VIII. The narrative returns to the tribe of Benjamin. The present register is quite different from that preserved in 1 Chronicles 7:6, which, as we have seen, is an extract from a document drawn up for military purposes. Apparently based on a topographical register, this new list agrees better than... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF BENJAMIN AND BELA (1 Chronicles 8:1). (See Notes on 1 Chronicles 7:6.) BELA HIS FIRST-BORN. — The Hebrew word for “firstborn” in Genesis 46:21 may have been turned into the proper name Becher, by an ancient mistake of the scribes. (See Note on 1 Chronicles 7:6.) ASHBEL. — Probably the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE ARE THE SONS OF EHUD. — The Authorised Version makes no distinction between this _Ehud_ and _Ehud son of Gera,_ the famous Benjamite judge (Judges 3:15). The difference in the Heb. is so slight, that perhaps we may assume an original identity of the two names. In that case we get a link be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NAAMAN, AND AHIAH, AND GERA, HE REMOVED THEM. — The three clans here mentioned are commonly regarded as the authors of the expatriation of the people of Geba. Of Gera it is specially said “_he_ removed them,” because Gera was the leading clan of the three. According to this interpretation the tw... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHAHARAIM BEGAT CHILDREN IN THE COUNTRY OF MOAB. — Shaharaim is apparently out of all connection with the other Benjamite houses. He has been identified with Ahi-Shahar, 1 Chronicles 7:10, because his name has a similar meaning, and even with the mysterious Aher (hypothetically Shaher) of 1 Chro... [ Continue Reading ]
HODESH HIS WIFE. — The new Moabite wife or settlement of Shaharaim. The names of two of the sons begotten in Moab have a Moabite cast — viz., _Mesha’,_ comp. Mesha’ king of Moab, 2 Kings 3:4; and _Malcham,_ comp. Malcham (Milcom) as a title of the god of Moab and Ammon, Jeremiah 49:1 (Heb.).... [ Continue Reading ]
HEADS OF THE FATHERS. — See Note on 1 Chronicles 8:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF HUSHIM HE BEGAT... — The offspring of Shaharaim by Hushim before her divorce; in other words, two offshoots of the clan Shaharaim settled in the vicinity of Lod or Lydda (1 Chronicles 8:12), which took no part in the emigration to Moab.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHAMER, or _Shemer,_ occurred in 1 Chronicles 7:34 as a clan of Asher. WHO BUILT.ONO AND LOD.... — Literally, _he built Ono and Lod and her daughters._ The clause is a parenthesis referring to Shemer. ONO, now _Kefr Auna,_ recurs in Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 7:37; Nehemiah 11:35, but is not found elsewh... [ Continue Reading ]
BERIAH ALSO, AND SHEMA. — After these two names the Masoretic punctuators have put a stop. Thus 1 Chronicles 8:12 give five sons of Elpaal. Or 1 Chronicles 8:13 may be disconnected from 1 Chronicles 8:12, and Beriah and Shema regarded as beginning a new series of Benjamite clans. WHO WERE HEADS OF T... [ Continue Reading ]
(14-16) Apparently nine sons of Beriah. But (1) in 1 Chronicles 8:14, the LXX. reads ὁ� instead of _Ahio._ With different vowels the Hebrew term would mean this. (2) All the other names in this list are connected by the conjunctive particle. It is therefore likely that this was once the case with Sh... [ Continue Reading ]
(17-18) Seven sons of Elpaal.... [ Continue Reading ]
(19-21) Nine sons of Shimhi (Shimei being the same as Shema). This is the same Hebrew name as that which at 2 Samuel 16:5 _seq._ the Authorised Version renders by Shimei.... [ Continue Reading ]
(22-25) Eleven sons of Shashak (1 Chronicles 8:14), followed by six sons of Jeroham (Jeremoth, 1 Chronicles 8:14) in 1 Chronicles 8:26. The recurrence of the same names in the five groups is noticeable. Thus, a Zichri appears among the sons of Shimei (1 Chronicles 8:19), among the sons of Shashak (1... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE WERE... CHIEF MEN. — _These were: chiefs of clans; according to their birth-rolls, chiefs._ All the names from 1 Chronicles 8:14 to 1 Chronicles 8:27 are included in this summation. The repetition of the word “chiefs” (Heb., _heads_) is peculiar. The writer can hardly have meant other than to... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FAMILIES OF GIBEON, ESPECIALLY THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SAUL (1 Chronicles 8:29). 1 Chronicles 8:29 recur at 1 Chronicles 9:35. (29) AT GIBEON DWELT THE FATHER OF GIBEON. — His name (Jehiel) has been accidentally omitted. (See 1 Chronicles 9:35.) The verb _dwelt_ is plural, “they dwelt;” a sufficie... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF ABI-GIBEON — that is, the Benjamite clans of Gibeon. The name of _Ner_ has fallen out between Baal and Nadab. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 9:36.) That of _Baal_ is interesting. Comp. 1 Chronicles 8:33, where we find Eshbaal and Merib-baal (rather _Meri-baal, i.e.,_ “man of Baal”); comp. _Merbal_... [ Continue Reading ]
AHIO. — The recurrence of this name here lends some support to the Authorised Version in 1 Chronicles 8:14. ZACHER. — Heb., _Zecher_ (comp. Shamer-Shemer), the Zechariah of 1 Chronicles 9:37, which is in fact the full form of the name. Such abbreviations are common. (See 1 Chronicles 5:26, Note.) A... [ Continue Reading ]
SHIMEAH is essentially the same word as _Shimeam_ (1 Chronicles 9:38). The latter is a _mimmated_ form (_i.e.,_ a more ancient form of the noun, with the original ending m). AND THESE ALSO DWELT WITH THEIR BRETHREN IN JERUSALEM, OVER AGAINST THEM. — Literally, _And they also, before their brethren,... [ Continue Reading ]
The house of Saul It is not said here that Saul’s immediate family was settled at Gibeon. From 1 Samuel 10:26; 1 Samuel 15:34, and 2 Samuel 21:6, we learn that Gibeah, or “Gibeah of Saul,” was the seat of the king. It is gratuitous to suppose that the chronicler has confounded two different places.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAREA. — _Ta’rea._ Tahrea (1 Chronicles 9:41) is a harder pronunciation of the same name. The name Shime’ah, or Shime’am (1 Chronicles 8:32) appears to be a similar softening of the name Shime’ah (2 Samuel 13:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
JEHOADAH. — Heb., _Jeho’addah._ 1 Chronicles 9:42 gives Jarah (Heb., _Ja’rah_)_,_ a mistake arising from the common confusion of the Heb. _d_ and r. The name there should be read, “Jo’addah,” a contraction of the present form. ALEMETH. — In 1 Chronicles 7:8 a son of Becher; in 1 Chronicles 6:60 a L... [ Continue Reading ]
BOCHERU. — Some MSS. read “his firstborn,” with which, with different points, the LXX. and the Syriac agree. This seems right, as the conjunctive particle is wanting between Azrikam and the doubtful word, and Bocheru would be anomalous as a proper name. (See Note on 1 Chronicles 8:40.) AZEL. — A pl... [ Continue Reading ]
ESHEK HIS BROTHER — that is, the brother of Azel, and son of Eleasah (1 Chronicles 8:37). The elder line is first developed.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SONS OF ULAM WERE MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR, ARCHERS. — The ancient prowess of the Benjamites is recorded in Judges 20. Their left-handed slingers were famous. (See also Judges 3:15 _seq._) ARCHERS. — Literally, _treaders of the bow_ (1 Chronicles 5:18). The meaning is that they drew their bows... [ Continue Reading ]