King James Version

What Does 1 Chronicles 4:41 Mean?

“And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.”

Context

And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.

And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide , and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old.

And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.

And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.

And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(41) **These who were written by name.**—The Ameers enumerated in 1Chronicles 4:34-37. **Smote their tents.**—These Hamites, like the men of Laish, were nomades. **And the habitations that were found there.**—Heb. text, *the wells:* Heb. marg., *the Maonites,* in Hebrew a very similar word. LXX., τοὺς *Mivaíovs,* the Maonites or Minacans. The text may be compared with the Syriac, which reads, “And all springs of water that were there they stopped up.” But the Margin is probably correct, as the verb which the Syriac supplies is wanting in the Hebrew. The Maonites appear to have been sojourners from Maon, south of the Dead Sea, near Petra, now called *Maân.* (Comp. 2Chronicles 20:1.) **Destroyed them utterly.**—*Devoted them to God for destruction;* Joshua 6:17, “the city shall be accursed unto the Lord.” This practice was not peculiar to Israel, but was common to the Semitic races. Mesha, king of Moab, in like manner devoted the inhabitants of Nebo, 7,000 in number, to destruction in the name of ‘Ashtar-Chemosh. (See the Stele of Dibân, lines 14-17, in Dr. Ginsburg’s *The Moabite Stone.*) **Unto this day**—That is, *to the time when this record was first written, long before the chronicler borrowed it from his sources.*

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 4:41 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.