5. For God blessed him. If, as some think, this Obed-edom was “the Gittite” (see on 4), then this clause alludes to the fact that “the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had” ( 13:14). The names of his sons seem to reflect testimonials of his recognition of divine favor. The following meanings are suggested, though we cannot in every case be certain of the precise designation or shade of thought: Shemaiah, “Jehovah has heard”; Jehozabad, “Jehovah has bestowed”; Joah, “Jehovah is a brother”; Sacar, “wages”; Nethaneel, “God has given”; Ammiel, “God is a kinsman”; Issachar, “there is hire” or, perhaps, “a man of hire”; and Peulthai, “recompense of Jehovah.”