Question 1

What does 1 Chronicles 2:24 mean?

Accepted Answer

1 Chronicles 2:24 records that after Hezron died in a place called Calebephratah, his wife Abiah gave birth to a son named Ashur, who later became known as the founder or leader of the town of Tekoa. This verse is part of a genealogy, tracing the descendants of Judah. The chronicler is listing the family line of Hezron, a descendant of Judah, to show the origins of certain clans and towns in Israel. The mention of Calebephratah as the place of Hezron’s death and the birth of Ashur highlights specific locations and family connections important to the tribe’s history. The verse helps explain how the town of Tekoa came to be associated with Ashur’s lineage.

Question 2

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 2:24

Accepted Answer

כָּלֵב אֶפְרָתָה (Calebephratah, transliterated "Kaleb Ephratah") refers to a specific place, likely connected to Caleb and Ephrath, and marks a geographic detail about where Hezron died. This helps situate the genealogy in real locations known to the original audience. יָלַד (bare, transliterated "yalad") means "to give birth." The verse uses this to show that Abiah gave birth to Ashur after Hezron’s death, clarifying the timing of Ashur’s birth in the family line. אָשׁוּר (Ashur, transliterated "Ashur") is the name of the son born to Abiah, and the verse calls him "the father of Tekoa," meaning he is the ancestor or founder of that town. This connects a specific person to a known place in Judah.

Question 3

Why 1 Chronicles 2:24 matters

Accepted Answer

This verse clarifies that Ashur, the founder of Tekoa, was born after Hezron’s death, which could affect how one understands the order of generations and inheritance in this family line. The mention of Calebephratah ties the genealogy to specific locations, grounding the family history in real geography and helping later generations identify with these places. By naming Abiah as Hezron’s wife and Ashur’s mother, the verse highlights the role of women in the lineage, which is not always common in ancient genealogies.

1 Chronicles 2:24 (KJV)