1Ch 8:1 Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,
Now Benjamin begat - The reason of this return to the genealogy of the Benjamites seems to be the desire to connect the genealogical introduction with the historical body of the work. As the history is to begin with Saul, the genealogical portion is made to end with an account of the family of this Benjamite monarch.
Now Benjamin begat - 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:
Now Benjamin begat - This chapter contains some supplementary particulars in addition to what has been already said regarding the tribe of Benjamin (see on 1Ch_7:6). The names of many of the persons mentioned are different from those given by Moses--a diversity which may be accounted for in part on grounds formerly stated, namely, either that the persons had more than one name, or that the word "sons" is used in a loose sense for grandsons or descendants. But there are other circumstances to be taken into account in considering the details of this chapter; namely, first, that the genealogies of the Benjamites were disordered or destroyed by the almost total extermination of this tribe (Jdg. 20:11-48); secondly, that a great number of Benjamites, born in Assyria, are mentioned here, who returned from the long captivity in Babylon, and established themselves--some in Jerusalem, others in different parts of Judea. There were more returned from Babylon of the families belonging to this tribe than to any other except Judah ; and hence many strange names are here introduced; some of which will be found in the list of the restored exiles (compare Ezra 2:1-70).
Now Benjamin begat - The families of Benjamin enumerated in this chapter were probably separated from those in 1Ch_7:6-11, merely on the ground that all the registers which are grouped together in 1 Chron 7 were taken from another genealogical document than that from which the registers in our chapter, which form a supplement to the short fragments in 1Ch_7:6-11, have been derived.
Ashbel the second - supposed to be the same with Jediael, 1Ch_7:6, Gen_46:21.
Aharah the third - the same with Aher, 1Ch_7:13, and with Ahiram, Num_26:38.
1Ch 8:2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
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, Gen_46:21, as Rapha, the same with Rosh there.
1Ch 8:3 And the sons of Bela were, Addar, and Gera, and Abihud,
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, Gen_46:21 but was one of his grandsons, see Num_26:40 as Gera also was.
1Ch 8:4 And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah,
Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah - These were all the sons of Bela; one of the name of Naaman is reckoned among the sons of Benjamin, Gen_46:21 and from this grandson the family of the Naamanites are named, Num_26:40, and Ahoah is by some thought to be the same with Ehi, mentioned in Gen_46:21 as one of Benjamin's sons.
1Ch 8:5 And Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.
Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram - These were all the sons of Bela; 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, Num_26:39.
1Ch 8:6 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:
And they removed them to Manahath - “They” has no antecedent; and it is difficult to supply one. We may gather that the “sons of Ehud” (or, perhaps, of Ahoah, 1Ch_8:4) were originally settled at Geba (Jos_18:24), but afterward removed to a place called Manahath, probably a town in the vicinity.
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.
And these are the sons of Ehud – He describes the sons of Benjamin by the places of their habitation, without an exact account of their parents; because their genealogies were broken by that almost total extirpation of this tribe, Jdg. 20:29-48.
these are the sons of Ehud--most probably the judge of Israel (Jdg_3:15) according to one scholar although another scholar says not. His descendants, who had at first been established in Geba in Benjamin, emigrated in a body under the direction of Gera (1Ch_8:7) to Manahath, where their increased numbers would find more ample accommodation. Manahath was within the territory of Judah .
Sons of Ehud. - The descent of Ehud from the sons, grandsons, and descendants of Benjamin, enumerated in 1Ch_8:1-5, is not given.
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 :
1Ch 8:7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud.
Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera - these are the sons of Ehud.
he removed them - to the Manahath, that is, either Gera , or rather most likely Ehud, he advised them, directed and enjoined them to go there.
he begat Uzza and Ahihud - after he had removed his other sons.
1Ch 8:8 And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.
After he had sent them away - after he had divorced them, Hushim and Baara, for some reasons he had, he begat children of another wife, later mentioned.
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, Rth_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.
Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab--He had probably been driven to take refuge in that foreign land on the same calamitous occasion that forced Elimelech to emigrate thither (Rth_1:1). But, destitute of natural affection, he forsook or divorced his two wives, and in the land of his sojourn married a third, by whom he had several sons. But there is another explanation given of the conduct of this Benjamite polygamist. His children by Hushim are mentioned (1Ch_8:11), while his other wife is unnoticed. Hence it has been thought probable that it is Baara who is mentioned under the name of Hodesh, so called because her husband, after long desertion, returned and cohabited with her as before.
