1 Crônicas 7
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Crônicas 7
NJB (LXX versing) Genealogy from Issachar The Family of Issachar Descendants of Issachar Descendants of Issachar Issachar 7:1-5 7:1-5 7:1-5 7:1 7:1 7:2 7:2 7:3-4 7:3-5 7:5 Descendants of Benjamin The Family of Benjamin Descendants of Benjamin Descendants of Benjamin and Dan Benjamin 7:6-12 7:6-12 7:6-12 7:6 7:6 7:7 7:7 7:8-9 7:8-9 7:10-12a 7:10-11 7:12b Naphtali Sons of Naphtali The Family of Naphtali Descendants of Naphtali Descendants of Naphtali 7:12 7:13 7:13 7:13 7:13 7:13 Descendants of Manasseh The Family of Manasseh (west) Descendants of Manasseh Descendants of Manasseh Manasseh 7:14-19 7:14-19 7:14-19 7:14-15 7:14-15a 7:15b 7:16-17 7:16 7:17 7:18-19 7:18 7:19 Descendants of Ephraim The Family of Ephraim Descendants of Ephraim Descendants of Ephraim Ephraim 7:20-27 7:20-27 7:20-29 7:20-23 7:20-24 7:24 7:25-27 7:25-27 7:28-29 7:28-29 7:28 7:28-29 7:29a 7:29b Descendants of Asher The Family of Asher Descendants of Asher Descendants of Asher Asher 7:30-40 7:30-40 7:30-40 7:30 7:30 7:31 7:31-32 7:32 7:33 7:33 7:34 7:34 7:35 7:35-38 7:36-37 7:38-39 7:39 7:40 7:40 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS This is a brief genealogy of the northern tribes. Issachar ‒ 1 Chr. 7:1-5 Benjamin (poss. Dan) ‒ 1 Chr. 7:6-12 Naphtali ‒ 1 Chr. 7:13 Manasseh ‒ 1 Chr. 7:14-19 Ephraim ‒ 1 Chr. 7:20-27 Asher ‒ 1 Chr. 7:30-40 Why is there such divergence in the spelling of the names? They are different persons by the same name. Often names recur in families and periods. There are two separate genealogies combined by an editor. The person went by two names. The person's name was changed. The term "son" can refer to a wide number of relatives (grandson, uncle, brother, etc.). The first father died and the wife remarried or there was Levirate marriage involved. Ancient Jewish genealogies are often incomplete.
1 Crônicas 7:1-5
7:1 "Puah" In Gen. 46:13, "Puuah." ▣ "Jashub" In Gen. 46:13, "Iob." 7:2 "mighty men of valor" This phrase, referring to their fighting ability and bravery, is also mentioned in 1 Chr. 7:5,7,9,11,40. ▣ "in the days of David" Therefore, the above phrase refers to "the mighty men" of David's day, whether before he was king or after is not stated, but usually refers to before. ▣ "22,600" There are many numbers in this chapter that do not agree with the book of Numbers. A good resource to understand some of the number problems in the OT is G. E. Mendenhall, The Census Lists of Numbers 1 and 26, JBL 77 (1958), pp. 52-66. 7:3 "all five of them were chief men" This shows the selective nature of these genealogies or that the word "chief" (BDB 910) had a different meaning. SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAD 7:4 NASB, NKJV, NJB "troops" NRSV, JPSOA "units" REB, NASB margin "bands" "strong ones" "valiant men of war" The MT has "band" or "troop" (BDB 151, cf. 2 Chr. 25:9,10; 26:11). The army was divided into fighting units. This issue is complicated by a similar use of the word "thousand" for a military unit. SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph)
1 Crônicas 7:6-12
7:6-12 It is uncertain why Benjamin is mentioned in this list of northern genealogies. The list of Bela's descendants is expanded in 1 Chronicles 8, especially the person of Ehud (2 Chr. 8:6). He is one of the Judges (cf. Judges 3) who killed the king of Moab, Eglon, and delivered Israel. Lists of Benjamin's sons Gen. 46:21 Num. 26:38-39 1 Chr. 7:6 1 Chronicles 8 Bela Bela Bela Bela Becher Becher Ashbel Ashbel Ashbel Gera Naaman Ehi Ahiram Rosh Muppim Shephupham Huppim Hupham Ard Jediael Aharah Nohah Rapha The only common name is the firstborn, "Bela." Why do these lists differ so much? See Contextual Insights, 1 Chronicles 6, D. 7:10 "Jeush" The Kethiv (MT) is "Jeish," but the Qere (Masoretic scholars' suggestion) is "Jeush." 7:12 "Shuppim" In Gen. 46:21, "Muppim." Because they are PLURAL, these names may reflect clans not an individual (cf. 1 Chr. 7:15). ▣ "Huppim" In Numbers 26:39 it is "Hupham." ▣ "Ir" In 1 Chr. 7:7, "Iri." ▣ "Hushim" In both the genealogies of Israel in Genesis 46 and Numbers 26, the list of Dan's descendants follows the list of Benjamin's descendants. Surprisingly, Dan is omitted here. But because the name "Hushim" does not appear, which is the name of both a Benjamite (here) and a Danite (cf. Gen. 46:23), some have suggested parts of the original genealogy have dropped out of the text. SPECIAL TOPIC: TEXTUAL CRITICISM ▣ "Aher" In Numbers 26:38, "Ahiram."
