A Simeonite Ammihud above.
Seven "El" names, only one "Jah."
(17) Ru 4:20.--The Ancestry of David (Perez: Hezron: Ram: Amminadab: Nahshon: Salmon (Salmah): Boaz: Obed: Jesse: David).
Contained unchanged in 1Ch 2:9-15; also Mt 1:1-6; also Lu 3:32. Some links have been omitted between Obed and Jesse. Salmon might be traced to the ancestor of the Bethlehemite (1Ch 2:51,54), who is, however, of Caleb's line, not Ram's; but the lines may mingle.
(18) 2Sa 3:2-5; 5:14-15. David's children (also in 1Ch 3:1-9; 14:4-7).
I. Born in Hebron: Amnon, Chileab, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Ithream.
II. Born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, Eliphelet.
Four names in 'el, all prefixed. Two in "Jah." Chileab is Daniel in 1Ch 3:1; uncertain which is right, but probably Daniel is a corruption. Chronicles adds Nogah to the Jerusalem sons, probably developed in transcription. 1Ch 3:6-8 has two Eliphelets; 14:6 has Elpalet in place of the first; more probable. This gives David 6 sons in Hebron, and, if both Nogah and Elpalet be correct, 12 in Jerusalem. Eliada is Beeliada in 14:7, perhaps the original form, a relic of the time before the Hebrews turned against the use of Baal, "lord," as applied to Yahweh; in which case Baaliada, "Lord knows," was changed to Eliada, "God knows." 3:6 reads Elishama for Elishua. Japhia is also the name of a king of Lachish in Joshua's time (Jos 10:3-7).
(19) 2Sa 23:1-39 (also 1Ch 11:11-41).--David's Knights.
1. Josheb-bashebeth, the Tahchemonite.
In Chronicles it is Jashobeam, and should read Ishbaal, the writer's religious horror of Baal leading him to substitute the consonants of bosheth, "shame," as in Mephibosheth, Ishbosheth. Septuagint has Iesebada (Codex Vaticanus), Iessebadal, Isbaam (Codex Alexandrinus), in Chronicles, and Iebosthe (Codex Vaticanus), Iebosthai (Codex Alexandrinus) here. In Chronicles he is a Hachmonite, probably correct. "Adino the Heznite" is probably a corruption for "He wielded his spear" (Chronicles).
2. Eleazar, Son of Dodai, the Ahohite.
Dodo in Chronicles; 8 other Eleazars in the Old Testament. Another Dodo is father of Elhanan.
3. Shammah, Son of Agee, a Hararite.
Omitted by Chronicles. Three other Shammahs, one of them a knight of David. "Harari" may be "mountaineer," or "inhabitant of the village Harar."
4. Abishai, Son of Zeruiah, Brother of Joab.
Abshai (1Ch 18:12 margin). Zeruiah perhaps David's half-sister (2Sa 17:25). Father never mentioned.
5. Benaiah, Son of Jehoaida of Kabzeel.
Eleven other Old Testament Benaiahs, one of them also a knight. This Benaiah succeeded Joab as commander-in-chief, 4 other Jehoiadas, one Benaiah's grandson, high in David's counsel, unless a scribe has inverted the order in 1Ch 27:34, which should then read Benaiah, son of Jehoiada.
6. Asahel, Brother of Joab.
Three other Asahels.
7. Elhanan, Son of Dodo of Bethlehem.
Another Elhanan, slayer of the brother of Goliath (2Sa 21:19; 1Ch 20:5). Perhaps the same.
8. Shammah the Harodite.
Chronicals, Shammoth. From Harod, near Gideon's well (Jg 7:1).
9. Elika the Harodite.
10. Helez the Paltite.
Paltite perhaps local or family name from Pelet, or Palti.
11. Ira, Son of Ikkesh the Tekoite.
Two others, one a knight. Tekoah, Judaite town, home of Amos, etc.
12. Abiezer the Anathothite.
One other, a Manassite (Jos 17:2). Anathoth an hour Northeast of Jerusalem, Jeremiah's town.
13. Mebunnai the Hushathite.
Should read, with Chronicles, Sibbecai.
14. Zalmon the Ahohite.
Zalmon, also name of mountain (Jg 9:48). Descendant of Ahoah, Benjamite of Bela's line. See 1 Ch 8:14.
15. Maharai the Netophathite.
From Netophah, town.
16. Heleb, Son of Baanah.
1Ch 11:30, Heled. Three other Bannabs.
17. Ittai, Son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Children of Benjamin.
1Ch 11:31, Ithai. An Ittai of Gath also followed David.
18. Benaiah a Pirathonite.
Pirathon, Amalekite town in Ephraimite territory.
19. Hiddai of the Brooks of Gnash.
Chronicles, Hurai ("d" for "r"). Ga'ash, a Wady in Ephraim.
20. Abi-albon the Arbathite.
Chronicles, Abiel, perhaps corrupted from Abi-Baal; from Beth-arabah, Judah or Benjamin.
21. Azmaveth the Barhumite.
Three others, and a Judaite town, of the same name. Baharumite; Chronicles, Barhumite, a Benjamite town.
22. Eliahba the Shaalbonite.
Shaalbon, a Danite town.
23. The Sons of Jashen (better, Hashem).
Chronicles, "the sons of Hashem the Gizonite." "Sons of" looks like a scribal error, or interpolation, perhaps a repetition of "bni" in "Shaalboni" above.
