HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  7.13 Cf. Gen 46.24–25; Num 26.48–49. As Gen 46.25 indicates, Bilhah is the mother of Dan and Naphtali.

  7.15 Maacah, identified in v. 16 as the wife of Machir, but Machir should probably be emended to Gilead. Inheritance rights in the family of Zelophehad, in which there were only daughters, is discussed in Num 27.1–11; 36.1–12; Josh 17.3–6.

  7.20–21a, 25–27 A linear genealogy from Ephraim to Joshua, the leader of the conquest, in whom the Chronicler shows little interest elsewhere.

  7.21b–24 This anecdote from the life of the ancestor Ephraim interrupts the genealogy. After defeat in an attack upon Gath, Ephraim sires a child, Beriah, the etymology of whose name points to the “disaster” that had befallen his house. The family settles farther east near Lower and Upper Beth-horon, twin cities in Ephraim near Benjamin that guarded a pass from the coast to Jerusalem.

  7.22 Brothers, or relatives. The only true brother of Ephraim known in the Bible is Manasseh.

  7.28–29 A list of towns representing the southern and northern boundaries of the territory settled by the sons of Joseph. Cf. Josh 16–18.

  7.30–40 The genealogy of Asher (cf. Gen 46.17; Num 26.44–47) based on a military census list (v. 40; cf. vv. 1–12).

  1 CHRONICLES 8

  Descendants of Benjamin

  1Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, 2Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. 3And Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud,a 4Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. 6These are the sons of Ehud (they were heads of ancestral houses of the inhabitants of Geba, and they were carried into exile to Manahath): 7Naaman,b Ahijah, and Gera, that is, Heglam,c who became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. 8And Shaharaim had sons in the country of Moab after he had sent away his wives Hushim and Baara. 9He had sons by his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of ancestral houses. 11He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal. 12The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod with its towns, 13and Beriah and Shema (they were heads of ancestral houses of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath); 14and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth. 15Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were sons of Beriah. 17Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal. 19Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei. 22Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak. 26Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. 28These were the heads of ancestral houses, according to their generations, chiefs. These lived in Jerusalem.

  29Jeield the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon, and the name of his wife was Maacah. 30His firstborn son: Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal,e Nadab, 31Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, 32and Mikloth, who became the father of Shimeah. Now these also lived opposite their kindred in Jerusalem, with their kindred. 33Ner became the father of Kish, Kish of Saul,f Saulg of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal; 34and the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. 35The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. 36Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah; and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; Zimri became the father of Moza. 37Moza became the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 38Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan; all these were the sons of Azel. 39The sons of his brother Eshek: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. 40The sons of Ulam were mighty warriors, archers, having many children and grandchildren, one hundred fifty. All these were Benjaminites.

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  a Or father of Ehud; see 8.6

  b Heb and Naaman

  c Or he carried them into exile

  d Compare 9.35: Heb lacks Jeiel

  e Gk Ms adds Ner; Compare 8.33 and 9.36

  f Or Shaul

  g Or Shaul

  8.1–40 An extensive and obscure genealogy of Benjamin concludes the Chronicler’s depiction of all Israel and demonstrates the great interest he had in this tribe.

  8.1–7 Descendants of Benjamin through his firstborn, Bela, to the fifth generation.

  8.3 Abihud. Read “the father of Ehud” (Judg 3.15). In v. 6 Ehud’s descendants are said to dwell in Geba, a town northeast of Jerusalem.

  8.8–12 Moab. David met with the king of Moab (1 Sam 22.3–4; cf. Ruth 1); perhaps other Israelites lived in Moab in early times.

  8.12 Ono and Lod, towns located southeast of Joppa, which were resettled in postexilic times (Ezra 2.33).

  8.13 Aijalon, a town originally assigned to Dan and later fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chr 11.10); it apparently became part of Benjamin after the division of the kingdom.

  8.29–40 The genealogy of Saul is repeated from 9.35–44, where it provides for a transition from the genealogies in chs. 1–9 to the account of Saul’s death in ch. 10. The genealogy has its geographical focus at Gibeon, a Benjaminite city five and a half miles northwest of Jerusalem. Jeiel ’s relationship to the Benjaminite genealogy is not specified.

