בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה פֶּרֶץ חֶצְרוֹן וְכַרְמִי וְחוּר וְשׁוֹבָל

This chapter provides another partial genealogical list of the tribe of Judah. The sons, descendants, of Judah: Peretz, and his son Hetzron, and Karmi, a descendant of Zerah son of Judah, and Hur, and Shoval, both of whom were mentioned above.

וּרְאָיָה בֶן־שׁוֹבָל הֹלִיד אֶת־יַחַת וְיַחַת הֹלִיד אֶת־אֲחוּמַי וְאֶת־לָהַד אֵלֶּה מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַצָּרְעָתִי

Re’aya son of Shoval begot Yahat, and Yahat begot Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Tzoratites, families who lived in Tzora.

וְאֵלֶּה אֲבִי עֵיטָם יִזְרְעֶאל וְיִשְׁמָא וְיִדְבָּשׁ וְשֵׁם אֲחוֹתָם הַצְלֶלְפּוֹנִי

These are the fathers of the place called Eitam: Yizre’el, Yishma, Yidbash; the name of their sister was Hatzlelponi, who, according to the Midrash, was the unnamed mother of Samson in the book of Judges;

וּפְנוּאֵל אֲבִי גְדֹר וְעֵזֶר אֲבִי חוּשָׁה אֵלֶּה בְנֵי־חוּר בְּכוֹר אֶפְרָתָה אֲבִי בֵּית לָחֶם

Penuel was father of the settlement of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of the settlement of Husha. All these are the sons of Hur the firstborn of Efrat. Hur was the father of the settlement of Bethlehem. Perhaps this is the reason that the city is called both Bethlehem and Efrat.

וּלְאַשְׁחוּר אֲבִי תְקוֹעַ הָיוּ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים חֶלְאָה וְנַעֲרָה

Ashhur, father of the settlement of Tekoa, had two wives: Hela, probably from the same root as the word ḥali, which means an ornament, just as the name Adi is derived from a word meaning ornament; and Naara.

וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ נַעֲרָה אֶת־אֲחֻזָּם וְאֶת־חֵפֶר וְאֶת־תֵּימְנִי וְאֶת־הָאֲחַשְׁתָּרִי אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי נַעֲרָה

Naara bore him Ahuzam, Hefer, Teimeni, and Ahashtari. These are the sons of Naara.

וּבְנֵי חֶלְאָה צֶרֶת וְצֹחַר וְאֶתְנָן

The sons of Hela: Tzeret, Tzohar, and Etnan.

וְקוֹץ הוֹלִיד אֶת־עָנוּב וְאֶת־הַצֹּבֵבָה וּמִשְׁפְּחֹת אֲחַרְחֵל בֶּן־הָרֻם

Kotz begot Anuv, Hatzoveva, and the families of Aharhel son of Harum. Kotz was one of the sons of Hela, even though his name is not mentioned in the previous verse; this is a frequent occurrence in the book of Chronicles. Some read these two verses as though the word Kotz appears twice: And Etnan and Kotz; and Kotz begat, etc. The same can be applied to all similar instances.

וַיְהִי יַעְבֵּץ נִכְבָּד מֵאֶחָיו וְאִמּוֹ קָרְאָה שְׁמוֹ יַעְבֵּץ לֵאמֹר כִּי יָלַדְתִּי בְּעֹצֶב

There was a man in this family called Yabetz who was honored more than his brethren; his mother called his name Yabetz, saying, in a kind of play on words: Because I bore him in pain [be’otzev].

וַיִּקְרָא יַעְבֵּץ לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אִם בָּרֵךְ תְּבָרְכֵנִי וְהִרְבִּיתָ אֶת־גְּבוּלִי וְהָיְתָה יָדְךָ עִמִּי וְעָשִׂיתָ מֵרָעָה לְבִלְתִּי עָצְבִּי וַיָּבֵא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־אֲשֶׁר שָׁאָל

Yabetz called, prayed, to the God of Israel, saying: If only You would, alternatively, this is an introductory term that signifies a vow, bless me and expand my border, or my success, and Your hand would be with me to assist me, and You would keep me from harm, not causing me pain, so that I will not suffer. God granted him that which he requested. Although his requests were perhaps excessive, God fulfilled his wishes, and he indeed became a successful and important man.

