Chapter 4
1 Judah was the father of five sons: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
2 Shobal was the father of Reaiah, the grandfather of Jahath, and the great-grandfather of Ahumai and Lahad. These men all belonged to the Zorathite clan.
3 Ashhur, who settled the town of Tekoa, had two wives: Helah and Naarah.
4 Ashhur and Naarah were the parents of Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari.
5 Ashhur and Helah were the parents of Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.
6 Koz, the father of Anub and Zobebah, was also the ancestor of the clans of Aharhel, the son of Harum.
7 Jabez was a man who got his name because of the pain he caused his mother during birth. But he was still the most respected son in his family.
8 One day he prayed to Israel’s God, "Please bless me and give me a lot of land. Be with me so I will be safe from harm." And God did just what Jabez had asked.
9 Chelub was the brother of Shuhah and the father of Mehir. Later, Mehir had a son, Eshton,
10 whose three sons were Bethrapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah. It was Tehinnah who settled the town of Nahash. These men and their families lived in the town of Recah.
11 Kenaz was the father of Othniel and Seraiah. Othniel had two sons: Hathath and Meonothai,
12 who was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, who settled a place called "Valley of Crafts" because the people who lived there were experts in making things.
13 Caleb son of Jephunneh had three sons: Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah was the father of Kenaz.
14 Jehallelel was the father of Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
15 A man named Hodiah was married to the sister of Naham. Hodiah’s descendants included Keilah of the Garmite clan and Eshtemoa of the Maacathite clan.
16 Shimon was the father of Amnon, Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. Ishi was the father of Zoheth and Benzoheth.
17 The members of these clans were the potters who lived in the towns of Netaim and Gederah and worked for the king.
18 Simeon had five sons: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul.
19 The descendants of Shaul included his son Shallum, his grandson Mibsam, and his great-grandson Mishma.
20 The descendants of Mishma included his son Hammuel, his grandson Zaccur, and his great-grandson Shimei.
21 Shimei had 16 sons and 6 daughters. But his brothers did not have as many children, so the Simeon tribe was smaller than the Judah tribe.
22 They also lived in the five villages of Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan,
23 as well as in the nearby villages as far as the town of Baal. These are the places where Simeon’s descendants had settled, according to their own family records.
24 When the people needed more pastureland for their flocks and herds, they looked as far as the eastern side of the valley where the town of Gerar is located,
25 and they found a lot of good pastureland that was quiet and undisturbed. This had once belonged to the Hamites,
26 but when Hezekiah was king of Judah, the descendants of Simeon attacked and forced the Hamites and Meunites off the land, then settled there.
27 Some time later, 500 men from the Simeon tribe went into Edom under the command of Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel the sons of Ishi.
28 They killed the last of the Amalekites and lived there from then on.