And of the sons of Zerah,.... Another son of Judah:

Jeuel, and their brethren; six hundred and ninety; or their kinsmen; for this number includes all of the posterity of Pharez, Shelah and Zerah mentioned.

"Of the sons of Zerah, Jeuel;" also the name of various persons; cf. 1 Chronicles 5:7; 2 Chronicles 26:11 : the register in Nehemiah 11 notices no descendants of Zerah. "And their brethren, 690 (men)." The plural suffix in אחיהם cannot be referred, as Bertheau thinks, to Jeuel, for that name, as being that of the head of a father's-house, cannot be a collective. The suffix most consequently refer to the three heads mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:4-6, Uthai, Asaiah, and Jeuel, whose brethren are the other heads of fathers'-houses of the three families descended from Judah; cf. 1 Chronicles 9:9, where the number of the אחים mentioned refers to all the heads who had formerly been spoken of.

And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety.

9:1-44 Genealogies. - This chapter expresses that one end of recording all these genealogies was, to direct the Jews, when they returned out of captivity, with whom to unite, and where to reside. Here is an account of the good state into which the affairs of religion were put, on the return from Babylon. Every one knew his charge. Work is likely to be done well when every one knows the duty of his place, and makes a business of it. God is the God of order. Thus was the temple a figure of the heavenly one, where they rest not day nor night from praising God, Re 4:8. Blessed be His name, believers there shall, not in turn, but all together, without interruption, praise him night and day: may the Lord make each of us fit for the inheritance of the saints in light.