1 Chronicles 7:1-5 Meaning: When Names Differ
1Of the sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four.
2The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers’ houses, of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations. Their number in the days of David was twenty-two thousand six hundred.
3The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, five; all of them chief men.
4With them, by their generations, after their fathers’ houses, were bands of the army for war, thirty-six thousand; for they had many wives and sons.
5Their brothers among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, listed in all by genealogy, were eighty-seven thousand.
1Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four.
2And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father’s house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred.
3And the sons of Uzzi; Izrahiah: and the sons of Izrahiah; Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five: all of them chief men.
4And with them, by their generations, after the house of their fathers, were bands of soldiers for war, six and thirty thousand men: for they had many wives and sons.
5And their brethren among all the families of Issachar were valiant men of might, reckoned in all by their genealogies fourscore and seven thousand.
1And of the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four.
2And the sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers’ houses, to wit, of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations: their number in the days of David was two and twenty thousand and six hundred.
3And the sons of Uzzi: Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah: Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Isshiah, five; all of them chief men.
4And with them, by their generations, after their fathers’ houses, were bands of the host for war, six and thirty thousand; for they had many wives and sons.
5And their brethren among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, reckoned in all by genealogy, were fourscore and seven thousand.
1And sons of Issachar; Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four.
2And sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of the house of their fathers, even of Tola, mighty of valour in their generations: their number in the days of David is twenty and two thousand and six hundred.
3And sons of Uzzi: Izrahiah; and sons of Izrahiah: Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, Hamishah--all of them heads.
4And beside them, by their generations, of the house of their fathers, are troops of the host of battle, thirty and six thousand, for they multiplied wives and sons;
5and their brethren of all the families of Issachar are mighty of valour, eighty and seven thousand, all have their genealogy.
1And the sons of Issachar were Tola and Puah, Jashub and Shimron, four.
2And the sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Samuel, heads of their fathers' houses, of Tola, valiant men of might in their generations; their number in the days of David was twenty-two thousand six hundred.
3And the sons of Uzzi: Jizrahiah; and the sons of Jizrahiah: Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, [and] Jishijah, five; all of them chief men.
4And with them by their generations, according to their fathers' houses, were military bands for war, thirty-six thousand; for they had many wives and sons.
5And their brethren among all the families of Issachar valiant men of might, registered by genealogy, in all eighty-seven thousand.
Meaning in one sentence
Why do the names of Issachar's sons vary in Genesis, Numbers, and Chronicles? Explore the faithfulness behind the differences in 1 Chronicles 7:1-5.
Context
The Chronicler wrote to a people coming home from exile, needing to remember who they were. In this chapter, he traces the families of several tribes, and Issachar's section is one of the fullest. He lists the sons of the patriarch, then the branches of Tola's house, naming chiefs and recording the number of fighting men from David's time. These numbers probably came from the census David ordered, a census that began as sin but left a record God later used for good. The passage shows that God knew not just the big patriarchs but every household.
Key Words
The phrase 'mighty men of valor' translates two Hebrew words: gibbor, meaning strong or powerful, and chayil, which carries the sense of capacity, wealth, or worth. These men were not just warriors; they were substantial, capable people you could count on. The word for 'heads' is roshim, literally 'heads', leaders who carried responsibility for their clans. And the verb behind 'listed in all by genealogy' is hithyahsem, a term the Chronicler uses often. It means to enroll oneself in a genealogy, to be counted and remembered. This was an act of belonging. Your name mattered to God.
The word 'generations' here is toledot, the same word used in Genesis for the accounts of the patriarchs. It suggests not just a list of names but the unfolding story of God's people. The Chronicler saw that story continuing in every family he recorded.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian readers across traditions have approached these genealogies with deep respect. Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry and Keil-Delitzsch see the lists as a record of God's faithfulness to Israel, providing identity for the post-exilic community. They note that the numbers likely come from David's census, while the names may show minor variations from earlier lists. Catholic and Orthodox readers share this conviction: the Chronicler preserved history with care, and the differences between Genesis, Numbers, and Chronicles do not undermine the truth of God's Word but reflect the living transmission of Scripture.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers notice that the name of Issachar's second son appears as 'Puah' here but 'Puvah' in Numbers and 'Iob' or 'Job' in Genesis, and they worry the Bible disagrees with itself. In fact, these variations are common in ancient genealogies. Names sometimes had alternative spellings or nicknames; scribal copying also introduced minor changes. The consistent pattern of four sons and the accurate echo of Numbers 26 show the Chronicler used known sources faithfully. The overall testimony is reliable.
Living This Out
This week, consider someone in your family whose name or story you don't know well. The Chronicler made it his work to remember names, even the ones that shifted a little across the years. You could ask a relative about a grandparent or ancestor, or simply thank God that He knows every person by name, even the ones history forgot. Your story and your family's story are safe with Him. You don't need to have a perfect record of the past to trust that God holds it all.
Main takeaway: God's faithfulness to His people shines through the generations, even when the records show small differences in names and details.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
This part of the Bible lists the names of Issachar's family. Even if some names are hard to say, God knows every single one. He knows your name too. You matter to Him just like the people in this list.
For ages 9, 12
In the books of Genesis, Numbers, and 1 Chronicles, the names of Issachar's sons are a little different. That's because ancient people sometimes went by different names or spelled them differently. It doesn't mean the Bible is wrong. It means the Bible is a real book from a real time, and God still made sure His story came through clearly. The Chronicler cared about families and recorded them carefully. You can trust that God knows you and your family story just as well, even when the details get passed down in different ways.
Questions People Ask
Why do the names of Issachar's sons differ in Genesis, Numbers, and 1 Chronicles?
The most common variation is Puah (1 Chronicles) vs Puvah (Numbers) vs Iob/Job (Genesis). This is likely due to alternative spellings, nicknames, or scribal copying differences. Similar variations appear in other ancient genealogies. The overall number of four sons and the tribal structure remain consistent, showing the Chronicler faithfully used his sources.
What does 'mighty men of valor' mean in 1 Chronicles 7?
It translates the Hebrew phrase gibbor chayil, meaning warriors of strength and worth. It describes men who were not only brave in battle but also reliable leaders and providers for their families. The Chronicler uses this honorific to show that Issachar's descendants were capable and faithful in their generations.
Why does the Chronicler include the number 87,000 for Issachar?
This was the total number of fighting men from the tribe, likely based on David's census recorded in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21. The number 87,000 is the sum of the groups listed earlier (22,600 from Tola and 36,000 from the other families) plus the rest of the tribe. It shows that Issachar was a strong and populous tribe in David's reign.
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