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The Sons of Naphtali

I. CHRONICLES, VII.

fathers, mighty men of valour, were
seventeen thousand and two hundred
soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle. 1or, Iri, ver 7.
(12) Shuppim also, and Huppim, the
children of 1Ir, and Hushim, the sons of 2 or, Ahiram,
2 Aher.

(13) The sons of Naphtali; Jahziel, and

Num. 26. 38.

three centuries may seem too small. But the tribe was well-nigh exterminated in the vengeance which Israel took for the crime of Gibeah (Judges xx. 47).

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(12) Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children of Ir. Literally, and Shuppim and Huppim sons of Ir; Hushim sons of Aher. The copulative and suggests that "Shuppim and Huppim" are other Benjamite clans thrown in at the end of the account. We have seen (see Note on verses 6-11) that Gen. xlvi. 21 names "Muppim and Huppim" as sons of Benjamin, and that Num. xxvi. has "Shephupham and Hupham" corresponding to the same pair of names. Lastly, chap. viii. 5 mentions "Shephupham and Huram among the sons of Bela, son of Benjamin. It is clear that Muppim" is a mere slip of the pen for "Shuppim," to which the name Shephupham is really equivalent. From Shephupham, according to Num. xxvi., sprang the clan of the "Shuphami" (Shuphamite), as from "Hupham" the clan of the Huphami. Shupham and Hupham are quite natural variants of Shuppim and Huppim. The "Huram" of chap. viii. 5 is a scribe's error for Hupham." Shuppim and Huppim, called sons of Benjamin in Genesis and Numbers, and sons of Bela in chap. viii., are here called "sons of Ir;" verse 7 above informs us that Ir or Iri (? the Irite) was a son of Bela. There is no more contradiction here than there would be in calling the same person a son of David, son of Judah, and son of Abraham.

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Hushim, the sons of Aher.--The name Hushim (a plural form) recurs at chap. viii. 8, 11, as a Benjamite clan. Aher looks like a variant of the Ahiram of Numbers, and the Ahrah of chap. viii., and perhaps of the Ehi-Rosh of Genesis. From this it would appear that the whole verse is an appendix to the genealogy of Benjamin. The word Aher, however, happens to mean another, and if the reading were certain (comp. the variants Ahiram, Ahrah, &c.), would be very singular as a proper name. The clause has been rendered "Hushim, sons of another;" and this odd expression has been taken to be a veiled reference to the tribe of Dan, whose name is omitted in the present section. Gen. xlvi. 23, " And the sons of Dan, Hushim," a statement occurring like the present clause between that of the sons of Benjamin and the sons of Naphtali, is cited in support of this view. This last coincidence is certainly remarkable ; but the following considerations are decidedly adverse to the view in question: 1. Num. xxvi. 42 calls the offspring of Dan, Shuham, not Hushim, though there also Dan follows Benjamin. 2. Dan is, indeed, omitted here, but so also is Zebulun, just as Gad and Asher are omitted in chap. xxvii. 16-22; and Naphtali here has only one verse. 3. The chronicler's dislike of the tribe of Dan is probably an unfounded supposition, suggested by some accidental omissions; he has mentioned that tribe by name in chaps. ii. 2, xii. 35, xxvii. 22. If the omission in the present list be neither accidental nor due to imperfect MSS., it may be ascribed to later editors of the book. (Comp. Judges xviii. and Rev. vii. 5-8.)

and of Manasseh.

Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.

(14) The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare: (but his concubine the Aramitess bare Machir the father of Gilead: (15) and Machir took to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim, whose

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This last passage is important, because it expressly declares that the names all represent clans, with the exception of Zelophehad, who had no sons, but daughters." It also shows that Asriel was great-grandson of Manasseh. The parenthesis of verse 14, therefore, appears to be intended to warn the reader that Asriel was the "son" of the Aramean concubine of Manasseh, mediately through descent from Machir.

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(15) And Machir took to wife.-The Hebrew cannot mean this. Translate, now Machir took a wife of Huppim and of Shuppim (the two Benjamite clans. of verse 12); and the name of the first (read 'ahath) was Maachah, and the name of the second (read shenith) was (the name is omitted). It is tempting to make Zelophehad the other wife, who had only daughters, whereas Maachah bore a son (verse 16); but Numbers, l.c., and Josh., l.c., make Zelophehad a man. We must, therefore, suppose a lacuna of some few words, which gave the name of Machir's second wife, and the descent of Zelophehad from her. The expression "of Huppim and of Shuppim" is literally "to Huppim and to Shuppim," that is, belonging to. So " of Tola," (verse 2).

