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 ]