Benjamin again, in full — this time as the road to Saul: the builders of 'Ono, and Lod, with its towns'; the fathers who dwelt in Jerusalem; the father of Gibeon. Then the line the whole chapter exists for: 'And Ner begot Kish; and Kish begot Saul; and Saul begot Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.' Jonathan’s line runs on through Merib-baal and Micah, generation after generation, down to the sons of Ulam — 'mighty men of valor, archers,' with 'many sons, and sons’ sons, a hundred and fifty.' The house of Saul is kept in Israel’s records long after the kingdom has left it.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And Benjamin begot Bela his first-born, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third;
verse value 2520
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. Verse gematria: 2520 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "his·first-born" (בְּכֹר֑וֹ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Benjamin" (וּבִ֨נְיָמִ֔ן, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Bela" (אֶת־בֶּ֣לַע), "Ashbel" (אַשְׁבֵּל֙), "and·Aharah" (וְאַחְרַ֖ח). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles); "his·first-born" (root בכור, 24x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·first-born', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּבִ֨נְיָמִ֔ן [and·Benjamin] (158) + הוֹלִ֖יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־בֶּ֣לַע [Bela] (503) + בְּכֹר֑וֹ [his·first-born] (228) + אַשְׁבֵּל֙ [Ashbel] (333) + הַשֵּׁנִ֔י [the·second] (365) + וְאַחְרַ֖ח [and·Aharah] (223) + הַשְּׁלִישִֽׁי [the·third] (655) = 2520.
Rashi
And Benjamin begot Bela his firstborn He already traced his genealogy (above 7:6-11), but since he wished to trace his genealogy until Saul, he commences to trace it from Benjamin. We read other names here and the entire genealogy above, and whoever wishes to study with exactitude the majority of the Levitic cities and the open land around them - they are in Joshua, because Ezra found various books.
Ralbag
'And Benjamin begot Bela his first-born' - Now earlier [in chapter 7] the families of the sons of Benjamin were listed as they were registered in the days of David, and these consisted only of the families of Bela, Becher, and Jediael; and it appears that Jediael is [the same as] Ashbel. Because of the incident of the concubine at Gibeah, many of their families died out; but in this place, all the families are recorded [as they had originally stood]. And it appears that Aharah, who was the third son, is the one called Ahiram in the portion of Pinchas.
Metzudat David
'And Benjamin' — Scripture returns to mention Benjamin in order to trace, after him, the genealogy of Saul the king. 'Ashbel' — elsewhere different names are listed, and there are many such discrepancies between one place and another; for it is the way of this book that whatever it omits here, it reveals elsewhere. But there is also a homiletical reading behind all this, as our sages said: the Book of Chronicles was given only to be expounded.
Malbim
And Benjamin begot – In the Torah, in parashat Pinchas (Numbers 26), the sons of Benjamin who were heads of families are counted as Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shephupham, and Hupham. By the days of Ezra, some of these ancestral houses had changed their names: instead of Ahiram – Aharah; instead of Shephupham – Nohah; and instead of Hupham – Rapha. (Becher, Gera, and Rosh, mentioned in parashat Vayigash (Genesis 46), are omitted here, since no families descended from them.)
Verse structure: 4 words, 20 letters. Verse gematria: 1026 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "Nohah" (נוֹחָה֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·fourth" (הָרְבִיעִ֔י, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Nohah" (נוֹחָה֙), "and·Rapha" (וְרָפָ֖א). 4 unique roots are used. Full calculation: נוֹחָה֙ [Nohah] (69) + הָרְבִיעִ֔י [the·fourth] (297) + וְרָפָ֖א [and·Rapha] (287) + הַחֲמִישִֽׁי [the·fifth] (373) = 1026.
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 720 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "Addar" (אַדָּ֥ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Abihud" (וַאֲבִיהֽוּד, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "to·Bela" (לְבָ֑לַע), "Addar" (אַדָּ֥ר), "and·Abihud" (וַאֲבִיהֽוּד). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "and·they·were" (root היה, 104x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root גרא ("and·Gera") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Bela', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּהְי֥וּ [and·they·were] (37) + בָנִ֖ים [sons] (102) + לְבָ֑לַע [to·Bela] (132) + אַדָּ֥ר [Addar] (205) + וְגֵרָ֖א [and·Gera] (210) + וַאֲבִיהֽוּד [and·Abihud] (34) = 720.