We have no means of further elucidating the import of this curious tribal record. That it relates to West Manasseh is inferred from its position here, as well

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sister's name was Maachah ;) and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and Zelophehad had daughters. (16) And Maachah 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 Hammoleketh bare Ishod, and Abiezer, and Mahalah. (19) And the sons of Shemidah were, Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam.

(20) And the sons of Ephraim; Shu

a 1 Sam. 12. 11.

as from the fact that chap. v. 23, 24 treated of East Manasseh. (See also Josh. xvii. 1-5.) The name of Gilead, however, points to the transjordanic half of the tribe. The whole passage seems to assert an Aramean and a Benjamite element in the population of Western Manasseh.

(16) Peresh . . . Sheresh occur nowhere else. Ulam and Rakem (Rekem) were probably sons of the elder, Peresh, whose line would naturally be continued, as usual.

(17) Bedan (i.e., ben Dan "the Danite") in 1 Sam. xii. 11 is a judge between Jerubbaal and Jephthah. Here a clan is meant, not a person.

These were the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.-These words appear to refer to a series of names which has dropped out of the text, but which may be inferred from Num. xxvi. 30-32 to have included Abiezer (of which Jeezer is a contraction) and Shemidah. (See the genealogy, verse 14, Note.) Verses 17b and 18 may thus have read, "These were the sons of Gilead, &c. Abiezer . . . Shemidah. (Now his sister Hammoleketh had borne Ish-hôd and Abiezer and Mahalah.) And the sons of Shemidah were," &c. (verse 19).

Hammoleketh-or, the queen, as the Vulg. renders it, may be conceived of here as a half-sister and consort of Gilead.

Ishod Man of majesty.

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(19) Shechem.-See Josh. xvii. 2. The name points to West Manasseh.

Ahian, Likhi, and Aniam, are not mentioned elsewhere.

THE TRIBE OF EPHRAIM (verses 20-29). Shuthelah (Num. 26, 35) was head of the first of the four Ephraimitic clans (mishpehôth). The names of six successive chieftains of his line appear to be given in verses 20 and 21, ending with his namesake Shuthelah. It is likely, however, that these names really represent clans, as in other similar cases. (Comp. Num. xxvi. 29-33.) "Bered" (Gen. xvi. 14) is a local name, a place in the desert of Shûr. But Bered may be a mistake for Becher. So "Tahath" (Num. xxxiii. 26) was a desert station of Israel. But Tahath may well be a corruption of Tahan, son of Ephraim (verse 25, and Num. xxvi. 35).

(21) Ezer and Elead.-Apparently these names are coördinated with the Shuthelah of verse 20, as sons of Ephraim. Elead is a masculine form of Eleadah.

Ephraim.

thelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah 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 that 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 when he went into his wife, she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house. (24) (And his daughter was Sherah, who built Bethhoron the nether, and the upper, and

Whom the men of Gath -Literally, and the men of Gath who were born in the land slew them; for they had come down to take their cattle.

Born in the land-That is, aborigines of Canaan as contrasted with the Ephraimites, who were foreign invaders. Others think the real aborigines of Philistia, the Avim of Deut. ii. 23, are meant. In verses 21, 22 we have a brief memorial of an ancient raid of two Ephraimite clans upon the territory of Gath, for the purpose of lifting cattle, much as the Highland freebooters used to drive off the herds of their Lowland neighbours.

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They came down.-The reference of the pronoun is not quite clear. Conceivably the Gittites were the aggressors. The expression came down" is often used of going from Canaan to Egypt, but not vice versâ. It can hardly, therefore, apply to an invasion of Gath by Ephraimites from Egypt. And the phrase " born in the land" excludes an expedition of Gittites to Goshen. It seems, then, that the descent was made upon Philistia from the hill country of Ephraim, in the early days of the settlement of the tribe in Canaan.

