1 Chronicles 8

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.

1 Chronicles 7

1Ch 7:1 Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four.

Four - The same number is given, Gen_46:13 with a small variation of two of their names, there called Phuvah and Job, from whence so many families sprang, mentioned Num_26:23, where the names are the same as here.

Here is no account either of Zebulun or Dan. We can assign no reason why they only should be omitted; but it is the disgrace of the tribe of Dan, that idolatry began in that colony which fixed in Laish, and called it Dan, Judges 18 and there one of the golden calves was set up by Jeroboam. Dan is omitted, Revelation 7. Men become abominable when they forsake the worship of the true God, for any creature object.

1Ch 7:2 And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father's house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred.

Whose number was in the days of David - The writer would seem by this passage to have had access to the statistics of the tribes collected by David, when he sinfully “numbered the people”. The numbers given in 1Ch_7:4-5 probably came from the same source.

Whose number was in the days of David - Whether this was the number returned by Joab and his assistants, when they made that census of the people with which God was so much displeased, we know not. It is worthy of remark that we read here the sum of three tribes, Benjamin, Issachar, and Asher, under the reign of David, which is mentioned nowhere else; and yet we have no account here of the other tribes, perhaps because the author found no public registers in which such enumeration was recorded.

Whose number was in the days of David - Although a census was taken in the reign of David by order of that monarch, it is not certain that the sacred historian had it in mind, since we find here the tribe of Benjamin enumerated [1Ch_7:6-12], which was not taken in David's time; and there are other points of dissimilarity.

the sons of Tola - The eldest son of Issachar, whose posterity are only reckoned by name: The six sons of Tola are not elsewhere met with in the Old Testament.

they were valiant men of might in their generations - famous for their courage and military exploits, though they sprang from Tola, whose name signifies "a worm"; yet from him sprung such mighty men, and from them such a numerous race.

whose number was - besides those of the posterity of Uzzi, after mentioned. This was at the time Joab took the number of Israel , by the order of David, 1Ch_21:5.

1Ch 7:3 And the sons of Uzzi; Izrahiah: and the sons of Izrahiah; Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five: all of them chief men.

five: all of them chief men--Four only are mentioned; so that as they are stated to be five, in this number the father, Izrahiah, must be considered as included; otherwise one of the names must have dropped out of the text. They were each at the head of a numerous and influential division of their tribe. From Uzzi, the first-born of Tola, are descended through Izrahiah five men, all heads of groups of related households.

1Ch 7:4 And with them, by their generations, after the house of their fathers, were bands of soldiers for war, six and thirty thousand men: for they had many wives and sons.

1Ch 7:5 And their brethren among all the families of Issachar were valiant men of might, reckoned in all by their genealogies fourscore and seven thousand.

fourscore and seven thousand--exclusive of the 58,600 men which the Tola branch had produced (1Ch_7:24), so that in the days of David the tribe would have contained a population of 45,600. This large increase was owing to the practice of polygamy, as well as the fruitfulness of the women. A plurality of wives, though tolerated among the Hebrews, was confined chiefly to the great and wealthy; but it seems to have been generally esteemed a privilege by the tribe of Issachar, "for they had many wives and sons" [1Ch_7:4].

1Ch 7:6 The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three.

Three - In Genesis, ten “sons” of Benjamin are mentioned; in Numbers, five. Neither list, however, contains Jediael who was perhaps a later chieftain. If so, “son” as applied to him means only “descendant.”

Becher - It is conjectured that Becher has disappeared from the lists in 1 Chr. 8 and in Numbers, because he, or his heir, married an Ephraimite heiress, and that his house thus passed over in a certain sense into the tribe of Ephraim, in which the “Bachrites” are placed in Numbers Num_26:35. He retains, however, his place here, because, by right of blood, he really belonged to Benjamin.

The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher and Jediael - In Gen_46:21, ten sons of Benjamin are reckoned; Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera , Naaman, Eri, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. In Num_26:38, etc., five sons only of Benjamin are mentioned, Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shupham, and Hupham: and Ard and Naaman are there said to be the sons of Bela; consequently grandsons of Benjamin. In the beginning of the following chapter, five sons of Benjamin are mentioned, viz., Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, Nohah, and Rapha; where also Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, a second Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram, are all represented as grandsons, not sons, of Benjamin: hence we see that in many cases grandsons are called sons, and both are often confounded in the genealogical tables.

1Ch 7:7 And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four.

And the sons of Bela - The five heads of fathers'-houses called sons of Bela are not sons in the proper sense of the word, but more distant descendants, who, at the time when this register was made up, were heads of the five groups of related households of the race of Bela.

And the sons of Bela - These are thought by some to be the grandsons of Bela, because of the different names in 1Ch_8:3,

1Ch 7:8 And the sons of Becher; Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and Alameth. All these are the sons of Becher.

Anathoth, and Alameth - these gave names to two cities in Benjamin, built by them; Anathoth, the native place of Jeremiah the prophet, and Alameth, the same with Bahurim, 2Sa_16:5.

1Ch 7:9 And the number of them, after their genealogy by their generations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour, was twenty thousand and two hundred.

after their genealogy by their generations - as they increased in succeeding ages, and at the time of David:

1Ch 7:10 The sons also of Jediael; Bilhan: and the sons of Bilhan; Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar.

The sons also of Jediael - The third son of Benjamin before mentioned, 1Ch_7:6. Bilhan, including his posterity, as follows:

Benjamin - called so after his great grandfather:

Ehud – Some scholars say he was the second judge in Israel , Jdg_3:15. Others say he is not the judge Ehud (Jdg_3:15), who was indeed a Benjamite, but of the family of Gera .

Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar - of whom we nowhere else read.

