1 Chronicles
Verse 1. Israel, “seeing, or valiant with God,” was before called Jacob, or “a supplanter.” Genesis 35. Worthington.
EXPLANATIONS
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Historical chapter commentary
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Verse 2. Aser. They are not placed in the order of their birth. Bible.
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Verse 3. Her. The crime for which he was punished is not specified in Scripture. Calmet.—The Rabbins say that he was so enamoured of the beauty of his wife, that he treated her in the same manner as Onan did afterwards. Cassian viii. 11.—It is supposed that he was slain by a devil, ( Calmet.) like the ( Tirinus.) impure husbands of Sarai. Tobit 6:14. Bible.
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Verse 6. Zamri, or Zabdi. Joshua 7:1.—Etham. Similar names occur 3 Kennicott. 4:30. But they seem to have been different persons.
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Verse 10. Ram. He is commonly called Aram. But it is to be observed here, once for all, that it was a common thing among the Hebrews for the same person to have different names: and that it is not impossible among so many proper names, as here occur in the first nine chapters of this book, that the transcribers of the ancient Hebrew copies may have made some slips in the orthography. Challoner.—Juda. Probably the first, appointed by Moses in the desert. Numbers 1:7 and 7:12.
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Verse 11. Salma. Septuagint have “Salmon,” as it is written Ruth 4:20, Matthew 1:4.
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Verse 15. Seventh. Syriac and Arab. add, “Eliu, (Calmet. 27:18) and the eighth David.” It appears, in effect, the Isai had eight sons, and that David was the youngest. 1 Kennicott. 16:10 and 17:12. The Rabbins suppose that one was only adopted, namely, Jonathan, the son of Samma, noted for his prudence and valour. 2 Kennicott. 13:3 and 21:21. Calmet.—One might die in his youth, and be therefore omitted, ( Tirinus.) as he had done nothing memorable. D.—The Scripture does not always specify the full number. Abul.
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Verse 16. Sarvia. The honour shewn to the sisters of David is unusual. The father of the three valiant children of Sarvia is no where specified.
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Verse 17. Ismahelite, or more correctly, “Jethra, of Jezrahel;” (2 Kennicott. 17:25) though the Hebrew and Septuagint in that place read “Israelite,” which would be a trifling remark; and it is improbable that Isai would give his daughter to a descendant of Ismahel. Calmet.—The person might, however, have resided among them. D.
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Verse 18. Caleb, alias Calubi, verse 9. Challoner. Worthington.—He is different from Caleb, the son of Jephone.—Took, and so forth Hebrew “begot Azuba, Ischa, and Jerioth;” or rather with the Septuagint “took to wife Gazuba and Jerioth.” Calmet.—Syr. and Arab. “Caleb had Jerioth by his wife Azuba.” We know that the latter was his wife, (verse 19.) and this seems to be the true reading. As ath signifies “of or from,” (Noldius) the Hebrew only requires a small correction. As it stands at present, it means, “Caleb begot Azuba, a woman, (or wife) and Jerioth.” Prot. supply, “begat children of Azuba, his wife, and of Jerioth.” Kennicott.—Her sons. The original determines us to read her, instead of “his,” as ejus would as naturally be understood. If Jerioth was not the wife, she seems to have been the daughter of Caleb; as Jaser, and so forth were his sons. Bible.
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Verse 20. Bezeleel, the famous artist, (Exodus 31:2. Calmet.) or a different person. D.—The Rabbins, who confound Caleb with the son of Jephone, say that he espoused Ephrata, or Mary, the sister of Moses, when he was ten years old, that Ur and Uri had each a child at eight, and the Bezeleel began to work at the tabernacle before he was nine years old. Lyran.—But this is extravagant, and the Bezeleel here mentioned was of the family of Hesron. Calmet.
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Verse 21. Machir, grandson of Joseph, whose descendants occupied part of Galaad, ( Bible.) of which he is styled the father, or prince. Menochius.—The daughter of Machir was probably an heiress, and Segub dwelt with his mother’s tribe. Calmet.
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Verse 23. Aram. Prot. add “with the towns of Jair from them,” the former possessors; ( Bible.) or Gessur assisted Aram (Syria) in attacking Israel, 4 Kennicott. 10:32. Calmet.—All these villages. Prot. supply, “belonged to the sons.” Septuagint “were of the sons.” All these were dependencies of Machir, “prince” of Galaad; in which sense father is taken, verse 24. Menochius.—Sons often denote nephews, and so forth Worthington.
