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1 Chronicles 8

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

1. This is another genealogy of Benjamin (cf. Gen. 46:21; Num. 26:38-41; 1 Chr. 7:6-12). It provides new information.
   
   
2. Benjamin is significant because
   1. he was the youngest son of Rachel, Jacob's favorite wife, and the baby of the family
   2. the first judge, Ehud, was from this tribe (cf. Judges 3)
   3. King Saul was from the tribe (cf. 1 Chr. 8:33-40)
   4. it formed the boundary between Judah and Ephraim
   
   
3. From the chart of paragraph divisions, notice how the NJB shows the geographical information
   1. Geba ‒ 1 Chr. 8:6-7
   2. Moab ‒ 1 Chr. 8:8-11
   3. Ono and Lod ‒ 1 Chr. 8:11-12
   4. Aijalon ‒ 1 Chr. 8:13-14a
   5. Jerusalem ‒ 1 Chr. 8:14b-28
   6. Gibeon ‒ 1 Chr. 8:29-32

   The opening verses may refer to children born in Egypt.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 8:1-28
  ¹And Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, ²Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth. ³ Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, ⁴Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, ⁵Gera, Shephuphan and Huram. ⁶These are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers' households of the inhabitants of Geba, and they carried them into exile to Manahath, ⁷namely, Naaman, Ahijah and Gera—he carried them into exile; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. ⁸Shaharaim became the father of children in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. ⁹By Hodesh his wife he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, ¹⁰Jeuz, Sachia, Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' households. ¹¹By Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. ¹²The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns; ¹³and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of fathers' households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath; ¹⁴and Ahio, Shashak and 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. ²⁸These were heads of the fathers' households according to their generations, chief men who lived in Jerusalem.

8:3 "Addar" In Gen. 46:21, "Ehi" and in Num. 26:40 he is named "Ard."

▣ "Abihud" The UBS Text Project (p. 410) gives this reading an "A" rating (very high probability). In Jdgs. 3:15 Ehud is listed as a son of Gera. The Hebrew of the name "Abihud" can be divided into "father of Ehud" (cf. NEB, NJB).

8:6-27 The NASB Study Bible, p. 565, says this list of the descendants of Ehud is found only here.

8:6 "Ehud" He was the famous left handed Benjamite judge who killed the King of Moab and delivered Israel (cf. Judges 3).

▣ "the heads of fathers' households" This phrase is repeated several times (cf. 1 Chr. 8:8,10,13; 9:9). It could mean

1. all the ones listed were firstborn
2. all the ones listed were tribal leaders

▣ "they carried them into exile to Manahath" It is unsure "who," "when" and "where" were connected to this event. 1 Chronicles 8:7 seems to make it an inter-tribal rivalry.

8:7 "he carried them into exile" The LXX and NRSV have a name here, "Heglam," a name that does not appear elsewhere in the OT.

8:8 "after he had sent away Hushim and Baara" This VERB (BDB 1018, KB 1511, Piel INFINITIVE) is often used of divorce (cf. Deut. 22:19; 24:1,3; Jer. 3:1; Mal. 2:16).

8:9 "Hodesh his wife" By just a change of vowels, this proper name (BDB 295) can mean "his new wife" (BDB 294, NJB).

8:12 "Shemed" The LXX has "Shemer."

The names in 1 Chr 8:12 may be related to the names in 1 Chr. 8:17,18,21.

8:14 "Ahio" The name (BDB 26) can be understood as "his brother" (BDB 26). This is how the LXX and NJB translate it.

However, the name (not the same person) also appears in 1 Chr. 8:31.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 8:29-32
  ²⁹Now in Gibeon, Jeiel, the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife's name was Maacah; ³⁰and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, ³¹Gedor, Ahio and Zecher. ³²Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. And they also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives.

8:29 "Gibeon" Before David's rise to power, the tent of meeting was located at Gibeon (cf. 1 Chr. 16:39; 21:29). Solomon went there to sacrifice and pray in 1 Kgs. 3:3-9.

This list related to Saul (1 Chr. 8:29-38) is repeated in 1 Chr. 9:35-44. The Chronicler is very interested in the first king of the United Monarchy, as he is the second king, David, and his son Solomon.

▣ ""Jeiel the father of Gibeon" The NASB supplies this name from 1 Chr. 9:35-36, as do the NRSV, TEV, and NJB.

▣ "Maacah" This is the great-grandmother of Saul. This name also refers to a region near Mt. Hermon (Deut. 3:14; Jos. 12:5; 13:11,13).

8:30 The name "Ner," which is a son of Jeiel, is not mentioned in this list but is in 1 Chr. 9:36.

8:31 "Zecher" This same person is named "Zechariah" in 1 Chr. 9:37.

▣ There is a name, "Mikloth," added to the list in 1 Chr. 9:37, which sets the context for 1 Chr. 8:32.

8:32 "Shimeah" In 1 Chr. 9:38, he is named "Shimeam."

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 8:33-40
  ³³Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab and Eshbaal. ³⁴The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, and Meribbaal became the father of Micah. ³⁵The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tarea and Ahaz. ³⁶Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. ³⁷Moza became the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, 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 Eshek his brother were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second and Eliphelet the third. ⁴⁰The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons and grandsons, 150 of them. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.

8:33 "Saul. . .Jonathan" Saul is the first king of the United Monarchy (cf. 1 Samuel 9). His son, Jonathan, was David's close friend (cf. 1 Samuel 18).

▣ "Eshbaal" This son of Saul is known as "Ishbosheth" in 2 Sam. 2:8. His name ("man of Ba'al) may have been changed in derision because of "ba'al," the male Canaanite fertility god's name. The word "bosheth" means "shame." Ishbosheth means "man of shame" (cf. 2 Samuel 2-4).

8:34 "Merib-baal" In 2 Sam. 4:4 he is called "Mephibosheth." Notice that this is another name that was changed because of "ba'al" (i.e., bosheth = shame, cf. Jer. 3:24; 11:13, cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 626).

The name Merib-baal can mean

1. Merib ‒
   1. opponent or adversary of Ba'al
   2. one who contends for Ba'al
2. Meri ‒ loved by Ba'al

He was Jonathan's son. He was handicapped and David helped him because of his love for his father (cf. 2 Samuel 9) and a way to keep the tribes unified.

8:35 "Tarea" In 1 Chr. 9:41 he is called "Tahrea."

8:36 "Jehoaddah" In the LXX and 1 Chr. 9:42 he is called "Jarah."

8:37 "Raphah" In the LXX and 1 Chr. 9:43 he is called "Rephaiah."

8:38 "Bocheru" This possibly should be "firstborn" (BDB 114, cf. NJB). Most English translations and 1 Chr. 9:44, have a person's name so that the number will add up to the stated "six."

8:40 "archers" The famous left-handed archers of Benjamin are mentioned often (cf. 1 Chr. 12:2; 2 Chr. 14:8; 17:17).

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