Catholic Commentary on 1 Chronicles 8

"All these were heads of families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem." (1 Chronicles 8:28)

The Genealogy of Benjamin Leading to Saul

The full genealogy of Benjamin is given in chapter 8, with particular attention to the Benjaminites who settled in Jerusalem and in Gibeon. The line leads to Kish and his son Saul, Saul's sons Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal (Ish-bosheth), and Jonathan's son Merib-baal (Mephibosheth). All these were heads of families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem. The genealogy of Saul at the end of the chapter sets up the transition to Saul's death in chapter 10 and David's rise in chapter 11.

Chronicles' inclusion of Saul's genealogy is not rehabilitation but context: the story of David's kingship cannot be told without the prior kingship of Saul from whom the dynasty passes. The Catechism notes that salvation history always includes the contrast between the faithfulness that builds and the unfaithfulness that forfeits, and both are necessary for the full picture (CCC 705).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Mephibosheth appears in the genealogy of Saul as Merib-baal. He is there: the crippled man who ate at the king's table, registered in the family record, not forgotten or erased. The covenant that restored him kept his name in the book. Your name is in the book too.

Prayer

Lord God, every name in the genealogy belongs to a person you know. You know our names. Register us in your family record and keep us there. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

8
Genealogy from Benjamin to Saul
1 Benjamin was the father of Bela, his firstborn; Ashbel was the second born, Aharah the third, 2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
 
3 The sons of Bela:
 
Addar, Gera, Abihud,* 8:3 Possibly Gera the father of Ehud; see verse 7. 4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
 
6 These were the descendants of Ehud who were the heads of the families living in Geba and were exiled to Manahath:
 
7 Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them into exile and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.† 8:7 Or and Gera, that is Heglam, who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
 
8 Shaharaim had sons in the country of Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. 9 His sons by his wife Hodesh:
 
Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families.
 
11 He also had sons by Hushim:
 
Abitub and Elpaal.
 
12 The sons of Elpaal:
 
Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its villages), 13 and Beriah and Shema (who were the heads of families of the inhabitants of Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath).
 
14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.
 
17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
 
19 Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.
 
22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
 
26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham.
 
28 All these were heads of families, the chiefs according to their genealogies, and they lived in Jerusalem.
 
29 Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived ‡ 8:29 Some LXX manuscripts (see also 1 Chronicles 9:35); Hebrew The father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah, 30 and Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal,§ 8:30 Some LXX manuscripts include Ner; see 1 Chronicles 9:36. Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zecher,* 8:31 Zecher is likely a variant of Zechariah; see 1 Chronicles 9:37. 32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah.† 8:32 Shimeah is a variant of Shimeam; see 1 Chronicles 9:38. These also lived alongside their relatives in Jerusalem.
The Family of Saul
 
33 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.‡ 8:33 Esh-baal is also called Ish-bosheth; see 2 Samuel 2:8.
 
34 The son of Jonathan:
 
Merib-baal,§ 8:34 Merib-baal is also called Mephibosheth; see 2 Samuel 4:4. and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.* 8:34 Micah is a variant of Mica; see 2 Samuel 9:12.
 
35 The sons of Micah:
 
Pithon, Melech, Tarea,† 8:35 Tarea is a variant of Tahrea; see 1 Chronicles 9:41. and Ahaz.
 
36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah ‡ 8:36 Jehoaddah is a variant of Jarah or Jadah; see 1 Chronicles 9:42. was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza.
 
37 Moza was the father of Binea. Raphah § 8:37 Raphah is a variant of Rephaiah; see 1 Chronicles 9:43. was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
 
38 Azel had six sons, and these were their names:
 
Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
 
39 The sons of his brother Eshek:
 
Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third. 40 The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and they had many sons and grandsons-150 in all.
 
All these were the descendants of Benjamin.

*8:3 8:3 Possibly Gera the father of Ehud; see verse 7.

†8:7 8:7 Or and Gera, that is Heglam, who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

‡8:29 8:29 Some LXX manuscripts (see also 1 Chronicles 9:35); Hebrew The father of Gibeon lived

§8:30 8:30 Some LXX manuscripts include Ner; see 1 Chronicles 9:36.

*8:31 8:31 Zecher is likely a variant of Zechariah; see 1 Chronicles 9:37.

†8:32 8:32 Shimeah is a variant of Shimeam; see 1 Chronicles 9:38.

‡8:33 8:33 Esh-baal is also called Ish-bosheth; see 2 Samuel 2:8.

§8:34 8:34 Merib-baal is also called Mephibosheth; see 2 Samuel 4:4.

*8:34 8:34 Micah is a variant of Mica; see 2 Samuel 9:12.

†8:35 8:35 Tarea is a variant of Tahrea; see 1 Chronicles 9:41.

‡8:36 8:36 Jehoaddah is a variant of Jarah or Jadah; see 1 Chronicles 9:42.

§8:37 8:37 Raphah is a variant of Rephaiah; see 1 Chronicles 9:43.

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