Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. I wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened / by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

CHAP. VIII.

1 NOw Benjamin a 1.1 begat * 1.2 Bela b 1.3 his first▪born, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,

2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.

3 And the sons of Bela, were ‖ Addar, and Gera,* 1.4 and Abihud,

4 And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah,

5 And Gera, and ‖ 1.5 Shephuphan, and Huram.

6 And these c 1.6 are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers of the Inhabitants of Ge∣ba d, and they removed them e 1.7 to * 1.8 Manahath:

7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he f 1.9 re∣moved them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud g 1.10.

8 And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab h 1.11, after he i 1.12 had sent them away. Hu∣shim and Baara were his wives k 1.13.

9 And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,

10 And Jeuz, and Shachiah, and Mirma. These were his sons, heads of the fathers.

11 And of Hushim he begat Ahitub, and Elpaal.

12 The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who built Ono, and Lod l 1.14 with the towns thereof.

13 Beriah also and Shema, who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Ajalon m 1.15, who drove away the inhabitants of Gath n 1.16.

14 And Ahio, Shashak, and Jerimoth,

15 And Zebediah, and Arad, and Ader,

16 And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah,

17 And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and Heber,

18 Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal.

19 And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi,

20 And Elionai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,

21 And Adajah, and Berajah, and Shimrath, the sons of ‖ 1.17 Shimhi.

22 And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel,

23 And Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan,

24 And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah,

25 And Iphedejah, and Penuel, the sons of Sha∣shak.

26 And Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Atha∣liah,

27 And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham,

28 These were heads of the fathers by their ge∣nerations, chief men. These o 1.18 dwelt in Jerusalem.

29 And at Gibeon dwelt the ‖ 1.19 father of Gibeon p 1.20 (whose * 1.21 wives name was Maacha:)

30 And his first-born son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab,

31 And Gedor, and Ahio, and ‖ 1.22 Zacher.

32 And Mikloth begat ‖ 1.23 Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren q 1.24 in Jerusalem, over against them r 1.25.

33 And * 1.26 Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abi∣nadab, and ‖ 1.27 Eshbaal.

34 And the son of Jonathan, was ‖ 1.28 Merib-baal, and Merib-baal begat * 1.29 Micah.

35 And the sons of Micah, were Pithon, and Me∣lech, and ‖ 1.30 Tarea, and Ahaz.

36 And Ahaz begat Jehoada, and Jehoada begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri be∣gat Moza,

37 And Moza begat Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasa his son, Azel his son,

38 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheraiah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

39 And the sons of Eshak his brother, were Ulam his first-born, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.

40 And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valout, atchers s 1.31, and had many sons, and sons sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Ben∣jamin.

Notes

• a 1.1

  He had spoken something of this Tribe before, ch. 7. 6. but now he treats of it again and that more fully and exactly; partly for Sauls sake who was of this Tribe; and partly because this Tribe adhered to David and the Kingdom of Iudah, and went with Iudah into Babylon; and now were returned from thence in greater Numbers than the other Tribes, except Iudah.
• * 1.2

  〈…〉〈…〉
• b 1.3

  So call∣ed by Moses: but the Names of the rest vary from those in Moses: either because the same Person had two several Names, as hath been oft noted: or because these were not the immediate sons of Benjamin, but his Grandchildren here mentioned in their Parents stead, possibly because they were more Eminent than their Parents,
• * 1.4

  Or, 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• ‖ 1.5

  〈…〉〈…〉
• c 1.6

  Either those three last mentioned; or rather th•…•…se following, v. 7. because he here speaks of them who were removed; and they are said to be removed, v. 7. He describes the Sons of Benjamin by the Places of their Habitation without an exact Account of their Parents; because their Genealogies were broken by that almost to∣tal Extirpation of this Tribe, Iudg. 20.
• e 1.7

  Either their Fathers, or their Heads and Superiours removed them: or they removed themselves; either because they were too numerous for that Place: or because they desired to change their Habitation and hoped it would be for the better, and judged Manahath a more conveni∣ent Place.
• * 1.8

  〈…〉〈…〉
• f 1.9

  Either 1. Their Father: Or, 2, Gera last mentioned, who, it seems, was the Chief Counsellor or Promoter of this Work.
• g 1.10

  When he was seated in Manahath.
• h 1.11

  Whither he had removed himself either at the same time when Elimelech did, Ruth 1. 1, &c. or upon the same or like Occasion.
• i 1.12

  Ehud or Gera last mentioned.
• k 1.13

  Others joyn these Words with the former and render the Place thus, after he had sent them (to wit, his Sons) away, with Hushim and Baara his wives, i. e. as he also sent his Wives away from him. Which may be here menti∣oned as a Brand upon him, to shew that he was without natural Affection to his Wives and Children. And it seems the more pro∣bable that he divorced them, because we find him married to ano∣ther Wise, v. 9.
• l 1.14

  Of which see Ezr. 2. 33. Nehem. 7. 37. & 11. 35.
• m 1.15

  A Place formerly belonging to the Tribe of Dan, Ios. 19. 42. but after the Return from Babylon possessed by the Benjamites, be∣cause both Dan and the rest of the ten Tribes were yet for the Ge∣nerality of them in Captivity and but few of them returned.
• n 1.16

  Ei∣ther 1. at that time when they made such a Slaughter among E∣phraims Children, ch. 7. 21. and were possibly pursuing their Victo∣ry, till they were driven back by these Benjamites who came to the •…•…uccour of their Brethren. Or, 2, Now when they were returned from the Captivity and found the Men of Gath possessed of Aja∣lon. Or, 3. at some other time not mentioned in Scripture.
• ‖ 1.17

  〈…〉〈…〉
• o 1.18

  All these named from v. 14. to this place.
• ‖ 1.19

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 9. 35.
• p 1.20

  i. e. The Chief or Ruler of the Benjamites dwelling there.
• * 1.21

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 9. 35.
• ‖ 1.22

  〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 9. 37.
• ‖ 1.23

  Or, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 9. 3•…•….
• q 1.24

  i. e. With those other Benjamites spoken of v. 28.
• r 1.25

  In some street or part of Ierusalem, which was over against that where their Brethren dwelt.
• * 1.26

  1 Sam. 14. 51.
• ‖ 1.27

  〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Sam. 2. 8.
• ‖ 1.28

  〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 2 Sam. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.29

  Sam. 9. 12.
• ‖ 1.30

  〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…. 41.
• s 1.31

  Heb. That tread the bow; For the Bows of Steel, which these used, required great strength to bend them; which therefore they did by treading the Bow with their Feet, and pulling the String with both their Hands.