(22-23) This is either what we should call a metaphorical description of the enfeebling of the tribe of Ephraim by the disaster which had befallen two of its chief houses, and of its subsequent recovery owing to the natural increase of its numbers, and the formation of a new and populous clan, that of Beriah; or if this be deemed too bold an interpretation of the archaic record, we have nothing for it but to suppose that the whole account relates to an expedition from Goshen, under two sons of Ephraim, during the lifetime of that patriarch; who, after the death of Ezer and Elead, begat another son, Beriah.

(23) Because it went evil.- Beriah is derived from a root, bara', and apparently means gift. Heb., because in evil it (i.e., the birth of Beriah) happened in his house. There is an allusive play on the words Beriah ("gift") and bera'ah ("in evil") such as we often meet with in Genesis (see Gen. v. 29, xi. 9). To call such plays on words derivations would be a tasteless anachronism. Their purpose is to point a moral, not to teach etymology.

(24) His daughter-i.e., Ephraim's.

Built may mean rebuilt, or restored, or fortified (Josh. vi. 26; Ps. cii. 16; 2 Chron. xi. 6).

Beth-horon the nether, and the upper.The two Beth-horons (Josh. x. 10) were apparently a

Ephraim's Possessions.

I. CHRONICLES, VII.

The Sons of Asher.

Uzzen-sherah.) (25) And Rephah was his 1 or, Nun, Num. her towns, Megiddo and her towns, Dor

son, also Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son, (26) Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, (27) 1 Non his son, Jehoshuah his son.

13. 8.

a Josh. 16. 7.

2 Heb., daughters.

7.45.

b Josh. 17.7.

(28) And their possessions and habitations were, Beth-el and the towns thereof, 3 or. Adasa, 1 Mac. and eastward "Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Gaza and the towns thereof: (29) and by the borders of the children of 'Manasseh, Beth-shean and her towns, Taanach and a Gen. 46. 17.

e Josh. 17. 11.

Canaanite foundation. They are now Beit ur et-Tahta and Beit-ur el-Fariqa―i.e., Lower and Upper Beitur.

Uzzen-sherah.-Sherah's ear, or peak, only mentioned here. The relation of Sherah to Beth-horon may be compared with that of Achsah to the Negeb of Judah (Josh. xv. 19. Cf. also Josh. xvii. 4).

(25) And Rephah his son; and Resheph and Telah his son.-(Heb. text). This seems to mean that Rephah was son of Beriah. But perhaps a son of Ephraim is intended. Rephah does not occur among the sons of Ephraim (Num. xxvi. 35, 36). The word "his son" (beno) may have fallen out after Resheph. Otherwise Resheph is brother and Telah son of Rephah (the elder). Resheph, which means arrow," "lightning," "fever," was a title of the Phoenician Baal. "Tahan," a son of Ephraim (Num. xxvi. 35: the clan of the Tahanites").

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(26) Elishama son of Ammihud was tribal prince or Emir of Ephraim in the time of Moses (Num. vii. 47). (27) Non.-Everywhere else Nun, the father of Joshua the servant and successor of Moses. Verses 25 -27 trace his ancestry, as it would seem, through seven or eight generations to Rephah, son of Beriah or Ephraim. At chap. vi. 1-3 only two names are given between Levi, uncle of Ephraim, and Moses, Joshua's elder contemporary. But abundant reason has already been shown for not interpreting these genealogies in a slavishly literal spirit, and without regard to their own contrary indications. It is obvious to common sense that when it is said that Moses was son of Amram, son of Kohath, son of Levi," the meaning cannot be that only two generations intervened between the tribal patriarch and the age of Moses. Moreover, it is, to say the least, doubtful that the names in verse 25 represent a lineal descent of individuals, and not a group of variously connected clans. "Telah" looks like a fragment of Shuthelah (verse 20); and perhaps the true reading of verse 25 is, " And Rephah his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Tahan his son," we-Reshef, we-Thelah being a possible distortion of we-Shuthelah.

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THE BOUNDS OF EPHRAIM AND WEST MANASSEH (verses 28, 29).

Comp. chap. vi. 54, sqq., where a list of the cities of the Levites is similarly added to their tribal registers.

(28) And their possessions.- Heb., and their domain and their seats were Bethel and her daughters; "their domain," that is, the domain of both divisions of the tribe of Joseph.

Bethel originally assigned to Benjamin (Josh. xviii. 22), belonged later to the northern kingdom. The

and her towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel.