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Verse 24. Hesron. Perhaps it ought to be Azuba, verse 19. Hebrew “and after Hesron was dead, in Caleb-ephrata, then Abia, the wife of Hesron, bore him a (posthumous) son, Ashur, the father of those who dwelt at Thecua.” He could not reside there himself no more than Caleb did at Bethlehem, which some, without proof, pretend was called Caleb-ephrata. The Septuagint agree with the Vulg. They may signify that Caleb went to the town of Ephrata. But he son of Hebron certainly never resided at Bethlehem. Calmet.
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Verse 25. And, is not in Hebrew Achia, which may also signify “her sister.” Septuagint “brother.” Others take ( Calmet.) Achia to be the first wife of Jerameel. Jan.
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Verse 31. Oholai, a daughter, (verse 34. Tirinus.) unless this son died before his father. Vatab.
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Verse 42. Caleb, or Calubi, verse 9. Ziph, Maresa, and Hebron, are the names of towns, as well as of men. The descendants of Mesa inhabited Ziph, and those of Maresa dwelt at Hebron. The same remark will hold good in other places, where the names of places are put for those who occupied them. Calmet.—And the sons. Hebrew “and of the sons of Maresa.” Vat.—But it may be as well explained in the sense of the Vulg. Septuagint “Marisa, his first-born. He was the father of Ziph, and the sons of Marisa, of the father of Hebron.”—Father. Lit. “of the father,” patris Hebron. Bible.
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Verse 47. Jahaddai. His name occurs not before. Some suppose he was the son of Mosa: perhaps a verse may be lost, as the Syr. and Arab. pass over this and the two following verses.
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Verse 49. Achsa, different from Axa, the grand-daughter of Jephone. Judges 1:12. Bible.—Both had daughters of the same name. D.
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Verse 50. Caleb, grandson of Calubi. Vatab. and so forth—Sobal, his descendant, was prince of those who established themselves at Cariathiarim. Calmet.—The Alex. Septuagint seems rather to assert that he was son of Hur, as well as those who follow. “The sons of Hur … Sobal … Salomon, father of Baithlammon, father of Bethleem.” But the editions vary. Bible.
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Verse 52. He that saw, and so forth The Latin interpreter seems to have given us here, instead of the proper names, the meaning of those names in the Hebrew. He has done in like manner, verse 55, ( Challoner.) and in many other places. D.—Hebrew “had sons, haroe cha hamenuchoth, ( Bible.) or Raia, Roeh, (Calmet. 4:2) and Chazi of the canton of Menuchat, near Babaa. Calmet. 8:6 and Judges 20:43. Septuagint mention Manocho. Joshua 15:60.—We may also translate “the father of Cariathiarim, the prince of half Manuchat, had sons who peopled different cities.” It seems too harsh to call a man “half the place of rest,” or “seeing from the moiety of rest,” though the Hebrew has this literal signification. The Septuagint give proper names, ( Calmet.) “Araa, Esei, Ammanith,” (but verse 55, half of Manath) and the Prot. “Haroeh and half of the Manahattites.” Bible.—Sobal left to his descendants half the country which he had quietly occupied.
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Verse 53. Kindred. Septuagint “Oumasphas.” Bible.—Esthaolites. All these places were in Juda, ( Calmet.) or perhaps ( Bible.) the two last in Dan, ( Menochius.) or occupied by both tribes. Abul. q. 8.
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Verse 54. Salma, or Salmon’s descendants, people Bethlehem, and so forth—Crowns. Valiant heroes who assisted Joab to gain crowns. Worthington.—Hebrew “Hateroth,” the house (Septuagint Alex. of the house of Jobab) of Joab; ( Bible.) perhaps the famous general who had land near Absalom’s, on the frontiers of Ephraim, where Ataroth was situated.—And half. Hebrew “half of the Manahethites.” Prot. ( Bible.) or “of Menuchat, towards Zarai.” The author seems purposely to mention to whom the cities at first belonged, that the right owners might be reinstated in their possessions, at their return from Babylon. Calmet.—This verse may specify six towns, Bethlehem and Netophat, ( Bible.) Beth-Joab, Chatsi, Manachti, and Atsothi.
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Verse 55. Scribes, learned in the law. Menochius.—Singing, and so forth The different professions of the Rechabites are here given, instead of proper names, ( Calmet.) which the Vat. Septuagint retains.—Thargathiim and Samathiim, Sochathim.—Hebrew Tirhatim, “porters;” (Chal.) Shimhathim, “the obedient;” Sucathim, “the inhabitants of tents;” Calor, “the heat,” as the Hebrew Chamath (Prot. Hemath) signifies. The Cinites dwelt on the south of Juda, for which reason they are probably here mentioned, though some of them also inhabited Jabes Galaad, while the Rechabites dwelt in tents, ( Bible.) and were perhaps employed as porters in the temple. Calmet. Jeremiah 35:5, 19.
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When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh).