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The Sons of Beriah

I. CHRONICLES, VIII.

and of Gibeon.

(14) and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, 1 Or, Shema, ver. and Antothijah, (25) and Iphedeiah, and

(15) and Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader,

(16) and Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah; (17) and Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and Heber, (18) Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;

13.

Penuel, the sons of Shashak; (26) and
Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Atha-
liah, (27) and Jaresiah, and Eliah, and
(28) These
Zichri, the sons of Jeroham.
were heads of the fathers, by their gene-
These dwelt in

Jerusalem.

(19) and Jakim, and 2 Called Jehiel, ch. rations, chief men. 9, 35. Zichri, and Zabdi, (20) and Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel, (21) and Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of 1Shimhi; (22) and Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel, (23) and Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan, (2) and Hananiah, and Elam, a ch. 9. 35.

may be disconnected from verse 12, and Beriah and Shema regarded as beginning a new series of Benjamite clans.

Who were heads of the fathers

Rather, "THEY were heads of the clans of the inhabitants
of Aijalon; THEY put to flight the inhabitants of Gath."
The clans of
The pronoun is emphatic in both cases.
Beriah and Shema, who were settled at Ajalon (Yalo),
near Gibeon, appear to have expelled a Gittite popula-
tion from Ajalon, and dwelt in their stead. At all
events, there is evident allusion to some famous exploit,
in which the two Benjamite houses were more fortu-
nate than the Ephraimites Ezer and Elead (chap. vii. 21).
We must not identify this Benjamite Beriah with the
Ephraimite Beriah of chap. vii. 23. There was also an
Asherite clan of Beriah (chap. vii. 30).

(14-16) Apparently nine sons of Beriah. But (1) in verse 14, the LXX. reads & adeλøòs avтoû instead of Ahio. With different vowels the Hebrew term would mean this. (2) All the other names in this list are connected by the conjunctive particle. It is therefore likely that this was once the case with Shashak. (3) Verses 14-27 give five groups of Benjamite clans-viz., the sons of Beriah, the sons of Elpaal, the sons of Shimhi, the sons of Shashak, and the sons of Jeroham, all dwelling in Jerusalem. Apparently, their eponymous heads are named in verses 13, 14—viz., Beriah (Elpaal ? omitted by accident), Shema (the same as Shimhi; there is no h in the Heb.), Shashak, and Jeremoth (probably the same as Jeroham).

If this combination hold, the text of verse 14 may be thus restored: "And Elpaal his brother, and Shashak and Jeroham.” Elpaal will then be brother of Beriah (verse 13), and perhaps son of Elpaal (verse 12). Shashak and Jeremoth-Jeroham, and the six following names, are sons of Beriah.

(17-18) Seven sons of Elpaal.

(19-21) Nine sons of Shimhi (Shimei being the same as Shema). This is the same Hebrew name as that which at 2 Sam. xvi. 5 seq. the Authorised Version renders by Shimei.

(22-25) Eleven sons of Shashak (verse 14), followed by six sons of Jeroham (Jeremoth, verse 14) in verses 26-27. The recurrence of the same names in the five groups is noticeable. Thus, a Zichri appears among the sons of Shimei (verse 19), among the sons of Shashak (verse 23), and among the sons of Jeroham (verse 27). Of course the name may have been thus frequent among the Benjamite clans dwelling in Jerusalem. But it is possible to see in the fact an indication that, at the time when the present register was framed, some of these houses were no longer able to trace their

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was

(29) And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name Maachah: (30) and his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, (31) and Gedor, and Ahio, and

(28) These were

...

pedigrees with certainty to one famous name rather
than another.
chief men.-These were
chiefs of clans; according to their birth-rolls, chiefs.
All the names from verse 14 to verse 27 are included
The repetition of the word
in this summation.
The writer can
chiefs" (Heb., heads) is peculiar.
hardly have meant other than to warn his readers
against the idea that the preceding names represent
individual members of single families, whereas, in
("Heads" in
truth, they are "heads of clans."
divisions," as
companies," or
Hebrew may denote
at Judg. vii. 16, " And he divided the three hundred
men into three heads.")