1Ch 8:9 And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,
He begat of Hodesh his wife - In the preceding verse it is said that “Hushim and Baara were his wives;” and here it said, “he begat of Hodesh his wife,” etc; and then in the 1Ch_8:11, his children by Hushim are mentioned, but not a word of Baara. It is probable, therefore, that Hodesh was another name for Baara; and this is asserted by the Targumist: “And he begat of Baara, that is, of Chodesh, his wife, so called because he espoused her anew.” It is supposed that he had put her away before, and now remarried her.
1Ch 8:10 And Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons, heads of the fathers.
1Ch 8:11 And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal.
And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal - Before he sent her away, or divorced her, 1Ch_8:8.
1Ch 8:12 The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof:
who built Ono, and Lod - with the towns thereof; not Shamed, but Elpaal his father, so the Targum; and the Talmudists say, 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, Neh_11:35 they were near to each other; according to a Jewish chronologer, it was three miles from the one to the other; Lod is the same with Lydda, in Act_9:32.
1Ch 8:13 Beriah also, and Shema, who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove away the inhabitants of Gath:
Beriah and Shema - These were sons of Elpaal:
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
1Ch 8:14 And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth,
Ahio, Shashak, and Jerimoth - These were also sons of Elpaal.
1Ch 8:15 And Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader,
Zebadiah - And all that follow in this and the next verse were the sons of Beriah the son of Elpaal.
Arad, Ader, Michael, Ispah, and Joha - Several of the names of these six sons of Beriah who are mentioned in our verse occur elsewhere, but nowhere else are they met with as sons of Beriah.
1Ch 8:16 And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah;
1Ch 8:17 And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and Heber,
Zebadiah, and Meshullam and Hezeki and Heber - the sons of Elpaal.
1Ch 8:18 Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
Ishmerai, Jezliah, and Jobab - the sons of Elpaal.
1Ch 8:19 And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi,
Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi - were the sons of Shimhi, the same with Shema brother of Beriah, and son of Elpaal, 1Ch_8:13.
1Ch 8:20 And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,
Elienai, Zilthai, Eliel - were the sons of Shimhi, the same with Shema brother of Beriah, and son of Elpaal, 1Ch_8:13.
1Ch 8:21 And Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of Shimhi;
Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath - were the sons of Shimhi, the same with Shema brother of Beriah, and son of Elpaal, 1Ch_8:13.
1Ch 8:22 And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel,
Ishpan, and Heber and Eliel - the sons of Shashak, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch_8:14.
1Ch 8:23 And Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan,
Abdon, Zichri, Hanan - the sons of Shashak, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch_8:14.
1Ch 8:24 And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah,
Hananiah, Elam, Antothijah - the sons of Shashak, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch_8:14.
1Ch 8:25 And Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak;
Iphedeiah, and Penuel - the sons of Shashak, another son of Elpaal, 1Ch_8:14.
1Ch 8:26 And Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah,
Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah - 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.
1Ch 8:27 And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham.
Jaresiah, Eliah, and Zichri - 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.
Eliah – it is a tradition that this Eliah is Elijah the prophet, who was of the seed of Rachel.
1Ch 8:28 These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men. These dwelt in Jerusalem.
These dwelt in Jerusalem - Jerusalem was partly within the limits of the tribe of Benjamin Jos_15:63 and Jos_18:28; but we do not hear of Benjamites inhabiting it until after the return from the captivity 1Ch_9:3; Neh_11:4.
These dwelt in Jerusalem--The ordinary and stated inhabitants of Jerusalem were Judahites, Benjamites, and Levites. But at the time referred to here, the chiefs or heads of the principal families who are enumerated (1Ch_8:14-27) established themselves in the city after their return from the captivity.
