Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Benjamin. Some farther particulars of his genealogy are given, for the honour of Saul; ( Calmet.) and many of these, who returned from captivity, are mentioned. 1 Ezra 10:11. Sanctius.—Bale, and so forth are called Bela, ( Menochius. Calmet. 7:6.) Jadiel, and Ahiram, or Echi, Numbers 26:36 and Genesis 46.
Verse 2. Nohaa is probably styled Bechor; and Rapha, Ros, in Genesis.
Verse 3. Addar, Ared or Hered. Calmet.
Verse 6. Ahod, the judge. Judges 3:15.—Manahath; the Menuchat, in the tribe of Juda, (Calmet. 2:54) after the captivity. Calmet.—Abulensis thinks Manahath was in Moab, verse 8. Menochius.
Verse 7. And. Lit. “but,” autem. Bible.—The sentence is clearer without this particle. Menochius.—Naaman was the first-born of Ahod; and Gera prevailed on his brethren to leave Gabaa, ( Tirinus.) and was probably the father of Oza. Calmet.
Verse 8. Saharim. His father is not specified: but his was a Benjamite. Menochius.—Some force the Hebrew text to say that Ahod had three sons, whom he sent to form a colony at Manahath, and afterwards he had three others by his two wives, and at last, by Rodes, he had Jobab, and so forth Calmet.—Begot. Prot. “children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away: Hushim and Baara were his wives.” But the Septuagint intimate, that “Saharim begot … after he had sent away Osim, and his wife Baara, and he begot of Ada,” and so forth Bible.—He had perhaps retired into Moab, at the same time as Elimelech. Ruth 1. Tirinus.—Those who were sent away were men, (eos) according to the Hebrew, unless ( Bible.) the word should be eas. D.
Verse 11. Mehusim. Hebrew and Septuagint “of Husim (verse 8) he begot.”
Verse 12. Ono was three miles from Lod, or Diospolis, (Lightfoot) built after the return from Babylon, (1 Ezra 2:23. Calmet.) in the territory of Benjamin. Menochius.
Verse 13. And Sama. They are supposed to have been sons of Elphaal. Calmet.—Aialon belonged to Dan. Joshua 19:42. But it was near Benjamin, ( Menochius.) and was probably occupied by people chiefly of that tribe. Bible.—Geth. We know not at what period.
Verse 16. Baria, son of Elphaal. Whether the following were his brothers does not appear certain, as it seems more natural to have placed all his father’s children together, verse 12 and 18.
Verse 21. Semei; perhaps Sama, verse 13. Calmet.—Septuagint read, Samai. Bible.
Verse 25. Sesac, probably mentioned in verse 14. Calmet.—Septuagint have “Sosek,” in both places.
Verse 28. Families. Hebrew “These were heads of the fathers by their generations, chief men.” Prot. Bible.—Jerusalem, probably after the captivity. We find none of these names from verse 14, in the days of Josue; and it was not easy for people to establish themselves at Jerusalem, till David had expelled the Jebusites. Calmet.—Yet we find that the tribes of Juda and Benjamin had seized the lower city long before. Joshua 18:28. Bible.
Verse 29. Dwelt. Lit. “they dwelt.” But Hebrew and Septuagint “in Gabaon, dwelt the father of Gaboan,” ( Bible.) who was called Jehiel, (Calmet. 9:35) or Abiel. 1 Kennicott. 9:1. Calmet.—The following verses are repeated in the next chapter, ( Bible.) and seem to have been originally the same; though now many variations occur, which shew that “every Hebrew letter” has not been preserved. Kennicott.
Verse 30. Baal. Add, “and Ner,” (verse 33. Calmet. 9:36) as the Septuagint have it here also.
Verse 31. Zacher, or Zacharias. Calmet. 9. Hebrew omits the following name, as well as ( Bible.) the end of the preceding one. Kennicott.—The Alex. Septuagint has the same faults. But the Vatican retains Macelloth. Bible.
Verse 32. Over-against, in the vicinity, while some remained at Gabaon. See Genesis 16:12. Calmet.—The family of Cis resided at Gabaa. 1 Kennicott. 10:26. Menochius.
Verse 33. Ner, son of Abiel, or of Jeheil, prince of Gabaon, verse 29. Bible.—From Aphia sprung Bechorah, Seror, Abiel, (1 Kennicott. 9) who is also called Ner and Jehiel. He had Ner, the father of Abner, and Cis, father of Saul. Menochius.—Abinadab, or Jessui. 1 Kennicott. 14:49. Calmet.—Esbaal, alias Isboseth. Challoner.—The Hebrews avoid pronouncing the name of the idol, and substitute boseth, “confusion.” Calmet.—Hence it is clear that many had two names. D.
Verse 34. Meribbaal, alias Mephiboseth. 2 Kennicott. 4:4. Challoner. 2 Kennicott. 9. Menochius.
Verse 36. Joada, or Jara. Calmet. 9:42. Calmet.—“Strange mistakes these!” Kennicott.
Verse 40. Archers, particularly the natives of Gabaa. Judges 20:16. Jonathan is praised for his skill. 2 Kennicott. 1:22. Menochius.—Benjamin. We might hence conclude that here ended the genealogy of that family. Yet we find it partly repeated in the following chapter, verse 35. Bible.