1Ch 7:11 All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty men of valour, were seventeen thousand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle.

1Ch 7:12 Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children of Ir, and Hushim, the sons of Aher.

Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children of Ir - The same with Iri, 1Ch_7:7 so that these were not sons of Benjamin, as they seem to be, if they are the same with Muppim and Huppim in Gen_46:21 but his great-grandchildren, and are the same with Shupham and Hupham, from whom families of the tribe of Benjamin sprung, Num_26:39.

Hushim, the sons of Aher - either the same with Aharah, the third son of Benjamin, 1Ch_8:1 or Ahiram, Num_26:38.

Hushim, the sons of Aher - Aher signifies another, and it has been conjectured that these were Danites, “the sons of another tribe;” especially as Hushim is named as the only son of Dan, Gen_46:23. And they suppose that the name of Dan was not mentioned, because his descendants first established idolatry. But Zebulun, as well as Dan, is here omitted, perhaps because none of either of these tribes returned at first from Babylon . Though the Benjamites had been almost destroyed in the first days of the judges, they soon became numerous and powerful. Num_26:38, Ahiram

1Ch 7:13 The sons of Naphtali; Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.

Shallum - Called Shillem, Gen_46:24,

the sons of Bilhah - Jacob's concubine; her grandsons; for Naphtali, the father of them, was her son; from these sprung so many families, after their names, Num_26:48.

sons of Bilhah--As Dan and Naphtali were her sons, Hushim, as well as these enumerated in 1Ch_7:13, were her grandsons.

The sons of Naphtali. - Only the sons of Naphtali are named, the families descended from them being passed over. The names correspond to those in Gen_46:24 and Num_26:48.

1Ch 7:14 The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare: (but his concubine the Aramitess bare Machir the father of Gilead:

The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare - The text, as it stands, is so confused and complicated that it is exceedingly difficult to trace the genealogical thread, and a great variety of conjectures have been made with a view to clear away the obscurity. The New King James version seems to translate verses 14 and 15 most understandably. 1 Chronicles 7:14-15 The descendants of Manasseh: his Syrian concubine bore him Machir the father of Gilead, the father of Asriel. Machir took as his wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim, whose name was Maachah. The name of Gilead’s grandson was Zelophehad, but Zelophehad begot only daughters.

Other versions:

1Ch 7:14 The sons of Manasseh: Ashriel, the son born to his Syrian concubine with Machir the father of Gilead,

15 and Machir took a wife for Huppim and for Shuppim; and the name of his sister was Maachah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad. And Zelophehad had daughters. (MKJV)

1Ch 7:14 The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his Aramean concubine bore; she bore Machir the father of Gilead.

15 And Machir took a wife for Huppim and for Shuppim. The name of his sister was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had daughters. (ESV)

1Ch 7:14 The sons of Manasseh were Asriel, whom his Aramean concubine bore; she bore Machir the father of Gilead.

15 Machir took a wife for Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister's name was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had daughters. (NASB)

1Ch 7:14 The descendants of Manasseh: Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead.

15 Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister's name was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters. (NIV)

The sons of Manasseh--or descendants; for Ashriel was a grandson, and Zelophehad was a generation farther removed in descent (Num_26:33).

Families of the half-tribe of Manasseh. - The families of Manasseh which dwelt in Gilead and Bashan have already been mentioned in 1Ch_5:23, 1Ch_5:14. Our verses deal with the families of this tribe which received their inheritance in Canaan , on this side Jordan. These were, according to Num_26:30, Num_26:34, and Jos_17:2, six families, of which, however, only two are here spoken of - Ashriel, 1Ch_7:14, and Shemidah, 1Ch_7:19; or perhaps three, if Abiezer, 1Ch_7:18, be the same person as Jeezer (Num_26:30), who is called Abiezer in Jos_17:2.

1Ch 7:15 And Machir took to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister's name was Maachah;) and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and Zelophehad had daughters.

Machir took to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim - He married into the tribe of Benjamin, a sister of the persons mentioned, 1Ch_7:12 whose name was Maachah:

Zelophehad - the posterity of Manasseh; he was the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead , the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, Num_27:1.

Zelophehad had daughters - but no sons, the names of his daughters are given, Num_26:33.

1Ch 7:16 And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.

And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son - He had both these sons by her:

his sons were Ulam and Rakem - that is, either the sons of Peresh or Sheresh.

1Ch 7:17 And the sons of Ulam; Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.

These were the sons of Gilead - these descendants of Machir were reckoned to the family of Gilead . The name “ Gilead ” prevailed above all others in the line of Manasseh, the term “Gileadite” almost taking the place of “Manassite.”

1Ch 7:18 And his sister Hammoleketh bare Ishod, and Abiezer, and Mahalah.

Abiezer - His descendants formed one of the most important branches of the Manassites. They furnished to Israel the greatest of the Judges, Gideon Jdg_6:11, Jdg_6:24, Jdg_6:34, and were regarded as the leading family among the so-called “sons of Gilead . Abiezer is the same with Jeezer, from whom a family sprung of that name, Num_26:30, of which Gideon was, Jdg_6:11.

Abiezer - The name Abiezer occurs, Jos_17:2, as that of the head of one of the families of Manasseh. In Num_26:30, however, he is called Jeezer, which is probably the original reading, and consequently our Abiezer is different from that in Jos_17:2. Another circumstance which speaks strongly against the identification of the two men is, that the family descended from Jeezer holds the first place among the families of Manasseh, which is not at all consonant with the position of the son of Machir's sister here mentioned. Of the family of Abiezer came the judge Gideon, Jdg_11:15. A daughter of Zelophehad is called Mahlah in Num_26:33; Num_27:1, but she is not the person here mentioned.

his sister Hammoleketh – According to one scholar, the sister of Gilead .

his sister Hammoleketh - A third branch of the descendants of Gilead were descended from Machir's sister Hammoleketh according to another scholar.

