Chapter 8

1 The sons and chief men of Benjamin. 33 The stock of Saul and Jonathan.

1. Benjamin. The record now returns to the genealogy of Benjamin. The present register is different from that given in ch. 7:6–12. Compare Gen. 46:21, 22; Num. 26:38–41. Perhaps “son” is here used in the general sense of “descendant” (see on 1 Chron. 2:7).

6. Ehud. The descendants of Ehud are listed in vs. 6 to 28. This Ehud may have been the judge by that name, for he is called the son of Gera, and the Ehud here mentioned also had a Gera in his ancestral line (Judges 3:15; cf. 1 Chron. 8:5).

They removed them. Literally, “they carried them into exile.” The details of the incident are not clear.

7. He removed them. Literally, “he carried them into exile.” As in v. 6, the details are not clear.

8. Sent them away. The meaning probably is that Shaharaim sent away his wives Hushim and Baara.

12. Ono, and Lod. These two names occur together again in Ezra 2:33 and Neh. 7:37. Lod is the Lydda of Acts 9:32.

28. Heads of the fathers. That is, heads of leading family groups or clans.

Dwelt in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was inhabited partly by descendants of Benjamin and partly by those of Judah (see 1 Chron. 9:3; Neh. 11:4). The five groups of Benjamites mentioned in 1 Chron. 8:14–28 dwelt in Jerusalem, in contrast with the preceding groups who dwelt in scattered areas about Jerusalem, as far away as Lydda, 24 mi. northwest of Jerusalem, and Moab (1 Chron. 8:12, 8).

29. Father of Gibeon. Identified as Jehiel (ch. 9:35). Chapter 8:29–40 lists the families of Gibeon and the royal house of Saul.

30. Kish. The name of Ner does not appear here (see ch. 9:36). This Kish is not the father of Saul, but presumably his great-uncle (see v. 33; ch. 9:36, 39; see on 1 Sam. 14:50).

31. Zacher. Or Zechariah (ch. 9:37). Zacher is from the Heb. zakar, which means “to remember.” Zacher means “remembrance” or “memorial,” while the form Zechariah may mean either “the Lord has remembered,” or “the Lord will remember.”

32. With their brethren. That is, with the other Benjamite clans who settled in Jerusalem (vs. 14–28). Originally assigned to the tribe of Benjamin, Jerusalem was later included in the territory assigned to the tribe of Judah.

33. Kish. Thus Kish, Ner’s son, was presumably a grandson of Jehiel (ch. 9:35, 36, 39), or Abiel (1 Sam. 14:51). Kish is called Abiel’s son (1 Sam. 9:1) in the wider meaning of “son” (see on 1 Chron. 2:7).

Saul. The home of Saul was at Gibeah rather than Gibeon (1 Sam. 10:26; 11:4; 15:34; 2 Sam. 21:6).

Esh-baal. The employment of the name “Baal” in Esh-baal and in Merib-baal, the son of Jonathan (v. 34), does not necessarily indicate that Saul was devoted to the worship of the god Baal. The Heb. baФal simply means “owner,” “husband,” “lord.” However, after the word came to be definitely connected with the god Baal it appears no longer to have been used by Hebrews who were faithful to Jehovah in the naming of their children. The change from Esh-baal (literally, “man of Baal”) to Ishbosheth (literally, “man of shame”) and possibly also that of Merib-baal (1 Chron. 9:40) to Mephibosheth (see on 2 Sam. 2:8; see also 2 Sam. 4:4; 9:6) was probably a deliberate substitution to eliminate the implication of idolatry. The Hebrew people were fond of such adaptations in names as a means of giving expression to their feelings.

40. The sons of Ulam. Judging from the number of generations from Jonathan, it is possible that Ulam’s 150 sons and grandsons lived at the time of the return from the Exile.