1 Chronicles 8

Chapter context

What is happening in 1 Chronicles 8?

memoryworshipgenealogyDavid

1 Chronicles 8 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as Saul’s death. First Chronicles surveys Israel through genealogies and then retells David’s reign with special attention to worship, Levites, and preparations for the temple. Read this chapter with the wider themes of memory, worship, and genealogy in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

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 are 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 children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were 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 were 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 were 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 were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men. These dwelt in Jerusalem. ²⁹ And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife’s name was 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. ³³ And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. ³⁴ And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah. ³⁵ And the sons of Micah were, 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 was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son: ³⁸ And 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. ³⁹ And the sons of Eshek his brother were, 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, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.

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Glossary

Benjamin Person v. 1, 40: Son of my right hand. (1. ) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel ( Gen. 35:18 ). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place.
Abihud Person v. 3: Father (i. e., “possessor”) of renown. (1. ) One of the sons of Bela, the son of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:3 ); called also Ahihud (ver. 7). (2. ) A descendant of Zerubbabel and father of Eliakim.
Gera Person v. 3, 5, 7: Grain. (1. ) The son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:3 , 5, 7). (2. ) The father of Ehud the judge ( Judg. 3:15 ). (3. ) The father of Shimei, who so grossly abused David ( 2 Sam. 16:5 ; 19:16 , 18).
Abishua Person v. 4: Father of welfare; i. e., “fortunate. ” (1. ) The grandson of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:4 ). (2. ) The son of Phinehas the high priest ( 1 Chr. 6:4 , 5, 50; Ezra 7:5 ).
Ahoah Person v. 4: Brotherly, one of the sons of Bela, the son of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:4 ). He is also called Ahiah (ver. 7) and Iri ( 1 Chr. 7:7 ). His descendants were called Ahohites ( 2 Sam. 23:9 , 28).
Ehud Tribe v. 6: Union. (1. ) A descendant of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 7:10 ), his great-grandson. (2. ) The son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin ( Judg. 3:15 ).
Geba Place v. 6: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jaba.
Manahath Place v. 6: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: El Malha.
Ahihud Tribe v. 7: Brother (i. e., “friend”) of union. (1. ) A son of Bela, the son of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:7 ). (2. ) Name different in Hebrew, meaning brother of Judah.
Moab Place v. 8: Biblical region. Modern identification: Kerak.
Abitub Person v. 11: Father of goodness, a Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:11 ).
Lod Place v. 12: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Lod.
Misham Person v. 12: Their cleansing or their beholding, a Benjamite, one of the sons of Elpaal ( 1 Chr. 8:12 ).
Ono Place v. 12: A town of Benjamin, in the “plain of Ono” ( 1 Chr. 8:12 ; Ezra 2:33 ); now Kefr ‘Ana, 5 miles north of Lydda, and about 30 miles north-west of Jerusalem. Modern identification: Kafr Ana.
Aijalon Place v. 13: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Yalo.
Beriah Person v. 13, 16: A gift, or in evil. (1. ) One of Asher’s four sons, and father of Heber ( Gen. 46:17 ). (2. ) A son of Ephraim.
Gath Place v. 13: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jett.
Zebadiah Person v. 15, 17: Gift of Jehovah. (1. ) A son of Asahel, Joab’s brother ( 1 Chr. 27:7 ). (2. ) A Levite who took part as one of the teachers in the system of national education instituted by Jehoshaphat ( 2 Chr. 17:7 , 8).