Malbim
And Bela had sons – In the Torah, two heads of families are attributed to Bela: Ard and Naaman; these are the ones listed in parashat Vayigash (Genesis 46) among the sons of Benjamin, though they were actually his grandsons, and here they are written as Addar and Naaman. As time went on, additional heads of families were added: to the family of Addar (son of Bela) were added Gera, Abihud, and Abishua; and to the family of Naaman (son of Bela) were added Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
Verse structure: 3 words, 17 letters. The shortest word is "and·Naaman" (וְנַעֲמָ֖ן, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·Abishua" (וַאֲבִישׁ֥וּעַ, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Ahoah" (וַאֲחֽוֹחַ). 3 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וַאֲבִישׁ֥וּעַ [and·Abishua] (395) + וְנַעֲמָ֖ן [and·Naaman] (216) + וַאֲחֽוֹחַ [and·Ahoah] (29) = 640.
Verse structure: 3 words, 15 letters. The shortest word is "and·Gera" (וְגֵרָ֥א, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Shephuphan" (וּשְׁפוּפָ֖ן, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Shephuphan" (וּשְׁפוּפָ֖ן), "and·Huram" (וְחוּרָֽם). 3 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וְגֵרָ֥א [and·Gera] (210) + וּשְׁפוּפָ֖ן [and·Shephuphan] (522) + וְחוּרָֽם [and·Huram] (260) = 992.
Ralbag
'And Shephuphan, and Huram' - They are Shephupham and Hupham in the portion of Pinchas.
And these are the sons of Ehud—these are the heads of fathers’ houses of the inhabitants of Geba, and they were carried captive to Manahath;
verse value 2181
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 45 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֣לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "they" (הֵ֞ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·inhabitants·of" (לְי֣וֹשְׁבֵי, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Ehud" (אֵח֑וּד), "Geba" (גֶ֔בַע), "and·they·exiled·them" (וַיַּגְל֖וּם). The root אלה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "fathers" (root אב, 95x in I Chronicles); "and·these" (root אלה, 89x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Ehud', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: וְאֵ֖לֶּה [and·these] (42) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + אֵח֑וּד [Ehud] (19) + אֵ֣לֶּה [these] (36) + הֵ֞ם [they] (45) + רָאשֵׁ֤י [heads·of] (511) + אָבוֹת֙ [fathers] (409) + לְי֣וֹשְׁבֵי [to·inhabitants·of] (358) + גֶ֔בַע [Geba] (75) + וַיַּגְל֖וּם [and·they·exiled·them] (95) + אֶל־מָנָֽחַת [to·Manahath] (529) = 2181.
Rashi
And they exiled them to Manahath Who exiled them? He explains this in the [next] verse: And Naaman and Ahiah and Gera - he exiled them. Manahath This is the name of a province, as it is written (above 2:52): “who ruled over half the Menuhoth,” and it is written (ibid. verse 54): “and half the Manahtites.”
Ralbag
'And these are the sons of Ehud' - It is known that Ehud was the son of Gera, as is stated in the Book of Judges; and it appears that he was among the descendants of Bela, and that is why his sons are attributed to Bela. It says that these nine sons named, who were the sons of Ehud, were heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of Geba - for the city of Geba belonged to the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, as is stated [elsewhere]. Some of them were carried off to the city of Manahath, because some of them prevailed in strength over others. And now it proceeds to list them:
Metzudat David
'And these are the sons of Ehud' — perhaps this is the same as Bela, called by two names. 'and they carried them captive' — those heads carried the inhabitants of Geba away captive to Manahath.
Metzudat Zion
And they carried them off (vayaglum) - An expression of moving from place to place; and this can occur even without captivity, as in "and you, too, an exile, to your own place" (II Samuel 15).
