דברי הימים א, פרק ב׳, פסוק ח׳

Genealogical records often hold hidden stories within their structure. When tracing the lineage of Ethan, an interesting detail emerges: children are referenced in the plural, yet only one son, Azariah, is actually named. This pattern appears elsewhere in biblical family trees, and in its simplest sense, it establishes Azariah as a descendant of Ethan [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, the plural form hints at a broader family. Ancient genealogical archives likely listed additional children for Ethan. When compiling this history, the author maintained the original plural phrasing from those early sources but chose to highlight only the most prominent or relevant son, leaving out the rest. In this way, the phrasing acts as a brief shorthand, implying the existence of other children alongside Azariah [מלבי״ם].

Beyond Ethan's immediate family, there is a noticeable silence regarding his brothers. Earlier accounts list Ethan alongside Heman, Calcol, and Darda, yet only Ethan's line is carried forward. This omission might simply be due to a lack of surviving historical records for the other brothers. Alternatively, it represents a deliberate editorial choice. Because the future royal dynasty was not destined to emerge from this specific family branch, the author intentionally condensed their history. By briefly summarizing these descendants, the narrative quickly pivots back to the lineage of Hezron, the son of Perez, from whose family the kings would eventually rise [רד״ק].