King James Version
What Does 1 Chronicles 4:19 Mean?
“And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite. Hodiah: or, Jehudijah, mentioned before”
Context
17
And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18
And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took. Jehudijah: or, the Jewess
19
And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite. Hodiah: or, Jehudijah, mentioned before
20
And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Benzoheth.
21
The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea,
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(19) **And the sons of his wife Hodiah.**—The existing Hebrew text says, *And the sons of Hodiah*’s *wife.* Hodiah recurs as a man’s name in Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 9:5; but a very slight change—the addition of three letters—in the Hebrew would give the sense: “And sons of his Jewish wife, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa,” &c.
**Naham** is unknown.
**Keilah** is a town in the Shephelah (Joshua 15:44), well known as the scene of David’s prowess and peril (1 Samuel 23).
**Eshtemoa** occurred in 1Chronicles 4:17, in connexion with Ishbah, son of Ezra by Bithiah. (See Note there.) The Garmites and Maachathites are unknown clans. The former founded or were settled at Keilah. It appears that *abi* (“father of”) has dropped out of the text before Eshtemoa; the sense being that the Maachathites were settled at Eshtemoa; which, of course, they may have been, side by side with the half-Egyptian clan Ishbah. Maachah is mentioned, 1Chronicles 2:48, as a concubine of Caleb. The list is still dealing with the Calebite division of Hezron.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of 1 Chronicles. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
1 Chronicles 4:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to 1 Chronicles 4:19
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge