I Chronicles 4:16-20 · Bible study
1 Chronicles 4:16-20 Commentary: Hidden Connections
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the obscure genealogies of I Chronicles 4:16-20, including Mered's marriage to Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah, and the significance of place names for
Research Summary
- Meaning: This passage preserves obscure family lines within Judah, linking them to specific towns and underscoring God's care for every family.
- Key words: Ziph (H2128), a city in Judah; Bithiah (H1332), 'daughter of Yahweh,' an Egyptian convert; 'father of' (H0001 'av), often means founder or ruler.
- Main debate: The text is textually corrupt; the identity of the mother of Miriam and others is uncertain. Some traditions (Targum) read the names as epithets for Moses.
- Theological theme: God's inclusive covenant embraces both Jews and Gentiles, as seen in the marriage to Pharaoh's daughter who converted.
- Best use: For studies on the significance of genealogies, the inclusion of foreigners, and God's care for the obscure.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
16The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
17The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon.
18And Mered’s wife Bithiah gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah. Mered also took a Judean wife, who gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.
19The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
20The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth.
WEB World English Bible 2000
16The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
17The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon; and Mered’s wife bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18His wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took.
19The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
20The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben Zoheth.
KJV King James Version 1769
16And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.
17And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.
19And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.
20And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben–hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Ben–zoheth.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
16And the sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
17And the sons of Ezrah: Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon; and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18And his wife the Jewess bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took.
19And the sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
20And the sons of Shimon: Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben-zoheth.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
16And sons of Jehaleleel: Ziph and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.
17And sons of Ezra are Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she beareth Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah father of Eshtemoa.
18And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered father of Gedor, and Heber father of Socho, and Jekuthiel father of Zanoah. And these are sons of Bithiah daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took,
19and sons of the wife of Hodiah sister of Nahom: Abi-Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.
20And sons of Shimon are Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben-Hanon, and Tilon; and sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben-Zoheth.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
16— And the sons of Jehalleleel: Ziph and Ziphah, Tiria and Asareel.
17— And the sons of Ezra: Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon; and she conceived [and bore] Miriam, and Shammai, and Jishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
18And his wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh whom Mered took.
19— And the sons of the wife of Hodijah, the sister of Naham: the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.
20— And the sons of Shimon: Amnon and Rinnah, Ben-hanan and Tilon. — And the sons of Jishi: Zoheth and Ben-Zoheth.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
16The sons also of Jaleleel: Ziph, and Zipha, Thiria and Asrael.
17And the sons of Esra, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon, and he begot Mariam, and Sammai, and Jesba the father of Esthamo.
18And his wife Judaia, bore Jared the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Icuthiel the father of Zanoe. And these are the sons of Bethia the daughter of Pharao, whom Mered took to wife.
19And the sons of his wife Odaia the sister of Naham the father of Celia, Garmi, and Esthamo, who was of Machathi.
20The sons also of Simon, Amnon, and Rinna the son of Hanan, and Thilon. And the sons of Jesi Zoheth, and Benzoheth.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Chronicles 4:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The passage presents a string of names whose connection to Judah is not spelled out. Commentators agree the text is textually difficult, Keil and Delitzsch call it 'unintelligible' in places, noting clear traces of corruption. Yet there is consensus on the passage's purpose: it preserves family lines that settled in towns of Judah. Barnes points out that Ziph is a place name in Judah (Joshua 15:24), and Cambridge links Gedor, Socoh, and Zanoah to known Judahite towns. The most striking element, the marriage of Mered to Bithiah daughter of Pharaoh, is seen by Barnes and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown as evidence of conversion: her name means 'daughter of Yahweh.' Adam Clarke records the Targum's interpretation that these are epithets of Moses, but most commentators read the passage as a straightforward genealogical record. The shared conclusion is that the Chronicler included these obscure names to root later generations in the land and in God's covenant with Judah.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Literal genealogical record: Most commentators read the names as actual persons and places, preserving tribal heritage.
- Symbolic/allegorical reading: The Targum and Jewish tradition interpret the names as epithets for Moses.
- Textually unreliable tradition: Some critical scholars see the confusion as evidence of a corrupted text that cannot be fully restored.
What is clear: The passage is part of Judah's tribal genealogy and affirms the Chronicler's interest in preserving family and town identities, including the remarkable inclusion of a convert from Egypt.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Textual reconstruction | The text is difficult and likely corrupted; the subject of 'she conceived' is missing. | Bertheau's transposition places Bithiah as the mother of Miriam; others maintain the original order and see Mered's Jewish wife as the subject. |
| Identity of Mered | Mered is a son of Ezrah, mentioned only here. | The Targum identifies Mered with Caleb; most commentators reject this and see him as a distinct figure. |
| Meaning of the names | Many names correspond to towns in Judah. | Whether the names refer primarily to actual persons or to eponymous ancestors representing clans. |
| Bithiah's significance | She is a daughter of Pharaoh who married Mered. | Some take this as a historical marriage; others see it as a symbolic inclusion of Gentile converts. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The genealogies in 1 Chronicles were compiled after the Babylonian exile, likely in the late 6th to 4th centuries BC. Their purpose was to reestablish Israelite identity in the land. By linking families to specific towns, the Chronicler affirmed that the returning exiles had rightful claims to ancestral territory. The names in verses 16-20 read like a roster of towns: Ziph appears in Joshua 15:24 as a city in southern Judah; Gedor in Joshua 15:58; Socoh in Joshua 15:35; Zanoah in Joshua 15:34; Keilah in Joshua 15:44; and Eshtemoa in Joshua 15:50, later a Levitical city (1 Chronicles 6:57). The phrase 'father of' likely means 'founder of' or 'ruler of' that town, a common usage in ancient Near Eastern genealogies.
The mention of Bithiah, daughter of Pharaoh, is remarkable. Egypt was Israel's former oppressor, yet an Egyptian princess marries into the tribe of Judah. Her name Bithiah means 'daughter of Yahweh,' suggesting conversion. This reflects the Chronicler's inclusive theology: even foreigners who embrace the God of Israel are part of the covenant community. The term 'the Jewess' for Mered's other wife sets up a contrast between Egyptian and Jewish heritage, yet both are woven into Judah's story.
Literarily, these verses are part of a section (chapter 4) that supplements the earlier Judah genealogy in chapter 2. The Chronicler collects fragments from old records, as verse 22 states: 'These records are ancient.' The passage serves as a bridge from the main Judah line to the Simeonite genealogy that follows.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note that the text has a missing subject for 'she conceived' (v.17), creating ambiguity. The Cambridge Bible suggests a transposition of phrases from v.18 to clarify that Bithiah is the mother. The LXX and Syriac omit verses 17-18 entirely, confirming suspicion of textual corruption. No other significant variants are mentioned.
Reception History
Jewish tradition, represented by the Targum and Jarchi, interpreted these verses allegorically as referring to Moses: the names become epithets describing his life and work. Christian commentators such as Matthew Henry saw the passage as an example of God's faithful recording of even obscure families, affirming that every person is precious in His sight. Through the centuries, the mention of Pharaoh's daughter has been seen by many as a type of the Gentile church being grafted into the people of God.
Preaching This Verse
This passage may seem like a list of obscure names, but it carries rich truths for preaching. The Chronicler preserves these details because every person and place matters to God.
Three-point outline
- God remembers the forgotten. Names like Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, Asarel appear nowhere else in Scripture, yet they are recorded. No one is too small for God's care.
- God welcomes the outsider. Bithiah, daughter of Pharaoh, married into Judah. Her name means 'daughter of Yahweh,' indicating a convert. The gospel reaches beyond ethnic boundaries.
- God gives people roots. Towns like Gedor, Socoh, Zanoah are listed with the families who settled them. God ties identity to community and land, especially for a people returning from exile.
Five-point outline
- Every life matters to God. Even names with no further story are recorded.
- Conversion is real and radical. Bithiah left Egypt to follow Israel's God.
- God uses mixed backgrounds. Mered's two wives, one Jewish and one Egyptian, both contribute to Judah's lineage.