Malbim
'And these are' — meaning, these last-mentioned ones, Shephuphan and Huram, were sons of Ehud; that is, a man named Ehud, of the families of Naaman, fathered them. And they — Shephuphan and Huram, sons of Ehud — were heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of Geba; for at the time of the incident of the concubine at Gibeah, they were the leaders there. 'and they were carried captive to Manahath' — after Israel's war against Geba, they exiled the leaders Shephuphan and Huram to Manahath, the name of a city or place; for Israel would not let them remain dwelling among them, since they had been the leaders and had not protested the matter.
and Naaman, and Ahijah, and Gera, were they who carried them captive—and he begot Uzza, and Ahihud.
verse value 1524
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "he" (ה֣וּא, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Ahihud" (וְאֶת־אֲחִיחֻֽד, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Ahijah" (וַאֲחִיָּ֛ה), "he·exiled·them" (הֶגְלָ֑ם), "and·he·begot" (וְהוֹלִ֥יד). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles); "he" (root הוא, 50x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root עזא ("Uzza") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·exiled·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. 5 of the verse's 8 words begin with the letter ו. Full calculation: וְנַעֲמָ֧ן [and·Naaman] (216) + וַאֲחִיָּ֛ה [and·Ahijah] (30) + וְגֵרָ֖א [and·Gera] (210) + ה֣וּא [he] (12) + הֶגְלָ֑ם [he·exiled·them] (78) + וְהוֹלִ֥יד [and·he·begot] (61) + אֶת־עֻזָּ֖א [Uzza] (479) + וְאֶת־אֲחִיחֻֽד [and·Ahihud] (438) = 1524.
Ralbag
'And Naaman, and Ahijah, and Gera, were they who carried them captive' - Meaning, each of them took part in exiling the six who remained; and Ahijah is [the same as] Ahoah, named earlier. 'And he begot Uzza, and Ahihud' - It appears that this refers back to Gera. And it goes on to say (verse 8) that 'Shaharaim' - who is Huram, named above (verse 5) - fathered children in the fields of Moab from the time that Gera sent them away from Geba, meaning that he and some of his brothers sent them away. And it says that he fathered children by Hushim and Baara, who were his wives. Now Baara had two names, for I believe she was also called Hodesh; and it says that she bore him Jobab and Zibia, and so on.
Metzudat David
'and Naaman' — now Scripture specifies exactly which of them carried them captive. 'and Ahijah' — perhaps this is the same as Ahoah mentioned above, since the names are close in form. 'he' — this refers back to Gera — meaning that after he exiled them, he begot Uzza, etc.
Malbim
'and Naaman' — then Ehud their father went and exiled there also Naaman, Ahoah, and Gera — that is, the remaining heads of the fathers' houses of these families, who descended from Naaman son of Bela — so that they would all be in one place. This is the meaning of "he is the one who carried them captive": the aforementioned Ehud is the one who exiled Naaman and Ahijah (who is Ahoah), and Gera. 'and he begot' — then [Ehud] begot Uzza, and Ahihud, and Shaharaim; and [Scripture] goes on to explain that Shaharaim was begotten in the field of Moab (since the two previous sons were begotten in Manahath), but that at the time he begot Shaharaim, he [Ehud] was sojourning in the field of Moab, away from Shilcho-otam. That is to say, Ehud had three wives: the name of the first was Shilcho-otam, the name of the second was Hushim, and the name of the third was Baara; and it was from these three wives that he begot the three sons just mentioned. This is the meaning of "he begot [them] from Shilcho-otam, and from Hushim, and from Baara" — his three wives. And do not be puzzled that the word "et Baara" should be a proper name, for I have already brought several examples of this above (2:18), regarding "ve'et Yeriot"; and likewise, do not be puzzled at the name "Shilcho-otam," for such names are indeed found. Radak too, in his first explanation, explains "Shilcho-otam" as a proper name; though according to what he writes below on verse 31, his explanation there is that it was Shaharaim who begot [them] — see there.
And Shaharaim begot children in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away, namely, Hushim and Baara his wives;
verse value 3264
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "them" (אֹתָ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Baara" (וְאֶֽת־בַּעֲרָ֖א, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Shaharaim" (וְשַׁחֲרַ֗יִם), "from·his·sending" (מִן־שִׁלְח֖וֹ), "Hushim" (חוּשִׁ֥ים). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles); "from·his·sending" (root שלח, 20x in I Chronicles); "his·wives" (root אשה, 20x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'them', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְשַׁחֲרַ֗יִם [and·Shaharaim] (564) + הוֹלִיד֙ [begot] (55) + בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה [in·field·of] (311) + מוֹאָ֔ב [Moab] (49) + מִן־שִׁלְח֖וֹ [from·his·sending] (434) + אֹתָ֑ם [them] (441) + חוּשִׁ֥ים [Hushim] (364) + וְאֶֽת־בַּעֲרָ֖א [and·Baara] (680) + נָשָֽׁיו [his·wives] (366) = 3264.
