1 Chronicles 2 Commentary

“And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all. Zimri: or, Zabdi Dara: or, Darda”

Zamri, or Zabdi, Josue vii. 1. — Etham. Similar names occur [in] 3 Kings iv. 30. But they seem to have been different persons.

“And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed. Achar: or, Achan”

Achar, alias Achan, (Josue vii.; Challoner) which was his real name, as the former was given him (Calmet) in consequence of his having “troubled” Israel. (Du Hamel) — One letter may have been mistaken. (Worthington) — It may seem more probable that Achar, which appears invaribly in the Vatican Septuagint and Syriac, is the proper name. (Kennicott) — Anathema, the thing devoted or accursed, viz., the spoils of Jericho. (Challoner)

“And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;”

Ram. He is commonly called Aram. But it is to be observed here, once for all, that it was a common thing among the Hebrews for the same person to have different names: and that it is not impossible among so many proper names, as here occur in the first nine chapters of this book, that the transcribers of the ancient Hebrew copies may have made some slips in the orthography. (Challoner) — Juda. Probably the first, appointed by Moses in the desert, Numbers i. 7., and vii. 12.

“And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,”

Salma. Septuagint have “Salmon,” as it is written [in] Ruth iv. 20., and Matthew i. 4.

“Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:”

Seventh. Syriac and Arabic add, “Eliu, (chap. xxvii. 18.) and the eighth David.” It appears, in effect, the Isai had eight sons, and that David was the youngest, 1 Kings xvi. 10., and xvii. 12. The Rabbins suppose that one was only adopted, namely, Jonathan, the son of Samma, noted for his prudence and valour, 2 Kings xiii. 3., and xxi. 21. (Calmet) — One might die in his youth, and be therefore omitted, (Tirinus) as he had done nothing memorable. (Du Hamel) — The Scripture does not always specify the full number. (Abulensis)

“Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.”

Sarvia. The honour shewn to the sisters of David is unusual. The father of the three valiant children of Sarvia is no where specified.

“And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.”

Ismahelite, or more correctly, “Jethra, of Jezrahel;” (2 Kings xvii. 25.) though the Hebrew and Septuagint in that place read “Israelite,” which would be a trifling remark; and it is improbable that Isai would give his daughter to a descendant of Ismahel. (Calmet) — The person might, however, have resided among them. (Du Hamel)

“And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.”

Caleb, alias Calubi, ver. 9. (Challoner) (Worthington) — He is different from Caleb, the son of Jephone. — Took, &c. Hebrew, “begot Azuba, Ischa, and Jerioth;” or rather with the Septuagint, “took to wife Gazuba and Jerioth.” (Calmet) — Syriac and Arabic, “Caleb had Jerioth by his wife Azuba.” We know that the latter was his wife, (ver. 19.) and this seems to be the true reading. As ath signifies “of or from,” (Noldius) the Hebrew only requires a small correction. As it stands at present, it means, “Caleb begot Azuba, a woman, (or wife) and Jerioth.” Protestants supply, “begat children of Azuba, his wife, and of Jerioth.” (Kennicott) — Her sons. The original determines us to read her, instead of “his,” as ejus would as naturally be understood. If Jerioth was not the wife, she seems to have been the daughter of Caleb; as Jaser, &c., were his sons. (Haydock)

“And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.”

Bezeleel, the famous artist, (Exodus xxxi. 2.; Calmet) or a different person. (Du Hamel) — The Rabbins, who confound Caleb with the son of Jephone, say that he espoused Ephrata, or Mary, the sister of Moses, when he was ten years old, that Ur and Uri had each a child at eight, and the Bezeleel began to work at the tabernacle before he was nine years old. (Lyranus) — But this is extravagant, and the Bezeleel here mentioned was of the family of Hesron. (Calmet)

“And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was threescore years old; and she bare him Segub. married: Heb. took”

Machir, grandson of Joseph, whose descendants occupied part of Galaad, (Haydock) of which he is styled the father, or prince. (Menochius) — The daughter of Machir was probably an heiress, and Segub dwelt with his mother’s tribe. (Calmet)

“And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.”

Aram. Protestants add “with the towns of Jair from them,” the former possessors; (Haydock) or Gessur assisted Aram (Syria) in attacking Israel, 4 Kings x. 32. (Calmet) — All these villages. Protestants supply, “belonged to the sons.” Septuagint, “were of the sons.” All these were dependencies of Machir, “prince” of Galaad; in which sense father is taken, ver. 24. (Menochius) — Sons often denote nephews, &c. (Worthington)

“And after that Hezron was dead in Calebephratah, then Abiah Hezron's wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.”

Hesron. Perhaps it ought to be Azuba, ver. 19. Hebrew, “and after Hesron was dead, in Caleb-ephrata, then Abia, the wife of Hesron, bore him a (posthumous) son, Ashur, the father of those who dwelt at Thecua.” He could not reside there himself no more than Caleb did at Bethlehem, which some, without proof, pretend was called Caleb-ephrata. The Septuagint agree with the Vulgate. They may signify that Caleb went to the town of Ephrata. But the son of Hebron[Hesron?] certainly never resided at Bethlehem. (Calmet)

“And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.”

