Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 4:15
The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Chronicler records a genealogical entry within the tribe of Judah, continuing the family lists that open chapter 4. No speaker or specific event is attached to this line; it functions purely as a structured descent record.
The words — The text uses ben (son) and bnei (sons) to map the lineage from Caleb son of Jephunneh to Iru, Elah, and Naam, then identifies Kenaz as Elah’s son. These Hebrew terms establish direct patriarchal succession without narrative action.
The thread — The text names Caleb son of Jephunneh, who appears in Numbers 13:6, 13:30, and 14:6 as the wilderness spy who urged the Israelites to enter the land. This genealogical note preserves his family line to maintain continuity with those earlier accounts.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to acknowledge how biblical history anchors tribal identity through preserved family records. It asks for attention to lineage as a structural fact of the text rather than a derived theological point.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.
Cross-references
- Numbers 13:6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;
- Numbers 13:30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!”
- Numbers 14:6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
- Numbers 14:24 But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.
- Numbers 14:30 Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
- Joshua 14:6 Then the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.
- Joshua 15:13 According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)
- Judges 1:12 And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”