Rashi
And Shaharaim begot He was one of the exiles, and after they sent him out of exile, he begot these. Hushim and Baara were his wives. These were the names of his wives.
Metzudat David
'And Shaharaim' — he too was among the sons of Benjamin, and perhaps he is mentioned above under another name. 'in the field of Moab' — at the time he went to sojourn there. 'after he had sent them away' — the word ‘from’ (min), stated only once, stands in place of two more [instances], as if it had been written: ‘from [among] those he had sent away, and from Hushim, and from Baara, his wives’ — these being the names of the wives: the first, ‘the one he had sent away,’ the second Hushim, and the third Baara. And the word ‘et’ functions like ‘min’ (‘from’), as in ‘when I went out of the city’ (Exodus 9:29), whose sense is ‘from the city.’
he begot of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcam;
verse value 3391
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "his·wife" (אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Zibia" (וְאֶת־צִבְיָ֔א, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "from·Hodesh" (מִן־חֹ֣דֶשׁ), "Jobab" (אֶת־יוֹבָב֙), "and·Zibia" (וְאֶת־צִבְיָ֔א). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles); "from·Hodesh" (root חדש, 23x in I Chronicles); "his·wife" (root אשה, 20x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·wife', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיּ֖וֹלֶד [and·he·begot] (56) + מִן־חֹ֣דֶשׁ [from·Hodesh] (402) + אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ [his·wife] (707) + אֶת־יוֹבָב֙ [Jobab] (421) + וְאֶת־צִבְיָ֔א [and·Zibia] (510) + וְאֶת־מֵישָׁ֖א [and·Mesha] (758) + וְאֶת־מַלְכָּֽם [and·Malcam] (537) = 3391.
Metzudat David
'of Hodesh his wife' — she is the one referred to above as ‘the one he had sent away,’ and she was called by two names.
Malbim
'he begot of Hodesh his wife' — afterward he married a new wife, hence it says "Hodesh his wife" [Hodesh meaning "new"] — or perhaps her name was indeed Hodesh — and from her he afterward begot Jobab, and Zibia, and so on, and Jeuz, and so on. 'These are his sons' — [meaning,] they were heads of fathers' houses.
and Jeuz, and Sachiah, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ houses.
verse value 3041
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֥לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "these" (אֵ֥לֶּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Jeuz" (וְאֶת־יְע֥וּץ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Jeuz" (וְאֶת־יְע֥וּץ), "and·Sachiah" (וְאֶת־שָֽׂכְיָ֖ה), "and·Mirmah" (וְאֶת־מִרְמָ֑ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·sons" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "fathers" (root אב, 95x in I Chronicles); "these" (root אלה, 89x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·Mirmah', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־יְע֥וּץ [and·Jeuz] (583) + וְאֶת־שָֽׂכְיָ֖ה [and·Sachiah] (742) + וְאֶת־מִרְמָ֑ה [and·Mirmah] (692) + אֵ֥לֶּה [these] (36) + בָנָ֖יו [his·sons] (68) + רָאשֵׁ֥י [heads·of] (511) + אָבֽוֹת [fathers] (409) = 3041.
Verse structure: 4 words, 27 letters. Verse gematria: 1508 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "he·begot" (הוֹלִ֥יד, 5 letters) and the longest is "Abitub" (אֶת־אֲבִיט֖וּב, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·from·Hushim" (וּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים), "Abitub" (אֶת־אֲבִיט֖וּב), "and·Elpaal" (וְאֶת־אֶלְפָּֽעַל). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "he·begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root אלפעל ("and·Elpaal") in I Chronicles. Full calculation: וּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים [and·from·Hushim] (404) + הוֹלִ֥יד [he·begot] (55) + אֶת־אֲבִיט֖וּב [Abitub] (431) + וְאֶת־אֶלְפָּֽעַל [and·Elpaal] (618) = 1508.
