The Living Bible (131 page)

1 Chronicles
8

The sons of Benjamin, according to age, were:
Bela,
the first, Ashbel, the second, Aharah, the third, Nohah, the fourth, Rapha, the fifth.

    
^3-5
 The sons of
Bela
were: Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, Huram.

    
^6-7
 The sons of Ehud, chiefs of the subclans living at Geba, were captured in war and exiled to Manahath. They were: Naaman, Ahijah, Gera (also called Heglam), the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

    
^8-10
 Shaharaim divorced his wives
Hushim
and Baara, but he had children in the land of Moab by Hodesh, his new wife: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, Jeuz, Sachia, Mirmah.

    
These sons all became chiefs of subclans.

    
¹¹
 His wife
Hushim
had borne him Abitub and
Elpaal.

    
¹²
 The sons of
Elpaal
were: Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod and their surrounding villages).

    
¹³
 His other sons were
Beriah
and Shema, chiefs of subclans living in Aijalon; they chased out the inhabitants of Gath.

    
¹⁴
 
Elpaal’s
sons also included: Ahio,
Shashak,
Jeremoth.

    
^15-16
 The sons of
Beriah
were: Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, Michael, Ishpah, Joha.

    
^17-18
 The sons of
Elpaal
also included: Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, Ishmerai, Izliah, Jobab.

    
^19-21
 The sons of Shimei were: Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, Adaiah, Beraiah, Shimrath.

    
^22-25
 The sons of
Shashak
were: Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, Iphdeiah, Penuel.

    
^26-27
 The sons of Jeroham were: Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, Jaareshiah, Elijah, Zichri.

    
²⁸
 These were the chiefs of the subclans living at Jerusalem.

    
²⁹
 Jeiel, the father of Gibeon, lived at Gibeon; and his wife’s name was Maacah.
^30-32
 His oldest son was named Abdon, followed by: Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, Mikloth who was the father of Shimeah.

    
All of these families lived together near Jerusalem.

    
³³
 Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul;

    
Saul’s sons included:
Jonathan,
Malchi-shua, Abinadab, Eshbaal.

    
³⁴
 The son of
Jonathan
was Mephibosheth;
*

    
The son of Mephibosheth
*
was Micah.

    
³⁵
 The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, Ahaz.

    
³⁶
 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of: Alemeth, Azmaveth, Zimri. Zimri’s son was Moza.

    
³⁷
 Moza was the father of Binea, whose sons were: Raphah, Eleasah, Azel.

    
³⁸
 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, Hanan.

    
³⁹
 Azel’s brother Eshek had three sons:
Ulam,
the first, Jeush, the second, Eliphelet, the third.

    
⁴⁰
 
Ulam’s
sons were prominent warriors who were expert marksmen with their bows. These men had 150 sons and grandsons, and they were all from the tribe of Benjamin.

1 Chronicles
9

The family tree of every person in Israel was carefully recorded in
The Annals of the Kings of Israel.

    
Judah was exiled to Babylon because the people worshiped idols.

    
²
 The first to return and live again in their former cities were families from the tribes of Israel and also the priests, the Levites, and the Temple assistants.

    
³
 Then some families from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh arrived in Jerusalem:

    
⁴
 One family was that of Uthai (the son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani) of the clan of Perez (son of Judah).

    
⁵
 The Shilonites were another family to return, including Asaiah (Shilon’s oldest son) and his sons;
⁶
 there were also the sons of Zerah, including Jeuel and his relatives: 690 in all.

    
^7-8
 Among the members of the tribe of Benjamin who returned were these:

    
Sallu (the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah);

    
Ibneiah (the son of Jeroham);

    
Elah (the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri);

    
Meshullam (the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah).

    
⁹
 These men were all chiefs of subclans. A total of 956 Benjaminites returned.

    
^10-11
 The priests who returned were:

    
Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin,

    
Azariah (the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub). He was the chief custodian of the Temple.

    
¹²
 Another of the returning priests was Adaiah (son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah).

    
Another priest was Maasai (son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer).

    
¹³
 In all, 1,760 priests returned.

    
¹⁴
 Among the Levites who returned was Shemaiah (son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, who was a descendant of Merari).

    
^15-16
 Other Levites who returned included:

    
Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal,

    
Mattaniah (the son of Mica, who was the son of Zichri, who was the son of Asaph),

    
Obadiah (the son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun),

    
Berechiah (the son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the area of the Netophathites).

    
^17-18
 The gatekeepers were Shallum (the chief gatekeeper), Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman—all Levites. They are still responsible for the eastern royal gate.
¹⁹
 Shallum’s ancestry went back through Kore and Ebiasaph to Korah. He and his close relatives the Korahites were in charge of the sacrifices and the protection of the sanctuary, just as their ancestors had supervised and guarded the Tabernacle.
²⁰
 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, was the first director of this division in ancient times. And the Lord was with him.

    
²¹
 At that time Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah, had been responsible for the protection of the entrance to the Tabernacle.
²²
 There were 212 doorkeepers in those days. They were chosen from their villages on the basis of their genealogies, and they were appointed by David and Samuel because of their reliability.
²³
 They and their descendants were in charge of the Lord’s Tabernacle.
²⁴
 They were assigned to each of the four sides: east, west, north, and south.
²⁵
 And their relatives in the villages were assigned to help them from time to time, for seven days at a time.

    
²⁶
 The four head gatekeepers, all Levites, were in an office of great trust, for they were responsible for the rooms and treasuries in the Tabernacle of God.
²⁷
 Because of their important positions, they lived near the Tabernacle, and they opened the gates each morning.
²⁸
 Some of them were assigned to care for the various vessels used in the sacrifices and worship; they checked them in and out to avoid loss.
²⁹
 Others were responsible for the furniture, the items in the sanctuary, and the supplies such as fine flour, wine, incense, and spices.

    
³⁰
 Other priests prepared the spices and incense.

    
³¹
 And Mattithiah (a Levite and the oldest son of Shallum the Korahite) was entrusted with making the flat cakes for grain offerings.

    
³²
 Some members of the Kohath clan were in charge of the preparation of the special bread
*
each Sabbath.

    
^33-34
 The cantors were all prominent Levites. They lived in Jerusalem at the Temple and were on duty at all hours. They were free from other responsibilities and were selected by their genealogies.

    
^35-37
 Jeiel (whose wife was Maacah) lived in Gibeon. He had many
*
sons, including: Gibeon, Abdon (the oldest), Zur, Kish, Baal,
Ner,
Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, Mikloth.

    
³⁸
 Mikloth lived with his son Shimeam in Jerusalem near his relatives.

    
³⁹
 
Ner
was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, Saul was the father of
Jonathan,
Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

    
⁴⁰
 
Jonathan
was the father of Mephibosheth;
*

    
Mephibosheth
*
was the father of Micah;

    
⁴¹
 Micah was the father of Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz;

    
⁴²
 Ahaz was the father of Jarah;

    
Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri;

    
Zimri was the father of Moza.

    
⁴³
 Moza was the father of Binea, Rephaiah, Eleasah, and Azel.

    
⁴⁴
 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, Hanan.