Bible Commentaries

Genealogies (continued)

This chapter contains a second account of the descendants of Benjamin, and traces the ancestors and descendants of Saul.

1. Now Benjamin, etc.] The names of Benjamin's descendants are repeated (with some variants) from 1 Chronicles 7:7., in order to lead up to the mention of Saul (1 Chronicles 8:33), the predecessor of David (1 Chronicles 10:14), whose history forms the chief subject of this book.

3. And Abihud] perhaps to be corrected to 'father (Heb. Abi) of Ehud': see 1 Chronicles 8:6 and Judges 3:15.

6. Removed] RV 'carried them captive': and so in 1 Chronicles 8:7. The occasion is not known.

8. After he had, etc.] RM 'after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives.'

12. Ono and Lod] These towns elsewhere are mentioned only in post-exilic times (Ezra 2:33), so that the personal or family names in these vv. probably belong to that period. Benjamites are expressly mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:3; Nehemiah 11:4, as being among those who returned from the captivity.

29. The father of Gibeon] the 'Jehiel' of 1 Chronicles 9:35.

33. Ner begat Kish] Ner and Kish were brothers (1 Chronicles 9:36), so that the text should be corrected to 'Ner begat Abner and Kish begat Saul': cp. 1 Samuel 14 Eshbaal] the 'Ish-bosheth' of 2 Samuel 2:8. The title 'Baal,' meaning 'lord' or 'possessor,' was at first used of Jehovah as well as of other deities (see Hosea 2:16) and entered into several Hebrew names ('Eshbaal,' 'Merib-baal,' 'Beeliada'). But in consequence of the evil associations that gathered round it, it afterwards came to be disused in connexion with the Lord, and in the personal appellations of which it formed part the word bosheth ('shame') was often substituted to indicate abhorrence ('Ish-bosheth,' 'Mephibosheth').

34. Meribbaal] i.e. Mephibosheth: see on 1 Chronicles 8:33.

40. Archers] for the skill of Benjamites with the bow see 2 Chronicles 14:8.