(30) The sons of Asher; Imnah, and Isuah, and Ishuai, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. (31) And the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel, who is the father of Birzavith. (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 Shamer; Ahi, and

present list appears therefore to be younger than the disruption of Solomon's empire.

Naaran, or Naarah (Naapá) (Josh. xvi. 7) was a town north-east of Jericho. Gezer lay on the southwest border of Ephraim (Josh. xvi. 3), Shechem (Nablus, NeάToλis) on the north. Gaza: so the LXX., Vulg. (Aza which represents the Hebrew ‘Azzah, i.e., Gaza), and Targum; but a great number of MSS. and seventeen editions read Ayyah, a place not mentioned elsewhere, but doubtless lying on the north-west border of Ephraim.

(29) And by the borders of the children of Manasseh.-Literally, and upon the hands of the sons of Manasseh, a favourite phrase with the chronicler, occurring nine times in Chronicles and once in Ezra. (See Note on chap. vi. 31.) The four cities lay within the territory of Issachar and Asher, but were assigned to Manasseh (Josh. xvii. 11). They mark the northward marches of the two houses of Joseph, as the cities of verse 28 mark the southward. They long withstood the Israelite occupation (Josh. xvii. 12—16; see also Judg. v. 19. "Then fought the kings of Canaan, in Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo.")

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THE TRIBE OF ASHER (verses 30-40). (30, 31) The sons of Asher; Imnah Malchiel. This is a literal transcript of Gen. xlvi. 17. Comp. also Num. xxvi. 44-46, where the clan (mishpahath) of each eponym is assigned; but the name of Isaah (Heb., Yishwah) does not appear.

Beriah. Also the name of an Ephraimitic stock (ver. 23). Malchiel is called the "father (chief or founder) of Birzavith" only here. The Heb. margin has Birzayith, perhaps "well of olive" (be-er zayith); the text, Berazôth or Barzûth. It is probably the name of a place.

(32-34) The race of Heber (spelt differently from Heber, Abraham's ancestor). Nothing is known of any of these families. The name Japhleti (the Japhletite) occurs as a clan (Josh. xvi. 3), but far away from the bounds of Asher.

(34) Shamer (pausal form of Shemer) probably identical with Shomer, the second son of Heber (verse 32). Jehubbah. - Heb. margin has we-Hubbah, " and Hubbah," which is correct according to the prevailing form of this list (and before each name).

Aram is the ordinary name of the Syrians east and west of the Euphrates. It may here designate a clan of half-Aramean extraction.

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Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. (35) And the sons of his brother Helem; Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal. (56) 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 Pispah, and Ara. (39) And the sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia. (40) All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father's house, choice and

and of Benjamin.

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(35-39) And the sons of his brother Helem.Apparently the offshoots of Helem, "brother" of Shemer-Shomer. If we construe brother in the strict sense, we must assume that Helam is the same as Hotham (verse 32), and that one or the other name is corrupt. But Helem may be the name of another chief house of Asher not directly connected with that of Heber. The brotherhood then would be that of the tribe, not of the clan or family.

(36) The branches of Helem through Zophah the elder house. Eleven names of the sons of Zophah. The second, "Harnepher," has a name which looks like pure Egyptian: Har nefer, "the beauteous Horus," or morning sun. Comp. the case of the Egyptian slave Jarha (chap. ii. 34), and the marriage of Mered with " Pharaoh's daughter" (chap. iv. 18). (See also the Notes on verse 10.)

(38) The sons of Jether.- Jether and Ithran (verse 37) are virtually the same name, and perhaps to be identified here. This will connect verse 38 with the preceding line of the sons of Zophah.

Jephunneh.-The name of the father of Caleb the

Kenizzite.

(39) The sons of Ulla.- Apparently Ulla is not connected with the foregoing genealogy. But he seems to be the same as Ara (verse 38). 'Ard' is a very curious form, and may be due to a copyist's eye having wandered to Be-era at the end of last verse; 'Ulla' is intelligible, and probably correct. If the identification be allowed, we get a complete concatenation from verses 30 to 39.

Arah is in Hebrew quite different from Ara.

(40) The summing up of the list. "All these were sons of Asher, picked chiefs of the father-houses, valiant warriors, chiefs of the princes." This declares that the names in the foregoing series are those of the chiefs of the different Asherite clans. They are called "choice,” picked men, eximii, and chiefs of the princes or emirs. The clans appear to be identified with their chieftains.

