And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.

1 CHRONICLES 2:18KJV
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1 Chronicles 2:18 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 2:18 mean?

1 Chronicles 2:18 states that Caleb, who was the son of Hezron, had children by two women named Azubah (his wife) and Jerioth. The verse lists the names of their sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. This verse is part of a genealogy, recording family lines and descendants.

In the context of the book, this verse is part of a larger section where the chronicler is listing the descendants of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The focus here is on Caleb’s family, which helps trace the lineage and relationships among the families of Israel. The verse is straightforward, mainly serving to document ancestry for historical and tribal records.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 2:18

  • כָּלֵב (Kaleb): This is the Hebrew name for Caleb, an important figure in the tribe of Judah. The chronicler distinguishes him from another Caleb mentioned elsewhere.
  • הֵצְרוֹן (Hezron): Hezron is named as Caleb’s father, anchoring Caleb’s place in the family tree of Judah.
  • יָלַד (yalad, “begat”): This verb means to father or bring forth children. It emphasizes Caleb’s role as the ancestor of the listed sons.
  • אֵשֶׁת (eshet, “wife”): The word for wife clarifies that Azubah was Caleb’s spouse, not just a partner or concubine, which can matter in genealogical records.

Why 1 Chronicles 2:18 matters

  • This verse helps clarify the family tree of Judah, which is important for understanding later references to these families throughout the Bible.
  • By naming both Azubah and Jerioth, the verse shows that Caleb had children by more than one woman, which can explain later branches in the genealogy.
  • The mention of specific sons (Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon) allows readers to trace particular family lines, which can be important for understanding land inheritance and tribal leadership in Israel’s history.

Where else these words appear

“Azubah” Hebrew H5806 · used in 4 verses

  • 1 Kings 22:42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
  • 1 Chronicles 2:19 And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.
  • 2 Chronicles 20:31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

“Shobab” Hebrew H7727 · used in 4 verses

  • 2 Samuel 5:14 And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
  • 1 Chronicles 3:5 And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:
  • 1 Chronicles 14:4 Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon,

“Hezron” Hebrew H2696 · used in 17 verses

  • Genesis 46:9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
  • Joshua 15:3 And it went out to the south side to Maalehacrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
  • 1 Chronicles 2:9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.

“of” Hebrew H854 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
  • Genesis 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
  • Exodus 39:3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.