Ishod - “man of splendour,” is not elsewhere mentioned.

1Ch 7:19 And the sons of Shemida were, Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam.

The sons of Shemida - the founder of the fourth family of the Manassites, Num_26:32. His four sons are nowhere else referred to.

1Ch 7:20 And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son,

The sons of Ephraim - The genealogy is difficult. It is perhaps best to consider Ezer and Elead 1Ch_7:21 as not sons of Zabad and brothers of the second Shuthelah, but natural sons of Ephraim. The passage would then run thusly: “And the sons of Ephraim, Shuthelah (and Bered was his son, and Tahath his son and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son, and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son) and Ezer and Elead, whom the men of Gath slew” (i. e. the settled inhabitants, as contrasted with the nomadic Hebrews, Amalekites, etc.).

The sons of Ephraim - A son of Joseph, and father of a tribe of this name, whose genealogy through five generations follows: Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eladah, Tahath; the second. Among the Ephraimites, the descendants of Shuthelah, the founder of one of the chief families of this tribe, Num_26:35, are traced down through six generations to a later Shuthelah.

1Ch 7:21 And Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle.

Whom the men of Gath slew - We know nothing of this circumstance but what is related here.

Whom the men of Gath slew - that is, Zabad and his three sons; these the men of Gath slew, who were Philistines that dwelt there, and were originally of Egypt, and were born in that land, but had removed into Palestine, which had its name from them, of which Gath was one of its cities; and this bordering upon the land of Goshen, or being near it, where the Israelites dwelt, they made inroads upon them, and plundered them:

Zabad his son - Not the son of Tahath the second last mentioned, but the son of Ephraim, a second son of his.

Shuthelah; his son - the son of Zabad, called after his uncle's name, 1Ch_7:20.

Ezer, and Elead - two other sons of Zabad:

because they came down to take away their cattle - it does not appear that the sons of Ephraim were the aggressors, but the men of Gath , who appear to have been born in Egypt . This is the only place in the Sacred Writings where this piece of history is mentioned, and the transaction seems to have happened before the Israelites came out of Egypt ; for it appears from the following verse, that Ephraim was alive when these children of his were slain.

because they came down to take away their cattle - This history is not recorded else where in scripture, but it is in the ancient Hebrew writers. The Philistines (one of whose cities Gath was) and the Egyptians were next neighbours; and in those ancient times it was usual for such to make inroads one into another's country, and to carry thence what prey they could take. And as the Philistines had probably made such inroads formerly into Egypt, and particularly into the land of Goshen, which was the utmost part of Egypt bordering upon the Philistines land; so the Israelites might requite them in the like kind: and particularly the children of Ephraim, to their own loss. And this seems to have happened a little before the Egyptian persecution, and before the reign of that new king mentioned Exo_1:8. And this clause, that were born in that land, may be added emphatically, as the motive which made them more resolute in their fight with the Ephraimites, because they fought in, and for their own land, wherein all their wealth and concerns lay.

1Ch 7:22 And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him.

Ephraim their father mourned many days - For the loss of his son and grandchildren for the above fact was done while the Israelites were in Egypt, and Ephraim the patriarch yet alive; nor is there any need to suppose another Ephraim, different from him:

his brethren came to comfort him - some of the heads of the other tribes of Israel .

1Ch 7:23 And when he went in to his wife, she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house.

he called his name Beriah - which signifies being "in evil" or calamity, he being born in an evil time: Many similar instances of the naming of children from passing circumstances, occur throughout the sacred volume. See those of a similar character with this verse: Gen_35:18, where Rachel, while dying, names her new-born son Ben-oni, or, the son of my sorrow. So in 1Sa_4:21, the wife of Phinehas, on being apprised of the death of Eli and her husband, and that the ark was taken by the Philistines, while in the pains of travail, and dying, named her son I-chabod, or, there is no glory. So also in 1Ch_9:4 of this book, we read that Jabez, or, sorrowful, had that name given to him, because his mother “bare him with sorrow.” 2Sa_23:5

because it went evil with his house - or evil was in his house, in his family; a great calamity had befallen it.

Bare a son - Thus the breach was in some measure repaired, by the addition of another son in his old age.

1Ch 7:24 (And his daughter was Sherah, who built Bethhoron the nether, and the upper, and Uzzensherah.)

His daughter was Sherah - Sherah could scarcely herself have built the Palestinian cities here mentioned, which must belong to a time not earlier than Joshua. By “she built” we must understand “her descendants built.” Or that she was a descendent and not an immediate daughter of Beriah.

Bethhoron the nether, and the upper - which were cities on the border of the tribe of Ephraim; which the Israelites having taken from the Canaanites, and destroyed, she rebuilt, see Jos_16:3.

Uzzensherah - which was called after her own name, and to distinguish it from another place called Uzzen; though of neither of them do we read elsewhere.

1Ch 7:25 And Rephah was his son, also Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son,

Rephah was his son - The son of Beriah, whose genealogy from him is traced down to Joshua in this and the two following verses, and stands thus: after Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Tahan, Laadan, Ammihud, Elishama, who was prince of the tribe of Ephraim in the wilderness, Num_1:10, then Non or Nun, whose son was Jehoshua or Joshua.

1Ch 7:26 Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son,

Elishama - the son of Ammihud, Elishama, was a contemporary of Moses, Num_1:10, and prince of the tribe of Ephraim, Num_7:48; Num_10:22.

1Ch 7:27 Non his son, Jehoshua his son.

