Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
The descendants of Benjamin are listed more fully, so that the genealogy of Saul may then be traced, verse 33.
Vulgate Text: 1 Paralipomenon 8:1-40
1. Benjamin begot Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, 2. Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. 3. The sons of Bela were Addar, Gera, and Abihud, 4. Abishua also, Naaman, and Ahoah, 5. and Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. 6. These are the sons of Ehud, heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of Geba, who were deported to Manahath. 7. Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera — he deported them, and he begot Uzza and Ahihud. 8. Shaharaim begot children in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. 9. By Hodesh his wife he begot Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10. Jeuz also, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' houses. 11. By Hushim he begot Abitub and Elpaal. 12. The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod with its towns. 13. Beriah and Shema were heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of Aijalon; they put to flight the inhabitants of Gath. 14. Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, 15. Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16. Michael also, 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. These were heads of fathers' houses, chiefs according to their families, and they lived in Jerusalem. 29. In Gibeon lived the father of Gibeon, and the name of his wife was Maacah. 30. His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 31. Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, and Mikloth. 32. Mikloth begot Shimeah. They also lived opposite their relatives in Jerusalem, with their brothers. 33. Ner begot Kish, and Kish begot Saul. Saul begot Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal. 34. The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal begot Micah. 35. The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. 36. Ahaz begot Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah begot Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri begot Moza. 37. Moza begot Binea, whose son was Raphah, from whom descended Eleasah, who begot Azel. 38. Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan: all these were the sons of Azel. 39. The sons of his brother Eshek: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, Eliphelet the third. 40. The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers of great strength, and they had many sons and grandsons, one hundred and fifty. All these were sons of Benjamin.
Verse 7: Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera
7. NAAMAN, AHIJAH, AND GERA (Supply: are the sons of Ehud, whom I promised to list in the preceding verse) HE (namely 'Gera,' who was just mentioned) DEPORTED THEM — that is, the Ehudites from Gibeah to Manahath, as was said in verse 6. The same Gera 'begot Uzza and Ahihud,' and a third 'Shaharaim,' being 'in the country of Moab,' as follows in verse 8, to which Gera migrated perhaps with Elimelech because of famine, Ruth I.
Verse 28: Who Lived in Jerusalem
28. WHO LIVED IN JERUSALEM. — For Jerusalem belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, which ceded it to Judah so that they might drive the Jebusites from it, as I said at Joshua XVIII and Judges I.
Verse 29: The Father of Gibeon
29. IN GIBEON LIVED THE FATHER OF GIBEON, etc. — that is, the prince of Gibeon, whose proper name was Jehiel, as is said in the next chapter, verse 35, who was the father of Kish the father of Saul, as follows. You will ask: How then does verse 33 say that Ner was the father of Kish and grandfather of Saul? I respond that Jehiel was also called by another name, Ner, meaning 'lamp,' because like a lamp he shone before his whole family. So Emmanuel Sa and Mariana, although others think Jehiel was the father of Ner, whose son was Kish, whose son was Saul.
Verse 33: Esh-baal
33. ESH-BAAL. — This one was also called by another name Ish-bosheth, who was the fourth son of Saul, and David's rival, 2 Kings II, 8.
Verse 34: Merib-baal
34. THE SON OF JONATHAN WAS MERIB-BAAL. — 'Merib-baal' is Mephibosheth; for he was the only son of Jonathan, and the father of Micah, as follows. Mephibosheth is called Merib-baal, that is 'contending with a master,' or 'rebelling against a master': why he was so called is not known. The Hebrews according to St. Jerome in the Traditions give the reason that he murmured against the Lord, who had restored David to the kingdom, because David had taken away his goods and given them to Ziba his servant who was slandering him, 2 Kings XIX, 29. But this is entirely uncertain. It is more likely that he was called Merib-baal because he was forced to contend with his servant Ziba — who was falsely accusing him before David of aspiring to the kingship — not as with a servant, but as with a lord and master, and indeed to divide his inheritance (David so ordering). For this was a notable injury and humiliation to him.