Rashi
And from Hushim he begot This is Hushim his wife, mentioned above, and because there was an interruption with Hodesh his wife.
Ralbag
'And of Hushim [his wife] he begot Abitub,' etc. - It appears that Scripture relates all this because, more often than not, the persecuted end up more successful in the end; and so it says that the descendants of Shaharaim prospered greatly, built Ono and Lod, and drove out the inhabitants of Gath.
Malbim
'and of Hushim he begot' — afterward he begot, from his wife Hushim (mentioned in verse 8), Abitub and Elpaal.
And the sons of Elpaal: Eber, and Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono, and Lod, with its towns;
verse value 2804
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "Eber" (עֵ֥בֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "Ono" (אֶת־אוֹנ֔וֹ, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Misham" (וּמִשְׁעָ֖ם), "and·Shemed" (וָשָׁ֑מֶד), "built" (בָּנָ֣ה). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "he" (root הוא, 50x in I Chronicles); "built" (root בנה, 26x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·Shemed', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּבְנֵ֣י [and·sons·of] (68) + אֶלְפַּ֔עַל [Elpaal] (211) + עֵ֥בֶר [Eber] (272) + וּמִשְׁעָ֖ם [and·Misham] (456) + וָשָׁ֑מֶד [and·Shemed] (350) + ה֚וּא [he] (12) + בָּנָ֣ה [built] (57) + אֶת־אוֹנ֔וֹ [Ono] (464) + וְאֶת־לֹ֖ד [and·Lod] (441) + וּבְנֹתֶֽיהָ [and·its·towns] (473) = 2804.
Metzudat David
'who built' — this is said of Shemed.
Malbim
'And the sons of Elpaal: Eber, etc.… who built' — [meaning,] it was Shemed who built Ono; and likewise Beriah and Shema were [also] sons of Elpaal, and it was they who drove out the inhabitants of Gath.
and Beriah, and Shema, who were heads of fathers’ houses of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath.
verse value 3542
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "Gath" (גַֽת, 2 letters) and the longest is "inhabitants·of" (אֶת־י֥וֹשְׁבֵי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 50: they, they. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Beriah" (וּבְרִעָ֣ה), "Aijalon" (אַיָּל֑וֹן), "put·to·flight" (הִבְרִ֖יחוּ). The root המה appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·fathers" (root אב, 95x in I Chronicles); "heads·of" (root ראש, 73x in I Chronicles); "to·inhabitants·of" (root ישב, 44x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root גת ("Gath") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Aijalon', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּבְרִעָ֣ה [and·Beriah] (283) + וָשֶׁ֔מַע [and·Shema] (416) + הֵ֚מָּה [they] (50) + רָאשֵׁ֣י [heads·of] (511) + הָאָב֔וֹת [the·fathers] (414) + לְיוֹשְׁבֵ֖י [to·inhabitants·of] (358) + אַיָּל֑וֹן [Aijalon] (97) + הֵ֥מָּה [they] (50) + הִבְרִ֖יחוּ [put·to·flight] (231) + אֶת־י֥וֹשְׁבֵי [inhabitants·of] (729) + גַֽת [Gath] (403) = 3542.
Metzudat David
'And Beriah, and Shema' — they too were among the sons of Elpaal. 'Who put to flight' — by making war against them.
Verse structure: 3 words, 14 letters. The shortest word is "Shashak" (שָׁשָׁ֖ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Jeremoth" (וִירֵמֽוֹת, 6 letters). 3 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root אחיו ("and·Ahio") in I Chronicles. Full calculation: וְאַחְי֥וֹ [and·Ahio] (31) + שָׁשָׁ֖ק [Shashak] (700) + וִירֵמֽוֹת [and·Jeremoth] (662) = 1393.
Rashi
And Ahio, Shashak All these were the sons of Elpaal. Another explanation, which is more correct, is that from “Ahio, Shashak” until “and Joha,” all these are the sons of Beriah, and from “Zebadiah” until “Jobab,” all these are the sons of Elpaal, and from “And Jakim,” until “and Shimrath,” all these are the sons of Shimei.
