1 Chronicles 8:33

It is observable that among all the genealogies of the tribes there is no mention of any of the kings of Israel after the defection from the house of David, much less of their families; not a word of Jeroboam's house or Baasha's, of Umri's or Jehu's; for they were all idolaters. But of the family of Saul, which was the royal family before the elevation of David, we have here a particular account. 1. Before Saul, Kish and Ner only are named, his father and grandfather, Ch1 8:33. His pedigree is carried higher Sa1 9:1, only there Kish is said to be the son of Abiel, here of Ner. He was in truth the son of Ner but the grandson of Abiel, as appears by Sa1 14:51, where it is said that Ner was the son of Abiel, and that Abner, who was the son of Ner, was Saul's uncle (that is, his father's brother); therefore his father was also the son of Ner. It is common in all languages to put sons for grandsons and other descendents, much more in the scanty language of the Hebrews. 2. After Saul, divers of his sons are named, but the posterity of none of them, save Jonathan only, who was blessed with numerous issue and those honoured with a place in the sacred genealogies for the sake of his sincere kindness to David. The line of Jonathan is drawn down here for about ten generations. Perhaps David was, in a particular manner, careful to preserve that, and assigned it a page by itself, because of the covenant made between his seed and Jonathan's seed forever, Sa1 20:15, Sa1 20:23, Sa1 20:42. This genealogy ends in Ulam, whose family became famous in the tribe of Benjamin for the number of its valiant men. Of that one man's posterity there were, as it should seem, at one time, 150 archers brought into the field of battle, that were mighty men of valour, Ch1 8:40. That is taken notice of concerning them which is more a man's praise than his pomp or wealth is, that they were qualified to serve their country.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

STOCK OF SAUL AND JONATHAN. (Ch1 8:33-40)

Ner begat Kish--The father of Ner, though not mentioned here, is stated (Ch1 9:35) to have been Jehiel. Moreover, the father of Kish is said (Sa1 9:1) to have been Abiel, the son of Zeror, whence it would seem that Abiel and Ner were names of the same person.

Abinadab--the same as Ishui (Sa1 14:49).

Esh-baal--that is, Ish-bosheth.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Ch 8:33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

Ver. 33. And Ner begat Kish.] This Ner is also called Abiel. {1Sa 9:1} The Hebrews tell us that his proper name was Abiel; and that he was called Ner - that is, a lamp or torch - because he outshone others in holiness. He had another son besides Kish, the father of Saul, viz., Ner, the father of Abner. {1Sa 14:50-51}

And Saul begat Jonathan.] Who was - as the Romans once said of Pompey - a most amiable son of an odious father. {a}

And Eshbaal.] Alias Ishbosheth; so 1Ch 8:34. Meribbaal, alias Mephibosheth. Baal is by Hosea called "That shame."

{a} εχθρου πατρος φιλτατον τεκνον.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8:33-40 The Chronicler concludes his record of Benjamin’s history with the genealogy of Saul, beginning two generations before Saul and extending through Merib-baal (=Mephibosheth; see study note on 2 Sam 4:4) and down to the families of Azel and Eshek (1 Chr 8:38-40). Micah (8:35) lived in the time of Solomon, and Ulam (8:39) lived near the end of the kingdom of Judah before the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, Saul is connected with his larger tribal history and with a noble heritage that carried on throughout the kingdom period.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Who in 1 Sam. 9:1 is called Abiel.

He is also named Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 2:8.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(33) The house of Saul It is not said here that Saul’s immediate family was settled at Gibeon. From 1Sa_10:26; 1Sa_15:34, and 2Sa_21:6, we learn that Gibeah, or “Gibeah of Saul,” was the seat of the king. It is gratuitous to suppose that the chronicler has confounded two different places.

And Ner begat Kish.—1Sa_9:1 gives the following pedigree of Kish: Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah; and 1Sa_14:51 states that Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, were sons of Abiel. The omission of intermediate names is not uncommon in these lists. We may, therefore, suppose that some members of the genealogical series are here omitted between Ner and Kish. The father of Abner was, of course, only a namesake of the present Ner, which is perhaps a clan, not an individual.

Saul begat Jonathan.—So 1Sa_14:49; 1Sa_31:2; save that the former passage has Ishui for Abinadab. This seems to be a case of double naming. Others identify Ishui with Ishbosheth.

Abinadab.—Comp. Nadab, 1Ch_8:30. Both are probably Divine titles, meaning “the father (i.e., Jehovah) is noble.” Comp. Kammusu Nadbi, “Chemosh is my prince,” the name of a Moabite king, mentioned by Sennacherib. Ner and Kish also both occurred in 1Ch_8:30 as Gibeonite clans. Here they (or at least Kish) may be said to be personal names.