Heber Person v. 17, 22: Passing over. (1. ) Son of Beriah and grandson of Asher ( Gen. 46:17 ; 1 Chr. 7:31 , 32). (2. ) The Kenite ( Judg. 4:11 , 17; 5:24), a descendant of Hobab. His wife Jael received Sisera.
Meshullam Person v. 17: Befriended. (1. ) One of the chief Gadites in Bashan in the time of Jotham ( 1 Chr. 5:13 ). (2. ) Grandfather of Shaphan, “the scribe,” in the reign of Josiah ( 2 Kings 22:3 ). (3. ) A priest, father of Hilkiah.
Jakim Person v. 19: Establisher. (1. ) Chief of the twelfth priestly order ( 1 Chr. 24:12 ). (2. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:19 ). (3. ) Margin in Matt. 1:11 means Jehoiakim.
Zabdi Person v. 19: Gift of Jehovah. (1. ) An ancestor of Achan ( Josh. 7:1 , 17, 18). He is probably the “Zimri” of 1 Chr. 2:6 . (2. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:19 ).
Zichri Person v. 19, 23, 27: Remembered; illustrious. (1. ) A Benjamite chief ( 1 Chr. 8:19 ). (2. ) Another of the same tribe ( 1 Chr. 8:23 ).
Eliel Person v. 20, 22: To whom God is might. (1. ) A chief of Manasseh, on the east of Jordan ( 1 Chr. 5:24 ). (2. ) A Gadite who joined David in the hold at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:11 ).
Zilthai Tribe v. 20: Shadow (i. e., protection) of Jehovah. (1. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:20 ). (2. ) One of the captains of the tribe of Manasseh who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:20 ).
Shimrath Person v. 21: Guardian, a Benjamite, one of Shimhi’s sons (id. ).
Hanan Person v. 23, 38: Merciful. (1. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:23 ). (2. ) One of David’s heroes ( 1 Chr. 11:43 ). (3. ) Jer. 35:4 . (4. ) A descendant of Saul ( 1 Chr. 8:38 ). (5. ) One of the Nethinim ( Ezra 2:46 ).
Hananiah Tribe v. 24: Jehovah has given. (1. ) A chief of the tribe of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:24 ). (2. ) One of the sons of Heman ( 1 Chr. 25:4 , 23). (3. ) One of Uzziah’s military officers ( 2 Chr. 26:11 ).
Iphedeiah Tribe v. 25: Set free by Jehovah, a chief of the tribe of Benjamin ( 1 Chr. 8:25 ).
Athaliah Person v. 26: Whom God afflicts. (1. ) The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and the wife of Jehoram, king of Judah ( 2 Kings 8:18 ), who “walked in the ways of the house of Ahab” ( 2 Chr. 21:6 ), called “daughter” of Omri ( 2 Kings 8:26 ).
Jeroham Person v. 27: Cherished; who finds mercy. (1. ) Father of Elkanah, and grandfather of the prophet Samuel ( 1 Sam. 1:1 ). (2. ) The father of Azareel, the “captain” of the tribe of Dan ( 1 Chr. 27:22 ). (3. ) 1 Chr. 12:7 ; a Benjamite.
Jerusalem Place v. 28, 32: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
Gibeon Place v. 29: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: El Jib.
Kish Person v. 30, 33: A bow. (1. ) A Levite of the family of Merari ( 1 Chr. 23:21 ; 24:29 ). (2. ) A Benjamite of Jerusalem ( 1 Chr. 8:30 ; 9:36 ). (3. ) A Levite in the time of Hezekiah ( 2 Chr. 29:12 ).
Zur Person v. 30: Rock. (1. ) One of the five Midianite kings whom the Israelites defeated and put to death ( Num. 31:8 ). (2. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:30 ).
Mikloth Person v. 32: Staves. (1. ) An officer under Dodai, in the time of David and Solomon ( 1 Chr. 27:4 ). (2. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:32 ; 9:37 , 38).
Shimeah Person v. 32: (1. ) One of David’s brothers ( 2 Sam. 13:3 ); same as Shimea (4). (2. ) A Benjamite, a descendant of Gibeon ( 1 Chr. 8:32 ); called also Shimeam (9:38).
Abinadab Person v. 33: Father of nobleness; i. e., “noble. ” (1. ) A Levite of Kirjath-jearim, in whose house the ark of the covenant was deposited after having been brought back from the land of the Philistines ( 1 Sam. 7:1 ).
Jonathan Person v. 33-34: Whom Jehovah gave, the name of fifteen or more persons that are mentioned in Scripture. The chief of these are, (1. ) A Levite descended from Gershom ( Judg. 18:30 ). His history is recorded in 17:7-13 and 18:30.
Ner Person v. 33: Light, the father of Kish ( 1 Chr. 8:33 ). 1 Sam. 14:51 should be read.
Saul Person v. 33: Asked for. (1. ) A king of Edom ( Gen. 36:37 , 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48 .
Micah Person v. 34-35: A shortened form of Micaiah, who is like Jehovah? (1. ) A man of Mount Ephraim, whose history so far is introduced in Judg.
Obadiah Person v. 38: Servant of the Lord. (1. ) An Israelite who was chief in the household of King Ahab ( 1 Kings 18:3 ).