The Shuppites and Huppites were the descendants of Ir, and the Hushites the descendants of Aher. – 1 Chronicles 7:12

Today's Scripture Reading (June 28, 2025): 1 Chronicles 7

Over the past year, I have had two friends lose their daughters way too early. In both cases, the deaths of these extraordinary young ladies were unexpected. It is another reminder that this life is a very fragile thing, and none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. If for this reason and no other, we need to ensure that our lives are right with God. I can't imagine life without my children and grandchildren. The horrible experiences of these friends make me want to hold on to my children and grandchildren just a little tighter.

One of the slogans we often use is the idea that the ones we have lost are "gone but not forgotten." There are many people in my life who fall into this category. They are gone; they have died, and I can no longer go to them for advice, help, or even friendship, but they are not forgotten; they live in my memories, and when I close my eyes, I can still see them. Maybe these are the two deaths that we suffer on this earth. The first is the loss of our physical lives, but the second death happens a little later when there is no one left to carry us in their memories. For now, I am committed to carrying the memories of the significant people in my life who are no longer with us. But eventually, most of us will suffer both kinds of deaths.

The name Aher in this passage presents us with a significant mystery. Aher is a word used to indicate "another." It is also used to describe something detestable. So pigs, which are seen as very detestable animals by the Jewish community, are often referred to as 'aher' or 'another thing." Aher, then, might mean something other than the name of a person.

So, what does Aher mean in this passage? Many find that the obvious answer is that it is a name used to indicate the Tribe of Dan. If Aher does not point toward the tribe of Dan, then Dan is completely missing from this list. And the reason why they would be called Aher instead of Dan is that through their idolatry, they made themselves unmentionable. But there is some other evidence that it is Dan that is mentioned here.

First, as has already been mentioned, unless this is Dan, then Dan is entirely omitted by the writer of Chronicles in this listing. Second, the following verse talks about the descendants or sons of Bilhah. There were two sons of Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali, although only Naphtali is mentioned in this passage. Third, Genesis tells us this: "The son of Dan: Hushim" (Genesis 46:23), which compares favorably with "the Hushites the descendants of Aher" (1 Chronicles 7:12).

Together, all of this supports the idea that Dan is the unnamed tribe that is intended here. Perhaps the hope of the nation and the author of Chronicles is that Dan would be both gone and forgotten.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 8