John Trapp
1 Chronicles 8

Verse 1

1 Chronicles 8:1 Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,

Aharah. Alias Ahiram (Num. 26:38), and Ehi (Gen. 46:21).

Verse 2

1 Chronicles 8:2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.

Rapha. Alias Rosh (Gen. 46:21).

Verse 5

1 Chronicles 8:5 And Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.

And Gera. Who haply was the son of the former Gera; or the former might die soon, and this be called after his name.

Verse 6

1 Chronicles 8:6 And these [are] the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to Manahath:

And these are the sons of Ehud. Haply of that famous Ehud (Judg 3:15).

And they removed them. The governors did; but when, how, or wherefore, we find not.

Verse 7

1 Chronicles 8:7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud.

He removed them. Ut de haereditate singulis ante obitum prospiceret, saith Junius: that he might provide inheritances for them before his death. Abraham did the like (Gen. 25:5-6).

Verse 8

1 Chronicles 8:8 And Shaharaim begat [children] in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara [were] his wives.

And begat children in the country of Moab. Where he sojourned, haply — as did Elimelech (Ruth 1:1) — because of the famine.

After he had sent them away. Or, After he had sent away Hushim and Basra, his wives, quas repudiavit propter causas quae tacentur, saith Vatablus.

Verse 13

1 Chronicles 8:13 Beriah also, and Shema, who [were] heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove away the inhabitants of Gath:

Who drove away the inhabitants of Gath. See chap. 7:21.

Verse 14

1 Chronicles 8:14 And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth,

Here we have a list of the chieftains of the Benjamites who dwelt at Jerusalem after the captivity.

Verse 29

1 Chronicles 8:29 And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name [was] Maachah:

Whose wife's name was Maachah. Who was surely an honour to her husband, with whom she is therefore once and again memorised. See chap. 7:15-16.

Verse 33

1 Chronicles 8:33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

And Ner begat Kish. This Ner is also called Abiel (1 Sam. 9:1). The Hebrews tell us that his proper name was Abiel; and that he was called Ner — that is, a lamp or torch — because he outshone others in holiness. He had another son besides Kish, the father of Saul, viz., Ner, the father of Abner (1 Sam. 14:50-51).

And Saul begat Jonathan. Who was — as the Romans once said of Pompey — a most amiable son of an odious father.¹

And Eshbaal. Alias Ishbosheth; so ver. 34. Meribbaal, alias Mephibosheth. Baal is by Hosea called "That shame."

Verse 34

1 Chronicles 8:34 And the son of Jonathan [was] Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah.

And Meribbaal begat Micah. From hence to the end of this chapter is a catalogue of Jonathan's progeny. Of the rest of Saul's children we read not that they had any posterity. That old verse is well known and daily verified,

"Eυσεβεων παιδεαυι τα λωια, δυαυεβεων δ ου."