And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.
1 Chronicles 4:15 stands in the opening genealogies of Chronicles, which list names and family lines of the tribes and families with special attention to Judah and the priesthood. Here Caleb the son of Jephunneh is named with his sons Iru, Elah, and Naam, and Elah's son is named as Kenaz. The genealogy assumes knowledge of the preceding books of the Bible and supplies family detail omitted from Samuel and Kings. At the same time it says nothing about the northern kingdom.
The record of hereditary descent provided the strict legal proof needed after the exile for assigning the land to its hereditary owners. It likewise provided the proof needed for restoring the temple service to those whose hereditary duty it was. The carefully preserved genealogy of Judah matters because Christ came through the line of Judah.
The verse is an example of the long lists of names that may be difficult to understand and seem to have little value. Its inclusion illustrates that Scripture contains material of differing interest and value to different people, including details that reward scholarly study. The detailed genealogical record of Caleb's descendants by name shows that God keeps a faithful record of each person.
1 Chronicles 4:15 stands in the opening genealogies of Chronicles, which list names and family lines of the tribes and families with special attention to Judah and the priesthood. Here Caleb the son of Jephunneh is named with his sons Iru, Elah, and Naam, and Elah's son is named as Kenaz. The genealogy assumes knowledge of the preceding books of the Bible and supplies family detail omitted from Samuel and Kings. At the same time it says nothing about the northern kingdom.
The record of hereditary descent provided the strict legal proof needed after the exile for assigning the land to its hereditary owners. It likewise provided the proof needed for restoring the temple service to those whose hereditary duty it was. The carefully preserved genealogy of Judah matters because Christ came through the line of Judah.
The verse is an example of the long lists of names that may be difficult to understand and seem to have little value. Its inclusion illustrates that Scripture contains material of differing interest and value to different people, including details that reward scholarly study. The detailed genealogical record of Caleb's descendants by name shows that God keeps a faithful record of each person.