Nehemiah 11:7

Sallu the son of Meshullam This name stands at the head of the Benjamites in 1 Chronicles 9:7-9. But otherwise the lists here vary from one another.

8 Gabbai, Sallai The occurrence of these names, not separated by the copula, is peculiar. No connexion can be traced between the -Gabbai, Sallai, … Joel, … Judah," of our list with the -Ibneiah, Elah and Meshullam" in 1 Chronicles 9:8. But there are certain peculiarities in the two lists at this point which make us suspect that the text of the original document was here at fault. Thus in our text we may remark on (1) the abruptness of -after him Gabbai, Sallai," (2) the number 928 differing from, but yet sufficiently close to, that of 956 in 1 Chron. Sallai, it has been conjectured, is the name Sallu repeated, which has crept into the text from a gloss on the word -after him." In 1 Chronicles we remark upon Meshullam occurring twice, and Ibneiah by the side of Ibnijah. The number 928, if we may argue from the analogy of Nehemiah 11:6, relates only to the house of Sallai or Gabbai Sallai. In 1 Chronicles 9:9, the number 956 represents the sons of Benjamin.