Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. Nohah is supposed by some to be the same with Becher, 1 Chronicles 7:6 and by others with Naaman, Genesis 46:21 , as Rapha, the same with Rosh there. read more
EXPOSITION This chapter carries us back to the tribe of Benjamin, partly dealt with already ( 1 Chronicles 7:6-12 ). The tribe is reverted to for the same kind of reason that called for our 1 Chronicles 3:1-24 . David was so important a character in the Judah tribe. And Saul, with whom the resume of Chronicle-history begins ( 1 Chronicles 8:33 ; 1 Chronicles 9:39 ; 1 Chronicles 10:1-14 .), belongs to the Benjamin tribe. Thus the genealogy of this tribe forms the perch to... read more
Genealogies of the remaining tribes (7:1-8:40)Although the lists here are incomplete and in places difficult to follow, it seems that the tribes dealt with are Issachar (7:1-5), parts of Benjamin and Dan (6-12), Naphtali (13), the portion of Manasseh not listed earlier (14-19; cf. 5:23-24), Ephraim (20-29) and Asher (30-40).Benjamin is given in greater detail, possibly because it included Jerusalem in its tribal territory. Also this was the only tribe that joined Judah in the southern kingdom,... read more
Nohah . . . Rapha. Nowhere else mentioned in O.T. Compare Genesis 46:21 . Perhaps grandsons. But these names show independence of Chronicles. read more
1 Chronicles 8:2. And Rapha the fifth— In Gen 46:21 ten sons of Benjamin are reckoned; in the 6th verse of the preceding chapter three only, and here five. The genealogy here seems to be introduced principally on account of Bela, and therefore there was no necessity of mentioning it at large. See Houbigant's note on this and the 6th verse. read more
C. The Lineage of Saul chs. 8-9This list obviously parallels to some extent David’s genealogy (chs. 1-3). Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin, not from the tribe of Judah that God had promised leadership of the nation. One reason the writer had an interest in the tribe of Benjamin (ch. 8) was that it was the only tribe other than Judah to remain loyal to the Davidic line. The tribe of Benjamin "ranked second only to Judah in postexilic society." [Note: Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," p. 360.]... read more
Genealogies (continued)This chapter contains a second account of the descendants of Benjamin, and traces the ancestors and descendants of Saul.1. Now Benjamin, etc.] The names of Benjamin’s descendants are repeated (with some variants) from 1 Chronicles 7:7., in order to lead up to the mention of Saul (1 Chronicles 8:33), the predecessor of David (1 Chronicles 10:14), whose history forms the chief subject of this book.3. And Abihud] perhaps to be corrected to ’father (Heb. Abi) of Ehud’: see 1... read more
THE SONS OF BENJAMIN AND BELA (1 Chronicles 8:1-5).(See Notes on 1 Chronicles 7:6-7.)Bela his first-born.—The Hebrew word for “firstborn” in Genesis 46:21 may have been turned into the proper name Becher, by an ancient mistake of the scribes. (See Note on 1 Chronicles 7:6.)Ashbel.—Probably the same as Jediael.Aharah the same as Ahiram and Ehirosh.(2) Nohah and Rapha.—These names do not occur in either of the other lists. The present series agrees with Numbers 26:38 in assigning five sons to... read more
6. Benjamin CHAPTER 8 1. The genealogies of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:1-28 ) 2. The house of Saul (1 Chronicles 8:29-40 ) In comparing this list with Genesis 46:21 we find some differences. The names of Benjamites include many who were born in the captivity and who returned to the land and dwelt in Jerusalem. Twice we read “those dwelt in Jerusalem” (verses 28, 32). Some of the names are found in the list of restored exiles in Ezra (chapter 2). Benjamin being brought back from the exile,... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 8:1-32
There is little or nothing of history in all these verses; we have not therefore much to observe. 1. As to the difficulties that occur in this and the foregoing genealogies we need not perplex ourselves. I presume Ezra took them as he found them in the books of the kings of Israel and Judah (1 Chron. 9:1), according as they were given in by the several tribes, each observing what method they thought fit. Hence some ascend, others desecnd; some have numbers affixed, others places; some have... read more