Non - so pronounced only in this place; in the Pentateuch and in the book of Joshua it is Nun.

1Ch 7:28 And their possessions and habitations were, Bethel and the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Gaza and the towns thereof:

their possessions and habitations - That is, of the sons of Ephraim, when come into the land of Canaan :

Bethel, and the towns thereof - the villages belonging to it, which was formerly called Luz, and was the border of Ephraim, Jos_16:7.

Naaran - the same with Naarath, Jos_16:7.

Shechem also, and the towns thereof - which was a city of refuge in Mount Ephraim , Jos_20:7

unto Gaza, and the towns thereof - not Gaza , a city of the Philistines, for the tribe of Ephraim did not reach so far.

1Ch 7:29 And by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Bethshean and her towns, Taanach and her towns, Megiddo and her towns, Dor and her towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel.

by the borders of the children of Manasseh - Of the half tribe of Manasseh on this side Jordan .

Bethshean, Taanach, Megiddo, Dor - of all which places see Jos_17:11,

in these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel - the Ephraimites, in those mentioned in 1Ch_7:28, and the Manassites, in those that are here mentioned; who were both the children or posterity of Joseph, the beloved son of Israel .

in these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel - According to Jos_17:11, the Manassites had received the four cities here named, lying within the territory of Issachar and Asher. As to its position, see Jos_17:11. These cities formed the boundaries on the extreme north, of the dwellings “of the sons of Joseph,” i.e., of the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

1Ch 7:30 The sons of Asher; Imnah, and Isuah, and Ishuai, and Beriah, and Serah their sister.

The son of Asher - Which, and his two grandsons born before Jacob went down to Egypt , are here reckoned as in Gen_46:17 only it is here added Malchiel his second grandson in the next verse.

The sons and several families of Asher - The names of the four sons of Asher and that of their sister coincide with the statement of Gen_46:17; but in Num_26:44-47, on the contrary, the name Ishuai does not occur among the families of Asher.

Imnah - This variation only exists in the translation; the original being uniformly Jimnah, or Yimnah. Gen_46:17; Num_26:44-46, Jimnah

Ishuai - This variation only exists in the translation; the Hebrew being in both places Isui, or rather, Yishwi. Gen_46:17, Isui

1Ch 7:31 And the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel, who is the father of Birzavith.

who is the father of Birzavith - which one scholar interprets as “Malchiel, a prince of a city of Birzavith .” The name signifies pure oil; which it might have from the abundance of olives about it, Asher being a tribe which abounded with them, Deu_33:24. Some scholars take Birzavith to be the name of a man,

The sons of Beriah, Heber and Malchiel – This part is also to be found in Gen_46:17 and Num_26:45 as the heads of two families; but the further statement, “he (i.e., Malchiel) the father of Birzavith,” is found only here.

1Ch 7:32 And Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their sister.

And Shua their sister - It is very rarely that women are found in the Jewish genealogies, and they are never inserted but for especial reasons.

Heber - The other grandson of Asher; and son of Beriah:

1Ch 7:33 And the sons of Japhlet; Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet.

Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath - these are the children of Japhlet. Of whom we read not elsewhere,

1Ch 7:34 And the sons of Shamer; Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram.

And the sons of Shamer - Or Shomer, the brother of Japhlet, 1Ch_7:32.

Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram - of whom nothing is known but their names.

1Ch 7:35 And the sons of his brother Helem; Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal.

And the sons of his brother Helem - Or Helem his brother, that is, the brother of Shomer, who may be Hotham, 1Ch_7:32.

Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal - nowhere else mentioned.

1Ch 7:36 The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah,

1Ch 7:37 Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.

1Ch 7:38 And the sons of Jether; Jephunneh, and Pispah, and Ara.

the sons of Jether - The same with Ithran, the last of Zophah's sons but one, 1Ch_7:37,

Jephunneh - not Jephunneh the father of Caleb; he was not of the tribe of Asher, but of Judah .

1Ch 7:39 And the sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia.

And the sons of Ulla - Who either was the son of Ara, last mentioned, or another son of Jether:

Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia - here ends the genealogy of Asher; the last of the tribes; Dan and Zebulun not being reckoned at all.

1Ch 7:40 All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father's house, choice and mighty men of valour, chief of the princes. And the number throughout the genealogy of them that were apt to the war and to battle was twenty and six thousand men.

the number that were apt to war - that is, in the days of David, 1Ch_7:4, this was the number, not of their chief men, nor of all the people in the tribe, but of their militia.

The children of Asher - But we must observe that the number given in our verse is only that of the men capable of bearing arms belonging to one of the greater families of Asher, the family of Heber, of which alone a register had been preserved till the time of the chronicler.

1 Chronicles 6

1Ch 6:1 The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

The sons of Levi - The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites, to preserve their descent clear, and to be able to prove it; because all the honors and privileges of their office depended upon their descent.

The sons of Levi - After an account of the chief of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, follows that of Levi, and his descendents; the kingdom being given to Judah, the birthright to Joseph, and the priesthood to Levi:The genealogy of the high priestly stem to the captivity. It has been well remarked that the genealogy of Levi is given here more ample and correct than that of any of the others.

The sons of Levi - The family of Aaron, or the high-priestly line of Aaron, to the time of the Babylonian exile. - 1Ch_6:1-3. In order to exhibit the connection of Aaron with the patriarch Levi, the enumeration begins with the three sons of Levi, who are given in 1Ch_6:1 as in Gen_46:11; Exo_6:16, and in other passages. Of Levi's grandchildren, only the four sons of Kohath (1Ch_6:2) are noticed; and of these, again, Amram is the only one whose descendants - Aaron, Moses, and Miriam - are named (1Ch_6:3); and thereafter only Aaron's sons are introduced, in order that the enumeration of his family in the high-priestly line of Eleazar might follow. As Nadab and Abihu were slain when they offered strange fire before the Lord (Lev_10:1.), Aaron's race was continued only by his sons Eleazar and Ithamar. After Aaron's death, his eldest son Eleazar was chosen by God to be his successor in the high priest's office, and thus the line of Eleazar came into possession of the high-priestly dignity.