  8.30 Ner should be inserted before Nadab, as in Greek manuscript tradition (cf. v. 33).

  8.32 Part of the family of the Benjaminites migrated to Jerusalem.

  8.33 Esh-baal. The form of this name (with the Northwest Semitic divine name “Baal,” familiar from the Canaanite deity of this name; cf. vv. 30, 34) indicates the antiquity of this genealogy. The same person elsewhere is called Ishvi (1 Sam 14.49), Ish-bosheth (2 Sam 2.8), and Esh-baal (2 Sam 2.8, Septuagint).

  8.34 Merib-baal, Mephibosheth (2 Sam 4.4). Micah, the last of the descendants of Saul is also known elsewhere in the OT (2 Sam 9.12).

  8.35–38 The genealogy of Saul is traced to a point in late preexilic or exilic times.

  8.39–40 These verses do not appear in the parallel genealogy of Saul in 9.35–44 and make the genealogy in ch. 8 typologically later. The military forces associated with Ulam in this genealogical notice claim prestige by identifying themselves as descendants of Israel’s first king.

  1 CHRONICLES 9

  1So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. 2Now the first to live again in their possessions in their towns were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.

  Inhabitants of Jerusalem after the Exile

  3And some of the people of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem: 4Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, from the sons of Perez son of Judah. 5And of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. 6Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel and their kin, six hundred ninety. 7Of the Benjaminites: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah, 8Ibneiah son of Jeroham, Elah son of Uzzi, son of Michri, and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah; 9and their kindred according to their generations, nine hundred fifty-six. All these were heads of families according to their ancestral houses.

  Priestly Families

  10Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11and Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the chief officer of the house of God; 12and Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, and Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer; 13besides their kindred, heads of their ancestral houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty, qualified for the work of the service of the house of God.

  Levitical Families

  14Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zichri, son of Asaph; 16and Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netop
hathites.

  17The gatekeepers were: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman; and their kindred Shallum was the chief, 18stationed previously in the king’s gate on the east side. These were the gatekeepers of the camp of the Levites. 19Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his kindred of his ancestral house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, guardians of the thresholds of the tent, as their ancestors had been in charge of the camp of the LORD, guardians of the entrance. 20And Phinehas son of Eleazar was chief over them in former times; the LORD was with him. 21Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 22All these, who were chosen as gatekeepers at the thresholds, were two hundred twelve. They were enrolled by genealogies in their villages. David and the seer Samuel established them in their office of trust. 23So they and their descendants were in charge of the gates of the house of the LORD, that is, the house of the tent, as guards. 24The gatekeepers were on the four sides, east, west, north, and south; 25and their kindred who were in their villages were obliged to come in every seven days, in turn, to be with them; 26for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were in charge of the chambers and the treasures of the house of God. 27And they would spend the night near the house of God; for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning.

  28Some of them had charge of the utensils of service, for they were required to count them when they were brought in and taken out. 29Others of them were appointed over the furniture, and over all the holy utensils, also over the choice flour, the wine, the oil, the incense, and the spices. 30Others, of the sons of the priests, prepared the mixing of the spices, 31and Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was in charge of making the flat cakes. 32Also some of their kindred of the Kohathites had charge of the rows of bread, to prepare them for each sabbath.

  33Now these are the singers, the heads of ancestral houses of the Levites, living in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were on duty day and night. 34These were heads of ancestral houses of the Levites, according to their generations; these leaders lived in Jerusalem.

  The Family of King Saul

  35In Gibeon lived the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, and the name of his wife was Maacah. 36His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth; 38and Mikloth became the father of Shimeam; and these also lived opposite their kindred in Jerusalem, with their kindred. 39Ner became the father of Kish, Kish of Saul, Saul of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal; 40and the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. 41The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz;a 42and Ahaz became the father of Jarah, and Jarah of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. 43Moza became the father of Binea; and Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 44Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan; these were the sons of Azel.

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  a Compare 8.35: Heb lacks and Ahaz

  9.1–34 Cf. Neh 11.3–24. The author uses Neh 11, a list of those living in Jerusalem when Nehemiah rebuilt the walls. The nature of the Chronicler’s genealogical sources is not clarified by the reference to the Book of the Kings of Israel (v. 1). This verse forms a conclusion to the preexilic genealogies in chs. 1–8. Vv. 2–3 anticipate the repopulation of the land and are followed by lists of Judahites (vv. 4–6), Benjaminites (vv. 7–9), priests (vv. 10–13), Levites (vv. 14–16), and gatekeepers (vv. 17–27). Israel and Judah once more live in Jerusalem, the city of the temple, where the clergy functions in accord with the Lord’s ordinances. The Chronicler links the community of his day with the Israel described in chs. 1–9.

