Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,
KJV
Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,
Commentary
Commentary
We had some account given us of Benjamin in the foregoing chapter; here
we have a larger catalogue of the great men of that tribe.
1. Because of that tribe Saul came, the first king of Israel, to the
story of whom the sacred writer is hastening, ch. x. 1 .
2. Because that tribe clave to Judah, inhabited much of Jerusalem, was
one of the two tribes that went into captivity, and returned back; and
that story also he has an eye to, ch. ix. 1 .
Here is,
I. Some of the heads of that tribe named, ver. 1-32 .
II. A more particular account of the family of Saul, ver. 33-40 .
1 Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and
Aharah the third,
2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
3 And the sons of Bela were, Addar, and Gera, and Abihud,
4 And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah,
5 And Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.
6 And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the
fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to
Manahath:
7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat
Uzza, and Ahihud.
8 And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after
he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.
9 And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha,
and Malcham,
10 And Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons,
heads of the fathers.
11 And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal.
12 The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who built
Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof:
13 Beriah also, and Shema, who were heads of the fathers of
the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove away the inhabitants of
Gath:
14 And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth,
15 And Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader,
16 And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah;
17 And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and Heber,
18 Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
19 And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi,
20 And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,
21 And Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of Shimhi;
22 And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel,
23 And Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan,
24 And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah,
25 And Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak;
26 And Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah,
27 And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham.
28 These were heads of the fathers, by their generations,
chief men. These dwelt in Jerusalem.
29 And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name was Maachah:
30 And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal,
and Nadab,
31 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher.
32 And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their
brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.
There is little or nothing of history in all these verses; we have not
therefore much to observe.
1. As to the difficulties that occur in this and the foregoing
genealogies we need not perplex ourselves. I presume Ezra took them as
he found them in the books of the kings of Israel and Judah ( ch. ix. 1 ),
according as they were given in by the several tribes, each observing
what method they thought fit. Hence some as cend, others de secnd; some have numbers affixed, others places; some have historical remarks intermixed, others have not; some are
shorter, others longer; some agree with other records, others differ;
some, it is likely, were torn, erased, and blotted, others more
legible. Those of Dan and Reuben were entirely lost. This holy man
wrote as he was moved by the Holy Ghost; but there was no necessity for
the making up of the defects, no, nor for the rectifying of the
mistakes, of these genealogies by inspiration. It was sufficient that
he copied them out as they came into his hand, or so much of them as
was requisite to the present purpose, which was the directing of the
returned captives to settle as nearly as they could with those of their
own family, and in the places of their former residence. We may suppose
that many things in these genealogies which to us seem intricate,
abrupt, and perplexed, were plain and easy to them then (who knew how
to fill up the deficiencies) and abundantly answered the intention of
the publishing of them.
2. Many great and mighty nations there were now in being upon earth,
and many illustrious men in them, whose names are buried in perpetual
oblivion, while the names of multitudes of the Israel of God are here
carefully preserved in everlasting remembrance. They are Jasher,
Jeshurun--just ones, and the memory of the just is blessed. Many of these we have reason to fear, came short of everlasting honour
(for even the wicked kings of Judah come into the genealogy), yet the
perpetuating of their names here was a figure of the writing of the
names of all God's spiritual Israel in the Lamb's book of life.
3. This tribe of Benjamin was once brought to a very low ebb, in the
time of the judges, upon the occasion of the iniquity of Gibeah, when
only 600 men escaped the sword of justice; and yet, in these
genealogies, it makes as good a figure as almost any of the tribes: for
it is the honour of God to help the weakest and raise up those that are
most diminished and abased.
4. Here is mention of one Ehud
( v. 6 ),
in the preceding verse of one Gera
( v. 5 )
and
( v. 8 )
of one that descended from him, that begat children in the country
of Moab, which inclines me to think it was that Ehud who was the
second of the judges of Israel; for he is said to be the son of
Gera and a Benjamite ( Judg. iii. 15 ),
and he delivered Israel from the oppression of the Moabites by killing
the king of Moab, which might give him a greater sway in the country of
Moab than we find evidence of in his history and might occasion some of
his posterity to settle there.
5. Here is mention of some of the Benjamites that drove away the
inhabitants of Gath ( v. 13 ),
perhaps those that had slain the Ephraimites
( ch. vii. 21 )
or their posterity, by way of reprisal: and one of those that did this
piece of justice was named Beriah too, that name in which the
memorial of that injury was preserved.
6. Particular notice is taken of those that dwelt in Jerusalem ( v. 28 and again v. 32 ),
that those whose ancestors had had their residence there might thereby
be induced, at their return from captivity, to settle there too, which,
for aught that appears, few were willing to do, because it was the post
of danger: and therefore we find
( Neh. xi. 2 ) the people blessed those that willingly offered themselves to dwell
at Jerusalem, the greater part being inclined to prefer the cities
of Judah. Those whose godly parents had their conversation in the new
Jerusalem should thereby be engaged to set their faces thitherward and
pursue the way thither, whatever it cost them.
