Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Chronicles 7
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Chronicles 7
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Chronicles 7
"And the sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers` houses, [to wit], of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations: their number in the days of David was two and twenty thousand and six hundred." — 1 Chronicles 7:2 (ASV)
Whose number was in the days of David... This passage seems to indicate that the writer had access to the statistics of the tribes collected by David when he sinfully numbered the people. The numbers given in 1 Chronicles 7:4–5 probably came from the same source.
"[The sons of] Benjamin: Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three." — 1 Chronicles 7:6 (ASV)
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In Genesis, ten “sons” of Benjamin are mentioned; in Numbers, five are listed (marginal references). Neither list, however, contains Jediael, who was perhaps a later chieftain. If so, the term “son” as applied to him means only “descendant.”
It is conjectured that Becher has disappeared from the lists in 1 Chronicles 8 and in Numbers because he or his heir married an Ephraimite heiress. His house thus passed, in a sense, into the tribe of Ephraim, where the “Bachrites” are placed (Numbers 26:35). He retains his place here, however, because, by right of blood, he truly belonged to Benjamin.
"And the sons of Bela: Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers` houses, mighty men of valor; and they were reckoned by genealogy twenty and two thousand and thirty and four. And the sons of Becher: Zemirah, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jeremoth, and Abijah, and Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. And they were reckoned by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers` houses, mighty men of valor, twenty thousand and two hundred. And the sons of Jediael: Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan: Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tarshish, and Ahishahar." — 1 Chronicles 7:7-10 (ASV)
The lists provided here are remarkably different from those found in the marginal references.
The individuals mentioned were probably not literal “sons.” Instead, they were likely later descendants of the original founders, serving as the chief men of their families at the time of David’s census.
"And the sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh." — 1 Chronicles 7:17 (ASV)
These were the sons of Gilead—that is, these descendants of Machir were considered part of the family of Gilead. The name “Gilead” prevailed above all others in the line of Manasseh, with the term “Gileadite” almost taking the place of “Manassite.”
"And his sister Hammolecheth bare Ishhod, and Abiezer, and Mahlah." — 1 Chronicles 7:18 (ASV)
Abiezer - His descendants formed one of the most important branches of the Manassites. They provided Israel with the greatest of the Judges, Gideon (Judges 6:11, 24, 34), and were regarded as the leading family among the so-called “sons of Gilead.”
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