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Benjamin’s line

Benjamin was the father of Bela his oldest son, Ashbel his second son, Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.

Bela had a family: Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

This was Ehud’s family. They were heads of households of the inhabitants of Geba, who were sent into exile to Manahath. Gera[a] sent them into exile and was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

Shaharaim had children in the country of Moab after he divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. He had children with his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of households. 11 He also had children with Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.

12 Elpaal’s family: Eber, Misham, Shemed, who built Ono and Lod with its towns, 13 Beriah, and Shema. They were heads of households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove out the inhabitants of Gath. 14 Their brothers[b] were Shashak and Jeremoth.

15 Beriah’s family: Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha.

17 Elpaal’s family: Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab.

19 Shimei’s family: Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath.

22 Shashak’s family: Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Omri,[c] Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel.

26 Jeroham’s family: Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri.

28 These were the heads of households, in their generations. They were leaders who lived in Jerusalem. 29 Jeiel,[d] Gibeon’s father, lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah; 30 his oldest son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,[e] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, and Mikloth.

32 Mikloth was the father of Shimeah. These also lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.[f]

33 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

34 Jonathan’s son was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was Micah’s father.

35 Micah’s family: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.

36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah; Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri was the father of Moza. 37 Moza was the father of Binea; his son was Raphah, his son Eleasah, and his son Azel. 38 Azel had six sons, named Azrikam, his oldest,[g] Ishmael, Sheariah, Azariah,[h] Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were in Azel’s family.

39 His brother Eshek’s family: Ulam his oldest, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. 40 Ulam’s family were mighty warriors and archers, having many children and grandchildren—150 in all and all were Benjaminites.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:7 MT Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera
  2. 1 Chronicles 8:14 LXX; MT Ahio
  3. 1 Chronicles 8:24 LXX; MT lacks Omri.
  4. 1 Chronicles 8:29 LXX; MT lacks Jeiel.
  5. 1 Chronicles 8:30 LXX; MT lacks Ner.
  6. 1 Chronicles 8:32 Syr; MT adds with their relatives.
  7. 1 Chronicles 8:38 LXX, Tg; MT Bocheru
  8. 1 Chronicles 8:38 LXX; MT lacks Azariah.

The Descendants of Benjamin

Benjamin had five sons. In order of age they were Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, Nohah, and Rapha.

The descendants of Bela were Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

6-7 The descendants of Ehud were Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. They were heads of families that lived in Geba, but which were forced out and went to live in Manahath. Gera, the father of Uzza and Ahihud, led them in this move.

8-9 Shaharaim divorced two wives, Hushim and Baara. Later, when he lived in the country of Moab, he married Hodesh and had seven sons: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. His sons all became heads of families.

11 He also had two sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.

12 Elpaal had three sons: Eber, Misham, and Shemed. It was Shemed who built the cities of Ono and Lod and the surrounding villages.

The Benjaminites in Gath and Aijalon

13 Beriah and Shema were heads of families that settled in the city of Aijalon and drove out the people who lived in the city of Gath. 14 Beriah's descendants included Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha.

The Benjaminites in Jerusalem

17 Elpaal's descendants included Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab.

19 Shimei's descendants included Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath.

22 Shashak's descendants included Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel.

26 Jeroham's descendants included Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri.

28 These were the ancestral heads of families and their principal descendants who lived in Jerusalem.

The Benjaminites in Gibeon and Jerusalem

29 Jeiel[a] founded the city of Gibeon and settled there. His wife was named Maacah, 30 and his oldest son, Abdon. His other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,[b] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, 32 and Mikloth, the father of Shimeah. Their descendants lived in Jerusalem near other families of their clan.

The Family of King Saul

33 Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of King Saul. Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.[c] 34 Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal,[d] who was the father of Micah.

35 Micah had four sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. 36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, who was the father of three sons: Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza, 37 Moza the father of Binea, Binea of Raphah, Raphah of Eleasah, and Eleasah of Azel.

38 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. 39 Azel's brother Eshek had three sons: Ulam, Jeush, and Eliphelet.

40 Ulam's sons were outstanding soldiers and archers. He had a hundred and fifty sons and grandsons in all. All those named above were members of the tribe of Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:29 Probable text (and see 9.35) Jeiel; Hebrew does not have this name.
  2. 1 Chronicles 8:30 One ancient translation (and see 9.36) Ner; Hebrew does not have this name.
  3. 1 Chronicles 8:33 Called Ishbosheth in 2 S 2.8 and elsewhere in 2 Samuel.
  4. 1 Chronicles 8:34 Called Mephibosheth in 2 S 4.4 and elsewhere in 2 Samuel.