Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 7

Introduction

Overview

1 Chronicles 7:1, The sons of Issachar; 1 Chronicles 7:6, of Benjamin; 1 Chronicles 7:13, of Naphtali; 1 Chronicles 7:14, of Manasseh; 1 Chronicles 7:15, and of Ephraim; 1 Chronicles 7:21, The calamity of Ephraim by the men of Gath; 1 Chronicles 7:23, His posterity by Beriah; 1 Chronicles 7:28, Their habitations; 1 Chronicles 7:30, The sons of Asher.

Verse 1

Genesis 46:13, Phuvah, Job, Numbers 26:23, Numbers 26:24, Pua

Verse 2

whose number: This was probably the number returned by Joab and his assistants, when they made that census of the people with which God was so much displeased. We find that the effective men of Issachar amounted to 87,000 - 1 Chronicles 7:5, 1 Chronicles 7:22, 600 of whom descended from Tola his eldest son; but whether the 36,000 - 1 Chronicles 7:4 were descendants of Tola by Uzzi, and the 22,600 his descendants by Tola's other sons; or whether another of Issachar's sons be intended, does not clearly appear; though the former seems the more obvious meaning. 1 Chronicles 21:1-5, 1 Chronicles 27:1, 1 Chronicles 27:23, 1 Chronicles 27:24, 2 Samuel 24:1-9

Reciprocal: Exodus 6:14 - the heads

Verse 4

1 Chronicles 12:32

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 7:2 - whose number

Verse 5

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 7:2 - whose number

Verse 6

of Benjamin: In the parallel place of Genesis, ten sons of Benjamin are reckoned, Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard; and in Numbers, five only are mentioned, Bela, Ashbel, Ahiraim, Shupham, and Hupham; and Ard and Naaman are said to be the sons of Bela, and consequently Benjamin's grandsons. In the beginning of the following chapter, also, five are only mentioned, Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, Nohah, and Rapha; and Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoha, another Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram, are all represented as grandsons, not sons of Benjamin. Hence we see that in many cases, grandsons are called sons, and both are often confounded in the genealogical tables. It seems, also, that the persons mentioned in the following verses were neither sons nor grandsons of Bela and Becher, but distinguished persons among their descendants. 1 Chronicles 8:1-12, Genesis 46:21, Numbers 26:38-41

Jediael: 1 Chronicles 7:10, 1 Chronicles 7:11

Verse 7

were reckoned: 1 Chronicles 21:1-5, 2 Chronicles 17:17, 2 Chronicles 17:18

Reciprocal: Exodus 6:14 - the heads 1 Chronicles 7:12 - Ir

Verse 8

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 6:60 - General

Verse 10

Ehud: Judges 3:15-30

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 7:6 - Jediael 1 Chronicles 8:6 - Ehud Mark 10:9 - General

Verse 11

mighty men: 2 Chronicles 17:13-19

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 7:6 - Jediael

Verse 12

Shuppim: 1 Chronicles 7:15, Genesis 46:21, Muppim

Huppim: Numbers 26:39, Shupham, Hupham

Ir: 1 Chronicles 7:7, Iri

Aher: Aher signifies another, and it has been conjectured that these were Danites, "the sons of another tribe;" especially as Hushim is named as the only son of Dan, Genesis 46:23. And they suppose that the name of Dan was not mentioned, because his descendants first established idolatry. But Zebulun, as well as Dan, is here omitted, perhaps because none of either of these tribes returned at first from Babylon. Though the Benjamites had been almost destroyed in the first days of the judges, they soon became numerous and powerful. Numbers 26:38, Ahiram

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 8:5 - Shephuphan

Verse 13

Jahziel: Genesis 46:24, Numbers 26:48, Jahzeel

Shallum: Genesis 46:24, Numbers 26:49, Shillem

the sons of Bilhah: Genesis 30:3-8, Genesis 35:22, Genesis 46:25

Verse 14

The sons: The text in these two verses seems to be strangely corrupted; and, as it stands, is scarcely intelligible. Probably it should be rendered, "The sons of Manasseh were Ashriel, whom his Syrian concubine bore to him; and Machir the father of Gilead, whom - his wife bore to him. Machir took for a wife Maachah, sister to Huppim and Shuppim." This is nearly the version of Dr. Geddes.