33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat
Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
34 And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begat
Micah.
35 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea,
and Ahaz.
36 And Ahaz begat Jehoadah; and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and
Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza,
37 And Moza begat Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son,
Azel his son:
38 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam,
Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All
these were the sons of Azel.
39 And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his
firstborn, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
40 And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers, and
had many sons, and sons' sons, a hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.
It is observable that among all the genealogies of the tribes there is
no mention of any of the kings of Israel after the defection from the
house of David, much less of their families; not a word of Jeroboam's
house or Baasha's, of Umri's or Jehu's; for they were all idolaters.
But of the family of Saul, which was the royal family before the
elevation of David, we have here a particular account.
1. Before Saul, Kish and Ner only are named, his father and
grandfather, v. 33 .
His pedigree is carried higher 1 Sam. ix. 1 ,
only there Kish is said to be the son of Abiel, here of
Ner. He was in truth the son of Ner but the grandson of Abiel, as
appears by 1 Sam. xiv. 51 ,
where it is said that Ner was the son of Abiel, and that Abner,
who was the son of Ner, was Saul's uncle (that is, his father's
brother); therefore his father was also the son of Ner. It is common in
all languages to put sons for grandsons and other descendents, much
more in the scanty language of the Hebrews.
2. After Saul, divers of his sons are named, but the posterity of none
of them, save Jonathan only, who was blessed with numerous issue and
those honoured with a place in the sacred genealogies for the sake of
his sincere kindness to David. The line of Jonathan is drawn down here
for about ten generations. Perhaps David was, in a particular manner,
careful to preserve that, and assigned it a page by itself, because of
the covenant made between his seed and Jonathan's seed forever, 1 Sam. xx. 15, 23, 42 .
This genealogy ends in Ulam, whose family became famous in the tribe of
Benjamin for the number of its valiant men. Of that one man's posterity
there were, as it should seem, at one time, 150 archers brought into
the field of battle, that were mighty men of valour, v. 40 .
That is taken notice of concerning them which is more a man's praise
than his pomp or wealth is, that they were qualified to serve their
country.
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 8
In this chapter the genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin is reconsidered, and several of the principal men and families in it are taken notice of, which were not before; or a further account is given of them, as of the sons and grandsons of Benjamin, 1Ch 8:1, of Ehud, 1Ch 8:5, of Shaharaim, 1Ch 8:8, of Elpaal and Beriah, 1Ch 8:12 of Shimhi, 1Ch 8:19, of Shashak, 1Ch 8:22, of Jeroham, 1Ch 8:26, of Jehiel the father of Gibeon, 1Ch 8:28, of Ner, and particularly Saul, 1Ch 8:33 and of Jonathan, and his posterity, 1Ch 8:34.
Ver. 1. Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn,.... See 1Ch 7:6. The genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin is reviewed, because it joined and kept close with Judah in the worship of God, went into captivity, and returned out of it with it; and this review is made chiefly for the sake of Saul, and his posterity, the first king of Israel, who was of it, and in whose posterity this genealogy ends:
Ashbel the second; supposed to be the same with Jediael, 1Ch 7:6, see Ge 46:21
and Aharah the third; the same with Aher, 1Ch 7:13, and with Ahiram, Nu 26:38.
1 Chronicles 8:2
Ver. 2. Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. Nohah is supposed by some to be the same with Becher, 1Ch 7:6 and by others with Naaman, Ge 46:21, as Rapha, the same with Rosh there.
1 Chronicles 8:3
Ver. 3. The sons of Bela were Addar, and Gera, and Abihud. The first of these is thought to be the same with Ard, mentioned among the sons of Benjamin, Ge 46:21 but was one of his grandsons, see Nu 26:40 as Gera also was.
1 Chronicles 8:4
Ver. 4,5. And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, and Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram. These were all the sons of Bela; one of the name of Naaman is reckoned among the sons of Benjamin, Ge 46:21 and from this grandson the family of the Naamanites are named, Nu 26:40, and Ahoah is by some thought to be the same with Ehi, mentioned in
Ge 46:21 as one of Benjamin's sons. Some take the three last to be the sons of Ehud, spoken of in the next verse; but Shephuphan and Huram seem to be the same with Shupham and Hupham, Nu 26:39.
1 Chronicles 8:5
Ver. 5. See Gill on "1Ch 8:4".
