The sons of Caleb, Jerahmeel’s brother: His firstborn Mesha, the father of Ziph, and his second son Mareshah, the father of Hebron.

The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, the clans of the linen workers at Beth-Ashbea,

Their relatives, listed in their genealogical records, numbered 956. All these men were leaders of their families.

“Your father made us work too hard! Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.”

My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.’”

Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.

Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors, provoking him to destroy them, as you can see.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just like his father Manasseh had done. He offered sacrifices to all the idols his father Manasseh had made, and worshiped them.

For you are our father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us. You, Lord, are our father; you have been called our protector from ancient times.

Therefore fathers will eat their sons within you, Jerusalem, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments on you, and I will scatter any survivors to the winds.

Do we not all have one father? Did not one God create us? Why do we betray one another, in this way making light of the covenant of our ancestors?

He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me, so that I will not come and strike the earth with judgment.”

But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.

“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations.

Then you will take it to your father. Thus he will eat it and bless you before he dies.”

You know that I’ve worked for your father as hard as I could,

In this way God has snatched away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob about Dinah.

This is the account of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir.

But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, in the land of Canaan.