וּכְלוּב אֲחִי־שׁוּחָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־מְחִיר הוּא אֲבִי אֶשְׁתּוֹן

Keluv brother of Shuha begot Mehir, who was the father of the settlement of Eshton.

וְאֶשְׁתּוֹן הוֹלִיד אֶת־בֵּית רָפָא וְאֶת־פָּסֵחַ וְאֶת־תְּחִנָּה אֲבִי עִיר־נָחָשׁ אֵלֶּה אַנְשֵׁי רֵכָה

Eshton begot Beit Rafa, Pase’ah, and Tehina, who was the father of the settlement of Ir Nahash. These are the men of the family of Rekha, although it is not revealed why they were called by this name.

וּבְנֵי קְנַז עָתְנִיאֵל וּשְׂרָיָה וּבְנֵי עָתְנִיאֵל חֲתַת

The sons of Kenaz: Otniel, who is referred to elsewhere as a great man, a mighty warrior, the first of the judges, and a relation of Caleb, and Seraya; the sons of Otniel: Hatat.

וּמְעוֹנֹתַי הוֹלִיד אֶת־עָפְרָה וּשְׂרָיָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־יוֹאָב אֲבִי גֵּיא חֲרָשִׁים כִּי חֲרָשִׁים הָיוּ

Meonotai begot Ofra, and Seraya begot Yoav, father of the city of Gei Harashim, for they were craftsmen [h·]. This city was famous for the craftsmen who lived there. Since Yoav is not a common name, some contend that this is the famous Yoav son of Tzeruya, who is usually referred to by his mother’s name; according to this verse, his father was called Seraya.

וּבְנֵי כָּלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה עִירוּ אֵלָה וָנָעַם וּבְנֵי אֵלָה וּקְנַז

The sons of Caleb son of Yefuneh, who belonged to the same family: Iru, Ela, and Naam; and the sons of Ela: Kenaz. Some read the verse as follows: The sons of Naam were Ela and Kenaz.

וּבְנֵי יְהַלֶּלְאֵל זִיף וְזִיפָה תִּירְיָא וַאֲשַׂרְאֵל

The sons of Yehalelel: Zif, Zifa, Tirya, and Asarel.

וּבֶן־עֶזְרָה יֶתֶר וּמֶרֶד וְעֵפֶר וְיָלוֹן וַתַּהַר אֶת־מִרְיָם וְאֶת־שַׁמַּי וְאֶת־יִשְׁבַּח אֲבִי אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ

The sons of Ezra: Yeter, Mered, Efer, and Yalon. She, Caleb’s wife, bore Miriam, Shamai, and Yishbah, father of the settlement of Eshtemoa,

וְאִשְׁתּוֹ הַיְּהֻדִיָּה יָלְדָה אֶת־יֶרֶד אֲבִי גְדוֹר וְאֶת־חֶבֶר אֲבִי שׂוֹכוֹ וְאֶת־יְקוּתִיאֵל אֲבִי זָנוֹחַ וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי בִּתְיָה בַת־פַּרְעֹה אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מָרֶד

and his Judean wife, the wife of Caleb or perhaps Mered, bore Yered, father of the settlement of Gedor; Hever, father of the settlement of Sokho; and Yekutiel, father of the settlement of Zano’ah; these are the sons of Bitya daughter of Pharaoh whom Mered took as a wife. Bitya daughter of Pharaoh is perhaps the same woman who earlier in the verse is called his Judean, or Jewish wife.

וּבְנֵי אֵשֶׁת הוֹדִיָּה אֲחוֹת נַחַם אֲבִי קְעִילָה הַגַּרְמִי וְאֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ הַמַּעֲכָתִי

The sons of the wife of Hodiya, the sister of Naham: the father of the settlement of Ke’ila of the Garmites and Eshtemoa of the Maakhatites.

וּבְנֵי שִׁימוֹן אַמְנוֹן וְרִנָּה בֶּן־חָנָן וְתִילוֹן וּבְנֵי יִשְׁעִי זוֹחֵת וּבֶן־זוֹחֵת

The sons of Shimon, who was perhaps sufficiently well known that there was no need to mention his lineage: Amnon, Rina, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Yishi: Zohet and Ben Zohet, probably a name rather than “son of [ben] Zohet.”