These were heads of the fathers - All from 1Ch_8:14, the sons of Elpaal and their sons:
Jerusalem - The city of Jerusalem was built on hills, and encompassed with mountains (Psa_125:2), in a stony and barren soil. The ancient city of Jebus , taken by David from the Jebusites, was not large, and stood on a mountain south of that on which the temple was erected. Here David built a new city, called the city of David , wherein was the royal palace. Between these two mountains lay the valley of Millo , filled up by David and Solomon; and after the reign of Manasseh, another city is mentioned, called the second. The Maccabees considerably enlarged Jerusalem on the north, enclosing a third hill; and Josephus mentions a fourth hill, called Bezetha, which Agrippa joined to the former. This new city lay north of the temple, along the brook Kidron.
1Ch 8:29 And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name was Maachah:
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,
The ancestors of Saul - They dwelt mainly in Gibeon , but a branch of them were settled in Jerusalem .
1Ch 8:30 And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab,
And his firstborn son Abdon - That is, Jehiel's, the father or prince of Gibeon .
Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab - between Baal and Nadab, Ner is placed, 1Ch_9:36. More of Jehiel's sons.
1Ch 8:31 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher.
Gedor, Ahio, and Zacher - called Zechariah, 1Ch_9:37 More of Jehiel's sons.
1Ch 8:32 And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.
Mikloth - another of Jehiel's sons is added at the end of 1Ch_9:37
Mikloth begat Shimeah - Called Shimeam, 1Ch_9:38.
dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them - in another part of the city, right beside them.
1Ch 8:33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
Ner begat Kish - The father of Ner, though not mentioned here, is stated (1Ch_9:35) to have been Jehiel. Moreover, the father of Kish is said (1Sa_9:1) to have been Abiel, the son of Zeror, whence it would seem that Abiel and Ner were names of the same person.
Kish begat Saul - the first king of Israel , for whose sake chiefly the genealogy of Benjamin is revised and enlarged in this chapter:
Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal - 1Sa_31:2. Abinadab is called Ishui, 1Sa_14:49 and Eshbaal is the same with Ishbosheth, 2Sa_2:8.
1Ch 8:34 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah.
Meribbaal - He is called here and in 1Ch_9:40 Meribbaal, while in 2Sa_4:4; 2Sa_9:6; 2Sa_16:1., 2Sa_19:25, he is called Mephibosheth, because the name “striver with Baal” has been changed. This Meribbaal, who was lame in his feet (cf. 2Sa_4:4), had a son Micah, of whom came a numerous race.
1Ch 8:35 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz.
The sons of Micah - Micah had four sons (1Ch_8:35), and the family of the last-named of these (Ahaz) is traced down, in 1Ch_8:36-40, through ten generations to the great-grandson of Eshek. First it is traced from Ahaz to Alemeth (1Ch_8:36); then through Zimri, brother of this latter, to Binea, to Azel, of whom in 1Ch_8:38 six sons are enumerated; and finally, in 1Ch_8:39, the sons of his brother Eshek are named, and the sons and grandsons of the first-born of this latter are then enumerated.
1Ch 8:36 And Ahaz begat Jehoadah; and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza,
Jehoadah - Called Jarah, 1Ch_9:42.
Jehoadah begat Alemeth - the same account is given, 1Ch_9:42.
1Ch 8:37 And Moza begat Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son:
Rapha - Called Rephaiah, 1Ch_9:43.
Elasah - whose name is Eleasah, 1Ch_9:43.
1Ch 8:38 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.
1Ch 8:39 And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
the sons of Eshek his brother - The brother of Azel; who he was is not known, unless he is the same with Elasah.
1Ch 8:40 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.
Sons, and sons’ sons - This genealogy of the house of Saul appears by the number of the generations to belong probably to the time of Hezekiah (compare 1Ch_4:41). Ulam’s “sons’ sons” are in the 13th generation from Jonathan, as Hezekiah is in the 13th generation from David.
The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor - Men of great fortitude and courage, though their names are not expressed: The Targum speaks honorably of them: “The sons of Ulam were mighty and strong men, subduing by wisdom their evil concupiscence, as men bend a bow; therefore they had many sons and grandsons.” The sons of Ulam are called valiant heroes and archers, and must have shown the same capability for war by which the tribe of Benjamin had been distinguished at an earlier time;
Archers - skilful in the use of the bow and arrows, as the Benjaminites formerly were famous for slinging stones: Great strength as well as skill was requisite in ancient archery, as the bow, which was of steel, was bent by treading with the feet, and pulling the string with both hands.