1Ch 6:2 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

And the sons of Kohath - Given in the same order as in Exo_6:18.

1Ch 6:3 And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

And the children of Amram - Very memorable persons: Aaron was the high priest, Moses the prophet and lawgiver, and Miriam a prophetess.

Nadab and Abihu - destroyed by fire from heaven for offering strange fire, Lev_10:1

Eleazar - succeeded his father in the high priesthood; the line of which is drawn from Aaron through him unto the Babylonish captivity, from hence to the end of the fifteenth verse, where it ends:

1Ch 6:4 Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua,

Eleazar begat Phinehas - As the high priesthood continued in this family for a long time, the sacred historian confines himself to this chiefly, omitting Nadab and Abihu, and even the family of Ithamar. In 1Ch_6:4-15 the descendants of Eleazar are enumerated in twenty-two generations. The son was, when he lived after his father, the heir of the high-priestly dignity. Thus Phinehas the son of Eleazar (Exo_6:25) is found in possession of it in Jdg_20:28. From this the older commentators have rightly drawn the inference that the purpose of the enumeration in 1Ch_6:4-15 was to communicate the succession of high priests from Eleazar, who died shortly after Joshua (Jos_24:33), to Jehozadak, whom Nebuchadnezzar caused to be carried away into Babylon . The list presents the line of Eleazar as an uninterrupted possession of the high-priestly dignity; but in the historical books of the Old Testament another line of high priests, beginning with Eli, is mentioned, which, according to 1Ch_24:5, and Joseph. Ant. v. 11. 5, belonged to the family of Ithamar. The list is as follows: Eli (1Sa_2:20); his son Phinehas, who, however, died before Eli (1Sa_4:11; his son Ahitub (1Sa_14:3); his son Ahijah, who was also called Ahimelech (1Sa_14:3; 1Sa_22:9, 1Sa_22:11, 1Sa_22:20); his son Abiathar (1Sa_22:20), from whom Solomon took away the high-priesthood (1Ki_2:26.), and set Zadok in his place (1Ki_2:35). According to Josephus, the high-priestly dignity remained with the line of Eleazar, from Eleazar to Ozi (1Ch_6:4-6); it then fell to Eli and his descendants, until with Zadok it returned to the line of Eleazar. These statements manifestly rest upon truthful historical tradition. Another problem with the list is that the register on the one hand gives too many names for one period and too few for another. Clearly, therefore, intermediate names must have been omitted in this register.

1Ch 6:5 And Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi,

Uzzi--It is supposed that, in his days, the high priesthood was, for unrecorded reasons, transferred from Eleazar's family to Ithamar's, in which it continued for several generations. According to Josephus, and other Jewish writers, in the times of Uzzi, 1Ch_6:6 the priesthood was translated into the family of Ithamar, of which Eli was the first high priest; where it continued to the times of Solomon, when it was restored to Zadok, of the line of Eleazar.

1Ch 6:6 And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth,

1Ch 6:7 Meraioth begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,

1Ch 6:8 And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz,

Ahitub begat Zadok - Through this person (Zadok) the high priesthood came again into the family of Eleazar.

1Ch 6:9 And Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan,

1Ch 6:10 And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:)

Johanan - Supposed to be the same as Jehoiada.

Executed the priest’s office - So did all the rest, but it is implied that he did it worthily, he filled his place, and valiantly discharged his office in Uzziah's time. Probably this refers to the dignified manner in which Azariah opposed King Uzziah, who wished to invade the priest’s office, and offer incense in the temple. 2Ch_26:17, 2Ch_26:18.

Executed the priest’s office - It is particularly observed of Azariah, 1Ch_6:10 that he it was that executed the priest's office in the temple built by Solomon; not that he was the first that officiated in it, that was Zadok; but this seems to be Azariah, who was the high priest in the times of Uzziah, who opposed him when he would have offered incense in the temple, 2Ch_26:17, which may be the reason why he is so particularly taken notice of here; though some think this is to be understood of Johanan, the father of Azariah, supposed to the same with Jehoiada, who, in the times of Athaliah, was the instrument of preserving both church and state, 2Ki_11:4, the temple in which he ministered is described as built by Solomon, because at the time of the writing of this there was another temple built, or building, by Zerubbabel.

in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem--described in this particular manner to distinguish it from the second temple, which was in existence at the time when this history was written.

1Ch 6:11 And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,

Ahitub - Between Amariah and Hilkiah 1Ch_6:13 this genealogy is most certainly defective, as it gives three generations only for a period for which nine generations are furnished by the list of the kings of Judah, and which cannot be estimated as much short of 200 years. Further, no one of the names in this part of the list occurs among the High priests of the period, several of whom are mentioned both in the Second Book of Chronicles and in Kings; the explanation of which seems to be that the present is not a list of high priests, but the genealogy of Jozadak or Jehozadak, whose line of descent partly coincided with the list of High priests, partly differed from it. Where it coincided, all the names are given; where it differed, some are omitted, in order (probably) to render the entire list from Phinehas a multiple of seven.

