Chelubi

Chelubi — spelled Chelubai in UPDV — is a son of Hezron in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles. The same man is named Caleb in the verses immediately following, and the figure is identified as the head of the Calebite line.

Son of Hezron

The genealogy in 1 Chronicles 2 lists him by the variant name. "The sons also of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai" (1 Chronicles 2:9). The three sons of Hezron form the heads of three lineages within Judah; Chelubai is the third.

Called Caleb

Within the same chapter the genealogy switches to the more familiar spelling without remark, treating the two names as the same man. "And Caleb the son of Hezron begot [children] of Azubah [his] wife, and of Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon" (1 Chronicles 2:18). The Calebite line is then traced down through several generations: "And the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron" (1 Chronicles 2:42). The brother-relation in verse 42 confirms the identification — the Caleb of verses 18 and 42 is the brother of Jerahmeel and Ram, that is, the Chelubai of verse 9. The single figure carries two forms of the name across one chapter of the Chronicler's roll.