1 Chronicles 8:6
Ver. 6. And these are the sons of Ehud,.... Not he that was a judge in Israel, Jud 3:15 but perhaps a son of Huram the last mentioned; for not the three last are his sons, as some think, but the three following in the next verse; what follows being to be read in a parenthesis:
(these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba;) a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:24 namely, those sons of Ehud, after mentioned, were principal men in that tribe, and chief of the inhabitants of the city of Geba:
and they removed them to Manahath; the name of a country referred to in 1Ch 2:52 according to Jarchi, which was in the tribe of Judah; Geba being too small, either the inhabitants of Geba removed them, or they removed themselves, or their fathers removed them, 1Ch 8:7, or it may be read impersonally, they were removed thither for the sake of a better habitation; the Targum adds,
"to the land of the house of Esau,''
to Edom; which is not likely.
1 Chronicles 8:7
Ver. 7. And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera,.... Or, to wit, Naaman, &c. so the words are to be connected with
these are the sons or Ehud, in the preceding verse:
he removed them; to the above place, that is, either Gera, or rather Ehud, he advised them, directed and enjoined them to go thither, as being most convenient for them:
and he begat Uzza and Ahihud; after he had removed his other sons.
1 Chronicles 8:8
Ver. 8. And Shaharaim,.... Who was either a son of Ahihud, or rather a brother of his, another son of Ehud:
begat children in the country of Moab; whither he might go on account of the famine, as Elimelech did, Ru 1:1, after he had sent them away; which some understand of those that were removed from Geba to Manahath, 1Ch 8:6, but a different word is here used; and besides Shaharaim seems to be one of those that were removed. Kimchi takes Shilhootham, we render "had sent them away", to be the name of his first wife, of whom he begat children in Moab; but it seems best to render and interpret the words in connection with what follows: he begat children in Moab,
after he had sent them away; even Hushim and Baara his wives; after he had divorced them, for some reasons he had, he begat children of another wife, later mentioned.
1 Chronicles 8:9
Ver. 9,10. And he begat of Hodesh his wife,.... That is, he, I say, begat, namely, Shaharaim; the Targum makes this Hodesh to be the same with Baara, called so because she was newly espoused; but wrongly: the sons begotten of her were the seven following;
Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcham, Jeuz, Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons; the sons of Shaharaim by his wife Hodesh:
heads of the fathers; of the houses or families of their father.
1 Chronicles 8:10
Ver. 10 See Gill on "1Ch 8:9".
1 Chronicles 8:11
Ver. 11. And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal. Before he sent her away, or divorced her, 1Ch 8:8.
1 Chronicles 8:12
Ver. 12. The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed,.... Besides those in 1Ch 8:14
who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof; not Shamed, but Elpaal his father, so the Targum; and the Talmudists say {o}, these were walled cities from the days of Joshua the son of Nun, and were destroyed in the days of the concubine in Gibea, and Elpaal came and rebuilt them; they were inhabited by the Benjaminites, upon their return from the Babylonish captivity, Ne 11:35 they were near to each other; according to a Jewish chronologer {p}, it was three miles from the one to the other; Lod is the same with Lydda, in Ac 9:32.
{o} T. Hieros. Megillah, fol. 70. 1. & T. Bab Megillah, fol. 4. 1. So the Targum. {p} Juchasin, fol. 39. 2.
1 Chronicles 8:13
Ver. 13. Beriah also, and Shema,.... These were sons of Elpaal:
who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon; which, though in the tribe of Dan, Jos 19:42 might afterwards come into the possession of Benjamin; or this may be another place of the same name in Benjamin; or, however, might be inhabited by Benjaminites, upon the return from captivity, who descended from those men:
who drove away the inhabitants of Gath; dispossessed them of their city, in revenge for what they had done to the Ephraimites, 1Ch 7:21.
1 Chronicles 8:14
Ver. 14. And Ahio, Shashak, and Jerimoth. These were also sons of Elpaal.
1 Chronicles 8:15
Ver. 15,16. And Zebadiah,.... And all that follow in this and the next verse were the sons of Beriah the son of Elpaal; namely,
Arad, Ader, Michael, Ispah, and Joha.
1 Chronicles 8:16
Ver. 16. See Gill on "1Ch 8:15"
1 Chronicles 8:17
Ver. 17,18. And Zebadiah, and Meshullam,.... These, with those that follow,
Hezeki, Heber, Ishmerai, Jezliah, and Jobab, were the sons of Elpaal
1 Chronicles 8:18
Ver. 18. See Gill on "1Ch 8:17".
1 Chronicles 8:19
Ver. 19-21. And Jakim,.... With all the rest in these verses, namely,
Zichri, Zabdi, Elienai, Zilthai, Eliel, Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath, were the sons of Shimhi, the same with Shema brother of Beriah, and son of Elpaal, 1Ch 8:13.
1 Chronicles 8:20
Ver. 20. See Gill on "1Ch 8:19".
1 Chronicles 8:21
Ver. 21. See Gill on "1Ch 8:19".
