1 Chronicles 7
OGCSUMMARY QUESTIONS LESSON THREE (7-8)
In the genealogical list of Issachar’s tribe what was the total enumeration?
Where was Issachar’s territory located?
How many were numbered in the tribe of Benjamin? Locate the territory of Benjamin.
Carefully locate the Naphtali country.
Who was Machir?
Trace other Bible references to Zelophehad and his daughters.
Carefully locate the Ephraimite country.
Where was Gath?
Who is this Joshua named in 1 Chronicles 7:27?
Name two important villages in the Ephraimite territory.
How many warriors were numbered out of Asher’s tribe?
Where was Asher’s territory located?
Name the father and mother of Benjamin?
Describe the location of the territory of Benjamin.
Locate Aijalon.
Name the main villages in the tribe of Benjamin.
Who is Kish?
Name the sons of Saul. How do these names relate to the previous account in I Samuel?
Identify Merib-baal.
What do we learn in the earlier record about Micah (1 Chronicles 8:34)?
1 Chronicles 7:1-5
LESSON THREE 7-8
I. GENEALOGIES FROM ADAM TO DAVID (1 Chronicles 1:1 to 1 Chronicles 9:44)
- THE DESCENDANTS OF THE TRIBE OF ISSACHAR (1 Chronicles 7:1-5)
INTRODUCTION
The representatives of other tribes of Israel clearly identifiable in David’s day are mentioned in this section. Joshua and Saul are prominent names appearing in this account.
TEXT
1 Chronicles 7:1. And of the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. 2. And the sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers-’ houses, to wit, of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations: their number in the days of David was two and twenty thousand and six hundred. 3. And the son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah: Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Isshiah, five; all of them chief men. 4. And with them, by their generations, after their fathers-’ houses, were bands of the host for war, six and thirty thousand for they had many wives and sons. 5. And their brethren among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, reckoned in all by genealogy, were fourscore and seven thousand.
PARAPHRASE
1 Chronicles 7:1. The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, Shimron. 2. The sons of Tola, each of whom was the head of a subclan: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeri-el, Jahmai, Ibsam, Shemuel. At the time of King David, the total number of men of war from these families totaled 22,600. 3. Uzzi’s son was Izrahiah among whose five sons were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, all chiefs of subclans. 4. Their descendants, at the time of King David, numbered 36,000 troops; for all five of them had several wives and many sons. 5. The total number of men available for military service from all the clans of the tribe of Issachar numbered 87,000 stouthearted warriors, all included in the official genealogy.
COMMENTARY
The enumeration in chapter seven was taken in the days of David (1 Chronicles 7:2).[22] Issachar was Jacob’s fifth son by Leah (Genesis 35:23). He was the father of four sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron. Tola’s descendants at the time of this record numbered 22,600. The descendants of Uzzi, son of Tola, numbered 36,000. Tola’s and Uzzi’s people total 58,600. Verse five indicates that all of the families of Issachar numbered 87,000. This latter number agrees well with the census figures in Moses-’ day (Numbers 26:23-25). The Issacharites are described as mighty men of valor, great warriors.
[22] Elmslie, W. A. L., The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. Ill, The First and Books of Chronicles, Abingdon Press, New York, 1954, p. 371.
1 Chronicles 7:6-12
- THE DESCENDANTS OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN (1 Chronicles 7:6-12)
TEXT
1 Chronicles 7:6. The sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three. 7. And the sons of Bela: Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers-’ houses, mighty men of Valor; and they were reckoned by genealogy twenty and two thousand and thirty and four. 8. And the sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jeremoth, and Abijah, and Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. 9. And they were reckoned by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers-’ houses, mighty men of valor, twenty thousand and two hundred. 10. And the sons of Jediael: Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan: Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11. All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers-’ houses, mighty men of valor, seventeen thousand and two hundred, that were able to go forth in the host for war. 12. Shuppim also, and Huppim, the sons of Ir, Hushim the sons of Aher.
