And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera ,.... Or, to wit, Naaman, &c.; so the words are to be connected with these are the sons or Ehud , in the preceding verse: he removed them ; to the above place, that is, either Gera, or rather Ehud, he advised them, directed and enjoined them to go thither, as being most convenient for them: and he begat Uzza and Ahihud ; after he had removed his other sons. read more
Ehud . We are brought to a halt again by the sudden introduction of this name. Even if it stand for Abihud ( 1 Chronicles 8:3 ) or for Ahoah ( 1 Chronicles 8:4 ), why is it changed in so short an interval? It is impossible to establish order in these verses except by most gratuitous conjecture. But it may be supposed that the verses say that Ehud's people once belonged to Manahath , that the heads of them removed them to Geba ( Joshua 18:24 ), and that he himself (query, Ehud?... 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
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
(7) And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them.—The three clans here mentioned are commonly regarded as the authors of the expatriation of the people of Geba. Of Gera it is specially said “he removed them,” because Gera was the leading clan of the three. According to this interpretation the two verses (6-7) may be rendered: “And these are the sons of Ehud. (These are heads of clans belonging to the inhabitants of Geba, and men carried them away to Manahath—both Naaman, and Ahijah, and... 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
8:7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and {c} begat Uzza, and Ahihud.(c) That is, Ehud. read more
GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES INTRODUCTION With this begins the study of those historical books of the Old Testament written shortly after the return from the Babylonian captivity, the remainder of the series including 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. “Chronicles” means “diaries” or “journal,” and the books recapitulate sacred history from the time of Adam, in which the earlier books of the Old Testament are drawn upon and occasionally supplemented. The Holy Spirit, who is the real... 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