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These dwelt in Jerusalem.-This statement contrasts the five branches of Benjamin, whose subdivisions have just been enumerated, with the clans that dwelt in Geba and Manahath (verse 6), in Moab (verses 9, 10), in Lod and Ono (verse 12), and in Ajalon (verse 13), as well as with those who dwelt in Gibeon (verse 29).

THE FAMILIES OF GIBEON, ESPECIALLY THE
ROYAL HOUSE OF SAUL (verses 29-40).
Verses 29-38 recur at chap. ix. 35-44.

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(29) At Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon.His name (Jehiel) has been accidentally omitted. (See chap. ix. 35.) The verb dwelt is plural, "they dwelt ;" 'father of Gibeon" a sufficient indication that the merely represents the original population of that place Maachah would be a place in under a collective name. the neighbourhood.

Gibeon.-Now el-Jib, about eight miles north-west of Jerusalem.

(30) The sons of Abi-Gibeon-that is, the Benjamite The name of Ner has fallen out clans of Gibeon. between Baal and Nadab. (Comp. chap. ix. 36.) That Comp. verses 33, 34, of Baal is interesting. where we find Eshbaal and Merib-baal (rather Meri-baal, i.e., "man of Baal"); comp. Merbal in Herod, vii. 88. It appears from Hos. iii. 16 that the title Baal (lord) was once applied to Jehovah in common speech: Thou shalt call me Ishi, and shalt no more After the name had become ascall me Baali.” sociated with a foreign and idolatrous cultus, it was discarded in favour of the synonymous Adon (Adonai). (31) Ahio. The recurrence of this name here lends some support to the Authorised Version in verse 14.

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Zacher.-Heb., Zecher (comp. Shamer-Shemer), the Zechariah of chap. ix. 37, which is in fact the full form of the name. Such abbreviations are common. (See

The Stock of Saul

1Zacher.

I. CHRONICLES, VIII.

ch. 9. 37.

(32) And Mikloth begat Shi-or, Zechariah, Moza, (37) and meah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.

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9.38.

and Jonathan..

Moza begat Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son: (38) and Azel had six sons, 2 Or. Shimeam, cl. whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. (39) And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third. (40) And the sons of Ulam

a 1 Sam. 14. 51.

3 Or, Ishbosheth, 2
Sam. 2. 8.

Pithon, and Melech, and 5Tarea, and or, Mephibosheth, were mighty men of valour, archers, and

Ahaz.

(36) And Ahaz begat Jehoadah;

and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat

2 Sam. 4. 4.

5 Or, Tuhrea, ch. 9.
41.

chap. v. 26, Note.) After Zecher, the phrase and Mikloth has dropped out of the text, because verse 32 begins with the same words. (See chap. ix. 33.)

(32) Shimeah is essentially the same word as Shimeam (chap. ix. 38). The latter is a mimmated form (i.e., a more ancient form of the noun, with the original ending m).

And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.-Literally, And they also, before their brethren, dwelt in Jerusalem with their brethren. The verse seems to tell us that of all the stock of Gibeon only the branch of MiklothShimeah settled in Jerusalem. When, we are not informed. Some think the reference is to the repeopling of Jerusalem after the Restoration (Neh. xi. 1). 'Before their brethren.”—Before in Heb. means east, as behind means west. The clans in question dwelt in Jerusalem, to the east of their fellow-tribesmen in Gibeon.

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And Ner begat Kish.-1 Sam. ix. 1 gives the following pedigree of Kish: Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah; and 1 Sam. xiv. 51 states that Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, were sons of Abiel. The omission of intermediate names is not uncommon in these lists. We may, therefore, suppose that some members of the genealogical series are here omitted between Ner and Kish. The father of Abner was, of course, only a namesake of the present Ner, which is perhaps a clan, not an individual.

Saul begat Jonathan.-So 1 Sam. xiv. 49, and xxxi. 2; save that the former passage has Ishui for Abinadab. This seems to be a case of double naming. Others identify Ishui with Ishbosheth.

Abinadab.-Comp. Nadab, verse 30. Both are probably Divine titles, meaning "the father (i.e., Jehovah) is noble." Comp. Kammusu Nadbi, " Chemosh is my prince," the name of a Moabite king, mentioned by Sennacherib. Ner and Kish also both occurred in verse 30 as Gibeonite clans. Here they (or at least Kish) may be said to be personal names.