And, is not in Hebrew. Achia, which may also signify “her sister.” Septuagint, “brother.” Others take (Calmet) Achia to be the first wife of Jerameel. (Jansenius)

“And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.”

Oholai, a daughter, (ver. 34.; Tirinus) unless this son died before his father. (Vatable)

“Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron.”

Caleb, or Calubi, ver. 9. Ziph, Maresa, and Hebron, are the names of towns, as well as of men. The descendants of Mesa inhabited Ziph, and those of Maresa dwelt at Hebron. The same remark will hold good in other places, where the names of places are put for those who occupied them. (Calmet) — And the sons. Hebrew, “and of the sons of Maresa.” (Vatable) — But it may be as well explained in the sense of the Vulgate. Septuagint, “Marisa, his first-born. He was the father of Ziph, and the sons of Marisa, of the father of Hebron.” — Father. Literally, “of the father,” patris Hebron. (Haydock)

“And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph.”

Jahaddai. His name occurs not before. Some suppose he was the son of Mosa: perhaps a verse may be lost, as the Syriac and Arabic pass over this and the two following verses.

“She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah.”

Achsa, different from Axa, the grand-daughter of Jephone, Judges i. 12. (Haydock) — Both had daughters of the same name. (Du Hamel)

“These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim,”

Caleb, grandson of Calubi. (Vatable, &c.) — Sobal, his descendant, was prince of those who established themselves at Cariathiarim. (Calmet) — The Alexandrian Septuagint seems rather to assert that he was son of Hur, as well as those who follow. “The sons of Hur….Sobal….Salomon, father of Baithlammon, father of Bethleem.” But the editions vary. (Haydock)

“And Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites. Haroeh: or, Reaiah half: or, half of the Menuchites, or, Hatsihammenuchoth”

He that saw, &c. The Latin interpreter seems to have given us here, instead of the proper names, the meaning of those names in the Hebrew. He has done in like manner, ver. 55., (Challoner) and in many other places. (Du Hamel) — Hebrew, “had sons, haroe cha hamenuchoth, (Haydock) or Raia, Roeh, (chap. iv. 2.) and Chazi of the canton of Menuchat, near Gabaa, chap. viii. 6., and Judges xx. 43. Septuagint mention Manocho, Josue xv. 60. — We may also translate “the father of Cariathiarim, the prince of half Manuchat, had sons who peopled different cities.” It seems too harsh to call a man “half the place of rest,” or “seeing from the moiety of rest,” though the Hebrew has this literal signification. The Septuagint give proper names, (Calmet) “Araa, Esei, Ammanith,” (but [in] ver. 55, half of Manath) and the Protestants, “Haroeh and half of the Manahattites.” (Haydock) — Sobal left to his descendants half the country which he had quietly occupied.

“And the families of Kirjathjearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites.”

Kindred. Septuagint, “Oumasphas.” (Haydock) — Esthaolites. All these places were in Juda, (Calmet) or perhaps (Haydock) the two last in Dan, (Menochius) or occupied by both tribes. (Abulensis, q. 8.)

“The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites. Ataroth: or, Atarites, or, crowns of the house of Joab”

Salma, or Salmon’s descendants, peopled Bethlehem, &c. — Crowns. Valiant heroes who assisted Joab to gain crowns. (Worthington) — Hebrew, “Hateroth,” the house (Alexandrian Septuagint, of the house of Jobab) of Joab; (Haydock) perhaps the famous general who had land near Absalom’s, on the frontiers of Ephraim, where Ataroth was situated. — And half. Hebrew, “half of the Manahethites.” Protestants (Haydock) or “of Menuchat, towards Zarai.” The author seems purposely to mention to whom the cities at first belonged, that the right owners might be reinstated in their possessions, at their return from Babylon. (Calmet) — This verse may specify six towns, Bethlehem and Netophat, (Haydock) Beth-Joab, Chatsi, Manachti, and Atsothi.

“And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.”

Scribes, learned in the law. (Menochius) — Singing, &c. The different professions of the Rechabites are here given, instead of proper names, (Calmet) which the Vatican Septuagint retains—Thargathiim and Samathiim, Sochathim. — Hebrew Tirhathim, “porters;” (Chaldean) Shimhathim, “the obedient;” Sucathim, “the inhabitants of tents;” Calor, “the heat,” as the Hebrew Chamath (Protestants, Hemath) signifies. The Cinites dwelt on the south of Juda, for which reason they are probably here mentioned, though some of them also inhabited Jabes Galaad, while the Rechabites dwelt in tents, (Haydock) and were perhaps employed as porters in the temple. (Calmet) (Jeremias xxxv. 5, 19.)