PARAPHRASE
1 Chronicles 7:6. The sons of Benjamin were: Bela, Becher, Jedia-el, 7. The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, Iri. These five mighty warriors were chiefs of subclans and were the leaders of 22,034 troops (all of whom were recorded in the official genealogies). 8. The sons of Becher were: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Eli-o-enai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, Alemeth. 9. At the time of David there were 22,200 mighty warriors among their descendants; and they were led by their clan chiefs. 10. The son of Jedia-el was Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan were: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, Ahishahar. 11. They were the chiefs of the subclans of Jedia-el, and their descendants included 17,200 warriors at the time of King David. 12. The sons of Ir were Shuppim and Huppim. Hushim was one of the sons of Aher.
COMMENTARY
The indications here are that Benjamin had three sons, namely, Bela, Becher, and Jediael. The list in Genesis 46:21 names the sons of Benjamin. Some of these are to be identified as grandsons. At the time when this present enumeration was taken, Bela’s descendants numbered 22,034. Becher’s direct descendants numbered 20,200 (1 Chronicles 7:8-9), and Jedia-el’s people numbered 17,200. Evidently these enumerations have to do with warriors. The total military strength of Benjamin at this time was 59,434.
1 Chronicles 7:13
- THE DESCENDANTS OF NAPHTALI (1 Chronicles 7:13)
TEXT
1 Chronicles 7:13. The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
PARAPHRASE
1 Chronicles 7:13. The sons of Naphtali (descendants of Jacob’s wife Bilhah) were: Jahzi-el, Guni, Jezer, Shallum. The reference to this tribe is very brief. Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine, was the mother of Naphtali and Dan. In the first census Naphtali’s tribe numbered 53,400 warriors (Numbers 1:42-43). In the second census in the Plains of Moab this tribe numbered 45,400, having suffered considerable loss in the wilderness wandersings. The territory of this tribe was situated in what later came to be known as the Galilee country. There is no additional specific information on Naphtali’s sons.
1 Chronicles 7:14-19
- THE DESCENDANTS OF MANASSEH (1 Chronicles 7:14-19)
TEXT
1 Chronicles 7:14. The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his concubine the Aramitess bare; she bare Machir the father of Gilead: 15. and Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah; and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and Zelophehad had daughters. 16. And Maacah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17. And the sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. 18. And his sister Hammolecheth bare Ishhod, and Abiezer, and Mahlah. 19. And the sons of Shemida were Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam.
PARAPHRASE
1 Chronicles 7:14. The sons of Manasseh, born to his Aramaean concubine, were, Asri-el and Machir (who became the father of Gilead). 15. It was Machir who found wives for Huppim and Shuppim. Machir’s sister was Maacah. Another descendant was Zelophehad, who had only daughters. 16. Machir’s wife, also named Maacah, bore him a son whom she named Peresh; his brother’s name was Sheresh, and he had sons named Ulam and Rakem. 17. Ulam’s son was Bedan. So these were the sons of Gilead, the grandsons of Machir, and the great-grandsons of Manasseh. 18. Hammolecheth, Machir’s sister, bore Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. 19. The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
COMMENTARY
We studied an earlier reference to the tribe of Manasseh in 1 Chronicles 5:23-26. Several names in the paragraph now under attention are of interest. Machir, Manasseh’s son, is known as a frontiersman. Gilead, the son of Machir, left his name on a considerable part of the territory bordering the Jordan River on the east. Zelophehad was the great-grandson of Manasseh (Joshua 17:3). He had five daughters; but he had no sons. He died in his sins during the wilderness wanderings. His daughters came to Moses (Numbers 27:1) requesting their father’s inheritance. This was granted. A ruling was also passed in Numbers 36 that heiress must marry within their own tribe. It is of interest to note that the name Gilead became more prominent than that of Machir. Abiezer (1 Chronicles 7:18) was the grandson of Machir and the ancestor of Gideon, who was an Abiezrite of the tribe of Manasseh and a judge in Israel.
1 Chronicles 7:20-29
- THE DESCENDANTS OF EPHRAIM (1 Chronicles 7:20-29)
TEXT
1 Chronicles 7:20. And the sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eleadah his son, and Tahath his son, 21. and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in the land slew, because they came down to take away their cattle. 22. And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. 23. And he went in to his wife, and she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house. 24. And his daughter was Sheerah, who built Beth-horon the nether and the upper, and Uzzen-sheerah. 25. And Rephah was his son, and Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son, 26. Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27. Nun his son, Joshua his son. 28. And their possessions and habitations were Beth-el and the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Azzah and the towns thereof; 29. and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth-shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, Dor and its towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel.
