The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.

1 CHRONICLES 2:54KJV
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1 Chronicles 2:54 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 2:54 mean?

1 Chronicles 2:54 names people and communities associated with Salma’s family line. The list uses family language to connect Salma with Bethlehem and several groups, giving readers a picture of how these communities were related in the record.

“The house of Joab” points to a family group, while “half of the Manahethites” identifies one portion of a larger group. Names such as “the Netophathites” and “the Zorites” refer to groups rather than individual sons.

Why 1 Chronicles 2:54 matters

  • “Sons” can introduce more than a list of individual children. Here the entries include Bethlehem and named groups, so the family line is presented in terms of communities as well as households.
  • The verse places Bethlehem within Salma’s line. In the surrounding family record, Salma is connected with Caleb, a descendant of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:50–51).

Where else these words appear

“Salma” Hebrew H8007 · used in 3 verses

“Zorites” Hebrew H6882 · used in 3 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 2:53 And the families of Kirjathjearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites.
  • 1 Chronicles 4:2 And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.

“Ataroth” Hebrew H5852 · used in 5 verses

  • Numbers 32:3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,
  • Numbers 32:34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
  • Joshua 16:2 And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,

“Netophathites” Hebrew H5200 · used in 10 verses

  • 2 Samuel 23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
  • 1 Chronicles 9:16 And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.
  • 1 Chronicles 27:15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.