1 Chronicles 1
About 1 ChroniclesWritten by AI
1 Chronicles retells Israel's story for people who had come home from exile in Babylon and were asking whether God was still with them. It covers ground you have already read in Samuel, but from a different angle, with a special interest in David, the temple, the priests and Levites, and worship. The author is unnamed; Jewish tradition credits Ezra, and many scholars speak more cautiously of the Chronicler, writing perhaps in the 400s BC. 1 and 2 Chronicles were first one book.
It begins with nine chapters of genealogies, from Adam to the families who resettled Jerusalem, quietly showing that Israel's story is unbroken. Then it moves quickly past Saul to David: his rise, the ark brought to Jerusalem, God's covenant, and his careful preparations for a temple his son Solomon will build.
Watch for what is emphasized and what is left out, and for the note of worship running through it all: “everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.”
Before you read 1 Chronicles 1Written by AI
The book opens with a list of names from Adam to Noah to Abraham, then the families of Ishmael, Esau, and Edom. It covers the whole of Genesis in a single chapter. Notice the sweep: before narrowing to Israel, the Chronicler sets God's people within the story of all humanity, beginning with Adam.
From Adam to Abraham
Adam, Seth, Enosh,
Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,
Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.
The sons of Noah:
Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth. Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, the Anamites, the Lehabites, the Naphtuhites, the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites. And Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber. Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother was named Joktan. And Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. So from Shem came Arphaxad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Abram (that is, Abraham).
The Descendants of Abraham
The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. These are their genealogies:
Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.
The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.
The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah’s sons.
Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.
The Descendants of Esau
The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz; and by Timna, Amalek. The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
The Descendants of Seir
The sons of Seir:
Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister. The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. The son of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
The Kings of Edom
These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites:
Bela son of Beor. His city was named Dinhabah.
When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.
When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith.
When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.
When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place.
When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor reigned in his place.
When Baal-hanan died, Hadad reigned in his place. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab.
Then Hadad died.
Now the chiefs of Edom were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.