1 Chronicles 8:22
Ver. 22-25. And Ishpan, and Heber,.... And all that follow to the end of these verses,
Eliel, Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, Hananiah, Elam, Antothijah, Iphedeiah, and Penuel, were the sons of Shashak, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch 8:14.
1 Chronicles 8:23
Ver. 23. See Gill on "1Ch 8:22".
1 Chronicles 8:24
Ver. 24. See Gill on "1Ch 8:22".
1 Chronicles 8:25
Ver. 25. See Gill on "1Ch 8:22".
1 Chronicles 8:26
Ver. 26,27. And Shamsherai,.... Who, with those next mentioned,
Shehariah, Athaliah, Jaresiah, Eliah, and Zichri, [were the sons of] Jeroham, who perhaps is the same with Jerimoth, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch 8:14 who makes a considerable figure in this genealogy. Kimchi observes that it is a tradition {q} that this Eliah is Elijah the prophet, who was of the seed of Rachel.
{q} Shemoth Rabba, sect. 40. fol. 138. 4.
1 Chronicles 8:27
Ver. 27. See Gill on "1Ch 8:26".
1 Chronicles 8:28
Ver. 28. These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief [men],.... All from 1Ch 8:14, the sons of Elpaal and their sons:
these dwelt in Jerusalem; part of which always belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, see Jos 15:63.
1 Chronicles 8:29
Ver. 29. And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon,.... The builder of the city, and prince of the inhabitants of it, which was in the tribe of Benjamin, Jos 18:25 whose name was Jehiel, 1Ch 9:35,
(whose wife's name was Maachah;) of which name were many, see 1Ch 2:48.
1 Chronicles 8:30
Ver. 30,31. And his firstborn son Abdon,.... That is, Jehiel's, the father or prince of Gibeon; other sons follow:
Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, and Zacher; called Zechariah, 1Ch 9:37 and between Baal and Nadab, Ner is placed, 1Ch 9:36 and another son is added at the end of 1Ch 9:37, Mikloth next mentioned.
1 Chronicles 8:31
Ver. 31. See Gill on "1Ch 8:30".
1 Chronicles 8:32
Ver. 32. And Mikloth begat Shimeah,.... Called Shimeam, 1Ch 9:38
and these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them; in another part of the city, right beside them.
1 Chronicles 8:33
Ver. 33. And Ner begat Kish,.... Who also is called Abiel, as the Targum here adds; for Ner had two names, as other Jewish writers likewise say {r}, see 1Sa 9:1,
and Kish begat Saul; the first king of Israel, for whose sake chiefly the genealogy of Benjamin is revised and enlarged in this chapter:
and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal, see 1Sa 31:2. Abinadab is called Ishui, 1Sa 14:49 and Eshbaal is the same with Ishbosheth, 2Sa 2:8, so Baal and Bosheth are used of the same idol of which they are names, Ho 9:10.
{r} Vajikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 152. 4.
1 Chronicles 8:34
Ver. 34. And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal,.... The same with Mephibosheth, 2Sa 4:4 so Jerubbaal is called Jerubbesheth, Jud 6:32
and Meribbaal begat Micah; called his young son in David's time, 2Sa 9:12.
1 Chronicles 8:35
Ver. 35. And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz. The last but one is called Tahrea, 1Ch 9:41, where Ahaz is left out, though supplied in our version.
1 Chronicles 8:36
Ver. 36. And Ahaz begat Jehoadah,.... Called Jarah, 1Ch 9:42
and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza; the same account is given, 1Ch 9:42.
1 Chronicles 8:37
Ver. 37. And Moza begat Binea; Rapha was his son,.... Called Rephaiah, 1Ch 9:43.
Elasah his son; whose name is Eleasah, 1Ch 9:43.
Azel his son.
1 Chronicles 8:38
Ver. 38. And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bochim, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan,.... Which make the said number:
all these were the sons of Azel; his family was large.
1 Chronicles 8:39
Ver. 39. And the sons of Eshek his brother,.... The brother of Azel; who he was is not known, unless he is the same with Elasah, as is conjectured:
[were] Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
1 Chronicles 8:40
Ver. 40. And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour,.... Men of great fortitude and courage, though their names are not expressed:
archers; skilful in the use of the bow and arrows, as the Benjaminites formerly were famous for slinging stones:
and had many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty; so that the posterity of Jonathan, whose genealogy is drawn down from 1Ch 8:34 hither, were very great; and greater still, according to the Vulgate Latin version, in which the number is 150,000 in the edition of Sixtus the fifth, and so in most MSS of that version {s}
all these are of the sons of Benjamin; his posterity, whose names are given in this chapter.
{s} See James of the Contrariety of the Popish Bibles, p. 294.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Commentary
Commentary