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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.

The Genealogy of Saul the Benjamite(A)

Benjamin(B) was the father of Bela his firstborn,

Ashbel the second son, Aharah the third,

Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.

The sons of Bela were:

Addar,(C) Gera, Abihud,[a] Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,(D) Gera, Shephuphan and Huram.

These were the descendants of Ehud,(E) who were heads of families of those living in Geba and were deported to Manahath:

Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who deported them and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. By his wife Hodesh he had Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam, 10 Jeuz, Sakia and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families. 11 By Hushim he had Abitub and Elpaal.

12 The sons of Elpaal:

Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono(F) and Lod with its surrounding villages), 13 and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of families of those living in Aijalon(G) and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath.(H)

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, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zikri were the sons of Jeroham.

28 All these were heads of families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.

29 Jeiel[b] the father[c] of Gibeon lived in Gibeon.(I)

His wife’s name was Maakah, 30 and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,[d] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zeker 32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.

33 Ner(J) was the father of Kish,(K) Kish the father of Saul(L), and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal.[e](M)

34 The son of Jonathan:(N)

Merib-Baal,[f](O) who was the father of Micah.

35 The sons of Micah:

Pithon, Melek, 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; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.

38 Azel had six sons, and these were their names:

Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

39 The sons of his brother Eshek:

Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second son and Eliphelet the third. 40 The sons of Ulam were brave warriors who could handle the bow. They had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.

All these were the descendants of Benjamin.(P)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:3 Or Gera the father of Ehud
  2. 1 Chronicles 8:29 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 9:35); Hebrew does not have Jeiel.
  3. 1 Chronicles 8:29 Father may mean civic leader or military leader.
  4. 1 Chronicles 8:30 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 9:36); Hebrew does not have Ner.
  5. 1 Chronicles 8:33 Also known as Ish-Bosheth
  6. 1 Chronicles 8:34 Also known as Mephibosheth