What Does 1 Chronicles 2:18 Mean?

(18) **And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife.**—The Heb. text, as it stands, does not say this. The *primâ facie* rendering is, “And Caleb son of Hezron begat Azubah a woman, and Jerioth: and these (are) her sons; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.” But 1Chronicles 2:19 continues: “And Azubah died, and Caleb took to himself (as wife) Ephrath,” which of course suggests that Azubah was not daughter but a former wife of Caleb. 1Chronicles 2:18 has also been translated, “And Caleb son of Hezron caused Azubah a wife and Jerioth to bear children.” (Comp. Isaiah 66:9.) It seems best to read, “his wife, daughter of Jerioth (’i*shtô -bath.Ierioth*)*,* instead of the text (*ishshah ve’eth Ierioth*)*;* and to render: And Caleb son of Hezron begat sons with Azubah daughter of Jerioth” (*eth,* the particle before Azubah, is ambiguous, and might be either the mere sign of the accusative, or the prep. “with,” *cum, *μετὰ)*.* The Syriac partly supports this version, for it reads: “And Caleb begat of Azubah, his wife, Jerioth,” making Jerioth Azubah’s daughter. The LXX. has, “And Caleb took Azubah a wife and Jerioth,” which only shows that the corruption of the text is ancient.