Read: 1 Chron. 3-5
There is a lot of history in all these genealogies. David reigned seven and a half years in Hebron and 33 in Jerusalem. David was one of the many types of Jesus and his reign in Jerusalem was the span of Jesus life.
Judah was the largest tribe and in 4:9 we have this two verse explanation of a man who is not listed in the genealogy. It is Jabez. I read the “Prayer of Jabez” years ago and memorized his prayer but reading it in context even gives it more power. Who is Jabez’s mother or father? Why is this put in here? If nothing else, it shows us that in the midst of Judah’s apostasy and turning from God, there is always a remnant that refuses to conform to the world but chooses to follow God. Jabez was this man. He wanted God’s blessing, not the blessing of Baal. He wanted God’s promotion, not one he got from his own hand. And he wanted God’s presence; his holiness; and his joy. God gave him what he prayed for.
In 5:18-21 we read that the sons of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh made war with the Hararites. Hagarites means “ensnared”. But, because they cried out to the Lord, He delivered them and their land and they were able to put them in captivity. But as they increased in number the sinned against God and took up foreign gods and God stirred up the spirit of Pul and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser to carry them away. There names mean to prick and to separate into categories and discriminate. This is a spirit that is rampant in our world.
God, may you renew the prayer of Jabez in our hearts.
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