite territory, the hill country of Seir, Meunite territory, and the land of the Amalekites for pasture land?

* "The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul; 25 Shallum was Shaul's son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son. 26 The descendants of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son and Shimei his son. 27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. 28 They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. 32 Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan--five towns-- 33 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record. 34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36 also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah. 38 The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39 and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. 40 They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly. 41 The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. 42 And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir. 43 They killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day." (24-43)

* "Gedor"

* "Hamites"

* "Hezekiah king of Judah"

* "the Meunites"

* "the hill country of Seir"

* "the remaining Amalekites"

II. Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh (5:1-26)

>2. How did Reuben lose rights as firstborn?

* "The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, 2 and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)" (1-2)

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>3. Who did Reuben's descendants fight against and when? What does this say about Saul's reign?

* "the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. 4 The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5 Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, 6 and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites. 7 Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, 8 and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. 9 To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead. 10 During Saul's reign they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead." (3-10)

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>4. Who is credited for winning the Gadites' land?

* "The Gadites lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salecah: 12 Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan. 13 Their relatives, by families, were: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber--seven in all. 14 These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz. 15 Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family. 16 The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended. 17 All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel. 18 The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service--able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19 They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 21 They seized the livestock of the Hagrites--fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22 and many others fell slain, because the battle was God's. And they occupied the land until the exile." (11-22)

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>5. Why are Manasseh's descendants known as the half-tribe? What is noted as their downfall?

* "The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon). 24 These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. 25 But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day." (23-26)

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III. Levi (6:1-81)

>6. What is different about the Levi's descendants in these chapters? Why?

* "The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 2 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 3 The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas the father of Abishua, 5 Abishua the father of Bukki, Bukki the father of Uzzi, 6 Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah the father of Meraioth, 7 Meraioth the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub, 8 Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Ahimaaz, 9 Ahimaaz the father of Azariah, Azariah the father of Johanan, 10 Johanan the father of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem), 11 Azariah the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub, 12 Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Shallum, 13 Shallum the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah the father of Azariah, 14 Azariah the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah the father of Jehozadak." (1-14)

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>7. Who is Jehozadak and why is it important to note that he was deported instead of killed by Nebuchadnezzar?

* "Jehozadak was deported when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. 16 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 17 These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers: 20 Of Gershon: Libni his son, Jehath his son, Zimmah his son, 21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son and Jeatherai his son. 22 The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, 23 Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, 24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son and Shaul his son. 25 The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, 26 Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, 27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son and Samuel his son. 28 The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second son. 29 The descendants of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, 30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son and Asaiah his son." (15-30)

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>8. Why of all occupations that ancient Israelites had is only the musicians noted in these geneologies?

* "These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there. 32 They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them." (31-32)

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>9. What is the difference between Levites and Aaron's descendants?

* "Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God. 49 But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded." (48-49)

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>10. Why and when would all this information be needed in Israel's history?

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