Esh-baal.-2 Sam. ii. 8, Ish-bosheth, David's rival king. Esh-baal ("man of Baal") is the true name.

had many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.

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Ish-bosheth ("man of shame ") is a sort of euphemism, avoiding the very mention of an idol. So the Merib-baal ("Baal strives; rather, perhaps, Meri-Baal, "man of Baal") of verse 34 appears in 2 Sam. iv. 4, ix. 6, &c., as Mephibosheth, where probably the right reading is Meribbosheth. In like manner, idols are styled "abominations." 1 Kings xi. 5: "Milcom the abomination (i.e., god) of the sons of Ammon," and elsewhere. Beth-el, the sanctuary of the golden calf, or rather bullock, is called Beth-aven. The house of God" is a "house of wickedness" (Hos. iv. 15, v. 8; Josh. vii. 2.) (See Note on verse 30.)

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(35) Tarea.-Ta'rea. Tahrea (chap. xxix. 41) is a harder pronunciation of the same name. The name Shime'ah, or Shime'am (verse 32) appears to be a similar softening of the name Shime'ah (2 Sam. xiii. 3).

(36) Jehoadah.-Heb., Jeho‘addah. Chap. ix. 42 gives Jarah (Heb., Ja'rah), a mistake arising from the common confusion of the Heb. d and r. The name there should be read, “Jo‘addah," a contraction of the present form.

Alemeth.-In chap. vii. 8 a son of Becher; in chap. vi. 60 a Levitical town. The name is apparently personal here.

(38) Bocheru.-Some MSS. read "his firstborn," with which, with different points, the LXX. and the Syriac agree. This seems right, as the conjunctive particle is wanting between Azrikam and the doubtful word, and Bocheru would be anomalous as a proper name. (See Note on verse 40.)

Azel.-A place near Jerusalem was so called (Zech. xiv. 5; Mic. i. 11).

(39) Eshek his brother-that is, the brother of Azel, and son of Eleasah (verse 37). The elder line is first developed.

(40) And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers.-The ancient prowess of the Benjamites is recorded in Judg. xx. Their left-handed slingers were famous. (See also Judg. iii. 15 seq.)

Archers.-Literally, treaders of the bow (chap. v. 18). The meaning is that they drew their bows by resting the foot against them, the bows being large.

Had many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty.-What was their date? If we may assume that no names have been omitted, we are concerned with the fourteenth generation from Jonathan, the friend of David. The era of David has been fixed at about 1055-1045 B.C.; so that the great-grandsons of Ulam may have flourished about 635-625 B.C. (1055 minus 420), in the reign of Josiah. The omission

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of names, however, is as possible and as likely in the present series as elsewhere; and it is obvious that one or two additional members would carry the list past the exile (B.C. 588). There are reasons for believing that the posterity of Ulam really represent a family of the period of the Return. Their number is favourable to the supposition. Comp. Ezr. ii. 18, 21, 23, 27, 30 for families of about the same dimensions, which returned with Zerubbabel. Further, the reference in verse 8-10 to a sojourn of certain Benjamite houses in Moab may be connected with the mention in Ezra ii. 6, viii. 4; Neh. iii. 11, and elsewhere, of the sons of the Pasha of Moab" (Pahath Mo'ab. This word pahath used to be reckoned among the indications of the late origin of the Chronicle. Now, however, it is known to be an ancient Semitic term. Comp. the Assyrian pihatu). Ono and Lod (verse 12) may be compared with Ezra ii. 33, and the singular names Elam (verse 24) and Azmaveth (verse 36), with the "sons of Elam" (Ezra ii. 7), and "the sons of Azmaveth," or "Beth-azmaveth" (Ezra ii. 24; Neh. vii. 28). The name Bocheru (in verse 38) has been classed with Gashmu (Neh. vi. 6), but the latter is an Arab, and there is seemingly no MS. authority for Bocheru. Ishmael (verse 38) reminds us of "Ishmael son of Nethaniah, of the seed royal" (2 Kings xxv. 25), who survived the fall of Jerusalem.

IX.

