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1 Chronicles 2:1

in 1 Chronicles 2

These were the sons of Israel:

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,

KJV

These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,

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This verse in 1 Chronicles 2

Commentary

4 notes on this verse
The sons of Israel - The order of the names here approximates to an order determined by legitimacy of birth. A single change - the removal of Dan to the place after Benjamin - would give the following result: (1) The six sons of the first wife, Leah. (2) the two sons of the second wife, Rachel. (3) the two sons of the first concubine, Bilhah. (4) the two sons of the second concubine, Zilpah. Dan’s undue prominency may, perhaps, be accounted for by his occupying the seventh place in the “blessing of Jacob” Gen 49:16.

This site's exposition

These are the sons of Israel

on 1 Chronicles 2:1-2

The chapter opens with Jacob's twelve sons in the order Genesis itself uses for the maidservants' sons, Leah's line first, then Rachel's two, with Dan set out of strict birth order beside Naphtali, Gad and Asher. Judah stands fourth in this plain list, yet Judah is where the Chronicler now turns and stays for three chapters, because the kingdom and the Messiah both run through that tribe.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

These are the sons of Israel,.... Or Jacob, the other son of Isaac, who had the name of Israel given him, because of his power with God, Gen 32:28, whose twelve sons are here mentioned by name; the first four according to their birth of Leah, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; then the two sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, Issachar and Zebulun; and between Dan and Naphtali, the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, are placed Joseph and Benjamin, the sons of Rachel.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

These are the sons of Israel - For this genealogy see the parallel places at Gen 29:32; Gen 30:5; Gen 35:18, Gen 35:22; Gen 46:8, etc.

The words behind it

9 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • אֵ֖לֶּהthese

    ʾelehH428 →746 times

  • בְּנֵ֣י[were] [the] sons of

    beneiH1121 →4930 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • רְאוּבֵ֤ןReuben

    reuvenH7205 →72 times

  • שִׁמְעוֹן֙Simeon

    shimonH8095 →44 times

  • לֵוִ֣יLevi

    leviH3878 →59 times

  • וִיהוּדָ֔הand Judah

    vihudahH3063 →819 times

  • יִשָׂשכָ֖רIssachar

    yisoshkharH3485 →43 times

  • וּזְבֻלֽוּן׃and Zebulun

    uzevulunH2074 →45 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Genesis 32:28Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”7 worksRevelation 7:5–8From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,6 worksGenesis 35:22–26While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:5 worksGenesis 46:8–27Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.3 worksGenesis 49:2Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.3 worksGenesis 49:4–28Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Exodus 1:2–4Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;3 worksGenesis 35:18And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.3 worksGenesis 49:3Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.3 worksGenesis 29:32–35And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”2 worksNumbers 26:5–65Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,2 worksNumbers 13:4–15and these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;2 worksGenesis 46:10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.2 worksGenesis 46:11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.2 worksGenesis 46:12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.2 works1 Chronicles 5:1These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.2 worksGenesis 46:14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.2 worksGenesis 46:15These are the sons of Leah born to Jacob in Paddan-aram, in addition to his daughter Dinah. The total number of sons and daughters was thirty-three.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Genesis 32:28

    Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”

    it leads to

    • Revelation 2:17

      He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone…

    • Genesis 35:10

      And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel.

    • Isaiah 62:2–4

      Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.

    • Hosea 12:3–5

      In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.

    • Genesis 27:33–36

      Isaac began to tremble violently and said, “Who was it, then, who hunted the game and brought it to me? Before you came in, I ate it all and blessed him—and indeed, he will…

  • Through

    Genesis 49:2

    Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 34:11

      Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

    • Proverbs 7:24

      Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

    • Proverbs 23:26

      My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.

About 1 Chronicles

Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 1 Chronicles 2 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).

Read on in 1 Chronicles 2 →