Malbim
'And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth' — [Scripture] now details the sons of Beriah (vv. 14-15), then the rest of the sons of Elpaal (vv. 17-18), then the sons of Shimei (vv. 19-21); after that it returns to the lineage of the sons of Shashak (vv. 22-25), and then the sons of Jeroham, which, as it appears, refers to the sons of Jeremoth (vv. 26-27).
Verse structure: 3 words, 14 letters. Verse gematria: 594 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "and·Arad" (וַעֲרָ֖ד, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Zebadiah" (וּזְבַדְיָ֥ה, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 280: and·Arad, and·Eder. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Arad" (וַעֲרָ֖ד). 3 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root זבדיה ("and·Zebadiah") in I Chronicles. First appearance of the root עדר ("and·Eder") in I Chronicles. Full calculation: וּזְבַדְיָ֥ה [and·Zebadiah] (34) + וַעֲרָ֖ד [and·Arad] (280) + וָעָֽדֶר [and·Eder] (280) = 594.
and Michael, and Ishpah, and Joha, were the sons of Beriah.
verse value 888
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Michael" (וּמִיכָאֵ֧ל, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Ishpah" (וְיִשְׁפָּ֛ה), "and·Joha" (וְיוֹחָ֖א). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles). Full calculation: וּמִיכָאֵ֧ל [and·Michael] (107) + וְיִשְׁפָּ֛ה [and·Ishpah] (401) + וְיוֹחָ֖א [and·Joha] (31) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + בְרִיעָֽה [Beriah] (287) = 888.
Metzudat David
'Were the sons of Beriah' — this refers back to all of them, from Ahio onward.
And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hizki, and Heber;
verse value 797
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 20 letters. The shortest word is "and·Heber" (וָחָֽבֶר, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Zebadiah" (וּזְבַדְיָ֥ה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Hizki" (וְחִזְקִ֥י). 4 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וּזְבַדְיָ֥ה [and·Zebadiah] (34) + וּמְשֻׁלָּ֖ם [and·Meshullam] (416) + וְחִזְקִ֥י [and·Hizki] (131) + וָחָֽבֶר [and·Heber] (216) = 797.
and Ishmerai, and Izliah, and Jobab, were the sons of Elpaal.
verse value 934
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "and·Jobab" (וְיוֹבָ֖ב) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Izliah" (וְיִזְלִיאָ֛ה, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Ishmerai" (וְיִשְׁמְרַ֧י), "and·Izliah" (וְיִזְלִיאָ֛ה), "and·Jobab" (וְיוֹבָ֖ב). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles). Full calculation: וְיִשְׁמְרַ֧י [and·Ishmerai] (566) + וְיִזְלִיאָ֛ה [and·Izliah] (69) + וְיוֹבָ֖ב [and·Jobab] (26) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + אֶלְפָּֽעַל [Elpaal] (211) = 934.
Metzudat David
'Were the sons of Elpaal' — it is possible that these were actually his grandsons rather than his own sons, and this is why Scripture did not count them above together with his sons.
Verse structure: 3 words, 15 letters. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Jakim" (וְיָקִ֥ים), "and·Zabdi" (וְזַבְדִּֽי). 3 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root זכרי ("and·Zichri") in I Chronicles. Full calculation: וְיָקִ֥ים [and·Jakim] (166) + וְזִכְרִ֖י [and·Zichri] (243) + וְזַבְדִּֽי [and·Zabdi] (29) = 438.
Verse structure: 3 words, 19 letters. The shortest word is "and·Zillethai" (וְצִלְּתַ֖י, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·Elienai" (וֶאֱלִיעֵינַ֥י, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Elienai" (וֶאֱלִיעֵינַ֥י). 3 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וֶאֱלִיעֵינַ֥י [and·Elienai] (187) + וְצִלְּתַ֖י [and·Zillethai] (536) + וֶאֱלִיאֵֽל [and·Eliel] (78) = 801.
and Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, were the sons of Shimei.
verse value 1747
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Beraiah" (וּבְרָאיָ֛ה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Beraiah" (וּבְרָאיָ֛ה), "and·Shimrath" (וְשִׁמְרָ֖ת). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles). Full calculation: וַעֲדָיָ֧ה [and·Adaiah] (95) + וּבְרָאיָ֛ה [and·Beraiah] (224) + וְשִׁמְרָ֖ת [and·Shimrath] (946) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + שִׁמְעִֽי [Shimei] (420) = 1747.