And the number throughout the genealogy. -Better, and their census, in the host, in the battletheir number in men was 26,000." Perhaps we should render in the case of service in war. The census here given has reference only to the number of males qualified for military service. In the Mosaic census (Num. i. 41) the total of males of the tribe of Asher was 41,500; and a generation later, the fighting men were 53,000 (Num. xxvi. 47). The date of the present census is not assigned. If it be that of David, which appears likely, the tribe may have declined in numbers and importance by his day. (Comp. Judg. v. 17. "Asher continued at the sea-shore, and abode on his creeks;" i.e., did not bestir himself for the war).

CHAPTER VIII.- Now Benjamin. begat "Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third, (2) Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. (3) And the sons of Bela were, 'Addar, and Gera, and Abihud, (4) and Abishua, and Naa

VIII.

The narrative returns to the tribe of Benjamin. The present register is quite different from that preserved in chap. vii. 6-12, which, as we have seen, is an extract from a document drawn up for military purposes. Apparently based on a topographical register, this new list agrees better than the other with the data of the Pentateuch (Gen. xlvi.; Num. xxvi.), allowance being made for the mistakes of generations of copyists. The chronicler may well have thought the short section of chap. vii. too meagre as an account of a tribe which had furnished the first royal house, and had afterwards inseparably linked its fortunes with those of the legitimate dynasty. Here, therefore, he supplements his former notice. Perhaps, also, he returns to Benjamin by way of introduction to the royal genealogy with which the section concludes. In short, he begins, as his manner is, at the beginning; and having to tell of Saul, starts from the tribal patriarch to whom the house of Saul traced back its long descent.

THE SONS OF BENJAMIN AND BELA (verses 1-5). (See Notes on chap. vii. 6, 7.)

Bela his first-born.-The Hebrew word for "firstborn" in Gen. xlvi. 21 may have been turned into the proper name Becher, by an ancient mistake of the scribes. (See Note on chap. vii. 6.)

Ashbel.-Probably the same as Jediael.
Aharah the same as Ahiram and Ehirosh.

(2) Nohah and Rapha.-These names do not occur in either of the other lists. The present series agrees with Num. xxvi. 38 in assigning five sons to Benjamin, of whom Bela is the first, and Ashbel the second. Further, there is enough likeness between the name Aharah here and Ahiram there to warrant our assumption of their original identity. But we cannot hence conclude that the Nohah and Rapha of our list answer to the Shephupham-Shupham and Hupham of the other. It is more likely that Nohah and Rapha represent different clans, which were prominent at the time when the present list was draughted. Rapha reminds us of the valley of Rephaim, south-west of Jerusalem, chap.

xi. 15.

(3-5) The sons of Bela here are nine, like the sons of the suspected Becher, chap. vii. 8. But none of the names correspond.

(3) Addar the same as Ard, who in Num. xxvi. is eldest son of Bela, but in Gen. xlvi. apparently his youngest brother.

Gera appears as brother of Bela in Gen. xlvi. 21. The name is repeated in verse 5, probably by a scribe's

The Children

I. CHRONICLES, VIII.

of Shaharaim.

Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham, (10) and Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These were his (11) And of

man, and Ahoah, (5) and Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram. (6) And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, 1 Or, Shupham, sons, heads of the fathers.

a

and they removed them to " Manahath: (7) and Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud. (8)And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives. (9) And he begat of

Num. 26. 39.

a ch. 2. 52.

inadvertence; though there may have been two great Benjamite houses so designated.

Abihud () and Abishua are peculiar to the present list.

Naaman is a son of Bela in Num. xxvi., a brother in Gen. xlvi.

Ahoah is peculiar, unless he be identified with the Ehi of Gen. xlvi.

Shephupham and Huram, younger sons of Bela in the present series, are in Gen. and Num. his younger brothers Muppim (Shuppim) and Huppim, or Shephupham and Hupham. These fluctuations of statement are worth observing, because they demonstrate the vagueness of terms denoting various degrees of kindred, when used in describing tribal and clan relationships.