1 Crônicas 7:13
7:13 The brevity of the list of Naphtali is purposeful or records have been lost. This list follows Gen. 46:24-25. ▣ "Jahziel" In Gen. 46:24, "Jahzeel." ▣ "Shallum" In Gen. 46:24 and Num. 26:49, "Shillem." ▣ "the sons of Bilhah" She bore to Jacob "Dan" and "Naphtali" (cf. Gen. 46:23-25).
1 Crônicas 7:14-19
7:14-19 This paragraph mentions women an unusual number of times. 1 Chr. 7:14, "his Aramean concubine" 1 Chr. 7:15, "a wife. . .whose sister's name was Maacah" 1 Chr. 7:15, "daughters" 1 Chr. 7:16, "she named him" 1 Chr. 7:18, "his sister" This listing is meant to represent the part of Manasseh that settled in Canaan. 7:15 "Huppim and Shuppim" Because these are PLURAL, some scholars think they might be clans. ▣ "Maacah" The LXX has "Moocha" and places it in verse 16. ▣ "Zelophehad had daughters" This is also recorded in Num. 26:33. In Numbers 27 these daughters ask Moses to allow them to inherit their father's land because all the male children died, and Moses does, so as to keep the God-given land (cf. Joshua) in the tribe and family.
1 Crônicas 7:20-27
7:21-23 This is a brief historical note explaining the name "Beriah" (a PREPOSITION, ב plus root BDB 947 = the name, BDB 140), which means "trouble" or "tragedy" (BDB 947). 7:24 This is another brief historical note about the building projects of Ephraim's granddaughter, "Sheerah." "Beth-horon" was a levitical city in the tribal allocation of Ephraim. "Uzzen-sheerah," a city name, occurs only here in the OT. Sheerah built three cities. 7:27 "Non" In Exod. 33:11 "Nun." This is the father of Joshua, the servant and later successor of Moses.
1 Crônicas 7:28-29
7:28 "Naaran" In Joshua 16:7, "Naarah." ▣ "Ayyah" In LXX, Targums, Vulgate, "Azzah" or "Gazza" (NEB). The UBS Text Project (p. 407) gives "Ayyah" a "B" rating (some doubt). ▣ "with its towns" This phrase refers to the unwalled villages surrounding larger cities. 7:29 "Beth-shean" This (cf. Jos. 17:11,16; Jdgs. 1:27) is a variant spelling of "Beth-shan," a city in the tribal allocation of Manasseh (cf. 1 Sam. 31:10,12).
1 Crônicas 7:30-40
7:32 "Shomer" In 1 Chr. 7:34 the same person's name is spelled "Shemer." ▣ "Hotham" In 1 Chr. 7:35 the name is spelled "Helen." 7:34 "were Ahi" It is possible that the MT should read "his brother" (BDB 26, TEV, NJB). 7:40 Notice how the sons of Asher are characterized. choice mighty men of valor heads of the princes These were important military people/leaders.