- Place and belonging are sacred. The genealogies tie people to their towns, affirming inheritance.
- Scripture's patience with details teaches us to value history. The Chronicler takes time to preserve fragments of the past.
Illustration hooks
- A family photo album with names like 'Great aunt Tirzah', no one remembers her, but she is part of the family tree.
- A small town's war memorial listing soldiers few now recall, yet each name is honored.
- The mix of cultures in a modern church potluck, each dish represents a background that God has woven together.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God really care about ordinary people who never do anything famous?
- Why is there a whole chapter of names in the Bible? Is it just for historians?
- What does the story of an Egyptian princess marrying into Israel say about racial and cultural inclusion in God's plan?
Leading a Discussion
These verses may seem like a genealogy to skip over, but they contain hidden treasures. The Chronicler included them to show that God's people consist of real families, even ones whose names we do not recognize. The marriage of Mered to Bithiah, an Egyptian princess, reminds us that God's family has always been open to outsiders who turn to Him.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the names and places listed here? Are any familiar from other parts of Scripture?
- Why do you think the Chronicler included the detail that Bithiah was Pharaoh's daughter? What does this suggest about her faith?
- How does the phrase 'father of Gedor' or 'father of Socoh' connect family identity with a physical place? Why might that have mattered after the exile?
- Mered had two wives: one called 'the Jewess' and one Egyptian. How does God's kingdom bring together people from different backgrounds?
- What does this passage teach us about the value of people who are not famous or influential? How should that shape how we see ourselves and others?
- If our names were written in a spiritual genealogy, what would it mean for us to be 'children of God' rather than descendants of a particular town?
- How can remembering our spiritual heritage encourage us in times of uncertainty, just as these genealogies encouraged the returning exiles?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Joshua 15:50 | Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, |
| I Samuel 30:28 | to those who were in Aroer, to those who were in Siphmoth, to those who were in Eshtemoa, |
| I Chronicles 6:57 | To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron, Libnah also with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, |
| I Chronicles 21:24 | King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will most certainly buy it for the full price. For I will not take that which is yours for Yahweh, nor offer a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” |
| Joshua 15:34 | Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, |
| Joshua 15:35 | Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, |
| Joshua 15:48 | In the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, |
| Joshua 15:58 | Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke presents the traditional Jewish interpretation that the various names in this verse are prophetic titles for Moses. Each name describes a specific role he fulfilled, such as bringing down manna or restoring Israel. Pharaoh's daughter Bithiah, inspired by prophecy, gave him these names after she adopted him.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes suggests the original text likely read "she conceived" rather than "she bare," noting the mother is not named and the verse is uncertain. He then observes that Mered's Egyptian wife Bithiah may have been given in marriage by Pharaoh or converted to Judaism, as her name means "daughter of Yahweh."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes treat this genealogy as a record of God's surprising grace, singling out the mention of
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill focuses on untangling complex genealogies, particularly noting that "Miriam" here is a man's name, not Moses' sister. He also clarifies that "Bithiah" was not Pharaoh's daughter from Exodus but an Israelite woman, and points to Jewish traditions that identify "Mered" with Caleb.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the remarkable marriage of an Egyptian princess to a descendant of Caleb, likely in the wilderness. This union was only possible because she renounced idolatry and converted to worship the God of Israel, breaking the usual barriers of language and religion.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlight a textual corruption in the genealogy where the names of Mered's two wives and their sons are tangled. They endorse Bertheau's simple rearrangement of the words, which restores clarity: the passage then shows two family lines from Mered, one through a daughter of Pharaoh, placing him before the exodus.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees this section as a collection of fragmented genealogical supplements, not a continuous family tree. He describes it as a gathering of genealogical pebbles from various sources, held together only by their common connection to Judah. The listing of five “sons” of Judah serves as a heading but does not match the
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to an entire family of skilled craftsmen being named in Scripture, noting that their valley was called "the valley of craftsmen." His point is that God honors industrious tradespeople and that honest manual labor is worth recording in the Bible.