(6) And these are the sons of Ehud.-The Authorised Version makes no distinction between this Ehud and Ehud son of Gera, the famous Benjamite judge (Judg. iii. 15). The difference in the Heb. is so slight, that perhaps we may assume an original identity of the two names. In that case we get a link between the sons of Ehud and the house of Gera, verse 5. Others identify the present Ehud with the Abihud of verse 3, which is possibly correct. (Comp. NadabAbinadab, Dan and Abidan, Num. i. 11.)

These are the heads of the fathers.-Heads of father-houses, i.e., of groups of kindred families ΟΙ clans. The Hebrew text of the rest of this verse, and verses 7-8, is unusually obscure, partly owing to the construction, but chiefly because of the historical allusions which are no longer explicable with any certainty. Most interpreters assume a parenthesis after the words "and these are the sons of Ehud," extending to the words "he removed them," in verse 7.

Uzza and Ahihud are then "the sons of Ehud " referred to in verse 6.

Removed them.-Rather, carried them captive, or transported them. The same expression denotes the Babylonian exile or transportation, and was used in chap. v. 26 of the Assyrian removal of the transjordanic tribes.

(7) And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them.-The three clans here mentioned are commonly regarded as the authors of the expatriation of the people of Geba. Of Gera it is specially said "he removed them," because Gera was the leading clan of the three. According to this interpretation the two verses (6-7) may be rendered: "And these are the sons of Ehud. (These are heads of clans belonging to the inhabitants of Geba, and men carried them away to Manahath-both Naaman, and Ahijah, and Gera, he it was who carried them away.) He begat Uzza and Ahihud." That is to say, Uzza and Ahihud,

Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal. (12) The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof: (13) Beriah also, and Shema, who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove away the inhabitants of Gath:

two chiefs of clans settled at Geba (chap vi. 45), were forcibly removed by three other Benjamite clans to Manahath (see chap. ii. 52, 54). 'Al_manahath might perhaps be rendered "for the sake of peace," referring to feuds between the clans of Geba,

(8) And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab.-Shaharaim is apparently out of all connection with the other Benjamite houses. He has been identified with Ahi-Shahar, chap. vii. 10, because his name has a similar meaning, and even with the mysterious Aher (hypothetically Shaher) of chap. vii. 12. It is simpler to suppose that we'eth-Shaharaim, "and Shaharaim," has dropped out at the end of verse 7 (see Note on verse 31). Expelled from Geba, Shaharaim found a refuge in Moab. (Comp. Ruth i.; 1 Sam. xxii, 3, 4.)

After he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.-The Heb. is certainly corrupt. The easiest correction is to read 'eth-Hushim instead of 'otham Hushim: "and Shaharaim begat in the country of Moab, after divorcing Hushim and Baara his wives, he begat (verse 9) of Hodesh his wife, Jobab," &c. This is supported by the LXX. The emigration of the clan Shaharaim, from its old home in Geba of Benjamin is called a divorce, in the figurative style of these genealogies; just as the amalgamation of clans is marriage. Hushim, in chap. vii. 12, is a Benjamite clan. In Moab, Shaharaim branched off into seven clans, whose names are given in verses 9-10.

(9) Hodesh his wife.-The new Moabite wife or settlement of Shaharaim. The names of two of the sons begotten in Moab have a Moabite cast-viz., Mesha', comp. Mesha' king of Moab, 2 Kings iii. 4; and Malcham, comp. Malcham (Milcom) as a title of the god of Moab and Ammon, Jer. xlix. 1 (Heb.).

(10) Heads of the fathers.-See Note on verse 6. (11) And of Hushim he begat .-The offspring of Shaharaim by Hushim before her divorce; in other words, two offshoots of the clan Shaharaim settled in the vicinity of Lod or Lydda (verse 12), which took no part in the emigration to Moab.

(12) Shamer, or Shemer, occurred in chap. vii. 34 as a clan of Asher.

Who built Ono and Lod. . . .-Literally, he built Ono and Lod and her daughters. The clause is a parenthesis referring to Shemer.

Ono, now Kefr Auna, recurs in Ezra ii, 33, Neh. vii. 37, and xi. 35, but is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. It is always coupled with Lod, and must have been near it.

Lod, the Lydda of Acts ix. 32, is now the village of Ludd, north of Ramleh, between Jaffa and Jerusalem. (13) Beriah also, and Shema.-After these two names the Masoretic punctuators have put a stop. Thus verses 12-13 give five sons of Elpaal. Or verse 13

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