1Ch 6:12 And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum,

1Ch 6:13 And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat Azariah,

1Ch 6:14 And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak,

Seraiah - He filled the supreme pontifical office at the destruction of Jerusalem , and, along with his deputy and others, he was executed by Nebuchadnezzar's orders at Riblah (2Ki_25:18, 2Ki_25:21). The line of high priests, under the first temple, which from Zadok amounted to twelve, terminated with him.

Seraiah - Seraiah was carried to Riblah, and there put to death by order of Nebuchadnezzar; so that with him ended the succession of high priests in the first temple. 2Ki_25:18; Ezr_7:1; Neh_11:11; Zec_6:11

1Ch 6:15 And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

Jehozadak - the same with Josedech, Hag_1:1 who went young into Babylon , and whose son Joshua, born in the captivity, came out of it on the proclamation of Cyrus, Ezr_2:2. The meaning of the name is “Jehovah is righteous.” It has been noted as remarkable that the heads of both the priestly and the royal stock carried to Babylon should have had names (Zedekiah and Jehozadak) composed of the same elements, and assertive of the “justice of God,” which their sufferings showed forth so signally.

Jehozadak - the father of Joshua who returned from exile with Zerubbabel, and was the first high priest in the restored community (Ezr_3:2; Ezr_5:2; Hag_1:1).

1Ch 6:16 The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

The sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari - Which is repeated from 1Ch_6:1 for the sake of their posterity, whose names are given in the three following verses, in the same manner as in Exo_6:17. This repetition (see 1Ch_6:1) is made, as the historian here begins to trace the genealogy of the Levitical families who were not priests. The list is a long one, comprising the chiefs or heads of their several families until David's reign, who made a new and different classification of them by courses.

Register of the families of the Levites. - This is introduced by an enumeration of the sons and grandsons of Levi (1Ch_6:16-19), which is followed by lists of families in six lines of descent: (a) the descendants of Gershon (1Ch_6:20-21), of Kohath (1Ch_6:22-28), and of Merari (1Ch_6:29-30); and (b) the genealogies of David's chief musicians (1Ch_6:31, 1Ch_6:32), of Heman the Kohathite (1Ch_6:33-38), of Asaph the Gershonite (1Ch_6:39-43), and of Ethan the Merarite (1Ch_6:44-47); and in 1Ch_6:48, 1Ch_6:49, some notes as to the service performed by the other Levites and the priests are added.

The sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari - in 1Ch_6:16-22 the sons of these three sons, i.e., the grandsons of Levi, are introduced, while in 1Ch_6:1 only the sons of Kohath are mentioned. The only object of this enumeration is to make quite clear the descent of the Levitic families which follow.

1Ch 6:17 And these be the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni, and Shimei.

1Ch 6:18 And the sons of Kohath were, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

1Ch 6:19 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers.

1Ch 6:20 Of Gershom; Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,

Sons of Gershom - The names in this list are curiously different from those in 1Ch_6:41-43, which yet appear to represent the same line reversed. Probably both lists, as in many genealogies, omission is made, to reduce the number of the names to seven.

Of Gershon, Libni his son - Whose genealogy runs thus, Jahath, called Jehiel, 1Ch_23:8. Zimmah, between whom was Shimei, 1Ch_6:42. Joah, the same with Ethan, 1Ch_6:42. Iddo, called Adaiah, 1Ch_6:41. Zerah, Jeaterai, whose name was also Ethni, 1Ch_6:41, the posterity of Shimei, the brother of Libni, are omitted.

Of Gershon, Libni his son - Those of his descendants who are here enumerated belong to the family of his oldest son Libni, which is traced down through seven generations to Jeaterai, a name not elsewhere met with. Of the intermediate names, Johath, Zimmah, and Zerah occur also among the descendants of Asaph, who is descended from the line of Shimei, 1Ch_6:39.

Zimmah his son--his grandson (1Ch_6:42).

1Ch 6:21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son.

1Ch 6:22 The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,

The sons of Kohath, Amminadab - The same with Izhar, 1Ch_6:2 the posterity of his brethren, Amram, Hebron, and Uzziel, are omitted; and his genealogy is carried to a considerable length, for the sake of Samuel the prophet, who sprang from him: it stands thus, Korah, Assir, Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir, Tahath, Uriel, called Zephaniah, 1Ch_6:36 Uzziah, the same with Azariah, 1Ch_6:36. Shaul, whose name is Joel, 1Ch_6:36 then through the sons of Elkanah, before mentioned, Amasai, Ahimoth, called Mahath, 1Ch_6:35 another Elkanah, Zophai, or Zuph, 1Ch_6:35. Nahath, the same with Toah, 1Ch_6:34 and Tohu, 1Sa_1:1, Eliab, called Eliel, 1Ch_6:34, and Elihu, 1Sa_1:1, Jeroham, another Elkanah, the father of Samuel the prophet, whose firstborn was Vashni, and whose name also was Joel, 1Ch_6:33.

Korah - See the history of this man, and his rebellion, Numbers 16:1-33.

1Ch 6:23 Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,

1Ch 6:24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.

1Ch 6:25 And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.

1Ch 6:26 As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,

1Ch 6:27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.

Elkanah--the father of the prophet Samuel (1Sa_1:1).

1Ch 6:28 And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.

Vashni - The true name of Samuel’s first-born, which was “Joel”, has here dropped out; and the word properly meaning “and his second (son)” has been taken as the name of the first.

The first-born Vashni, and Abiah - There is a great mistake in this verse: in 1Sa_8:2 And the name of his first-born was Joel, and the name of his second was Abiah, judges in Beer-sheba. The word Joel is lost out of the text in this place, and vesheni, which signifies the second, and which refers to Abiah, is made here into a proper name.

the sons of Samuel--The sons of Samuel are here named Vashni and Abiah. The first-born is called Joel (1Sa_8:2); and this name is given to him in 1Ch_6:33. It is now generally thought by the best critics that, through an error of the copyists, an omission has been made of the oldest son's name, and that Vashni, which is not the name of a person, merely signifies "and the second." This critical emendation of the text makes all clear, as well as consistent with other passages relating to the family of Samuel.