PARAPHRASE
1 Chronicles 7:20-21: The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, Ele-ad. Ele-ad and Ezer attempted to rustle cattle at Gath, but they were killed by the local farmers. 22. Their father Ephraim mourned for them a long time, and his brothers tried to comfort him. 23. Afterwards, his wife conceived and bore a son whom he called Beriah (meaning a tragedy) because of what had happened. 24. Ephraim’s daughter’s name was Sheerah. She built Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah. 25, 26, 27. This is Ephraim’s line of descent: Rephah, the father of Resheph, the father of Telah, the father of Tahan, the father of Ladan, the father of Ammihud, the father of Elishama, the father of Nun, the father of Joshua. 28. They lived in an area bounded on one side by Bethel and its surrounding towns, on the east by Naaran, on the west by Gezer and its villages, and finally by Shechem and its surrounding villages as far as Ayyah and its towns. 29. The tribe of Manasseh, descendants of Joseph the son of Israel, controlled the following cities and their surrounding areas: Beth-shean, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor.
COMMENTARY
The sons of Ephraim do not figure prominently in the Bible record. Ephraim’s sons most likely were born in Egypt. Their conflict with the men of Gath, or the Philistines, would have taken place early in the conquest of Canaan. Because of the reverses suffered by Ephraim’s sons, when another son was born, he was called Beriah, ill-favored. There may be some ground for suggesting that men of Gath made an excursion into the Goshen country in Egypt while Ephraim and his sons were yet in that country,[23] Joshua, son of Nun, is the best known of all Ephraimites in his association with Moses and in the conquest of Canaan. The expression children of Joseph can refer to both of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. The principal villages in Ephraim were Bethel, Gezer, Shiloh, and Shechem. Bethshean, Taanach, and Megiddo were located in Manasseh west of the Jordan river. The tribe of Ephraim became the most important tribe in the north after the division of the kingdom at Solomon’s death.
[23] Schaff, Philip, Lange’s Commentary, Chronicles, Charles Scribners Sons, New York, 1901, p. 79.
1 Chronicles 7:30-40
- THE DESCENDANTS OF ASHER (1 Chronicles 7:30-40)
TEXT
1 Chronicles 7:30. The sons of Asher: Imnah, and Ishvah, and Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. 31. And the sons of Beriah: Heber, and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. 32. And Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham and Shua their sister. 33. And the sons of Japhlet: Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet. 34. And the sons of Shemer: Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. 35. And the sons of Helem his brother: Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal. 36. The sons of Zophah: Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah, 37. Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. 38. And the sons of Jether: Jephunneh, and Pispa, and Ara. 39. And the sons of Ulla: Aran, and Hanniel, and Rizia. 40. All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers-’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, chief of the princes. And the number of them reckoned by genealogy for service in war was twenty and six thousand men.
PARAPHRASE
1 Chronicles 7:30. The children of Asher; Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, Serah (their sister). 31. The sons of Beriah were: Heber, Machi-el (the father of Birzaith). 32. Heber’s children were: Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, Shua (their sister). 33. Japhlet’s sons were: Pasach, Bimhal, Ashvath. 34. His brother Shomer’s sons were: Rohgah, Jehubbah, Aram. 35. The sons of his brother Hotham were: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, Amal. 36, 37. The sons of Zophah were: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Lmrah, Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, Be-era. 38. The sons of Ithran were: Jephunneh, Pispa, Ara. 39. The sons of Ulla were: Arah, Hanniel, Rizia. 40. These descendants of Asher were heads of subclans and were all skilled warriors and chiefs. Their descendants in the official genealogy numbered 36,000 men of war. Another list of Asher’s people is recorded in Genesis 46:17. Some forty descendants are listed here. The number of men of war at the time of this enumeration was 26,000. They numbered 41,500 in the first census (Numbers 1:40-41). The 26,000 in this present counting most likely is a reference to only a part of the tribe. Asher was assigned the territory north of Mt. Carmel and the Kishon river, the Phoenician country. It was said of Asher that his dwelling would be by the sea. In spite of their remarkable valor, they never displaced the Phoenician people.