mh_parser/vol_split/13 - 1Chronicles/Chapter 8.xml

<div2 id="iCh.ix" n="ix" next="iCh.x" prev="iCh.viii" progress="74.81%" title="Chapter VIII">
<h2 id="iCh.ix-p0.1">F I R S T   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iCh.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iCh.ix-p1">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,
<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.10.1" parsed="|1Chr|10|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 10:1"><i>ch.</i> x. 1</scripRef>. 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, <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.9.1" parsed="|1Chr|9|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 9:1"><i>ch.</i> ix. 1</scripRef>. Here is, I. Some of the
heads of that tribe named, <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.1-1Chr.8.32" parsed="|1Chr|8|1|8|32" passage="1Ch 8:1-32">ver.
1-32</scripRef>. II. A more particular account of the family of
Saul, <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.30-1Chr.8.40" parsed="|1Chr|8|30|8|40" passage="1Ch 8:30-40">ver. 33-40</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iCh.ix-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8" parsed="|1Chr|8|0|0|0" passage="1Ch 8" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iCh.ix-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.1-1Chr.8.32" parsed="|1Chr|8|1|8|32" passage="1Ch 8:1-32" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.8.1-1Chr.8.32">
<h4 id="iCh.ix-p1.7">Genealogies. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.ix-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1660.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.ix-p2">1 Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel
the second, and Aharah the third,   2 Nohah the fourth, and
Rapha the fifth.   3 And the sons of Bela were, Addar, and
Gera, and Abihud,   4 And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah,
  5 And Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.   6 And these
<i>are</i> the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers of
the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to Manahath:  
7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza,
and Ahihud.   8 And Shaharaim begat <i>children</i> in the
country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara
<i>were</i> his wives.   9 And he begat of Hodesh his wife,
Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,   10 And Jeuz, and
Shachia, and Mirma. These <i>were</i> his sons, heads of the
fathers.   11 And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal.
  12 The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who
built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof:   13 Beriah also,
and Shema, who <i>were</i> heads of the fathers of the inhabitants
of Aijalon, who drove away the inhabitants of Gath:   14 And
Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth,   15 And Zebadiah, and Arad, and
Ader,   16 And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of
Beriah;   17 And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and
Heber,   18 Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of
Elpaal;   19 And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi,   20 And
Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,   21 And Adaiah, and Beraiah,
and Shimrath, the sons of Shimhi;   22 And Ishpan, and Heber,
and Eliel,   23 And Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan,   24
And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah,   25 And Iphedeiah,
and Penuel, the sons of Shashak;   26 And Shamsherai, and
Shehariah, and Athaliah,   27 And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and
Zichri, the sons of Jeroham.   28 These <i>were</i> heads of
the fathers, by their generations, chief <i>men.</i> These dwelt in
Jerusalem.   29 And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon;
whose wife's name <i>was</i> Maachah:   30 And his firstborn
son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab,   31 And
Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher.   32 And Mikloth begat Shimeah.
And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.ix-p3">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 <i>in the books of the kings of Israel and Judah</i>
(<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.9.1" parsed="|1Chr|9|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 9:1"><i>ch.</i> ix. 1</scripRef>),
according as they were given in by the several tribes, each
observing what method they thought fit. Hence some <i>as</i>cend,
others <i>de</i>secnd; some have <i>numbers</i> affixed, others
<i>places;</i> 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 <i>Jasher, Jeshurun—just ones,</i> and
<i>the memory of the just is blessed.</i> 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
(<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.6" parsed="|1Chr|8|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), in the
preceding verse of one Gera (<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.5" parsed="|1Chr|8|5|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>) and (<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.8" parsed="|1Chr|8|8|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>) of one that descended from him, that <i>begat
children in the country of Moab,</i> which inclines me to think it
was that Ehud who was the second of the judges of Israel; for he is
said to be <i>the son of Gera</i> and <i>a Benjamite</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Judg.3.15" parsed="|Judg|3|15|0|0" passage="Jdg 3:15">Judg. iii. 15</scripRef>), 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 <i>drove away the inhabitants of Gath</i>
(<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.13" parsed="|1Chr|8|13|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), perhaps
those that had slain the Ephraimites (<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.7.21" parsed="|1Chr|7|21|0|0" passage="1Ch 7:21"><i>ch.</i> vii. 21</scripRef>) or their posterity, by
way of reprisal: and one of those that did this piece of justice
was named <i>Beriah</i> too, that name in which the memorial of
that injury was preserved. 6. Particular notice is taken of those
that <i>dwelt in Jerusalem</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.28" parsed="|1Chr|8|28|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef> and again <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.9" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.32" parsed="|1Chr|8|32|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), 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 (<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p3.10" osisRef="Bible:Neh.11.2" parsed="|Neh|11|2|0|0" passage="Ne 11:2">Neh. xi.
2</scripRef>) <i>the people blessed those that willingly offered
themselves to dwell at Jerusalem,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iCh.ix-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.33-1Chr.8.40" parsed="|1Chr|8|33|8|40" passage="1Ch 8:33-40" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.8.33-1Chr.8.40">
<h4 id="iCh.ix-p3.12">Genealogies. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.ix-p3.13">b. c.</span> 700.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.ix-p4">33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and
Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
  34 And the son of Jonathan <i>was</i> Merib-baal; and
Merib-baal begat <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Mic.35" parsed="|Mic|35|0|0|0" passage="Micah. 35">Micah.   35</scripRef> And the sons of Micah
<i>were,</i> Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz.   36 And
Ahaz begat Jehoadah; and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and
Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza,   37 And Moza begat Binea: Rapha
<i>was</i> his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son:   38 And
Azel had six sons, whose names <i>are</i> these, Azrikam, Bocheru,
and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these
<i>were</i> the sons of Azel.   39 And the sons of Eshek his
brother <i>were,</i> Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the second, and
Eliphelet the third.   40 And the sons of Ulam were mighty men
of valour, archers, and had many sons, and sons' sons, a hundred
and fifty. All these <i>are</i> of the sons of Benjamin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.ix-p5">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, <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.33" parsed="|1Chr|8|33|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. His pedigree is carried higher
<scripRef id="iCh.ix-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.9.1" parsed="|1Sam|9|1|0|0" passage="1Sa 9:1">1 Sam. ix. 1</scripRef>, only there
Kish is said to be <i>the son of Abiel,</i> here <i>of Ner.</i> He
was in truth the son of Ner but the grandson of Abiel, as appears
by <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.51" parsed="|1Sam|14|51|0|0" passage="1Sa 14:51">1 Sam. xiv. 51</scripRef>, where
it is said that <i>Ner was the son of Abiel,</i> 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 <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2" parsed="|Heb|2|0|0|0" passage="Hebrews. 2">Hebrews. 2</scripRef>.
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, <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.20.15 Bible:1Sam.20.23 Bible:1Sam.20.42" parsed="|1Sam|20|15|0|0;|1Sam|20|23|0|0;|1Sam|20|42|0|0" passage="1Sa 20:15,23,42">1 Sam.
xx. 15, 23, 42</scripRef>. 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 <i>mighty men of valour,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.ix-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.8.40" parsed="|1Chr|8|40|0|0" passage="1Ch 8:40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>. 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.</p>
</div></div2>