HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

1 PARALIPOMENON 7

CHAPTER VII.

Ver. 1. Jasub, or Job. See Gen. xlvi. 13. Num. xxvi. 23. C. --- Simeron, elsewhere Samron and Semran; (M.) which shews, either that the names have been differently pronounced, or that the transcribers have erred. H.

Ver. 2. Chiefs. They were at the head of distinct families. M. --- David. We know that David took an account of his fighting men. 2 K. xxiv. But it is not certain that this register was made at that time; as we read that Benjamin was not numbered. C. xxi. 6. These lists were probably made when some expedition was intended by David. The author was not, perhaps, able to recover the accounts of Nephthali, Manasses, and Ephraim, no more that the genealogies of Dan (v. 12) and Zabulon, which do not appear in this book. C.

Ver. 3. Sons, for "the son." D. --- Izrahia. He alone deserved to be mentioned. See v. 6, where only three sons of Benjamin appear, though there were more, C. viii. 2. T. --- Five, comprising Israhia, "all chiefs," (H.) men of note, (D.) or one name may be lost. C.

Ver. 4. Children, who had numerous offspring; (H.) so that, in the days of David, these descendants of Thola, amounted to so many. M.

Ver. 5. War. In all, this tribe could muster 145,600 men, at that time. C.

Ver. 6. Benjamin; a man, perhaps, of the tribe of Issachar. See v. 10. Or the patriarch had originally ten sons, (Gen. xlvi. 21.) or grandsons, five of whom only had children, and perhaps tow of their families perished entirely in the war with the other tribes; (Judg. xx. 46.) so that, under David, only three branches were acknowledged. C. --- Jadihel, or Asbel in Genesis.

Ver. 7. Urai, a grandson, called Hir, v. 12. C. --- Five chiefs, but inferior to the seven original families, (Num. xxvi. 38. M.) unless the fortune of war had made great changes, or some of the lists be imperfect. C.

Ver. 12. And Hapham; called Mophim and Ophim, (Gen. xlvi.) and Suphim and Hupham, Num. xxvi. 39. --- Aher, in Heb. means, "another" son, called Hazim: or more probably Aher ought to be Dan, the father of Husim, (Gen. xlvi. 23.) as Dan and Nephthali had both the same mother, Bala, v. 13. C.

Ver. 14. Son. Heb. "sons...Ezriel, whom she bare." This seems imperfect. The Hebrews seldom name the mother. C. --- Sept. intimate that the Syrian wife was mother of both. H. --- Galaad, whose posterity enjoyed the country of the same name, (Num. xxii. 29. and xxxii. 41.) only Machir in mentioned as the son of Manasses.

Ver. 15. And Saphan. S. Jerom seems to have taken them for women. If they were the sons of Hir, (v. 12) Machir probably adopted them. Heb. "Machir took a wife from Happhim," &c. But does one woman marry two men? Syr. and Arab. "Machir took a wife one of the sisters of Huphim and Suphim, (the great and powerful) named Maacha." C. --- Prot. "the sister of Huppim...whose sister's name was Maachah." H. --- Hebrew may have this sense, with a small alteration. C. --- Le Clerc thinks that the name of the woman has been lost, and the text altered. --- Second. This also seems defective, as no first had been mentioned. C. --- Two intervened between Machir and Salphaad, namely, Galaad and Hepher, (Num. xxvi. 29. and xxvii. 1. M.) so that Salphaad was his great-grandson. H.

Ver. 17. Badan, perhaps the same with Jair; (Judg. x. 3. 1 K. xii. 11. C.) or rather in this last place, the Syr. &c. read more correctly Barac, and Samson instead of Samuel, who was then speaking. See Heb. xi. 32. There was no such deliverer as Badan, but the word has been corrupted from Barac. Sept. Kennicott.

Ver. 18. Queen. Heb. "Moleceth bore Ishehod." S. Jerom and the Latin Church translate these names. W. --- Prot. "Hammoleketh bore Ishod." H. --- The proper names might have been as well retained, (C.) as in the Sept. H. --- Some suppose that the mother of Josue, or Debora, may be designated. Rabbins. --- Abiezer, (19) Leci, are the Jeser and Chelek. Num. xxvi. 30.

Ver. 20. Bared, Thahath, probably called Becher and Theken, in Num. Three alone are there mentioned, though the other thirteen, whose names are given, seem to have been all the immediate sons of Ephriam, (C.) since he mourns for them, (v. 22. M.) and his other children afterwards. H. --- The dreadful slaughter made them, is perhaps the reason why only three are mentioned in Numbers, and none in Genesis.

Ver. 21. Son, Ezer. Heb. "and Ezer and Elad." His son, after each, seems to be twice omitted, as these were in the same degree as the rest. Sept. agree with the Vulg. H. --- Because they, the sons of Ephraim, (C. &c.) or the men of Geth. Syr. and Arab. D. M. T. --- The text is ambiguous, but the former supposition seems more rational, (H.) and more generally received. C.

Ver. 23. Beria. This name signifies, in evil, or in affection. Ch. --- Briae, "in howling." M.

Ver. 24. Daughter, or great grand-daughter, repaired these three cities. C. --- The last, probably, was called after her. H. --- But its situation is unknown. C.

Ver. 25. Thale. Heb. "and Thale, his son, and Thaan, his son." These seem to have been the sons of Ephraim. The following were their descendants. H. --- At least Elisama was prince in the wilderness, (C.) under Moses; (Num. i. 10. H.) and Josue, the sixth from Ephraim, was 54 years old, when the Israelites left Egypt. C.

Ver. 29. Daughters. Sept. "villages." --- Joseph, by Ephraim and Manasses, west of the Jordan. H.

Ver. 34. Aram. Add, "and Helem," (C.) unless Helem was the first-born (v. 35) of Ahi, which signifies "brother." Perhaps Helem was brother of Somer, called Hotham, v. 32.

Ver. 37. Jethran. Sept. "Jether," as v. seq.

Ver. 38. Jephone. The father of Caleb was of the tribe of Juda. C.

Ver. 40. Of captains; a Hebrew idiom, to denote the most excellent. H. --- Heb. "chief of the princes." All mentioned from v. 30, were at the hand of their tribe, in succession, and led their brethren to battle. C.