The main object of the Chronicles is now accomplished. The King is revealed, typically by David, who is brought to the throne by the same power which will ere long make the enemies of Christ to be His footstool (Psalm 110); thus David becomes the pledge of the fulfillment of the promises of God to Israel.
Now that the purposes of God concerning His King are made known, the children of the kingdom are named through the heads and chiefs of families. The tribes are given in the appointed order, first, the royal tribe of Judah (chap. 4). Judah was mentioned before in chap. 2 because David is of that tribe: not the families of Judah, but David's genealogy is the point there. Here in chapter 4 it is the tribe that comes first, having the preeminence as being the royal tribe, next in importance to the royal family of David. Most of the great and honorable names of that tribe are in connection with his family.
There is honorable mention made of one man for his piety. Jabez is named, not because he had possessions, but in that he prayed. “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O that Thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me and that Thou wouldst keep me from evil that it may not grieve me. And God granted him that which he requested” (4:9, etc.) His prayer was in keeping with God's promises and Israel's relationships. This is the character of acceptable prayer, and the action of true faith which rests and builds upon the revealed word of God. Earthly prosperity was the unerring mark of God's favor to an Israelite. So witnessed the Psalmist. “I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread” (Psa. 37:2525I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25)). It is not so now. The Lord Jesus himself was here as a poor and dependent man. He had no possessions in this world. Certain women ministered to Him of their substance (Luke 8:2, 32And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance. (Luke 8:2‑3)). And the word for us who now believe is, “having food and raiment, let us be content, therewith” (1 Timothy 6:88And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (1 Timothy 6:8)). The Christian's thought, even when having possessions here, if true to his heavenly calling, is, that he is only a pilgrim...a sojourner here below, and looks not at earthly possessions great or small. There are earthly wants to be supplied, and our heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of these things (Matthew 6:2222The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. (Matthew 6:22)). The foundation of faith is the same now as then—the word of God. If the word promised every earthly good, contingent upon their obedience, the same word gives us the assurance of heavenly blessing through Him Who has secured them by His death. The pathway to glory may be through poverty, reproach, and much tribulation; but the heavenly inheritance, reserved in heaven for us, is beyond the reach of thieves, or the touch of moth and rust.
“Jabez was more honorable than his brethren.” Is this an intimation that his brethren had forgotten that God was the Giver of their good things? Here they are not said to pray, and they have no such answer. God grants him (Jabez) that which he requested. Among that rebellious and stiff-necked people there were men of faith, and Jabez was one.
Hezron and his children were given in chapter 2 because David was of that line. In this chapter (4) we seem to have the descendants of Zerah. “These are the families of the Zerathites.” But whether children of Zerah or Pharez, they are of Judah. And besides Jabez we have Caleb, a well-known name, the son of Jephunneh, the son of Kenaz, if we may so conclude from Numbers 32:1212Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord. (Numbers 32:12). “Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenazite.” He was the companion of Joshua in faithfulness, and they were the only two who left Egypt and reached the promised land. All others who entered Canaan were born in the wilderness. Then comes Shelah (verse 21). So the three branches from Judah, Pharez, Zerah, and Shelah have a place here. But though Shelah was the eldest (Er and Onan being slain in judgment), there is no name of note among them such as Jabez and Caleb; they are workers in fine linen, as others were craftsmen (verse 14). There were princes among them “who had dominion in Moab,” perhaps those who were appointed to gather gifts (tribute) from Moab (18:2). But “these are ancient [past] things.” Let us remember that this genealogy was written after the return from Babylon. What honor they had was lost through their sin, and “These were the potters and those that dwelt among plants and hedges, there they dwelt with the king for his work” (verse 23). These descendants of princes seem to be gardeners to the king of Babylon.
“ The sons of Simeon” (verse 24). Wily is this tribe in such close communication with Judah, coming before Reuben and Levi who for different reasons (Reuben losing the birthright, Levi gaining the temple service) are both prominent after Judah? The reason is found in Josh. 19:11And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. (Joshua 19:1), “their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah;” and turning to Gen. 49:6, 76O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. 7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. (Genesis 49:6‑7), both Levi and Simeon were to be scattered in Israel. Truly Levi was scattered, but how honorably and blessedly! appointed to maintain the worship of Jehovah; no care nor anxiety but that which pertained to the worship of God. Simeon was small in Israel. “Neither did all their family multiply like to the children of Judah.” Notwithstanding, those mentioned by name were princes, and the house of their fathers prospered (ver. 38). Five hundred of them smote the remnant of the Amalekites that had escaped and dwelt in their cities. This down even to Hezekiah's day. But the word of Jacob at the close of his life was prophetic of the future of each tribe. Simeon and Levi were sons of Leah, and were bound together in the wickedness which caused Jacob to say, “cursed be their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.” (Gen. 49) Simeon was the elder, and, may be, compelled Levi to share in his cruelty. They were scattered in Israel. But how wondrously and graciously fulfilled in Levi! His scattering was his exaltation. Simeon on the other hand dwindles down to little more than one-third of his number (compare Numbers 1:23; 2:13; 26:1423Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. (Numbers 1:23)
13And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. (Numbers 2:13)
14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred. (Numbers 26:14)). Zimri, a prince in that tribe, was a ringleader in the iniquity of Peor. The plague that followed slew twenty-four thousand of them and made a terrible breach in that tribe. After the plague, the Lord bids Moses and Eleazar to “take the sum of the congregation;” and Simeon is found to be twenty-two thousand, instead of fifty-nine thousand as at the beginning.