1Ch 6:29 The sons of Merari; Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza his son,

The sons of Merari; Mahli - The posterity of his brother Mushi are omitted; his genealogy is drawn thus, Libni, Shimei, Uzza, Shimea, Haggiah, Asaiah.

1Ch 6:30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.

1Ch 6:31 And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.

The genealogies of David’s three chief singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan or Jeduthun - These registers are introduced by an account of the service of the Levites about the sanctuary (1Ch_6:31, 1Ch_6:32), and conclude with remarks on the service of the remaining Levites (1Ch_6:48, 1Ch_6:49).

the service of the song in the house of the Lord - whom he appointed chief musicians, and masters of the chorus, to manage and conduct that part of divine service in the sanctuary, singing the praises of God, both with vocal and instrumental music:

after the ark had rest - which was when it was brought from the house of Obededom to the city of David, and was placed in a tabernacle he provided for it, 2Sa_6:12 And they told King David, saying, The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness, where it remained until the temple was built.

1Ch 6:32 And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.

They waited on their office - On the establishment and continuance of the choral service in the temple, 2Ch_5:12, 2Ch_29:27-30; 2Ch_35:15.

They waited on their office - performed it in the manner prescribed by David, 1Ch_25:1, which David, doubtless by the direction of the Holy Spirit, had instituted for the better regulation of divine worship.

1Ch 6:33 And these are they that waited with their children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel,

these are they that waited with their children - They and their descendents, who officiated in the service of singing psalms in the sanctuary: the three heads of them were of the three families of the Levites.

of the sons of the Kohathites, Heman a singer - the chief of the singers, and who composed psalms and hymns, which are in the book of Psalms:

the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel - or Samuel. This Heman was grandson of Samuel the prophet; for whose sake his genealogy is traced up to Jacob or Israel in the following verses, and stands thus; after Samuel, Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai, Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah, Tahath, Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah, Izhar, Kohath, Levi, Israel.

Heman - In general Asaph takes precedence of Heman and Jeduthun, but here Heman is placed first, because his family, that of the Kohathites, had the highest priestly rank, being the family which furnished the high priests (see 1Ch_6:2-15).

Heman - Heman is named first as being the head of the choir of singers who stood in the centre, while Asaph and his choir stood on his right hand, and on the left Ethan and his choir, so that when they sang in concert the conducting of the whole fell to Heman. His family is traced back in 1Ch_6:33-38 through twenty members to “Kohath the son of Levi, then son of Israel ” (Jacob).

Shemuel - “Samuel.” Our translators have here given the Hebrew, while elsewhere they give uniformlv the Greek, form of the name. This variation, as well as some others, only exists in the translation; the Hebrew being uniformly Shemuel. We learn by this genealogy that Heman was Samuel’s grandson.

These (following three men, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan) are they who stood (in service) with their sons. The three were the heads of the three Levitic families, to whom the execution of the liturgic singing was entrusted. The object of the following genealogies is to show their descent from Levi.

1Ch 6:34 The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,

1Ch 6:35 The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,

1Ch 6:36 The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,

Joel - it is evident, that the same persons, as in these instances, must have had two or more totally distinct names (1Ch_6:24), Shaul, Uzziah, Uriel.

1Ch 6:37 The son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,

1Ch 6:38 The son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.

1Ch 6:39 And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea,

Asaph - This person, with Heman, the sons of Kora, Ethan, Jeduthun, etc., are celebrated in these books, and in the Psalms, for their skill in singing, and the part they performed in the public worship of God.

His brother Asaph - who is Heman's brother only in the more general sense of being closely connected with him, partly by their common descent from Levi, partly by their common calling, was a descendant of Gershon from his younger son Shimei. His genealogy contains only fifteen names to Gershon, five less than that of his contemporary Heman, probably because here and there intermediate names are omitted.

1Ch 6:40 The son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah,

1Ch 6:41 The son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,

1Ch 6:42 The son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,

1Ch 6:43 The son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.

1Ch 6:44 And their brethren the sons of Merari stood on the left hand: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,

And their brethren, the sons of Merari - Who were the brethren of the Kohathites and Gershonites, descending from the same ancestor Levi: stood

Ethan - Or Jeduthun. The case seems to be one in which a new name was taken after a while, which thenceforth superseded the old.

on the left hand - that is, of Heman, 1Ch_6:39, the chief of whom was Ethan, sometimes called Jeduthun, 1Ch_16:41 and often in the book of Psalms; his genealogy is traced up to Levi thus; Kishi, called Kushaiah, 1Ch_15:17 Abdi, Malluch, Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah, Amzi, Bani, Shamer, Mahli, Mushi, Merari, Levi.

1Ch 6:45 The son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,

1Ch 6:46 The son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shamer,

1Ch 6:47 The son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

1Ch 6:48 Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

Their brethren also the Levites - Who were not skilled in singing, and employed in that service, even the rest of the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites: some were porters at the gates; others had the care of the vessels; others slew the beasts for sacrifices, flayed them, and cut them up, and brought the pieces to the altar of burnt offerings, for the priests to offer.