Machir: 1 Chronicles 2:21-23, Genesis 50:23, Numbers 26:29-34, Numbers 27:1, Numbers 32:30-42, Deuteronomy 3:13-15, Joshua 13:31, Joshua 17:1-3, Judges 5:14

Reciprocal: Genesis 46:20 - Manasseh Numbers 1:34 - Manasseh Numbers 36:1 - Gilead

Verse 15

Huppim: 1 Chronicles 7:12

and the name: It is certain that Zelophehad was not a son, but a descendant of Manasseh's, three generations having intervened; for he was the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.

and Zelophehad: Numbers 26:33, Numbers 27:1-11, Numbers 36:1-12

Reciprocal: Joshua 17:1 - Machir

Verse 17

Bedan: 1 Samuel 12:11

Verse 18

Numbers 26:30, Jeezer, Judges 6:11, Judges 6:24, Judges 6:34, Judges 8:2

Reciprocal: Joshua 17:2 - the children

Verse 20

Numbers 26:35, Numbers 26:36

Reciprocal: Psalms 78:9 - The children

Verse 21

because they came: Or rather, "when כי [Strong's H3588], (kee) they came down to take away their cattle;" for it does not appear that the sons of Ephraim were the aggressors, but the men of Gath, who appear to have been born in Egypt. This is the only place in the Sacred Writings where this piece of history is mentioned, and the transaction seems to have happened before the Israelites came out of Egypt; for it appears from the following verse, that Ephraim was alive when these children of his were slain.

Reciprocal: Numbers 26:35 - Becher Ezekiel 25:15 - to destroy John 11:19 - to comfort

Verse 22

mourned: Genesis 37:34

and his brethren: Job 2:11

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 7:2 - whose number John 11:19 - to comfort

Verse 23

Beriah: that is, In evil

because: Many similar instances of the naming of children from passing circumstances, occur throughout the sacred volume. See those of a similar character with this verse: Genesis 35:18, where Rachel, while dying, names her new-born son Ben-oni, or, the son of my sorrow. So in 1 Samuel 4:21, the wife of Phinehas, on being apprised of the death of Eli and her husband, and that the ark was taken by the Philistines, while in the pains of travail, and dying, named her son I-chabod, or, there is no glory. So also in 1 Chronicles 9:4, of this book, we read that Jabez, or, sorrowful, had that name given to him, because his mother "bare him with sorrow." 2 Samuel 23:5

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 4:9 - I bare him

Verse 24

Bethhoron: Joshua 16:3, Joshua 16:5, 1 Kings 9:17, 2 Chronicles 8:5

Reciprocal: Joshua 19:50 - Timnathserah

Verse 26

Reciprocal: Numbers 1:10 - Elishama Numbers 2:18 - Elishama

Verse 27

Non: Numbers 13:8, Numbers 13:16, Nun, Oshea

Jehoshuah: Exodus 17:9-14, Exodus 24:13, Exodus 32:17, Numbers 11:28, Numbers 14:6, Numbers 27:18, Deuteronomy 31:23, Joshua, Acts 7:45, Hebrews 4:8, Jesus

Reciprocal: Numbers 1:10 - Elishama Numbers 2:18 - Elishama

Verse 28

Bethel: Genesis 28:19, Joshua 16:2, Judges 1:22

Naaran: Naaran, or Naarath, Eusebius says was a town in his time called ןןסבט, Noorath, five miles from Jericho. It appears to be the same as ובסב, Neara, mentioned by Josephus, from whence, he says, they brought the water which watered the palm-trees of Jericho., Naarath

Gezer: 1 Chronicles 6:66, 1 Chronicles 6:67

towns: Heb. daughters

Reciprocal: Joshua 16:3 - Bethhoron Joshua 16:7 - Ataroth

Verse 29

Manasseh: Joshua 17:7-11

Bethshean: 1 Samuel 31:10, Bethshan

Taanach: Judges 5:19, 1 Kings 4:12

Megiddo: Judges 1:27, 1 Kings 9:15, 2 Kings 9:27, 2 Kings 23:29, 2 Chronicles 35:22, Zechariah 12:11, Revelation 16:16

In these dwelt: Joshua 16:1 - Joshua 17:18, Judges 1:22-29

Reciprocal: Joshua 17:11 - Manasseh

Verse 30

Imnah: This variation only exists in the translation; the original being uniformly Jimnah, or Yimnah. Genesis 46:17, Numbers 26:44-46, Jimnah

Ishuai: This variation is also attributable to the translator; the Hebrew being in both places Isui, or rather, Yishwi. Genesis 46:17, Isui

Verse 32

Shomer: 1 Chronicles 7:34, Shamer

Verse 34

Shamer: 1 Chronicles 7:32, Shomer

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 5:15 - Ahi

Verse 37

Ithran: This name is essentially the same, the variation being caused by a paragogic נ, noon. Here it is written יתרן [Strong's H3506], Ithran, and in the following verse יתר [Strong's H3500], Jether. 1 Chronicles 7:38, Jether

Verse 38

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 7:37 - Ithran

Verse 40

the number: 1 Chronicles 21:1-5, 2 Samuel 24:1-9