  9.2 In their towns. Cf. Neh 11.1. Ch. 9, however, deals only with those living in Jerusalem. Temple servants, mentioned only here in Chronicles, but frequent in Ezra and Nehemiah.

  9.3 Ephraim and Manasseh, not mentioned in Neh 11.4 and probably symbolizing the whole Northern Kingdom.

  9.5–6 Among the Judahites, Chronicles adds references to the descendants of Shelah (cf. Num 26.20 for an alternate vocalization of Shilonites) and Zerah.

  9.11 Chief officer of the house of God. Azariah gains this title because of his connection to the list of high priests.

  9.17–34 This paragraph identifies the gatekeepers as Levites (v. 26). In Neh 11 the singers are among the Levites, but the gatekeepers and temple servants are not.

  9.19 The duties of the gatekeepers continue those of their ancestors in the desert who were in control of the camp of the Lord and guardians of the entrance.

  9.20, 22 The prestige of Phinehas (Num 25.11–13) stands behind the gatekeepers at the time of Moses, and the prestige of David and…Samuel lends them authority during the United Monarchy. The reference to Samuel is an anachronism, since Samuel died long before David became king. For the Chronicler Samuel was not only a seer, but a Levite as well.

  9.21 Zechariah, a gatekeeper at the time of David (26.2, 14).

  9.26 The gatekeepers are identified as Levites.

  9.33 The singers are considered important enough to be freed from other levitical duties.

  9.34 With v. 3 this sentence emphasizes that the list identifies those who had returned from exile and were dwelling in Jerusalem. The Chronicler brought this verse from ch. 8, together with its sequels in 8.29–32 and 8.33–38. The assertion that all the preceding people lived in Jerusalem conflicts with vv. 16, 22, 25.

  9.35–44 See note on 8.29–40.

  1 CHRONICLES 10

  Death of Saul and His Sons

  1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, sons of Saul. 3The battle pressed hard on Saul; and the archers found him, and he was wounded by the archers. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised may not come and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer was unwilling, for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. 6Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together. 7When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the armya had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled; and the Philistines came and occupied them.

  8The next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10They put his armor in the temple of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. 11But when all Jabesh-gilead heard everything that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant warriors got up and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

  13So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD; moreover, he had consulted a medium, seeking guidance, 14and did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORDb put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

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  a Heb they

  b Heb he

  10.1–29.30 The reign of David.

  10.1–14 Cf. 1 Sam 31.1–13. Chronicles omits the story of Saul’s kingship except for his defeat by the Philistines and his death.

  10.1 Mount Gilboa is six miles west of Beth-shan.

  10.2 Chronicles does not mention another son, Ish-bosheth, who succeeded to a portion of his father’s kingdom (2 Sam 2.8–10).

  10.4 Uncircumcised, a term of derision for Israel’s non-Semitic neighbors (cf. 1 Sam 17.36; 18.
25–27).

  10.6 All his house (dynasty) indicates the severity of the defeat; the battle of Gilboa marks a decisive change in Israel’s history.

  10.9 The head and armor, trophies signaling victory, are carried throughout Philistine territory, giving joy to both idols and people.

  10.10 Dagon, a fertility deity. The temple of Dagon recalls the Israelite loss of the ark at the battle of Ebenezer (1 Sam 5.1–4).

  10.12 Jabesh, a city thirteen miles southeast of Beth-shan; it was rescued by Saul from Nahash the Ammonite early in his reign (1 Sam 11). Now its army provides the king and his sons with proper burial.

  10.13–14 The king, wounded by archers, actually commits suicide (v. 4). Saul did not observe the Lord’s command in general; he sought (the verb is a pun on the name Saul) a medium in order to consult with the spirit world (cf. 1 Sam 28.8–25), thus not seeking the Lord in the wider sense of the word. Seeking the Lord in Chronicles means showing loyalty or reverence toward God. In retribution for Saul’s sins, the Lord turns the kingdom over to David, just as he would later divide the kingdom between Rehoboam and Jeroboam (2 Chr 10.15).

  1 CHRONICLES 11

  David Anointed King of All Israel

  1Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “See, we are your bone and flesh. 2For some time now, even while Saul was king, it was you who commanded the army of Israel. The LORD your God said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over my people Israel.” 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

  Jerusalem Captured

  4David and all Israel marched to Jerusalem, that is Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, now the city of David. 6David had said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7David resided in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8He built the city all around, from the Millo in complete circuit; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him.