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Verse 1. Jasub, or Job. See Genesis 46:13, Numbers 26:23. Calmet.—Simeron, elsewhere Samron and Semran; ( Menochius.) which shews, either that the names have been differently pronounced, or that the transcribers have erred. Bible.
EXPLANATIONS
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Historical chapter commentary
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Verse 2. Chiefs. They were at the head of distinct families. Menochius.—David. We know that David took an account of his fighting men. 2 Kennicott. 24. But it is not certain that this register was made at that time; as we read that Benjamin was not numbered. Calmet. 21:6. These lists were probably made when some expedition was intended by David. The author was not, perhaps, able to recover the accounts of Nephthali, Manasses, and Ephraim, no more that the genealogies of Dan (verse 12) and Zabulon, which do not appear in this book. Calmet.
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Verse 3. Sons, for “the son.” D.—Izrahia. He alone deserved to be mentioned. See verse 6, where only three sons of Benjamin appear, though there were more, Calmet. 8:2. Tirinus.—Five, comprising Israhia, “all chiefs,” ( Bible.) men of note, ( D.) or one name may be lost. Calmet.
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Verse 4. Children, who had numerous offspring; ( Bible.) so that, in the days of David, these descendants of Thola, amounted to so many. Menochius.
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Verse 5. War. In all, this tribe could muster 145,600 men, at that time. Calmet.
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Verse 6. Benjamin; a man, perhaps, of the tribe of Issachar. See verse 10. Or the patriarch had originally ten sons, (Genesis 46:21) or grandsons, five of whom only had children, and perhaps tow of their families perished entirely in the war with the other tribes; (Judges 20:46) so that, under David, only three branches were acknowledged. Calmet.—Jadihel, or Asbel in Genesis.
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Verse 7. Urai, a grandson, called Hir, verse 12. Calmet.—Five chiefs, but inferior to the seven original families, (Numbers 26:38. Menochius.) unless the fortune of war had made great changes, or some of the lists be imperfect. Calmet.
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Verse 12. And Hapham; called Mophim and Ophim, (Genesis 46) and Suphim and Hupham, Numbers 26:39.—Aher, in Hebrew means, “another” son, called Hazim: or more probably Aher ought to be Dan, the father of Husim, (Genesis 46:23) as Dan and Nephthali had both the same mother, Bala, verse 13. Calmet.
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Verse 14. Son. Hebrew “sons … Ezriel, whom she bare.” This seems imperfect. The Hebrews seldom name the mother. Calmet.—Septuagint intimate that the Syrian wife was mother of both. Bible.—Galaad, whose posterity enjoyed the country of the same name, (Numbers 22:29 and 32:41) only Machir in mentioned as the son of Manasses.
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Verse 15. And Saphan. S. Jerom seems to have taken them for women. If they were the sons of Hir, (verse 12) Machir probably adopted them. Hebrew “Machir took a wife from Happhim,” and so forth But does one woman marry two men? Syr. and Arab. “Machir took a wife one of the sisters of Huphim and Suphim, (the great and powerful) named Maacha.” Calmet.—Prot. “the sister of Huppim … whose sister’s name was Maachah.” Bible.—Hebrew may have this sense, with a small alteration. Calmet.—Le Clerc thinks that the name of the woman has been lost, and the text altered.—Second. This also seems defective, as no first had been mentioned. Calmet.—Two intervened between Machir and Salphaad, namely, Galaad and Hepher, (Numbers 26:29 and 27:1. Menochius.) so that Salphaad was his great-grandson. Bible.
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Verse 17. Badan, perhaps the same with Jair; (Judges 10:3, 1 Kennicott. 12:11. Calmet.) or rather in this last place, the Syr. and so forth read more correctly Barac, and Samson instead of Samuel, who was then speaking. See Hebrews 11:32. There was no such deliverer as Badan, but the word has been corrupted from Barac. Septuagint Kennicott.
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Verse 18. Queen. Hebrew “Moleceth bore Ishehod.” S. Jerom and the Latin Church translate these names. Worthington.—Prot. “Hammoleketh bore Ishod.” Bible.—The proper names might have been as well retained, ( Calmet.) as in the Septuagint Bible.—Some suppose that the mother of Josue, or Debora, may be designated. Rabbins.—Abiezer, (19) Leci, are the Jeser and Chelek. Numbers 26:30.
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Verse 20. Bared, Thahath, probably called Becher and Theken, in Num. Three alone are there mentioned, though the other thirteen, whose names are given, seem to have been all the immediate sons of Ephriam, ( Calmet.) since he mourns for them, (verse 22. Menochius.) and his other children afterwards. Bible.—The dreadful slaughter made them, is perhaps the reason why only three are mentioned in Numbers, and none in Genesis.
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Verse 21. Son, Ezer. Hebrew “and Ezer and Elad.” His son, after each, seems to be twice omitted, as these were in the same degree as the rest. Septuagint agree with the Vulg. Bible.—Because they, the sons of Ephraim, ( Calmet. and so forth) or the men of Geth. Syr. and Arab. D. Menochius. Tirinus.—The text is ambiguous, but the former supposition seems more rational, ( Bible.) and more generally received. Calmet.
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Verse 23. Beria. This name signifies, in evil, or in affection. Challoner.—Briae, “in howling.” Menochius.
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Verse 24. Daughter, or great grand-daughter, repaired these three cities. Calmet.—The last, probably, was called after her. Bible.—But its situation is unknown. Calmet.
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Verse 25. Thale. Hebrew “and Thale, his son, and Thaan, his son.” These seem to have been the sons of Ephraim. The following were their descendants. Bible.—At least Elisama was prince in the wilderness, ( Calmet.) under Moses; (Numbers 1:10. Bible.) and Josue, the sixth from Ephraim, was 54 years old, when the Israelites left Egypt. Calmet.
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Verse 29. Daughters. Septuagint “villages.”—Joseph, by Ephraim and Manasses, west of the Jordan. Bible.
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Verse 34. Aram. Add, “and Helem,” ( Calmet.) unless Helem was the first-born (verse 35) of Ahi, which signifies “brother.” Perhaps Helem was brother of Somer, called Hotham, verse 32.
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Verse 37. Jethran. Septuagint “Jether,” as v. seq.
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Verse 38. Jephone. The father of Caleb was of the tribe of Juda. Calmet.
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Verse 40. Of captains; a Hebrew idiom, to denote the most excellent. Bible.—Hebrew “chief of the princes.” All mentioned from verse 30, were at the hand of their tribe, in succession, and led their brethren to battle. Calmet.
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“Beriah” is similar to the Hebrew word for “misfortune”.