The Genealogies of the Tribes of Israel
The Chronicler deals very unequally with the tribes in their
genealogies; as the following table shews:
1 Chronicles 2:1 to 1 Chronicles 4:23. Judah (102 verses).
1 Chronicles 4:24-43. Simeon (20 verses).
1 Chronicles 5:1-26. Reuben, Gad, and Eastern Manas... [ Continue Reading ]
The Genealogy of Issachar
1. _the sons of Issachar_ Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23-24.
_Puah_ In Gen. and Num. _Puvah_(R.V.), but in Judges 10:1 _Puah_as
here. A descendant of _Puah_named _Tola_was one of the Judges.
_Jashub_ So in Num., but in Gen. _Iob_(not _Iyob_as in Job 1:1, R.V.
mg).... [ Continue Reading ]
The treatment of different tribes is unequal in this chapter. In the
case of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:1-5), Benjamin (1 Chronicles 7:6-12),
and Asher (1 Chronicles 7:30-40), genealogies are given and the number
of fighting-men of each tribe is stated. To Naphtali is devoted a
single verse, giving on... [ Continue Reading ]
_of their fathers" house_ R.V. OF THEIR FATHERS" HOUSES. Cp. 1
Chronicles 7:4; 1 Chronicles 7:9; 1 Chronicles 7:40. _Fathers"
houses_is an awkward term for "clans, patriarchal families" (Greek
πατριαί).
_valiant_men _of might_ R.V. MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR.
_in their generations_ Render, AFTER (or ACC... [ Continue Reading ]
_five_ We can make up this number only by counting Izrahiah _one_and
the sons of Izrahiah _four_. Reckoned thus the second _Izrahiah_would
denote a fresh person.... [ Continue Reading ]
_by their generations_ i.e. according to descent. Each head commanded
men that were his kinsfolk.
_the house of their fathers_ R.V. THEIR FATHERS" HOUSES.
_of soldiers for war_ R.V. OF THE HOST FOR WAR.... [ Continue Reading ]
_men of might_ R.V. MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR (as 1 Chronicles 7:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
(cp. ch. 1 Chronicles 8:1-40). The Genealogy of Benjamin
6. The sons of _Benjamin_ The Heb. word for _the sons of_being just
like the beginning of the word _Benjamin_has fallen out through an
error of transcription. The names of these are also given in 1
Chronicles 8:1-5; Genesis 46:21; Numbers 26:3... [ Continue Reading ]
_the sons of Bela_ These are differently stated in 1 Chronicles 8:3-5.
_and were reckoned by their genealogies_ R.V. AND THEY WERE RECKONED
BY GENEALOGY.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Anathoth, and Alameth_ both names of places; 1 Chronicles 6:60 (45,
_Heb._, "Allemeth"); Jeremiah 1:1. Descendants of Bela inhabited these
towns.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the number of them, after their genealogy by their generations_ R.V.
THEY WERE RECKONED BY GENEALOGY, AFTER THEIR GENERATIONS.
_of the house of their fathers_ R.V. OF THEIR FATHERS" HOUSES.... [ Continue Reading ]
_by the heads of their fathers_ R.V. ACCORDING TO THE HEADS OF THEIR
FATHERS" houses.
soldiers, _fit to go out_for _war and battle_ R.V. THAT WERE ABLE TO
GO FORTH IN THE HOST FOR WAR. The total armed strength of Benjamin
acc. to 1 Chronicles 7:7; 1 Chronicles 7:9; 1 Chronicles 7:11 was
59,434; cp.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shuppim also, and Huppim_ These names appear in Numbers 26:39 as
_Shephupham_and _Hupham_, and in 1 Chronicles 8:5 as _Shephuphan_and
_Huram_.
_Ir_ In 1 Chronicles 7:7 _Iri_.
_Hushim, the sons of Aher_ In Genesis 46:23 (cp. Numbers 26:42), _the
sons of Dan; Hushim_. In Chron. the word _Dan_is repl... [ Continue Reading ]
The Genealogy of Naphtali
13. _Jahziel … Shallum_ In Genesis 46:24, _Jahzeel … Shitlem_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ashriel, whom she bare_ R.V. ASRIEL, WHOM his wife BARE. Numbers
26:31.
_his concubine the Aramitess_ The inhabitants of Gilead were thus in
part Aramaeans (Syrians) by descent.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Genealogy of Eastern Manasseh
A difficult section. The text is much disturbed in 1 Chronicles
7:14-15; and there is hardly any material available for the
illustration of 1 Chronicles 7:16-17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_took to wife_the sister _of Huppim and Shuppim_ R.V. TOOK A WIFE OF
H. AND SH., i.e. allied himself by marriage to these two families.
_whose sister's name_ Render, AND HIS (Machir's) SISTER'S NAME. The
statement regarding Maachah is ethnographical, and means that the
people of Maachah (a district... [ Continue Reading ]
_the sons of Ulam_ Sons of Ulam are mentioned (1 Chronicles 8:40)
among the descendants of Benjamin. A variation in the tradition of
their descent is possible.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Families of Western Manasseh
18. _Abiezer_ Gideon's family; Judges 6:11; cp. Joshua 17:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shechem_ This name represents the Israelite portion of the
inhabitants of Shechem: the rest of the inhabitants were Hivites or
Canaanites. See Judges 9.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Line of Ephraim to Joshua
20. _Shuthelah … Bered … Tahath … Eladah_ These four names are
taken from Numbers 26:35-36, where they appear to correspond with
_Shuthelah … Becher … Tahan … Eran_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they came down_ This phrase suits a descent from the hills of
Ephraim, but not an invasion from Goshen. It therefore occurred
probably after Israel was settled in Canaan, i.e. long after Ephraim
was dead, and the conduct ascribed to Ephraim in 1 Chronicles 7:22-23
must be understood of the tribe pe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beriah, because it went evil_ Heb. BERIAH BECAUSE IT WENT BERAAH, a
play on the sound of the name. Cp. Genesis 30:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beth-horon_ See 1 Chronicles 6:68, note.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Non … Jehoshua_ R.V. gives the familiar form of these names, NUN
… JOSHUA.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beth-el_ Judges 1:22-25; 1 Kings 12:29; 1 Kings 12:32. Beth-el is
perhaps the modern Beitîn (_Bädeker_, p. 213). The city was on the
border of Ephraim and Benjamin and in Joshua 18:22 is assigned to
Benjamin, but it was originally conquered by Ephraim (Judges 1:22),
and during the division of the k... [ Continue Reading ]
The Seats of the Sons of Joseph
It is difficult to say why the possessions of Ephraim (1 Chronicles
7:28) and Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:29) are mentioned here, and also
why having been mentioned, they are not more fully described.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beth-shean_ In 1 Samuel 31:10; 1 Samuel 31:12 spelt Beth-shan. It is
the Greek _Scythopolis_, the modern _Beisan. Bädeker_, p. 222.
_Taanach_ See 1 Chronicles 6:70, note on _Aner_.
_Megiddo_ Judges 5:19; 2 Kings 23:29; Zechariah 12:11. A city (at
present not certainly identified) which gave a nam... [ Continue Reading ]
The Genealogy of Asher
30. _the sons of Asher_ The names in 1 Chronicles 7:30-31 are derived
from Genesis 46:17 (cp. Numbers 26:44-46). There is no variation in
the Heb. spelling of the names, but _Isuah_(R.V. _Ishuah_) is missing
in Num.
_Isuah, and Ishuai_ R.V. ISHVAH, AND ISHVI.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Birzavith_ R.V. BIRZAITH, probably the name of a place, "The well of
the olive-tree.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shamer … Helem_ Read perhaps SHOMER … HOTHAM, to agree with 1
Chronicles 7:32. In 1 Chronicles 7:35 for _son_read SONS (as R.V.).... [ Continue Reading ]
_of their fathers" house_ R.V. OF THE FATHERS" HOUSES.
_the number … to battle was_ R.V. THE NUMBER OF THEM RECKONED BY
GENEALOGY FOR SERVICE IN WAR WAS, etc.
_twenty and six thousand_ In 1 Chronicles 12:36 the men of war of
Asher are reckoned at forty thousand (cp. Numbers 1:41; Numbers 26:47,
whe... [ Continue Reading ]