1 Chronicles 4:21-43 ▼

21 The sons of Shelah, son of Judah, were: Er, the father of Lecah; Laadah, the father of Mareshah; the clans of the linen weavers’ guild in Bethashbea;

22 Jokim; the people of Cozeba; and Joash and Saraph, who held property in Moab, but returned to Bethlehem. (These are events of old.)

23 They were potters and inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah, where they lived in the king’s service.

24 The sons of Simeon were Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah, and Shaul,

25 whose son was Shallum, whose son was Mibsam, whose son was Mishma.

26 The sons of Mishma were his son Hammuel, whose son was Zaccur, whose son was Shimei.

27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. His brothers, however, did not have many sons, and as a result all their clans did not equal the number of the Judahites.

28 They dwelt in Beer-sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual,

29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,

30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,

31 Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Bethbiri, and Shaaraim. Until the reign of David, these were their cities

32 and their villages. Etam, also, and Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five cities,

33 together with all their outlying villages as far as Baal. Here is where they dwelt, and so it was inscribed of them in their family records.

34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah, son of Amaziah,

35 Joel, Jehu, son of Joshibiah, son of Seraiah, son of Asiel,

36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,

37 Ziza, son of Shiphi, son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah—

38 these just named were princes in their clans, and their ancestral houses spread out to such an extent

39 that they went to the approaches of Gedor, east of the valley, seeking pasture for their flocks.

40 They found abundant and good pastures, and the land was spacious, quiet, and peaceful—for the Hamites dwelt there formerly.

41 They who have just been listed by name set out during the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and attacked their tents and also the Meunites who were there. They put them under the ban that is still in force to this day and dwelt in their place because they found pasture there for their flocks.

42 Five hundred of them (the Simeonites) went to Mount Seir, with Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, sons of Ishi, at their head.

43 They attacked the surviving Amalekites who had escaped, and have lived there to the present day.