(3) And in Jerusalem dwelt (some) of the children of Judah, and (some) of the children of Benjamin.-This sentence is word for word the same with Neh. xi. 4a. The next clause," and some of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh," is not found in Nehemiah, and nothing further is said in the present chapter concerning these two tribes. But so far from proving the clause to be a figment of the chronicler's, this fact only indicates that he has chosen to use the ordinary freedom of a compiler in transcribing from the fuller document which supplied him with materials here and in Neh. xi. His source dealt with the neighbouring townships as well as Jerusalem; the latter is the sole subject of the chronicler's extracts here.

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(4) Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani.-Neh. xi. 4 traces this line thus: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez." Uthai is equivalent to Athaiah, and Imri to Amariah, by a common contraction. The other intermediate names in the two series do not coincide; but this does not prove that Uthai and Athaiah are different clans. Many more than five or six members would obviously be required to constitute a complete genealogical stem, reaching from

Dwellers in Jerusalem.

of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh; (4) Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Pharez the son of Judah. (5) And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. (6) And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety. (7) And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah, (8) and Ibneiah the son

post-exilic times to the age of the tribal patriarchs. We may therefore conclude that the compiler has chosen to select different names in each case from a longer list, which comprised both series.

(5) And of the Shilonites. -Shilonite means “man of Shiloh," the ancient capital of Ephraim; whereas verses 4-6 have to do with Judah. The three sons of Judah, after whom three great sub-tribal divisions were named, were Pharez, Shelah, and Zarah (Gen. xxxviii.). The clan of Shelah was called the Shelanite (Num. xxvi. 20), and that is doubtless the correct reading here (see chaps. ii. 3, iv. 21), supported as it is by the LXX. (Eŋλwvi) and the Targum.

Asaiah ("Jah hath wrought ") is essentially the same as " 'Maaseiah” (“ Work of Jah") in Neh. xi. 5, where six progenitors are enumerated.

The firstborn.-That is, the leading clan.
His sons.-The members of the clan.

(6) Of the sons of Zerah.- The Zarhites are omitted in the parallel passage of Nehemiah, where we read, instead of the present statement, that "all the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men." The common source of both the narratives must have contained information about the Zarhites, as well as their brother clansmen, the Parzites and Shelanites. We see from the verse before us that the Zarhites were more numerous in Jerusalem than the Parzites. The chronicler has again exercised his own discretion in the choice and rejection of details.

Jeuel, and their brethren.-The plural pronoun clearly hints that Jeuel is a Zarhite father-house or clan. The passage of Nehemiah just cited shows that six hundred and ninety is the total of the Zarhites only. The number of the Parzites and Shelanites is not here specified.

(7) And of the sons of Benjamin.-The parallel passage (Neh. xi. 7) starts with "Sallu the son of Meshullam," but continues, "the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah," and carries the ancestry four generations further back.

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Son of Jeroham.-The sons of Jeroham dwelt in Jerusalem before the exile as well as after it (chap. viii. 27).

Michri should perhaps be Zichri. (Comp. chap. viii. 19, 23, and 27.)

Verses 7-9 correspond to Neh. xi. 7--9; but after tracing the ascending line of Sallu son of Meshullam (verse 7) through six degrees, the latter account continues (Neh. xi. 8): “ And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight." This apparently is quite a different statement from that of our verse 8. Gabbai, Sallai, however (note the absence of a conjunction), may be corrupt. Gabbai perhaps conceals Bani or Ibni, a contracted form of Ibneiah; and Sallai might have originated out of Shallum or Meshullam, under the influence of the preceding Sallu (verse 7). Neh. xi. 9 continues," And Joel son of Zikri was their overseer, and Judah son of Hasenuah was over the second part of the city." 'Joel son of Zikri" may be our "Elah son of Uzzi son of Michri" (verse 8); for Joel (“Jah is El") may be compared with Elah, which is perhaps a disguise of Elijah ("El is Jah;" only yod, the smallest Hebrew letter, is wanting). "Judah son of Hasenuah," may be the equivalent of "Hodaviah son of Hasenuah.' If these combinations be accepted, the list here is brought into strict harmony with its parallel -five Benjamite clans being named in each, viz., Sallu, Hodaviah (Judah), Ibneiah (Bani), Joel (Elah), and Meshullam.

