1 Chronicles 1

Verse 1. Seth. Prot. “Sheth, Enosh, Kenan:” but in Genesis they agree with us, which shews that the translator of the two different books is different, and that there is a want of uniformity in the plan adopted by king James I. Bible.—The posterity of Cain is neglected, as it all perished in the deluge. Calmet.

Verse 4. Noe begot Sem, Cham, and Japheth. ( Bible.) See Genesis 10. The author passes lightly over some of the descendants of the two latter, as he had David’s genealogy principally in view.

Verse 6. Riphath. Hebrew begins with D. Calmet.—But the Prot. correct it ( Bible.) according to the book of Gen. and the Septuagint The two letters are very much alike.

Verse 7. Dodanim. Hebrew has R, conformably to the Samar. copy of Genesis, and the Septuagint translate the Rhodians. Yet Dodanim seems more accurate, ( Calmet.) and is retained by the Prot. Bible.

Verse 10. Earth, first establishing the monarchy of Babylon, and building the castle. D.

Verse 12. Philistines, a colony from Crete.

Verse 17. Hus and Hul were the immediate sons of Aram, as well as … Mosoch, or Mes; (Genesis 10:23. Calmet.) so that there seems to be here some transposition. D.

Verse 18. Sale. The Rom. Septuagint omits verse 11 to 17, and verse 18 to 24, having only, (17) “The sons of Sem, Ailam and Assur; (24) and Arphaxad, Sala.” Bible.—But the other copies here insert Cainan, as the father of Sale. See Genesis 10:24. Calmet.—It is a matter of great doubt whether he ought not to be inserted. Lu. 3. Bible.

Verse 24. Sem begot Arphaxad. Menochius.

Verse 32. Concubine. She was his lawful wife, but of an inferior degree, and such were called concubines. Challoner.—She has the title of wife, Genesis 25:1.—And the sons of Dadan, and so forth seems to be copied from Genesis, as the addition is not found in many Lat. MSS. no more than in the Hebrew or Septuagint Calmet.

Verse 36. And by. This serves to explain the difficulty; as Thamna would otherwise seem to be a daughter of Eliphaz, though we know she was his concubine. Genesis 36:12. Bible.—The Heb., Rom. Septuagint Syr., and Latin, suppose that Thamna was the brother of Amalec; but the Alex. Septuagint has, “Now Thamna, the concubine of Eliphaz, bore Amalec.” Arab. “And Thamna, who was the concubine of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, bore him Amalec,” which seems to be the true reading. Kennicott.—Hebrew “And Timna and Amalek,” (Prot. Bible.) which confounds the sense. Mariana. D.

Verse 38. Seir, not Esau, but the Horrite, (Genesis 36:20. Menochius.) which is added in order to explain the origin of Thamna. D.

Verse 40. Dixon. We must add Oolibama. Genesis 36:25.

Verse 41. Hamram. In Gen. Hamdan. Two letters have been mistaken since the Chaldee characters have been adopted. Calmet.—On this occasion, we may briefly remark, 1. The most learned fathers have admitted such mistakes in Scripture: yet these are not to be corrected by each one’s private judgment, but we must all abide by the determination of the Church, which is plainly appointed for our guide in the infallible word of God. 2. To obviate the objections of infidels, respecting the apparent contradictions of Scripture, particularly in these books, we must observe that many people and places had different names; 3. And those who had the saem were really distinct. 4. Frequently also grandchildren, and those who have been adopted, are mentioned as the immediate offspring. 5. Some mysterious numbers are specified, as fourteen in the genealogy of Christ, though the history allows more. 6. Odd numbers are sometimes neglected. 7. Often a part is put for the whole, or on the contrary; as Christ is said to have been dead three days, though he was only one whole day and part of two others: and in the reigns of different kings, in the same year, the different parts are assigned to each, as a whole year. 8. Sometimes two reigned together, as Joathan ruled while Ozias was still living, (4 Kennicott. 15) and so both reigns are sometimes counted, and, at other times, their respective years. 9. The interregnums are either omitted in calculations, or added to the years of the next ruler. 10. Only the years that a person governed well are sometimes noticed, as Saul is said to have reigned two years, (1 Kennicott. 13) though his administration continued much longer. Some of these rules may be applied to most of the scriptural difficulties, as the spirit of God could not dictate any falsehood. At the same time we must be forced to acknowledge that the Scriptures are hard to be understood, 2 Peter 1:20. ( Worthington.) and 3:16; and this may serve to exercise the genius, and to humble the pride of man. Bible.

Verse 43. Israel. The same remark had been made in Genesis 36:31. It is wonderful that the author of this work gives us no further information, when so many revolutions had since occurred. Calmet.—But he might content himself with repeating the words of Moses. Bible.—The eight kings here specified must have reigned each 50 years, which is not impossible. David conquered the country under Adad.

Verse 48. River. Euphrates is commonly so designated. See Genesis 10:11. Calmet.—Pagnin translates, “from the river Rohoboth.” D.

Verse 50. Mezaab. It is unusual for the Scripture to mark so particularly the genealogy of a woman. We might translate the Hebrew “a native, or who was a native of Mezaab,” which is probably the same with Dizahab, “abundance of gold.” Deuteronomy 1:1. Mezaab signifies, “waters of gold,” ( Calmet.) or “whose is gold,” whence some infer that the woman was very rich, (Lyran) or had discovered the art of drawing gold thread. Abul.—It is more probably a proper name. Menochius.

Verse 51. Kings. Hebrew “Adad also died, and the dukes of Edom were duke Thamna, and so forth Bible.—This, and the following names, designate the place of their residence. Menochius.—The same forms of government prevailed in Idumea, as among the Hebrews, who had judges or dukes, then kings, and, after the captivity, dukes, till the time of the Machabees. Tirinus.