1.
Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,
Benjamin. This tribe is now dealt with, and brought down to Saul and Jonathan. The date of writing is Post-Exilic. See 1 Chronicles 8:28 ; 1 Chronicles 9:3 , 1 Chronicles 9:27 , and compare with Ezr 2 and Nehemiah 10 , which show that Benjamin was brought back to the Land after being nearly extinguished in Judges 20 . Loyalty to Judah and the house of God had been rewarded. Note the passages which connect Benjamin with Judah and with the blessings of the return from Babylon: Ezra 1:8 ; Ezra 2 ; Ezra 4:1 .Nehemiah 7 ; Nehemiah 11:4 , Nehemiah 11:7 , Nehemiah 11:31 ; Nehemiah 12:34 . The genealogy of Saul leads up to the subject of the book. begat. The former genealogy (1 Chronicles 7:6-12 ) is not full, but specifies only the families to be dealt with later.
2.
Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
Nohah . . . Rapha. Nowhere else mentioned in O.T. Compare Genesis 46:21 . Perhaps grandsons. But these names show independence of Chronicles.
3.
And the sons of Bela were, Addar, and Gera, and Abihud,
Addar. Called Ard in Genesis 46:21 .Numbers 26:40 .
Gera. Name derived from a son of Benjamin (Genesis 46:21 ).
4.
And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah,
5.
And Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.
Gera. Another Gera. Compare 1 Chronicles 8:7 .
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:
these are the: or, "and these are they the".
Geba. Near Gibeah of Saul (Joshua 18:24 . 1 Samuel 10:26 ; 1 Samuel 13:3 ). Compare Judges 19:12 .
and. Read: "but they were carried away to Mana-hath".
they (the Gebaites) removed = were carried away, (same word as in 1 Chronicles 5:26 ). The occasion is not known, but probably after they returned from captivity, as Geba is mentioned in Ezra 2:26 . Lod and Ono in 1 Chronicles 8:12 are named in Ezra 2:33 , and "the sons of Gibeon" in Nehemiah 7:25 . Compare Ezra 2:20 .
Gera. A third Gera. Compare verses: 1Ch 8:3 , 1 Chronicles 8:6 .
Ahihud. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis : "and Ahihud [and Shaharaim]. And Shaharaim begat", &c.
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.
of Moab. As Boaz did.
them: i.e. his wives.
9.
And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,
Hodesh: i.e. his Moabitish wife.
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:
Shamed. Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, read "Shemer". Compare 1 Chronicles 7:34 .
Ono . . . Lod. Mentioned only after the exile (Ezra 2:33 .Nehemiah 7:37; Nehemiah 7:37 ). See note on 1 Chronicles 8:6 .
13.
Beriah also, and Shema, who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove away the inhabitants of Gath:
Beriah. See notes on 1 Chronicles 7:23 , 1 Chronicles 7:30 .
Aijalon. In Joshua 19:42 , it was in Dan. In Joshua 21:24 it was a Levitical city. In 2 Chronicles 28:18 it was occupied by Philistines, under Ahaz. But here occupied by Benjamites, because (1) of Dan's idolatry (see note on Genesis 49:17 ), and (2) of different distribution after the exile.
drove away. A reprisal later than 1 Chronicles 7:21 . See notes on 1 Chronicles 7:23 , 1 Chronicles 7:30 .
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;
Ishmerai = Ishmar-yah. The Yod = y, being the abbreviation for Yah = Jehovah.
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,
Heber. Most codices, and nine early printed editions, read "Heber". Some MSS. read "Hebed".
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.
These dwelt. Compare 1 Chronicles 8:32 ; 1 Chronicles 9:34 .Nehemiah 11:1-4 . Another token of God's faithfulness to Benjamin (compare Deuteronomy 33:12 ), for adhering to Judah and the worship of the true God.
29.
And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name was Maachah:
at Gibson. Repeated in 1 Chronicles 9:35-44 .
father = lord, chief, or ruler. Compare 1 Chronicles 9:35 . Called Jehiel there.
30.
And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab,
31.
And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher.
Zacher. Supply Ellipsis thus: "and Zacher [and Mikloth]. And Mikloth", &c.
32.
And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.
33.
And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
Ner begat Kish. There are three genealogies of the house of Saul. We place the facts, (1) that persons often had two names (1 Chronicles 8:34 .Judges 6:32 , &c), and (2) that the same name recurs in the same family, against the assumption that the opposite is the case. It is this assumption which creates the difficulties in "reconciling" 1 Samuel 9:1 ; 1 Samuel 14:51 ; and 1 Chronicles 9:38 .
Esh-baal. Another name for Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 2:8 ).
34.
And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begat Micah.
Merib-baal. Another name by which Mephi-bosheth was known. Compare 2 Samuel 2:8 ; 2 Samuel 4:4 . See note on 1 Chronicles 8:33 above. The addition "bosheth" (= shame) came to be substituted for "Baal" as the latter word became associated with idolatry. Compare Judges 6:32 with 2 Samuel 11:21 .
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.
Bocheru. Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, read "his firstborn" ( bekhoro ).
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, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.
were = became.
mighty men. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14 .
archers. Compare 2 Chronicles 14:8 .