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And their brethren, according to their generations.-The members of the five Benjamite clans amounted to nine hundred and fifty-six, according to their family registers. Neh. xi. 8 gives a total of nine hundred and twenty-eight. If the numbers are both genuine, our text may refer to a date a little subsequent to the time intended in Nehemiah.

All these men.- Translate, all these men were chiefs of their respective clans. This appears to be the subscription to verses 4-9. It states that the proper names are representatives of clans, and, so to speak, collective personalities.

(10-13) The priests resident in Jerusalem. (Comp. Neh. xi. 10-14.)

(10) And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin.-These three names do not designate persons, but three of the priestly courses, or classes, instituted by David according to chap. xxiv, of which Jehoiarib was the first, Jedaiah the second, and Jachin the twenty-first. Neh. xi. 10 has Jehoiarib son of Jedaiah," a mistake of the scribe. (Comp. verse 7 and Note; cf. also Ezra ii. 36; Neh. xii. 6.)

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(11) And Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam.-See chap. vi. 12, 13. The names coincide so far as Zadok; but either Meraioth and Ahitub have been transposed (see chap. vi. 7), or

in Jerusalem.

the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God; (12) and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; (13) and their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a

perhaps Meraioth has been omitted in chap. vi. 12. Instead of Azariah, the parallel in Neh. xi. 11 has Seraiah, the rest of the verse being verbatim the same as here. A list of priests who went up with Zerubbabel and Joshua begins with Seraiah (Neh. xii.1), and in Neh. x. 2 Seraiah and Azariah are priests who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah the Tirshatha, about seventy years later. Neh. xii. 12 shows that Seraiah was the name of a priestly clan. Perhaps the name Seraiah should be read in the present passage before, or instead of, Azariah. (Comp. chap. vi. 13, 14.) If, however, the name is official, not personal, like the names in the preceding verse, this supposition is hardly necessary. Either Azariah or Seraiah might equally represent the priestly house intended.

(12) And Adaiah the son of Jeroham.— Neh.

xi. 12 runs : And their brethren, doers of the work of the house, 822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashur, son of Malchijah." Thus the line of Adaiah as given there exactly corresponds with the present passage, save that it inserts three names here wanting between Jeroham and Pashur: another illustration of the freedom of the compiler in dealing with these lists.

Malchijah was the fifth of the twenty-four priestly classes.

Maasiai the son of Adiel... son of Immer. -Immer was the sixteenth course of the priests. The parallel (Neh. xi. 13) reads: "And his brethren, heads of clans, 242; and Amashsai son of Azareel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, and their brethren, mighty men of valour, 128; and their overseer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.” Amashsai and Maasiai are variants of the same name, and perhaps both bad spellings of Amasai (chaps. vi. 35, xii. 18).~ Adiel may well be a mistake for Azareel. Jahzerah and Ahzai are evidently two forms of one name, Ahzai,—Ahaziah being perhaps more correct. Meshullam in our line is either an additional link, or a copyist's anticipation of part of the following name. The line in Nehemiah is therefore originally identical with the present. Verses 10-12 show that at the date of the present register three entire courses of the priests, and two clans representing two other courses, as well as the ruler or president of the Temple, dwelt in Jerusalem.

(13) And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers.-We can hardly suppose so many as 1,760 priestly clans dwelling in the holy city. Either the phrase "heads of their father-houses" belongs to the last verse, and has been accidentally brought into its present position; or in this instance it means simply heads of single families;" or "their brethren, heads of their (respective) clans," refers to other father-houses not mentioned by name, and the number 1,760 refers to all the guilds and clans of verses 10-13, and should be separated from the preceding phrase by a semicolon.

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1 Heb., mighty men
of vatour.

in Jerusalem.

the Netophathites. (17) And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief; (18) who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi. (19) And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the 2 gates of the tabernacle: and their

(14) And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; (15) and Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph; (16) and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of 2 Heb., thresholds fathers, being over the host of the LORD,

This last explanation is probably right. The total number given in Neh. xi. 10-14 for the priests is 1,192. (See Note on verse 9.)

