(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)
(1 Chronicles 7:1-40) Now the sons of Issachar were four: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron. 2 The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Samuel, heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Tola were valiant warriors in their generations. Their number in the days of David was 22,600. 3 The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah; all five of them were chief men. 4 And with them by their generations according to their fathers’ households were thirty-six thousand troops of the army for war; for they had many wives and sons. 5 Their relatives among all the families of Issachar were valiant warriors, registered by genealogy, eighty-seven thousand in all.
6 Benjamin had three sons: Bela, Becher, and Jediael. 7 The sons of Bela were five: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. They were heads of fathers’ households, valiant warriors, 22,034 registered by genealogy. 8 The sons of Becher were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. 9 They were registered by genealogy according to their generations, heads of their fathers’ households, 20,200 valiant warriors. 10 The son of Jediael was Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, 17,200 valiant warriors who were ready to go out with the army to war. 12 Shuppim and Huppim were the sons of Ir; Hushim was the son of Aher.
13 The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
14 The sons of Manasseh were Asriel, to whom his Aramean concubine gave birth; she also gave birth to Machir, the father of Gilead. 15 Machir took a wife from Huppim and Shuppim, whose name was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had daughters. 16 Maacah the wife of Machir gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh; the name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17 The son of Ulam was Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. 18 His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. 19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
20 The sons of Ephraim were Shuthelah and Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, 21 Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take their livestock. 22 Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Then he went in to his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Beriah, because misfortune had come upon his house. 24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built lower and upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah. 25 Rephah was his son along with Resheph, Telah his son, Tahan his son, 26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27 Non his son, and Joshua his son.
28 Their possessions and dwelling places were Bethel with its towns, and to the east, Naaran, and to the west, Gezer with its towns, and Shechem with its towns, as far as Ayyah with its towns, 29 and along the borders of the sons of Manasseh, Beth-shean with its towns, Taanach with its towns, Megiddo with its towns, and Dor with its towns. In these regions lived the sons of Joseph the son of Israel.
30 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah was their sister. 31 The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. 32 Heber fathered Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, and their sister Shua. 33 The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were the sons of Japhlet. 34 The sons of Shemer were Ahi and Rohgah, and Jehubbah and Aram. 35 The sons of his brother Helem were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. 36 The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. 38 The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. 39 The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. 40 All these were the sons of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice, valiant mighty men, and heads of the leaders. And the number of them registered by genealogy for service in war was twenty-six thousand men.
6 Benjamin had three sons: Bela, Becher, and Jediael. 7 The sons of Bela were five: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. They were heads of fathers’ households, valiant warriors, 22,034 registered by genealogy. 8 The sons of Becher were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. 9 They were registered by genealogy according to their generations, heads of their fathers’ households, 20,200 valiant warriors. 10 The son of Jediael was Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, 17,200 valiant warriors who were ready to go out with the army to war. 12 Shuppim and Huppim were the sons of Ir; Hushim was the son of Aher.
13 The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
14 The sons of Manasseh were Asriel, to whom his Aramean concubine gave birth; she also gave birth to Machir, the father of Gilead. 15 Machir took a wife from Huppim and Shuppim, whose name was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had daughters. 16 Maacah the wife of Machir gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh; the name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17 The son of Ulam was Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. 18 His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. 19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
20 The sons of Ephraim were Shuthelah and Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, 21 Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take their livestock. 22 Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Then he went in to his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Beriah, because misfortune had come upon his house. 24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built lower and upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah. 25 Rephah was his son along with Resheph, Telah his son, Tahan his son, 26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27 Non his son, and Joshua his son.
28 Their possessions and dwelling places were Bethel with its towns, and to the east, Naaran, and to the west, Gezer with its towns, and Shechem with its towns, as far as Ayyah with its towns, 29 and along the borders of the sons of Manasseh, Beth-shean with its towns, Taanach with its towns, Megiddo with its towns, and Dor with its towns. In these regions lived the sons of Joseph the son of Israel.
30 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah was their sister. 31 The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. 32 Heber fathered Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, and their sister Shua. 33 The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were the sons of Japhlet. 34 The sons of Shemer were Ahi and Rohgah, and Jehubbah and Aram. 35 The sons of his brother Helem were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. 36 The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. 38 The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. 39 The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. 40 All these were the sons of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice, valiant mighty men, and heads of the leaders. And the number of them registered by genealogy for service in war was twenty-six thousand men.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
Back in history, pilgrims heading out into new and strange lands realized the dangers and the risk of death. And with many struggles in efforts to survive, they didn't have much time to think about how fair or unfair a death might be. Even from how my grandmother and my mom spoke, these things just happened, you mourned, and you moved on.
Certainly now most of us live in countries that we assume should be safe and secure, with many modern conveniences including (what we think is) "superior" healthcare. And maybe this attitude has always been there with people - especially those who never moved anywhere. But with this, almost comes an entitled attitude that no one should ever get sick or die.
Because we were created to have a relationship with God and live forever, we will feel this sense - and this desire for purpose. Hence, most people wonder and search for answers and/or the fountain of youth. Especially the more time one has on their hands, the more introspective one becomes. People will do almost anything to figure these things out on their own. Maybe this explains why pilgrims were so willing to take the risk of moving to new and strange lands???
The only thing that will fill this void is Jesus, who gives eternal life and purpose. So those who believe will live forever, just not here on earth. This is not our home. In a sense, we are pilgrims in a strange land with dangers and risk of death. But having a personal relationship with God - being on God's side - fearing only God - we can be valiant warriors with the purpose of giving and bringing glory to God, and being confident that one day we will get to go home and live in perfection.
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