Metzudat David
'Were the sons of Shimei' — this is the same Shema son of Elpaal mentioned above.
Verse structure: 3 words, 15 letters. The shortest word is "and·Ebed" (וָעֵ֖בֶר, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Eliel" (וֶאֱלִיאֵֽל, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Ishpan" (וְיִשְׁפָּ֥ן). 3 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וְיִשְׁפָּ֥ן [and·Ishpan] (446) + וָעֵ֖בֶר [and·Ebed] (278) + וֶאֱלִיאֵֽל [and·Eliel] (78) = 802.
Verse structure: 3 words, 15 letters. The shortest word is "and·Hanan" (וְחָנָֽן, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Abdon" (וְעַבְדּ֥וֹן, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Abdon" (וְעַבְדּ֥וֹן). 3 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וְעַבְדּ֥וֹן [and·Abdon] (138) + וְזִכְרִ֖י [and·Zichri] (243) + וְחָנָֽן [and·Hanan] (114) = 495.
Verse structure: 3 words, 18 letters. Verse gematria: 1226 is divisible by 613, the number of the commandments (mitzvot). The shortest word is "and·Elam" (וְעֵילָ֖ם, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·Anthothiah" (וְעַנְתֹתִיָּֽה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Elam" (וְעֵילָ֖ם), "and·Anthothiah" (וְעַנְתֹתִיָּֽה). 3 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וַחֲנַנְיָ֥ה [and·Hananiah] (129) + וְעֵילָ֖ם [and·Elam] (156) + וְעַנְתֹתִיָּֽה [and·Anthothiah] (941) = 1226.
and Iphdeiah, and Penuel, were the sons of Shashak.
verse value 1227
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Iphdeiah" (וְיִפְדְיָ֥ה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Iphdeiah" (וְיִפְדְיָ֥ה). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles).
Verse structure: 3 words, 18 letters. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Shamsherai" (וְשַׁמְשְׁרַ֥י), "and·Shehariah" (וּשְׁחַרְיָ֖ה), "and·Athaliah" (וַעֲתַלְיָֽה). 3 unique roots are used. Full calculation: וְשַׁמְשְׁרַ֥י [and·Shamsherai] (856) + וּשְׁחַרְיָ֖ה [and·Shehariah] (529) + וַעֲתַלְיָֽה [and·Athaliah] (521) = 1906.
and Jaareshiah, and Elijah, and Zichri, were the sons of Jeroham.
verse value 1216
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Jaareshiah" (וְיַעֲרֶשְׁיָ֧ה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Jaareshiah" (וְיַעֲרֶשְׁיָ֧ה), "and·Elijah" (וְאֵלִיָּ֛ה). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles). Full calculation: וְיַעֲרֶשְׁיָ֧ה [and·Jaareshiah] (601) + וְאֵלִיָּ֛ה [and·Elijah] (52) + וְזִכְרִ֖י [and·Zichri] (243) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + יְרֹחָֽם [Jeroham] (258) = 1216.
Metzudat David
'Were the sons of Jeroham' — perhaps he was mentioned above under his other name.
These were heads of fathers’ houses throughout their generations, chief men; these dwelt in Jerusalem.
verse value 3359
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֣לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "these" (אֵ֣לֶּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·their·generations" (לְתֹלְדוֹתָ֖ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 36: these, these. The root אלה appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "fathers" (root אב, 95x in I Chronicles); "these" (root אלה, 89x in I Chronicles); "heads·of" (root ראש, 73x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'heads', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֵ֣לֶּה [these] (36) + רָאשֵׁ֥י [heads·of] (511) + אָב֛וֹת [fathers] (409) + לְתֹלְדוֹתָ֖ם [to·their·generations] (910) + רָאשִׁ֑ים [heads] (551) + אֵ֖לֶּה [these] (36) + יָשְׁב֥וּ [they·dwelt] (318) + בִירוּשָׁלִָֽם [in·Jerusalem] (588) = 3359.
Metzudat David
'Heads throughout their generations' — they were heads over the descendants of their fathers' houses; and although it also says 'heads of fathers' houses,' this states the matter twice for the sake of further clarification.
