ⓘThe genealogy of Benjamin's descendants concludes the genealogies....
The genealogy of Benjamin's descendants concludes the genealogies. The record starts with Judah, David's tribe, and ends with Benjamin, Saul's tribe.
1Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, 2Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
3The sons of Bela:
Addar, Gera, Abihud,†4Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
ⓘThis list shows the militia from the clans...
This list shows the militia from the clans of Ehud (1 Chronicles 8:6–7) and Shaharaim (8:8–28). They lived near Jerusalem.
6These were the descendants of Ehud who were the heads of the families living in Geba and were exiled to Manahath:
7Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them into exile and who was the father of Uzzaand Ahihud.†
8Shaharaim had sons in the country of Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushimand Baara. 9His sons by his wife Hodesh:
Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families.
11He also had sons by Hushim:
Abituband Elpaal.
12The sons of Elpaal:
Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Onoand Lod with its villages), 13and Beriahand Shema (who were the heads of families living in Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath).
14Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.
17Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
19Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.
22Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
26Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham.
28All these were heads of families, the chiefs according to their genealogies, and they lived in Jerusalem.
ⓘThis list shows the militia that lived in...
This list shows the militia that lived in Gibeon, although some had moved to Jerusalem.
29Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived†in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah, 30and Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal,†Nadab, 31Gedor, Ahio, Zecher,†32and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah.†They too lived alongside their relatives in Jerusalem.
The Family of Saul
ⓘThe Chronicler ends his account of Benjamin's history...
The Chronicler ends his account of Benjamin's history with Saul's family tree. It starts two generations before Saul and goes through Merib-baal (also known as Mephibosheth; see study note on 2 Samuel 4:4) and continues to the families of Azel and Eshek (1 Chronicles 8:38–40). Micah (1 Chronicles 8:35) lived during Solomon's time, and Ulam (8:39) lived near the end of Judah's kingdom before Jerusalem's destruction. This connects Saul to his broader tribal history and a noble heritage that lasted throughout the kingdom period.
33Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.†
34The son of Jonathan:
Merib-baal,†and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.†
35The sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melech, Tarea,†and Ahaz.
36Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah†was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza.
37Moza was the father of Binea. Raphah†was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
38Azel had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
39The sons of his brother Eshek:
Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third. 40The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and they had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.
All these were the descendants of Benjamin.
Commentary
1 Chronicles 8:3
Gera, Abihud: According to the translation, Bela had two sons named Gera (1 Chronicles 8:3, 5), which is unusual. If the suggestion in the New Living Translation note is correct, the second Gera was the son of the first Gera.
Commentary
1 Chronicles 8:7
The reason for this exile is unknown. It might have been a voluntary move from the territory of Benjamin, possibly during the time of the judges.