בְּנֵי שֵׁלָה בֶן־יְהוּדָה עֵר אֲבִי לֵכָה וְלַעְדָּה אֲבִי מָרֵשָׁה וּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת בֵּית־עֲבֹדַת הַבֻּץ לְבֵית אַשְׁבֵּעַ

Some of the people mentioned up to this point were descendants of Zerah son of Judah, although the majority were sons of Peretz. The chapter now cites a very short list of another branch of the tribe. The sons of Shela son of Judah: Er, named by Shela after his brother who had died young, the father of the settlement of Lekha, and Lada, father of the settlement of Maresha, and the families of the house of the craft of fine linen, of the house of Ashbe’a;

וְיוֹקִים וְאַנְשֵׁי כֹזֵבָא וְיוֹאָשׁ וְשָׂרָף אֲשֶׁר־בָּעֲלוּ לְמוֹאָב וְיָשֻׁבִי לָחֶם וְהַדְּבָרִים עַתִּיקִים

and Yokim, the men of Kozeva were from these families, Yo’ash, Saraf, who married into Moav, or who married women from Moav, and Yashuvi Lehem; the matters are ancientatikim]; alternatively, the records are copied [mu’atakim] from other lists and books.

הֵמָּה הַיּוֹצְרִים וְיֹשְׁבֵי נְטָעִים וּגְדֵרָה עִם־הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ יָשְׁבוּ שָׁם

They are the potters and the inhabitants of Neta’im and Gedera; alternatively, this means that they were those who dwelt among plantations [neta’im] and hedges [gedera]; they dwelt there in the king’s employ. The residents of these places performed the king’s labor and were perhaps famous on this account. This concludes an extremely abbreviated list of the descendants of Judah.

בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן נְמוּאֵל וְיָמִין יָרִיב זֶרַח שָׁאוּל

The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Yamin, Yariv, Zerah, Shaul,

שַׁלֻּם בְּנוֹ מִבְשָׂם בְּנוֹ מִשְׁמָע בְּנוֹ

Shalum his, Shaul’s, son; Mivsam his son, the son of Shalum; and thus the generations continue: Mishma his, Shalum’s, son.

וּבְנֵי מִשְׁמָע חַמּוּאֵל בְּנוֹ זַכּוּר בְּנוֹ שִׁמְעִי בְנוֹ

The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zakur his son, Shimi his son.

וּלְשִׁמְעִי בָּנִים שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר וּבָנוֹת שֵׁשׁ וּלְאֶחָיו אֵין בָּנִים רַבִּים וְכֹל מִשְׁפַּחְתָּם לֹא הִרְבּוּ עַד־בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה

Shimi had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, and their entire family, the descendants of Simeon, did not multiply like the children of Judah. They were always far fewer in number than the tribe of Judah.

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בִּבְאֵר־שֶׁבַע וּמוֹלָדָה וַחֲצַר שׁוּעָל

They, the children of Simeon, dwelled in Beersheba, Molada, and Hatzar Shual,

וּבְבִלְהָה וּבְעֶצֶם וּבְתוֹלָד

and in Bilha, in Etzem, in Tolad,

וּבִבְתוּאֵל וּבְחָרְמָה וּבְצִקְלָג

in Betuel, in Horma, in Tziklag,

וּבְבֵית מַרְכָּבוֹת וּבַחֲצַר סוּסִים וּבְבֵית בִּרְאִי וּבְשַׁעֲרָיִם אֵלֶּה עָרֵיהֶם עַד־מְלֹךְ דָּוִיד

in Beit Markavot, in Hatzar Susim, in Beit Biri, and in Shaarayim. These were their cities, the cities of the children of Simeon, until the reign of David. These are more or less the same places that are listed in the book of Joshua as the cities of Simeon. The tribe of Simeon was virtually subsumed into the tribe of Judah; the members of Judah provided them with protection, but their territory was swallowed up within the territory of Judah.

וְחַצְרֵיהֶם עֵיטָם וָעַיִן רִמּוֹן וְתֹכֶן וְעָשָׁן עָרִים חָמֵשׁ

Their open, unwalled villages were Eitam and Ayin, Rimon and Tokhen, and Ashan, a total of five cities;

וְכָל־חַצְרֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹת הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה עַד־בָּעַל זֹאת מוֹשְׁבֹתָם וְהִתְיַחְשָׂם לָהֶם

and all their villages that were surrounding these cities, up to Baal. These were their dwellings, and their relationship to them. This was the area in which they lived and the cities to which they were related. There were several central cities, surrounded by villages and small towns.

