son of Hodiah
An unnamed son of Hodiah, who was the grandson of Naham's sister.
Biography
The son of Hodiah appears in a genealogical register in 1 Chronicles 4:19, identified only through his familial connections: he was the son of Hodiah and the grandson of the sister of Naham, placing him within the tribal lineage of Judah. His name is not preserved in the biblical text, which records him solely within the context of a broader genealogical accounting of clans associated with Keilah and Eshtemoa. His placement in the era of the United Monarchy suggests he lived during a period of Israelite consolidation. As is common with many individuals preserved only in genealogical lists, the historical record offers no narrative detail about his deeds, character, or personal history, leaving his identity almost entirely defined by his descent and kinship ties.
Significance
Though unnamed and narratively silent, the son of Hodiah exemplifies the biblical conviction that every individual within Israel's covenant community possesses worth within God's providential purposes. The careful preservation of genealogical records in Chronicles reflects the Chronicler's theological agenda: demonstrating the continuity of God's covenant people across generations, even when individual lives leave no recorded story. Such figures remind readers that the redemptive narrative is not carried solely by the famous but is sustained by countless unnamed persons whose faithful lives maintained the fabric of Israel's community. Their presence in Scripture affirms that God's covenant faithfulness extends to the obscure and forgotten, not merely to the celebrated heroes of the faith.
Verse Appearances (1)
1 Chronicles
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]