Esh-baal.—2Sa_2:8, Ish-bosheth, David’s rival king. Esh-baal (“man of Baal”) is the true name. Ish-bosheth (“man of shame”) is a sort of euphemism, avoiding the very mention of an idol. So the Merib-baal (“Baal strives;” rather, perhaps, Meri-Baal, “man of Baal”) of 1Ch_8:34 appears in 2Sa_4:4; 2Sa_9:6, &c, as Mephibosheth, where probably the right reading is Meribbosheth. In like manner, idols are styled “abominations.” 1Ki_11:5 : “Milcom the abomination (i.e., god) of the sons of Ammon,” and elsewhere. Beth-el, the sanctuary of the golden calf, or rather bullock, is called Beth-aven. The “house of God” is a “house of wickedness” (Hos_4:15; Hos_5:8; Jos_7:2.) (See Note on 1Ch_8:30.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

33–40 (cp. 1Ch_9:39-44). The Genealogy of the House of Saul

33. Abinadab] So in 1Sa_31:2, but in 1Sa_14:49 R.V., Ishvi.

Eshbaal] In 2Sa_2:8 called Ish-bosheth. Cp. 1Ch_7:6, note on Jediael (= Ashbel), In the (more generally read) Sam. text the offensive name Eshbaal “Man of Baal” has been changed to Ishbosheth, “Man of the Shameful-thing” (i.e. of the idol), but it has been left standing in the less-used text of Chron. The title Baal (“Lord”) was applied in early days (e.g. in the days of Saul) to the national God of Israel, but in later days (cp. Hos_2:17) the prophets objected to it because it was freely applied to Heathen gods. Thus to Saul and Samuel the name Eshbaal was acceptable as meaning “Man of the Lord,” i.e. of Jehovah, while to the prophetic author or reviser of the book of Samuel it was offensive as signifying “Man of a Baal,” i.e. of one of the gods worshipped by the neighbouring nations.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bochim, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan,.... Which make the said number:

all these were the sons of Azel; his family was large.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This verse combined with 1Ch 9:35-39, seems to show that the genealogy of Saul was:

Abiel (= Jehiel?)

Ner

Kish

Abner

Saul

Rather than that to be inferred from 1Sa 9:1; 1Sa 14:50-51.

In 1Sa 14:49 note, it is concluded that Saul’s second son bore the two names of “Ishui” and “Abinadab.” But the order of the names here:

(1) Jonathan;

(2) Malchi-shua; and

(3) Abinadab - suggests another explanation, namely, that Ishui, the second son, died young, and that Abinadab was really the fourth son.

Esh-baal - Previous to the introduction of the Phoenician Baal-worship into Israel by Ahab, the word “Baal” בעל ba‛al had no bad sense in Hebrew, but was simply an equivalent of the more ordinary אל 'êl, “God” (1Ch 3:1 note). Hence, there is nothing strange in the use at this time of the names, “Esh-baal” (“man of God”), “Baal,” “Beel-iada,” “Merib-baal,” etc. Later on such names became offensive to pious ears, and were changed for the better, or for the worse, “Beel-iada” becoming “El-iada” (“let God aid”) - “Esh-baal,” “Ish-bo-sheth” (“man of shame”) - “Merib-baal,” “Mephi-bosheth;” and the like.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ner, son of Abiel, or of Jeheil, prince of Gabaon, ver. 29. (Haydock) --- From Aphia sprung Bechorah, Seror, Abiel, (1 Kings ix.) who is also called Ner and Jehiel. He had Ner, the father of Abner, and Cis, father of Saul. (Menochius) --- Abinadab, or Jessui, 1 Kings xiv. 49. (Calmet) --- Esbaal, alias Isboseth. (Challoner) --- The Hebrews avoid pronouncing the name of the idol, and substitute boseth, "confusion." (Calmet) --- Hence it is clear that many had two names. (Du Hamel)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Vers. 33, 34. The number of Saul"s children was certainly nine. In addition to the four (1Sa_31:2) mentioned here, there was Ishui, probably standing second, (1Sa_14:49) and there were two daughters, Merab and Michal, (1Sa_14:49) and there were two sons by Rizpah, (2Sa_21:8) named Armoui and Mephi-bosheth. Esh-baal; the same with Ishbo-sheth . (2Sa_2:8 2Sa_3:7-14 2Sa_4:4-12) Merib-baal; the same with Mephibosheth. (2Sa_9:12) Micah is, therefore, the great-grandson of Saul.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bochim, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan,.... Which make the said number:

all these were the sons of Azel; his family was large.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)