Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.

1 CHRONICLES 2:48KJV
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1 Chronicles 2:48 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 2:48 mean?

1 Chronicles 2:48 records that Maachah, who was a concubine of Caleb, gave birth to two sons named Sheber and Tirhanah. This verse is part of a genealogy, listing descendants of Caleb to show his family line.

The writer of 1 Chronicles is presenting a detailed family record for the tribe of Judah, specifically focusing here on Caleb’s descendants. By naming Maachah as a concubine (not a primary wife) and listing her children, the verse highlights the broader family structure and the importance of every branch in the genealogy, not just those from main wives.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 2:48

  • מַעֲכָה (Maachah, transliteration: Maʿăkhāh): This is a personal name, and here it identifies the woman who bore children to Caleb. Naming her specifically shows her recognized place in the genealogy.
  • פִּילֶגֶשׁ (concubine, transliteration: pilegesh): This word means a woman who has a recognized relationship with a man but holds a lower status than a wife. Including her status clarifies the family structure and the social standing of her children.
  • יָלַד (bare, transliteration: yalad): This verb means "to give birth." Its use here simply states that Maachah was the biological mother of Sheber and Tirhanah.

Why 1 Chronicles 2:48 matters

  • This verse helps clarify that not all descendants listed in Israel’s genealogies come from primary wives, showing the complexity of ancient family structures.
  • By naming Maachah and her sons, the verse ensures that even those from less prominent family branches are included in the official record, emphasizing the value placed on every member of the tribe.
  • The verse connects to the wider passage by continuing the detailed listing of Caleb’s descendants, which is important for understanding the tribal divisions and inheritance in Israel’s history.

Where else these words appear

“Maachah” Hebrew H4601 · used in 23 verses

  • Genesis 22:24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
  • 1 Kings 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
  • 1 Chronicles 11:43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

“Caleb's” Hebrew H3612 · used in 35 verses

  • Numbers 13:6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
  • Joshua 14:13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
  • Judges 1:15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

“concubine” Hebrew H6370 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 22:24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
  • Judges 19:27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
  • 2 Samuel 20:3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.