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Benjamin’s Descendants (Continued)

Benjamin was the father of Bela, his firstborn; Ashbel was born second, Aharah[a] third, Nohah fourth, and Rapha fifth.

Bela’s sons were Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

These were the descendants of Ehud who were leaders of the families living in Geba who were forced to move to Manahath: Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who moved them. Gera[b] was the father of Uzzah and Ahihud.

Shaharaim fathered sons in Moab after he divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. By his wife Hodesh he fathered Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam, 10 Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These were his sons; they were family leaders. 11 By Hushim he fathered Abitub and Elpaal.

12 The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod, as well as its surrounding towns), 13 Beriah, and Shema. They were leaders of the families living in Aijalon and chased out the inhabitants of Gath.

14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

19 Jakim, Zikri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.

22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zikri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.

26 Shamsherai, Shechariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zikri were the sons of Jeroham. 28 These were the family leaders listed in the genealogical records; they lived in Jerusalem.

29 The father of Gibeon[c] lived in Gibeon; his wife’s name was Maacah. 30 His firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal,[d] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zeker, and Mikloth.[e]

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

33 Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.[g]

34 The son of Jonathan: Meribbaal.[h]

Meribbaal was the father of Micah.

35 The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.

36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza, 37 and Moza was the father of Binea. His son was Raphah, whose son was Eleasah, whose son was Azel.

38 Azel had six sons:[i] Azrikam his firstborn,[j] followed by Ishmael, Sheariah,[k] Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

39 The sons of his brother Eshek:

Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third. 40 The sons of Ulam were warriors who were adept archers.[l] They had many sons and grandsons, a total of 150.

All these were the descendants of Benjamin.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:1 sn Aharah is called “Ahiram” in Num 26:38.
  2. 1 Chronicles 8:7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gera) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  3. 1 Chronicles 8:29 tc Some LXX mss supply the name “Jeiel,” which is not in the MT (cf. 1 Chr 9:35). The addition of the name here is followed by many English versions (e.g., ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
  4. 1 Chronicles 8:30 tc Some LXX mss add “Ner” here (cf. 1 Chr 9:36 and v. 33 below, where Ner is mentioned as the father of Kish). The form וְנֵר (vener) could have been accidentally omitted by homoioarcton since each name in the list has the conjunction prefixed to it. Some English versions follow the LXX here and add “Ner” (e.g., NAB, NIV, NLT).
  5. 1 Chronicles 8:31 tc The Hebrew text omits the name “Mikloth,” but it may have fallen out accidentally by haplography. Note that the name immediately follows at the beginning of v. 32; cf. NAB.
  6. 1 Chronicles 8:32 tn Heb “and also they, opposite their brothers, lived in Jerusalem with their brothers.” This redundancy has been removed in the translation.
  7. 1 Chronicles 8:33 sn Eshbaal is called “Ishbosheth” in 2 Sam 2:8.
  8. 1 Chronicles 8:34 sn Meribbaal is called “Mephibosheth” in 2 Sam 4:4.
  9. 1 Chronicles 8:38 tn Heb “sons and these were their names.”
  10. 1 Chronicles 8:38 tc The Hebrew text has בֹּכְרוּ (bokheru), which some understand as a name: “Bocheru” (so, e.g., NEB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). But the form should probably be revocalized בְּכֹרוֹ (bekhoro, “his firstborn”). A name has accidentally dropped from the list, and a scribe apparently read בֹּכְרוּ as one of the names.
  11. 1 Chronicles 8:38 tc The Lucianic recension of the LXX inserts another name here, καὶ Ἀζαριας (kai Azarias, “and Azariah”), presumably to make up the six sons mentioned at the beginning of the verse (see the previous tc note on “firstborn”). Cf. NAB.
  12. 1 Chronicles 8:40 tn Heb “and the sons of Ulam were men, warriors and treaders of a bow.”

The Family History of King Saul

Benjamin was the father of Bela, his ·first son [firstborn]. Ashbel was his second son, Aharah was his third, Nohah was his fourth, and Rapha was his fifth son.

Bela’s sons were Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

These were the descendants of Ehud and leaders of their ·families [clans] in Geba. They were ·forced to move [exiled; deported] to Manahath. Ehud’s descendants were Naaman, Ahijah, and ·Gera [or Geba]. ·Gera [or Geba] ·forced them to leave [led them into exile]. He was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

Shaharaim and his wife Hushim had sons named Abitub and Elpaal. In Moab, Shaharaim ·divorced [L sent away] his wives Hushim and Baara. Shaharaim and his wife Hodesh had these sons: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. They were leaders of their ·families [clans].

Elpaal’s sons were Eber, Misham, Shemed, Beriah, and Shema. Shemed built the towns of Ono and Lod and the villages around them. Beriah and Shema were leaders of the ·families [clans] living in Aijalon, and they ·forced out [drove out; routed] the people who lived in Gath.

14 Beriah’s sons were Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha.

17 Elpaal’s sons were Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab.

19 Shimei’s sons were Jakim, Zicri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath.

22 Shashak’s sons were Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zicri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel.

26 Jeroham’s sons were Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zicri.

28 The ·family histories [genealogical records] show that all these men were leaders of their ·families [clans] and lived in Jerusalem.

29 Jeiel lived in the town of Gibeon, where he was the leader. His wife was named Maacah. 30 Jeiel’s ·first son [firstborn] was Abdon. His other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zeker, 32 and Mikloth. Mikloth was the father of Shimeah. These sons also lived ·near [with; across from] their relatives in Jerusalem.

33 Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal [C Ishbosheth; 2 Sam. 2:8].

34 Jonathan’s son was Merib-Baal [C Mephibosheth; 2 Sam. 4:4], who was the father of Micah.

35 Micah’s sons were Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. 36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza. 37 Moza was the father of Binea. Raphah was Binea’s son. Eleasah was Raphah’s son, and Azel was Eleasah’s son.

38 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, ·Bokeru [or the firstborn], Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were Azel’s sons.

39 Azel’s brother was Eshek. Eshek’s ·first son [firstborn] was Ulam, his second was Jeush, and Eliphelet was his third. 40 Ulam’s sons were mighty ·warriors [L men of valor] and good archers. They had many sons and grandsons—one hundred fifty of them in all.

All these men were Benjamin’s descendants.