Very able men.-See Margin, and chap. vii. 9. For the work.-" For" is wanting in the Hebrew. Perhaps "doers of" (Neh. xi. 13) has fallen out.

(14-17) The Levites resident in Jerusalem (Neh. xi. 15-19).

(14) Word for word the same with Neh. l.c., save that here Shemaiah is ultimately deduced from the clan of the Merarites, whereas there one more ancestor (Bunni) follows Hashabiah, and the phrase "of the sons of Merari" is omitted.

(15, 16) The chronicler here omits the verse Neh. xi. 16, after which follows, "And Mattaniah son of Micha son of Zabdi son of Asaph, the leader of praise, who used to give thanks after the prayer; and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son ofJeduthun."

Bakbakkar and Bakbukiah are clearly variants of the same name, the latter being probably right. Heresh, and Galal are omitted in Neh. xi. Zichri here is doubtless "Zabdi" there: a confusion of similar letters, k, b, r, d.

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Obadiah the son of Shemaiah is the same as 'Abda son of Shammua."

Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah.-Unmentioned in Neh. xi. As the name Elkanah appears in the pedigree of Heman (chap. vi. 34), it is supposed that Berechiah represents the Hemanite guild, which is otherwise conspicuous here by its omission. Perhaps "son of Heman " has dropped out of the text, as there are two names between Mattaniah and Asaph, Obadiah and Jeduthun. It thus appears that verses 15, 16 are concerned with the Levitical choirs; comp. verse 33.

Villages of the Netophathites.-Netophah was near Bethlehem (Neh. vii. 26; chap. ii. 54).

(17) And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman. - Comp. Neh. xi. 18, 19, which sums up thus: "All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four. Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two." Shallum does not appear.

Ahiman may have originated out of the following: Their brethren.- Heb., aheihem. Comp. also Neh. xii. 25, 26, where we are told that (Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah and) Meshullam (i.e., Shallum), Talmon, and Akkub were porters keeping ward at the storehouses of the Temple gates, in the times of Joiakim

son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and of Nehemiah and Ezra. It is clear that the names of the porters likewise represent families or guilds, which had hereditary charge of the Temple gates. In fact, all the Levitical functions appear to have descended in the same families from father to son, like the various civil offices in the Roman empire; and tradition ascribed the entire arrangement to David, the second founder of the national worship. At this point the correspondence with Neh. xi. ceases. Shallum was the chief.-This really belongs to verse 18, and introduces a description of the duties of the Levites, which extends over verses 18-34. Translate, Shallum is the chief even unto this day in the king's gate, on the east side. Shallum (“recompense") is called "Shelemiah" (chap. xxvi. 14), which, again, is a curtailment of Meshelemiah(“Jah recompenseth"), chap. xxvi. 1; verse 21 infra. The fact that Shallum-Meshelemiah-is spoken of as warder in David's day as well as in the post-exilic age, proves that a guild or clan, not an individual, is in question. The eastern gate was the post of honour (Ezek. xlvi. 1, 2), and the royal entry. The old name of the King's Gate would naturally be retained in the restored Temple.

(18) They were porters in the companies of the children of Levi.-Rather, They are warders for the camps of the sons of Levi. (Comp. Num. iii. 23 et seq., where it is prescribed that the Levites encamp on the four sides of the tabernacle.) primitive terminology is used in order to convey the idea that the Levitical wardership of the Temple went back historically to that of the Mosaic sanctuary.

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(19) And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah.-Comp. chap. xxvi. 1, which makes "Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph" a guild of warders under David.

Ebiasaph-"The Father (i.e., God) gathered," is a fuller form of Asaph, "He gathered."

And his brethren, of the house of his father. -That is, the Korahites, as is immediately explained: his kinsmen belonging to his father-house or clan.

The work of the service (of Shallum),―That is, of the guild so called, is defined as that of "wardens of the thresholds of the tent," that is, of the Temple, which had taken the place of the old Tent of Meeting.

And their fathers, being over the host of the Lord, were keepers of the entry.-" Their fathers are the ancestors of the Korahite clan of Shallum.

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The host of the Lord.-Or, rather, the encampment of Jehovah, means the tabernacle, or Tent of Tryst. which had only one entrance, over which, according to this passage-the Pentateuch is silent-the house of

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