The Tribe of Benjamin in Relation to the Family of Saul: 1 Chronicles 8

1 Chronicles 8  •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 14
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1 Chronicles 8
Here for the second time we find the genealogy of Benjamin (cf. 1 Chron. 7:6-126The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three. 7And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valor; and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four. 8And the sons of Becher; Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and Alameth. All these are the sons of Becher. 9And the number of them, after their genealogy by their generations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valor, was twenty thousand and two hundred. 10The sons also of Jediael; Bilhan: and the sons of Bilhan; Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and Ahishahar. 11All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty men of valor, were seventeen thousand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle. 12Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children of Ir, and Hushim, the sons of Aher. (1 Chronicles 7:6‑12)), but with a very special purpose. It brings us to Saul and his family (1 Chron. 8:3333And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal. (1 Chronicles 8:33)), to the kingship according to the flesh, the ruin of which we shall see in 1 Chron. 10, and which is to be replaced, according to Chronicles' unchanging pattern, by the kingship of David according to election of God and the counsels of grace. We have few comments to make about this chapter. That obscure passage, 1 Chron. 8:6-76And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to Manahath: 7And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud. (1 Chronicles 8:6‑7), seems to be an allusion to Judg. 20:4343Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. (Judges 20:43), if we are to read, according to the marginal note, "to Manukah."1 We have already spoken of verse 13.
Benjamin's habitation at Jerusalem, that is to say, at the seat of the kingship, to which Benjamin was entitled according to his geographic situation, is mentioned in 1 Chron. 8:28-3228These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men. These dwelt in Jerusalem. 29And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name was Maachah: 30And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, 31And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher. 32And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them. (1 Chronicles 8:28‑32). From Benjamin came mighty men of valor, able to draw the bow, which still did not prevent Saul from succumbing to the weapon that was the strength of his tribe and should have been his own strength against his enemies. The sinful nature adorned with all its advantages perishes and cannot even for an instant resist God's judgment.
 
1. According to the French translation of J. N. Darby, the words “at the resting-place” can also be read “to Manukah.”