1 Chronicles 7:20-27 Meaning: When Tragedy Struck Ephraim's Family
20The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son,
21Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take away their livestock.
22Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.
23He went in to his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and he named him Beriah, because there was trouble with his house.
24His daughter was Sheerah, who built Beth Horon the lower and the upper, and Uzzen Sheerah.
25Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son,
26Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,
27Nun his son, and Joshua his son.
20And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son,
21And Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.
22And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.
23And when he went in to his wife, she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house.
24(And his daughter was Sherah, who built Beth–horon the nether, and the upper, and Uzzen–sherah.)
25And Rephah was his son, also Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son,
26Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,
27Non his son, Jehoshua his son.
20And the sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eleadah his son, and Tahath his son,
21and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in the land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.
22And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.
23And he went in to his wife, and she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house.
24And his daughter was Sheerah, who built Beth-horon the nether and the upper, and Uzzen-sheerah.
25And Rephah was his son, and Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son,
26Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,
27Nun his son, Joshua his son.
20And sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son,
21and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead; and slain them have men of Gath who are born in the land, because they came down to take their cattle.
22And Ephraim their father mourneth many days, and his brethren come in to comfort him,
23and he goeth in unto his wife, and she conceiveth and beareth a son, and he calleth his name Beriah, because in evil had been his house, --
24and his daughter is Sherah, and she buildeth Beth-Horon, the lower and the upper, and Uzzen-Sherah--
25and Rephah is his son, and Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son,
26Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,
27Non his son, Jehoshua his son.
20And the sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son,
21and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elad. And the men of Gath born in the land slew them, because they came down to take their cattle.
22And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.
23And he went in to his wife; and she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Beriah, for [he was born] when calamity was in his house.
24And his daughter was Sheerah; and she built Beth-horon the nether, and the upper, and Uzzen-sheerah.
25And his son was Rephah, and Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son,
26Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,
27Nun his son, Joshua his son.
Meaning in one sentence
An insightful look at 1 Chronicles 7:20-27, where a genealogy reveals grief, a daughter builds cities, and God's plan leads to Joshua.
Context
This passage sits within the Chronicler's long record of Israel's tribal families, written for a people returning from exile who needed to know where they came from. The Ephraim section stands out because it pauses the list of names to tell a story. Two of Ephraim's sons, Ezer and Elead, were killed by men from Gath while raiding their livestock. The patriarch mourned deeply, then had another son, Beriah, whose name means "in trouble." The genealogy then traces through Beriah down to Joshua, the man who led Israel into the Promised Land. A daughter, Sheerah, also appears as a builder of cities. The Chronicler includes these details to show that God's purposes continued even through tragedy.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words turn this list into a living story. The word for mourned (ʾāval, H0056) means more than sadness: it carries the weight of public, visible grief. Ephraim did not hide his pain. His brothers came to comfort him (nāḥam, H5162), a word that suggests deep, active consolation, the kind Job's friends offered by just sitting with him.
The son's name, Beriah (H1283), comes from the phrase because there was trouble with his house. The Hebrew word raʿah (H7451) means evil, distress, or calamity. Ephraim named his son to mark the sorrow, much like Rachel named Benoni ("son of my sorrow") or the woman named Ichabod ("the glory has departed"). He did not pretend the pain never happened.
Finally, built (bānāh, H1129) is used for Sheerah, a rare mention of a woman in a genealogy, and the verb suggests she had the resources and authority to found entire settlements. God's line kept moving forward even through a mother's loss.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen this passage as a quiet testimony to God's faithfulness in hard times. Matthew Henry (Reformed) noted that when God restored comfort to Ephraim, He "made glad according to the days wherein he afflicted." The Geneva Bible focused on the naming of Beriah as a reminder that affliction visited the house, but did not end it.
Some interpreters, like those in the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary, see the raid on Gath as a glimpse into Hebrew life in Egypt, a pastoral people acting like shepherds of that era. The Cambridge Bible points out that Sheerah could not have literally built those cities herself; rather, her descendants built them, honoring her as the clan's founder. Catholic tradition (Douay-Rheims) preserves the same story, noting how the Chronicler weaves a narrative of loss and rebuilding into a genealogy.
A common misunderstanding
Many readers skip this passage, assuming a genealogy of hard-to-pronounce names has nothing to offer. In fact, the Chronicler deliberately interrupts the list with a raw story of grief and recovery. This genealogy is not just a cold record, it remembers a family that suffered a terrible loss, mourned openly, named their pain, and kept going. The names mark real people who lived through real tragedy, and the line ends with Joshua, the one who led God's people into their inheritance.
Living This Out
If you are carrying a loss or a disappointment that feels like it has left a mark on your family's story, this passage gives you permission to name it. Ephraim did not rush past his grief. He mourned for many days. He even gave his next son a name that meant "trouble." But here is the hope: the genealogy does not end with Beriah. It continues, and eventually it reaches Joshua, the man who brought God's people into the land of promise.
This week, consider what "Beriah" you might be carrying. It could be a season you named after a hardship. And then look for the Sheerah, the unexpected builder, the one who constructs something new out of the rubble. God does not erase our sorrows; He weaves them into a longer story that leads somewhere good.
Main takeaway: God's unfolding plan is not derailed by tragedy; He works through mourning and loss to bring about His purposes, even raising up builders and leaders along the way.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Ephraim was very sad because two of his sons died. His family came to comfort him. God gave him another son, and later that family had a boy named Joshua, who led God's people to their new home.
For ages 9, 12
The book of 1 Chronicles lists many family names, but in the middle of Ephraim's list, something terrible happened: his sons Ezer and Elead were killed. Ephraim mourned for a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. Later, a daughter named Sheerah actually built towns, that's unusual to have a woman mentioned this way. The family line continued, and it ended with Joshua, the leader who brought Israel into the Promised Land. The message is that even when bad things happen, God keeps working and keeps His promises.
Questions People Ask
What happened to Ezer and Elead in 1 Chronicles 7:21?
Ezer and Elead, sons of Ephraim, were killed by the men of Gath. The text says they "came down to take away their livestock," suggesting a raid that went badly. This event is not recorded anywhere else in Scripture, so the Chronicler preserves a family tragedy that might otherwise have been forgotten.
Why name a son Beriah, which means 'in trouble'?
Ephraim named his son Beriah because "there was trouble with his house", the Hebrew word ra'ah means distress or calamity. In the ancient world, names often reflected circumstances. Like Rachel naming Benoni ("son of my sorrow") or the mother of Ichabod ("the glory has departed"), Ephraim marked his grief honestly. It was a way of saying, 'I remember what happened.'
Who was Sheerah in 1 Chronicles 7:24?
Sheerah is described as a daughter of Ephraim (likely a descendant or clan founder) who built three cities: Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah. This is a rare mention of a woman in a genealogy, and it highlights her role in establishing settlements. Most scholars think her descendants did the actual building, but she was remembered as the founder.
How does Joshua appear at the end of Ephraim's genealogy?
The genealogy traces from Ephraim through his son Beriah, then through several generations (Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Tahan, Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, Nun) to Joshua son of Nun. Joshua, the leader who conquered Canaan, was from the tribe of Ephraim. This shows that despite the tragedy early in Ephraim's family, God raised up a great leader from that line.
Why does 1 Chronicles include this tragic story in a genealogy?
The Chronicler wrote for people returning from exile who needed to remember God's faithfulness through hard times. By including this episode of loss and comfort, he shows that suffering did not stop God's plan. The genealogy ends with Joshua, a reminder that God can bring victory even out of sorrow, and that He keeps His covenant promises across generations.
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