וּמְשׁוֹבָב וְיַמְלֵךְ וְיוֹשָׁה בֶּן־אֲמַצְיָה

Over time, the tribe of Simeon increased and spread out: Meshovav, Yamlekh, Yosha son of Amatzya,

וְיוֹאֵל וְיֵהוּא בֶּן־יוֹשִׁבְיָה בֶּן־שְׂרָיָה בֶּן־עֲשִׂיאֵל

Yoel, Yehu son of Yoshivya, son of Seraya, son of Asiel,

וְאֶלְיוֹעֵנַי וְיַעֲקֹבָה וִישׁוֹחָיָה וַעֲשָׂיָה וַעֲדִיאֵל וִישִׂימִאֵל וּבְנָיָה

Elioeinai, Yaakova, Yeshohaya, Asaya, Adiel, Yesimiel, Benaya,

וְזִיזָא בֶן־שִׁפְעִי בֶן־אַלּוֹן בֶּן־יְדָיָה בֶן־שִׁמְרִי בֶּן־שְׁמַעְיָה

and Ziza son of Shifi, son of Alon, son of Yedaya, son of Shimri, son of Shemaya.

אֵלֶּה הַבָּאִים בְּשֵׁמוֹת נְשִׂיאִים בְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם וּבֵית אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם פָּרְצוּ לָרוֹב

All these mentioned by name were not ordinary individuals; rather, they were princes in their families, as each was the leader of a large group of people, and their patrilineal houses increased greatly. Their families multiplied, and as their territory was in the Negev, which is not very suitable for agriculture, they earned their living mainly by shepherding.

וַיֵּלְכוּ לִמְבוֹא גְדֹר עַד לְמִזְרַח הַגָּיְא לְבַקֵּשׁ מִרְעֶה לְצֹאנָם

They went to the approach to Gedor, up to the east of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.

וַיִּמְצְאוּ מִרְעֶה שָׁמֵן וָטוֹב וְהָאָרֶץ רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם וְשֹׁקֶטֶת וּשְׁלֵוָה כִּי מִן חָם הַיֹּשְׁבִים שָׁם לְפָנִים

They found an area of lush and good pasture, and the land was spacious, serene, and tranquil, for the inhabitants beforehand were from the children of Ham. The descendants of Ham who lived in that region were not belligerent.

וַיָּבֹאוּ אֵלֶּה הַכְּתוּבִים בְּשֵׁמוֹת בִּימֵי יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־אָהֳלֵיהֶם וְאֶת־הַמְּעוּנִים אֲשֶׁר נִמְצְאוּ־שָׁמָּה וַיַּחֲרִימֻם עַד־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם כִּי־מִרְעֶה לְצֹאנָם שָׁם

Those princes recorded by name came in the days of Yehizkiyahu king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the Maonites, people of the tribe of Maon, who harassed Israel, who were found there, and destroyed them to this day, until the day this verse was written. They settled there in their stead, for there was pasture for their flocks there. It seems that they wandered in search of land fit for grazing until they came to an inhabited area, which they then conquered and settled. It is not clear whether this refers to a portion of the inheritance of Judah that the tribe had never captured, or if the children of Simeon traveled south of the border of the land of Judah.

ומֵהֶם מִן־בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן הָלְכוּ לְהַר שֵׂעִיר אֲנָשִׁים חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וּפְלַטְיָה וּנְעַרְיָה וּרְפָיָה וְעֻזִּיאֵל בְּנֵי יִשְׁעִי בְּרֹאשָׁם

Some of them from the sons of Simeon, a different section of the tribe, went to the highlands of Se’ir, five hundred men, and Pelatya, Ne’arya, Refaya, and Uziel, sons of Yishi, were at their head. Mount Se’ir was the region of the Edomites, among whom lived the remnant of Amalek that Saul had failed to destroy.

וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־שְׁאֵרִית הַפְּלֵטָה לַעֲמָלֵק וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

They, the sons of Simeon, smote the surviving remnant of the Amalekites and dwelled there to this day.