Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 1 Chronicles » Chapter 8 » Verse 1-40

1 Chronicles 8:1-40 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 Now Benjamin H1144 begat H3205 Bela H1106 his firstborn, H1060 Ashbel H788 the second, H8145 and Aharah H315 the third, H7992

2 Nohah H5119 the fourth, H7243 and Rapha H7498 the fifth. H2549

3 And the sons H1121 of Bela H1106 were, Addar, H146 and Gera, H1617 and Abihud, H31

4 And Abishua, H50 and Naaman, H5283 and Ahoah, H265

5 And Gera, H1617 and Shephuphan, H8197 and Huram. H2361

6 And these are the sons H1121 of Ehud: H261 these are the heads H7218 of the fathers H1 of the inhabitants H3427 of Geba, H1387 and they removed H1540 them to Manahath: H4506

7 And Naaman, H5283 and Ahiah, H281 and Gera, H1617 he removed H1540 them, and begat H3205 Uzza, H5798 and Ahihud. H284

8 And Shaharaim H7842 begat H3205 children in the country H7704 of Moab, H4124 after H4480 he had sent them away; H7971 Hushim H2366 and Baara H1199 were his wives. H802

9 And he begat H3205 of Hodesh H2321 his wife, H802 Jobab, H3103 and Zibia, H6644 and Mesha, H4331 and Malcham, H4445

10 And Jeuz, H3263 and Shachia, H7634 and Mirma. H4821 These were his sons, H1121 heads H7218 of the fathers. H1

11 And of Hushim H2366 he begat H3205 Abitub, H36 and Elpaal. H508

12 The sons H1121 of Elpaal; H508 Eber, H5677 and Misham, H4936 and Shamed, H8106 who built H1129 Ono, H207 and Lod, H3850 with the towns H1323 thereof:

13 Beriah H1283 also, and Shema, H8087 who H1992 were heads H7218 of the fathers H1 of the inhabitants H3427 of Aijalon, H357 who drove away H1272 the inhabitants H3427 of Gath: H1661

14 And Ahio, H283 Shashak, H8349 and Jeremoth, H3406

15 And Zebadiah, H2069 and Arad, H6166 and Ader, H5738

16 And Michael, H4317 and Ispah, H3472 and Joha, H3109 the sons H1121 of Beriah; H1283

17 And Zebadiah, H2069 and Meshullam, H4918 and Hezeki, H2395 and Heber, H2268

18 Ishmerai H3461 also, and Jezliah, H3152 and Jobab, H3103 the sons H1121 of Elpaal; H508

19 And Jakim, H3356 and Zichri, H2147 and Zabdi, H2067

20 And Elienai, H462 and Zilthai, H6769 and Eliel, H447

21 And Adaiah, H5718 and Beraiah, H1256 and Shimrath, H8119 the sons H1121 of Shimhi; H8096

22 And Ishpan, H3473 and Heber, H5677 and Eliel, H447

23 And Abdon, H5658 and Zichri, H2147 and Hanan, H2605

24 And Hananiah, H2608 and Elam, H5867 and Antothijah, H6070

25 And Iphedeiah, H3301 and Penuel, H6439 the sons H1121 of Shashak; H8349

26 And Shamsherai, H8125 and Shehariah, H7841 and Athaliah, H6271

27 And Jaresiah, H3298 and Eliah, H452 and Zichri, H2147 the sons H1121 of Jeroham. H3395

28 These were heads H7218 of the fathers, H1 by their generations, H8435 chief H7218 men. These dwelt H3427 in Jerusalem. H3389

29 And at Gibeon H1391 dwelt H3427 the father H1 of Gibeon; H1391 H25 whose wife's H802 name H8034 was Maachah: H4601

30 And his firstborn H1060 son H1121 Abdon, H5658 and Zur, H6698 and Kish, H7027 and Baal, H1168 and Nadab, H5070

31 And Gedor, H1446 and Ahio, H283 and Zacher. H2144

32 And Mikloth H4732 begat H3205 Shimeah. H8039 And these also H637 dwelt H3427 with their brethren H251 in Jerusalem, H3389 over against them. H5048

33 And Ner H5369 begat H3205 Kish, H7027 and Kish H7027 begat H3205 Saul, H7586 and Saul H7586 begat H3205 Jonathan, H3083 and Malchishua, H4444 and Abinadab, H41 and Eshbaal. H792

34 And the son H1121 of Jonathan H3083 was Meribbaal; H4807 and Meribbaal H4807 begat H3205 Micah. H4318

35 And the sons H1121 of Micah H4318 were, Pithon, H6377 and Melech, H4429 and Tarea, H8390 and Ahaz. H271

36 And Ahaz H271 begat H3205 Jehoadah; H3085 and Jehoadah H3085 begat H3205 Alemeth, H5964 and Azmaveth, H5820 and Zimri; H2174 and Zimri H2174 begat H3205 Moza, H4162

37 And Moza H4162 begat H3205 Binea: H1150 Rapha H7498 was his son, H1121 Eleasah H501 his son, H1121 Azel H682 his son: H1121

38 And Azel H682 had six H8337 sons, H1121 whose names H8034 are these, Azrikam, H5840 Bocheru, H1074 and Ishmael, H3458 and Sheariah, H8187 and Obadiah, H5662 and Hanan. H2605 All these were the sons H1121 of Azel. H682

39 And the sons H1121 of Eshek H6232 his brother H251 were, Ulam H198 his firstborn, H1060 Jehush H3266 the second, H8145 and Eliphelet H467 the third. H7992

40 And the sons H1121 of Ulam H198 were mighty H1368 men H582 of valour, H2428 archers, H1869 H7198 and had many H7235 sons, H1121 and sons' H1121 sons, H1121 an hundred H3967 and fifty. H2572 All these are of the sons H1121 of Benjamin. H1144

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 8

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 8 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 8

We had some account given us of Benjamin in the foregoing chapter; here we have a larger catalogue of the great men of that tribe.

  • 1. Because of that tribe Saul came, the first king of Israel, to the story of whom the sacred writer is hastening, ch. 10:1.
  • 2. Because that tribe clave to Judah, inhabited much of Jerusalem, was one of the two tribes that went into captivity, and returned back; and that story also he has an eye to, ch. 9:1. Here is,
    • I. Some of the heads of that tribe named (v. 1-32).
    • II. A more particular account of the family of Saul (v. 33-40).

1Ch 8:1-32

There is little or nothing of history in all these verses; we have not therefore much to observe.

  • 1. As to the difficulties that occur in this and the foregoing genealogies we need not perplex ourselves. I presume Ezra took them as he found them in the books of the kings of Israel and Judah (ch. 9:1), according as they were given in by the several tribes, each observing what method they thought fit. Hence some ascend, others desecnd; some have numbers affixed, others places; some have historical remarks intermixed, others have not; some are shorter, others longer; some agree with other records, others differ; some, it is likely, were torn, erased, and blotted, others more legible. Those of Dan and Reuben were entirely lost. This holy man wrote as he was moved by the Holy Ghost; but there was no necessity for the making up of the defects, no, nor for the rectifying of the mistakes, of these genealogies by inspiration. It was sufficient that he copied them out as they came into his hand, or so much of them as was requisite to the present purpose, which was the directing of the returned captives to settle as nearly as they could with those of their own family, and in the places of their former residence. We may suppose that many things in these genealogies which to us seem intricate, abrupt, and perplexed, were plain and easy to them then (who knew how to fill up the deficiencies) and abundantly answered the intention of the publishing of them.
  • 2. Many great and mighty nations there were now in being upon earth, and many illustrious men in them, whose names are buried in perpetual oblivion, while the names of multitudes of the Israel of God are here carefully preserved in everlasting remembrance. They are Jasher, Jeshurun-just ones, and the memory of the just is blessed. Many of these we have reason to fear, came short of everlasting honour (for even the wicked kings of Judah come into the genealogy), yet the perpetuating of their names here was a figure of the writing of the names of all God's spiritual Israel in the Lamb's book of life.
  • 3. This tribe of Benjamin was once brought to a very low ebb, in the time of the judges, upon the occasion of the iniquity of Gibeah, when only 600 men escaped the sword of justice; and yet, in these genealogies, it makes as good a figure as almost any of the tribes: for it is the honour of God to help the weakest and raise up those that are most diminished and abased.
  • 4. Here is mention of one Ehud (v. 6), in the preceding verse of one Gera (v. 5) and (v. 8) of one that descended from him, that begat children in the country of Moab, which inclines me to think it was that Ehud who was the second of the judges of Israel; for he is said to be the son of Gera and a Benjamite (Jdg. 3:15), and he delivered Israel from the oppression of the Moabites by killing the king of Moab, which might give him a greater sway in the country of Moab than we find evidence of in his history and might occasion some of his posterity to settle there.
  • 5. Here is mention of some of the Benjamites that drove away the inhabitants of Gath (v. 13), perhaps those that had slain the Ephraimites (ch. 7:21) or their posterity, by way of reprisal: and one of those that did this piece of justice was named Beriah too, that name in which the memorial of that injury was preserved.
  • 6. Particular notice is taken of those that dwelt in Jerusalem (v. 28 and again v. 32), that those whose ancestors had had their residence there might thereby be induced, at their return from captivity, to settle there too, which, for aught that appears, few were willing to do, because it was the post of danger: and therefore we find (Neh. 11:2) the people blessed those that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem, the greater part being inclined to prefer the cities of Judah. Those whose godly parents had their conversation in the new Jerusalem should thereby be engaged to set their faces thitherward and pursue the way thither, whatever it cost them.

1Ch 8:33-40

It is observable that among all the genealogies of the tribes there is no mention of any of the kings of Israel after the defection from the house of David, much less of their families; not a word of Jeroboam's house or Baasha's, of Umri's or Jehu's; for they were all idolaters. But of the family of Saul, which was the royal family before the elevation of David, we have here a particular account.

  • 1. Before Saul, Kish and Ner only are named, his father and grandfather, v. 33. His pedigree is carried higher 1 Sa. 9:1, only there Kish is said to be the son of Abiel, here of Ner. He was in truth the son of Ner but the grandson of Abiel, as appears by 1 Sa. 14:51, where it is said that Ner was the son of Abiel, and that Abner, who was the son of Ner, was Saul's uncle (that is, his father's brother); therefore his father was also the son of Ner. It is common in all languages to put sons for grandsons and other descendents, much more in the scanty language of the Hebrews.
  • 2. After Saul, divers of his sons are named, but the posterity of none of them, save Jonathan only, who was blessed with numerous issue and those honoured with a place in the sacred genealogies for the sake of his sincere kindness to David. The line of Jonathan is drawn down here for about ten generations. Perhaps David was, in a particular manner, careful to preserve that, and assigned it a page by itself, because of the covenant made between his seed and Jonathan's seed forever, 1 Sa. 20:15, 23, 42. This genealogy ends in Ulam, whose family became famous in the tribe of Benjamin for the number of its valiant men. Of that one man's posterity there were, as it should seem, at one time, 150 archers brought into the field of battle, that were mighty men of valour, v. 40. That is taken notice of concerning them which is more a man's praise than his pomp or wealth is, that they were qualified to serve their country.