1The sons and chief men of Benjamin. 33The stock of Saul and Jonathan.
1NOW1 Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,
1 In Gen. 46:21; Num. 26:38; 1 Chron. 7:6 this genealogy is likewise recorded, but there is a great difference in several names, whether it be that several of them have had two names, as has been shown in the previous chapters of this book, and in other places beside. Or, whether it be that here some descendants are described, which are not recorded in the aforementioned places.
2Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
3And the sons of Bela were, Addar, and Gera, and Abihud,
4And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah,
5And Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.
6And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the 2fathers of the inhabitants of 3Geba, and 4they removed them to Manahath:
2 That is, of the fatherly houses.
3 Other, Gibeah of Saul, 1 Sam. 11:4.
4 Understand that he carried away only some of these, or only those who are here mentioned, because they were so increased, that all of them could not dwell at Geba. When and by whom this was done, we read nowhere in the Holy Scripture.
7And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, 5he removed them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud.6
5 Namely, Ehud.
6 Understand herewith: and Shaharaim, from the next verse.
8And 7Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after 8he had sent 9them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.
7 This history is nowhere else recorded in Holy Scripture, but only here, therefore this account is somewhat obscure.
8 Namely, Ehud.
9 Namely, the posterity of Naaman, and Ahiah and Gera, who are mentioned in verse 7.
9And he begat of 10Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,
10 Verse 8 she is called Baara.
10And Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons, heads of the fathers.
11And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal.
12The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who built 11Ono, and Lod, with the 12towns thereof:
11 In Neh. 11:35 this city and Lod are also ascribed to the tribe of Benjamin.
12 Hebr. daughters.
13Beriah also, and Shema, who were heads 13of the fathers of the inhabitants of 14Aijalon, who drove away 15the inhabitants of Gath:
13 That is, the paternal houses, as verse 6 and more elsewhere.
14 Understand this of the land situated about Aijalon, for, the city of Aijalon belonged to the tribe of Dan, Joshua 19:42; unless one will say, that after the Babylonian captivity (when Ezra wrote this book) the Benjamites did so enlarge their habitation, that they also dwelt in the cities of Dan.
15 That is, who dwelt in the land of the Philistines near Gath.
14And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth,
15And Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader,
16And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah;
17And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and Heber,
18Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
19And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi,
20And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,
21And Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of 16Shimhi;
16 In verse 13 he is called Shema.
22And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel,
23And Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan,
24And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah,
25And Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak;
26And Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah,
27And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham.
2817These were 18heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men. These dwelt in Jerusalem.
17 Namely, of whom mention is made from verse 14 until this verse.
18 That is, heads of the paternal houses or families, as verse 6, and more elsewhere.
29And at Gibeon dwelt 19the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name was Maachah:
19 That is, the first inhabitant of the city of Gibeon among the Israelites. Gibeon is called Jehiel, 1 Chron. 9:35.
30And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab,
31And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher.
32And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And 20these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.
20 Namely, certain heads of these families dwelt at Jerusalem with the other Benjamites, over against those Benjamites who dwelt in the border of Gibeon.
33¶And 21Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and 22Abinadab, and 23Esh-baal.
21 Other, Abiel, 1 Sam. 9:1.
22 Other, Ishui, 1 Sam. 14:49.
23 Other, Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 2:8.
34And the son of Jonathan was 24Merib-baal; and Merib-baala begat Micah.
24 Other, Mephibosheth, 2 Sam. 9:6, 10. From this it appears that the names Baal and Bosheth are interchanged. Baal signifies lord or master, and is a known name of idols. Bosheth signifies shame, disgrace. Compare Jer. 3:24.
a 2 Sam. 9:12.
35And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz.
36And Ahaz begat Jehoadah; and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza,
37And Moza begat Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son:
38And 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.
39And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
40And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, 25archers, and 26had many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.
25 Hebr. treading the bow; that is, who could bend the bow, and shoot well with it. The bows of steel must be bent with great strength, and with all one’s might. Therefore the archers use to tread upon them with their feet, and pull up the string with all their strength and power. Therefore it is called the foot-bow, to distinguish from the hand-bow. They are called in kings’ courts archers, who handle the same.
26 Hebr. they multiplied sons and sons’ sons.