1Ch 6:49 But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

But Aaron and his sons - Those that descended from him, though of the same tribe of Levi were all priests: The office and duties of the high priests having been already described, the names of those who successively filled that important office are recorded.

they offered upon the altar of burnt offerings - the daily sacrifice, and all the offerings of the people brought to them:

on the altar of incense - they burnt incense night and morning: and were appointed

for all the work of the place most holy - such as were high priests of the line of Eleazar, whose work it was to go into the most holy place once a year:

1Ch 6:50 And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,

The sons of Aaron - This list, a mere repetition of that in 1Ch_6:3-8, came, probably, from a different source - a source belonging to the time of David, with whom Ahimaaz (the last name on the list) was contemporary. The other list 1Ch_6:4-15 came, no doubt, from a document belonging to the time of the captivity (see 1Ch_6:15). A proof that the writer of this book had several lists before him, from which he borrowed as he judged proper.

1Ch 6:51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,

1Ch 6:52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,

1Ch 6:53 Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.

1Ch 6:54 Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs was the lot.

Their’s was the lot - “the first lot.” The Kohathites had the first lot among the Levitical families, as being the family whereto the high priesthood was attached (compare Jos_21:10).

Now these are their dwelling places -The dwelling places of the priests and Levites, assigned and given to them in the several tribes of Israel; and the account of them agrees with that in Jos_21:1 with some few variations of names of places, which have been there observed: only in 1Ch_6:57 two cities are omitted, through want of care in transcribing, since they are said to be "thirteen", as they should be, whereas eleven only are mentioned.

1Ch 6:55 And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it.

1Ch 6:56 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

1Ch 6:57 And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs,

cities of refuge - The plural is incorrect, for only one of the cities thereafter named, Hebron , was a city of refuge for homicides, and in Jos_21:13 it is correctly written.

1Ch 6:58 And Hilen with her suburbs, Debir with her suburbs,

1Ch 6:59 And Ashan with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs:

Ashan - called Ain in the book of Joshua.

1Ch 6:60 And out of the tribe of Benjamin; Geba with her suburbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.

All their cities were thirteen - But there are only eleven reckoned here, Gibeon and Juttah being omitted, and the names of some of the others changed. None of the versions give the full number of names, although they all give the whole sum thirteen. It is possible that these two cities had been destroyed and lay in ruins when this book was written, and hence were not enumerated.

1Ch 6:61 And unto the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe, namely, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities.

unto the sons of Kohath, which were left--that is, in addition to the priests belonging to the same family and tribe of Levi.

by lot, ten cities-- Jos_21:26 The sacred historian gives an explanation (1Ch_6:66). Eight of these are mentioned, but only two of them are taken out of the half tribe of Manasseh (1Ch_6:70). The names of the other two are given (Jos_21:21), where full and detailed notices of these arrangements may be found.

1Ch 6:62 And to the sons of Gershom throughout their families out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

1Ch 6:63 Unto the sons of Merari were given by lot, throughout their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

1Ch 6:64 And the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities with their suburbs.

1Ch 6:65 And they gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called by their names.

Which are called by their names - Probably each family gave its own name to the city that fell to its lot.

1Ch 6:66 And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim.

Coasts - Or, of their borders, of their country contained within its borders.

1Ch 6:67 And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs,

they gave unto them of the cities of refuge--The names of the cities given here are considerably different from those applied to them (Jos_21:13-19). In the lapse of centuries, and from the revolutions of society, changes might have been expected to take place in the form or dialectic pronunciation of the names of those cities; and this will sufficiently account for the variations that are found in the lists as enumerated here and in an earlier book. As to these cities themselves that were assigned to the Levites, they were widely remote and separated--partly in fulfilment of Jacob's prophecy Gen_49:7 Let their anger be cursed, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel, and partly that the various districts of the country might obtain a competent supply of teachers who might instruct the people in the knowledge, and animate them to the observance, of a law which had so important a bearing on the promotion both of their private happiness and their national prosperity.

In the second list 1Ch_6:67-70 there is likewise an omission of two cities, Eltekeh and Gibbethon, which are wanted to make up the number ten 1Ch_6:61.

1Ch 6:68 And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs,

1Ch 6:69 And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs:

Aijalon with her suburbs - There are the two cities wanting here, Eltekeh and Gibethon. Jos_21:23.

1Ch 6:70 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath.

Aner - Aner is probably another name of Tanach, which was a city of the half tribe of Manasseh, west of Jordan .

Bileam - Ibleam is here called Bileam, by a transposition of letters common to all languages. It is evident, however, that many of these cities or their names have been changed since the time of Joshua.

1Ch 6:71 Unto the sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs:

The third list is complete, though some of the names are very different from these of Joshua.

1Ch 6:72 And out of the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs,

1Ch 6:73 And Ramoth with her suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs:

1Ch 6:74 And out of the tribe of Asher; Mashal with her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs,

1Ch 6:75 And Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs:

1Ch 6:76 And out of the tribe of Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs.

1Ch 6:77 Unto the rest of the children of Merari were given out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmon with her suburbs, Tabor with her suburbs:

Tabor - Jdg_4:6; Probably the city on the summit of Tabor, mentioned by Polybius and Josephus.

Unto the rest of the children of Merari - Rather, “unto the remainder of the Levites, who were descendants of Merari”: - the two other branches, the Kohathites and the Gershomites, having been treated of previously.

In the fourth list, two names are again wanting, those of Jokneam and Kartah. In the tribe of Zebulun, in 1Ch_6:77, only two cities are named, Rimmon and Tabor, instead of the four - Jokneam, Karthah, Dimnah, and Nahalal - in Jos_21:34.

1Ch 6:78 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of Jordan, were given them out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with her suburbs, and Jahzah with her suburbs,

1Ch 6:79 Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs:

1Ch 6:80 And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,

Ramoth in Gilead - a city of refuge (Jos_21:36).

1Ch 6:81 And Heshbon with her suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs.