1 Chronicles 7

Chapters 2–8. The Genealogies of the Tribes of Israel The Chronicler deals very unequally with the tribes in their genealogies; as the following table shews: 1 Chronicles 2:1 to 1 Chronicles 4:23. Judah (102 verses). 1 Chronicles 4:24-43. Simeon (20 verses). 1 Chronicles 5:1-26. Reuben, Gad, and Eastern Manasseh (26 verses). 1 Chronicles 6:1-81. Levi (81 verses). 1 Chronicles 7:1-40. Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Eastern Manasseh (again), Ephraim, and Asher (40 verses). 1 Chronicles 8:1-40. Benjamin, though already noticed in 1 Chronicles 7:6-11 (40 verses). Zebulun and (perhaps) Dan (cp. 1 Chronicles 7:12, note) are omitted. It may easily be seen that the tribes in which the Chronicler is really interested are the three southern tribes, Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, together with the priestly tribe, Levi. The order in which the tribes are mentioned is at first geographical, Judah and Simeon the southern tribes first, then the eastern tribes Reuben, Gad, Manasseh; the rest follow in no fixed order.

1 Chronicles 7:1-40

The treatment of different tribes is unequal in this chapter. In the case of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:1-5), Benjamin (1 Chronicles 7:6-12), and Asher (1 Chronicles 7:30-40), genealogies are given and the number of fighting-men of each tribe is stated. To Naphtali is devoted a single verse, giving only the names of his sons. For Manasseh and Ephraim genealogies are given and their possessions are shortly enumerated. The mention of Dan is obliterated, owing to the state of the text of 1 Chronicles 7:12.

1 Chronicles 7:2

2. of their fathers’ house] R.V. of their fathers’ houses. Cp. 1 Chronicles 7:4; 1 Chronicles 7:9; 1 Chronicles 7:40. Fathers’ houses is an awkward term for “clans, patriarchal families” (Greek πατριαί). valiant men of might] R.V. mighty men of valour. in their generations] Render, after (or according to) their generations, the rendering given to the same Heb. phrase in Genesis 10:32; Genesis 25:13. their number] The divisions of Issachar which claimed Tola as an ancestor amounted to 22,600 fighting men. in the days of David] 1 Chronicles 21:1 ff. (= 2 Samuel 24:1 ff.).

1 Chronicles 7:3

3. five] We can make up this number only by counting Izrahiah one and the sons of Izrahiah four. Reckoned thus the second Izrahiah would denote a fresh person.

1 Chronicles 7:4

4. by their generations] i.e. according to descent. Each head commanded men that were his kinsfolk. the house of their fathers] R.V. their fathers’ houses. of soldiers for war] R.V. of the host for war.

1 Chronicles 7:5

5. men of might] R.V. mighty men of valour (as 1 Chronicles 7:2).

1 Chronicles 7:6

6–12 (cp. ch. 1 Chronicles 8:1-40). The Genealogy of Benjamin 6. The sons of Benjamin] The Heb. word for the sons of being just like the beginning of the word Benjamin has fallen out through an error of transcription. The names of these are also given in 1 Chronicles 8:1-5; Genesis 46:21; Numbers 26:38-41. There are variations of reading and probably also variations of tradition in the different lists; e.g. here the sons of Benjamin are reckoned to be three in number, but in 1 Chronicles 8:2 to be five. Bela, and Becher, and Jediael] These three names come from Genesis 46:21, Jediael (“Known to God”) being substituted for the heathen-sounding Ashbel (= Ishbaal, “Man of Baal”). The Chronicler in this case conforms literally to the principle laid down in Hosea 2:17. (See note on Eshbaal, 1 Chronicles 8:33.) In 1 Chronicles 8:1 on the contrary the three names Bela, Ashbel, Aharah (= Ahiram) are taken from Numbers 26:38 without misgiving.

1 Chronicles 7:7

7. the sons of Bela] These are differently stated in 1 Chronicles 8:3-5. and were reckoned by their genealogies] R.V. and they were reckoned by genealogy.

1 Chronicles 7:8

8. Anathoth, and Alameth] both names of places; 1 Chronicles 6:60 (45, Heb., “Allemeth”); Jeremiah 1:1. Descendants of Bela inhabited these towns.

1 Chronicles 7:9

9. the number of them, after their genealogy by their generations] R.V. they were reckoned by genealogy, after their generations. of the house of their fathers] R.V. of their fathers’ houses.

1 Chronicles 7:11

11. by the heads of their fathers] R.V. according to the heads of their fathers’ houses. soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle] R.V. that were able to go forth in the host for war. The total armed strength of Benjamin acc. to 1 Chronicles 7:7; 1 Chronicles 7:9; 1 Chronicles 7:11 was 59,434; cp. Numbers 1:37; Numbers 26:41.

1 Chronicles 7:12

12. Shuppim also, and Huppim] These names appear in Numbers 26:39 as Shephupham and Hupham, and in 1 Chronicles 8:5 as Shephuphan and Huram. Ir] In 1 Chronicles 7:7 Iri. Hushim, the sons of Aher] In Genesis 46:23 (cp. Numbers 26:42), the sons of Dan; Hushim. In Chron. the word Dan is replaced by Aher, either the Chronicler himself or some copyist having found Dan illegible. The word Aher (lit. “another”) is used in non-Biblical Hebrew to designate “a certain [unnamed] person.”

1 Chronicles 7:13

13. The Genealogy of Naphtali
14. Jahziel … Shallum] In Genesis 46:24, Jahzeel … Shitlem.

1 Chronicles 7:14-17

14–17. The Genealogy of Eastern Manasseh A difficult section. The text is much disturbed in 1 Chronicles 7:14-15; and there is hardly any material available for the illustration of 1 Chronicles 7:16-17.

1 Chronicles 7:15

15. took to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim] R.V. took a wife of H. and Sh., i.e. allied himself by marriage to these two families. whose sister’s name] Render, and his (Machir’s) sister’s name. The statement regarding Maachah is ethnographical, and means that the people of Maachah (a district at the foot of Hermon) were related by blood to Machir (the Eastern Manassites). Zelophehad had daughters] Numbers 27:1-11.

1 Chronicles 7:17

17. the sons of Ulam] Sons of Ulam are mentioned (1 Chronicles 8:40) among the descendants of Benjamin. A variation in the tradition of their descent is possible.

1 Chronicles 7:18

18, 19. The Families of Western Manasseh 18. Abiezer] Gideon’s family; Judges 6:11; cp. Joshua 17:2.

1 Chronicles 7:19

19. Shechem] This name represents the Israelite portion of the inhabitants of Shechem: the rest of the inhabitants were Hivites or Canaanites. See Judges 9.

1 Chronicles 7:20

20–27. The Line of Ephraim to Joshua 20. Shuthelah … Bered … Tahath … Eladah] These four names are taken from Numbers 26:35-36, where they appear to correspond with Shuthelah … Becher … Tahan … Eran.

1 Chronicles 7:21

21. they came down] This phrase suits a descent from the hills of Ephraim, but not an invasion from Goshen. It therefore occurred probably after Israel was settled in Canaan, i.e. long after Ephraim was dead, and the conduct ascribed to Ephraim in 1 Chronicles 7:22-23 must be understood of the tribe personified in its ancestor. The clan Beriah became prominent after disaster had befallen the clans Ezer and Elead.

1 Chronicles 7:23

23. Beriah, because it went evil] Heb. Beriah because it went beraah, a play on the sound of the name. Cp. Genesis 30:11.

1 Chronicles 7:24

24. Beth-horon] See 1 Chronicles 6:68, note.

1 Chronicles 7:27

27. Non … Jehoshua] R.V. gives the familiar form of these names, Nun … Joshua.

1 Chronicles 7:28-29

28, 29. The Seats of the Sons of Joseph It is difficult to say why the possessions of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:28) and Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:29) are mentioned here, and also why having been mentioned, they are not more fully described.

1 Chronicles 7:29

29. Beth-shean] In 1 Samuel 31:10; 1 Samuel 31:12 spelt Beth-shan. It is the Greek Scythopolis, the modern Beisan. Bädeker, p. 222. Taanach] See 1 Chronicles 6:70, note on Aner. Megiddo] Judges 5:19; 2 Kings 23:29; Zechariah 12:11. A city (at present not certainly identified) which gave a name to the great plain watered by the Kishon and its tributaries. Dor] Joshua 17:11the children of Joseph] The Ephraimites dwelt in the towns mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:28, and the Manassites in those mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:29.

1 Chronicles 7:30

30–40. The Genealogy of Asher 30. the sons of Asher] The names in 1 Chronicles 7:30-31 are derived from Genesis 46:17 (cp. Numbers 26:44-46). There is no variation in the Heb. spelling of the names, but Isuah (R.V. Ishuah) is missing in Num. Isuah, and Ishuai] R.V. Ishvah, and Ishvi.

1 Chronicles 7:31

31. Birzavith] R.V. Birzaith, probably the name of a place, “The well of the olive-tree.”

1 Chronicles 7:34-35

34, 35. Shamer … Helem] Read perhaps Shomer … Hotham, to agree with 1 Chronicles 7:32. In 1 Chronicles 7:35 for son read sons (as R.V.).

1 Chronicles 7:40

40. of their fathers’ house] R.V. of the fathers’ houses. the number … to battle was] R.V. the number of them reckoned by genealogy for service in war was, etc. twenty and six thousand] In 1 Chronicles 12:36 the men of war of Asher are reckoned at forty thousand (cp. Numbers 1:41; Numbers 26:47, where still higher reckonings are given). The numbers here and in 1 Chronicles 7:5; 1 Chronicles 7:7; 1 Chronicles 7:9; 1 Chronicles 7:11 (as well as in 1 Chronicles 7:2, which see) seem to refer to the time of David. The numbers may be based on family traditions, but it would be unsafe to draw any important conclusions from them.