24. Jonathan, Son of Shammah the Hararite.
Chronicles adds, "the son of Shagee the Hararite." Shagee should perhaps be Agee (2Sa 23:11); but Septuagint indicates Shammah here; both Samuel and Chronicles should read "J., son of Shammah the Ararite."
25. Ahiam, Son of Sharar the Ararite.
Chronicles, Sacar the Hararite. Sacar is supported by Septuagint.
26. Eliphelet, Son of Ahasvai, the Son of the Maacathite.
Chronicles has "Eliphal, son of Ur," and adds "Hepher the Mecherathite." Both texts are corrupt. Chronicles should perhaps read, "Eliphelet the son of ...., the Maacathite, Eliam," etc.
27. Eliham, Son of Ahithophel the Gilonite.
Eliham, possibly father of Bathsheba. Ahithophel, David's counselor. Gilonite, native of Giloh.
27a. Ahijah the Pelonite (in Chronicals but Not Samuel).
Seven other Ahijahs. Pelonite uncertain, probably a corruption; perhaps inserted by a scribe who could not decipher his "copy," and means "such and such a one," as in 1Sa 21:2.
28. Hezro (Hezrai) the Carmelite.
A scribe confused the Hebrew letters, waw ("w") and yod ("y"). Carmel, near Hebron.
29. Paarai the Arbite.
Chronicles, "Naarai, son of Esbai." Uncertain. Arb, a town of Judah.
30. Igal, Son of Nathan of Zobah.
Chronicles, Joel, brother of Nathan. Igal less common than Joel, hence, more likely to be corrupted; 2 other Igals; 12 other Joels; 5 other Nathans.
30a. Mibhar, Son of Hagri (Chronicles, not Samuel).
Text uncertain as between this and 31.
31. Bani the Gadite (Omitted in Chronicles).
Possibly the Gerarite.
32. Zelek the Ammonite.
Ammon East of Jordan and upper Jabbok.
33. Naharai the Beerothite, Armor-bearer to Joab, Son of Zeruiah.
Beeroth, Benjamite town.
34. Ira the Ithrite.
Ithrites, a family of Kiriath-jearim, Judah.
35. Gareb the Ithrite.
Gareb also a hill West of Jerusalem.
36. Uriah the Hittite.
Bathsheba's husband; 3 others. From some Hittite town surrounded by Israel at the Conquest.
37. Zabad, Son of Ahlai (Perhaps Dropped out of Samuel), Chronicles.
Chronicles adds 13 others. The filling of vacancies makes the number 37 instead of 30. Two names, perhaps, in ba'al, 5 in yah, 7 in 'el. As far as guessable, 5 from Judah, 3 from Benjamin, 2 from Ephraim, 1 from Dan, 1 from Issachar, 1 Ammonite, 1 Hittite, 2 (or 4) Hararites, 2 Harodites, 2 Ithrites.
(20) 1Ki 4:1-19.--Solomon's "Princes" and Commissaries.
Eleven princes, 12 officers. No mention of their tribal connections; assigned only partly by tribal bounds. 7 yah names, 1 'el; 5 of the officers are prefixed ben as if their own names had dropped out.
(21) 1Ch 1:1-54-1Ch 9:1-44.--Genealogies, with Geographical and Historical Notices.
By far the largest body of genealogical material, illustrating most fully the problems and difficulties. The estimate of its value depends on the estimate of the Chronicler's date, purpose, equipment, ethical and mental qualities. He uses freely all previous Old Testament matter, and must have had in hand family or tribal songs, traditions; genealogical registers, as mentioned in Ezr 2:61-69; Ne 7:63-65; local traditions; official genealogies, such as "the genealogies reckoned in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and .... Jeroboam king of Israel" (1Ch 5:17); prophetic, historical and other matter now lost, "the words of Shemaiah .... after the manner of genealogies" (2Ch 12:15), and elsewhere. The results of David's census seem to have been in his hands (1Ch 27:24). Curtis (ICC, "Chronicles," 528) suggests that his purpose was partly to provide genealogies for contemporary families, implying an accommodating insertion of names "after the manner of genealogies" today. Two main purposes, however, seem clear: the first historical, to give the historical and personal basis and setting to elucidate the Chronicler's main thesis, that national prosperity depended upon, and national character was measured by, fidelity to the law of God, especially as it centered upon the worship and services of Yahweh's house. To do this it was necessary to trace the descent of the prominent characters, families, tribes. Hence, the space given to Judah, Levi, Benjamin, the main line of fidelity, the survival of the fittest. The other purpose was to conserve purity of blood in the restored nation, to include all who were entitled and to exclude all who were not. We may also credit him with such regard for his material that he preserved it all (with certain comprehensible exceptions), even though extremely fragmentary here and there. His materials are of many degrees of age. It is thought by some that the antiquity is indicated by the last stage in the descent, the genealogy of Sheshun, e.g. ending with Hezekiah's time; Heman's and Asaph's (1Ch 6:1-81,33) in David's. Name-study and historico-literary criticism seeks still other marks of relative age. The text has suffered much, as lists of names will, from scribal errors. Details of his method will be pointed out in the following analysis. As in this whole article, space forbids exhaustive treatment of the endless textual, critical, historical questions arising. A few illustrative cases only are given.
Continued in GENEALOGY, 8 part 2.