· Translation: KJV

1 Chronicles 4:40They found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for those who lived there before were of Ham.

The setting

Gedor valley, ~700 BC. Simeonite scouts return with glowing reports: rich grass, abundant water, peaceful inhabitants from Ham's lineage...

The emotion here: amazed gratitude while recording God's unexpected provision

The original word

shamen (שָׁמֵן) — fat, rich, fertile — the same word used for choice sacrificial animals

Why it matters

The descendants of Ham mentioned here were likely Canaanite peoples who had settled peacefully in this region

Read with care

What most readers miss in 1 Chronicles 4:40

'Wide and quiet and peaceable' — three Hebrew words emphasizing this wasn't just good land, it was stress-free living

Common misconceptionThis reads like a simple real estate transaction, but the chronicler is showing how God provided exactly what they needed when they stepped out in faith.

Bible Genome reading

1 Chronicles 4:40 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotiongrateful
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power50%
Quotability30%
Memorability30%
Crisis relevance20%
Standalone30%
Themes:God's provisionpeaceful inheritance

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 1 Chronicles 4

1 Chronicles 4:40 comes from the book of 1 Chronicles, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include God's provision, peaceful inheritance. Notable phrases: fat pasture and good; wide, quiet, and peaceable.

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