Malbim
'These were heads of fathers' houses throughout their generations, chief men' — meaning, they were heads over their fathers' house. 'these dwelt in Jerusalem' — below as well (9:7-8), [Scripture] lists the sons of Benjamin who dwelt in Jerusalem; there it lists the chiefs over the whole community, whereas here it details the chiefs of each family individually — for Ibneiah son of Jeroham, listed there, was chief over the community as a whole, while the sons of Jeroham listed here were chiefs only over their own particular families.
And in Gibeon there dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife’s name was Maacah;
verse value 1789
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. Notable word values: "father·of" (אֲבִ֣י) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "father·of" (אֲבִ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·in·Gibeon" (וּבְגִבְע֥וֹן, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Gibeon" (גִבְע֑וֹן). The root גבעון appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "father·of" (root אב, 95x in I Chronicles); "and·name·of" (root שם, 67x in I Chronicles); "they·dwelt" (root ישב, 44x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root גבעון ("and·in·Gibeon") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Gibeon', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּבְגִבְע֥וֹן [and·in·Gibeon] (139) + יָשְׁב֖וּ [they·dwelt] (318) + אֲבִ֣י [father·of] (13) + גִבְע֑וֹן [Gibeon] (131) + וְשֵׁ֥ם [and·name·of] (346) + אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ [his·wife] (707) + מַעֲכָֽה [Maacah] (135) = 1789.
Rashi
And in Gibeon dwelt the leader of Gibeon This section until (verse 38): “...all these were the sons of Azel,” is written twice in this Book. Also the section (9:2): “And the first settlers, who were in their inheritance in their cities,” and the section (9:10): “And of the priests: Jedaiah and Jehoirib” are likewise in the Book of Nehemiah, as it is written (11: 3): “And these are the heads of the province.” This is what is explained at the end of Megillath Yerushalmi. Ezra found scrolls: the scroll of מְעוֹנִים, the scroll of זַאַטוּטֵי and the scrolls of הָאַחִים, and they rejected the words of the one and accepted the words of the two. Likewise, they found many genealogical records. When they found three or five, they rejected the minority and accepted the majority. When they found an even number, e.g. “And in Gibeon dwelt the leader of Gibeon,” he had to write it twice because the order of their genealogy is not uniform, and likewise, [in] “the first settlers,” he found an even number, which differed one from the other. [Therefore], it was written twice: here and in his [Ezra’s] book. Now why did he not write both of them here, including those that are in Ezra: “And these are the heads of the province, etc.”? Because he traced the genealogy there until, “And these are the priests and the Levites,” and he traced the genealogy here until Jedaiah, who was after Ezra. Now what purpose would it have to explain and to trace the genealogy here in Chronicles, the generations and the genealogy after Ezra, except for those who were alive during the First Temple period?
Metzudat David
'The father of Gibeon' — the chief of Gibeon.
Malbim
'And in Gibeon there dwelt' — this is repeated below in chapter 9 (vv. 35-39), with some additions. 'the father of Gibeon' — below (9:35), it is clarified that his name was Jeiel. 'whose wife's name was Maacah' — below (ibid., v. 35) it says "and his sister's name was Maacah"; one may say that he had a sister named Maacah as well [as a wife of the same name] (and Minchat Shai emends the text there to read "his wife's name," as here).
and his first-born son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab;
verse value 1317
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "and·his·son" (וּבְנ֥וֹ, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·firstborn" (הַבְּכ֖וֹר, 5 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·his·son" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "the·firstborn" (root בכור, 24x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root צור ("and·Zur") in I Chronicles. First appearance of the root קיש ("and·Kish") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Abdon', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. 5 of the verse's 7 words begin with the letter ו. Full calculation: וּבְנ֥וֹ [and·his·son] (64) + הַבְּכ֖וֹר [the·firstborn] (233) + עַבְדּ֑וֹן [Abdon] (132) + וְצ֥וּר [and·Zur] (302) + וְקִ֖ישׁ [and·Kish] (416) + וּבַ֥עַל [and·Baal] (108) + וְנָדָֽב [and·Nadab] (62) = 1317.
Metzudat David
'And Zur,' etc. — they too were sons of the father of Gibeon, and they dwelt together with him in Gibeon.
Malbim
'and Baal' — below (ibid., v. 36) it reads "and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab."
Verse structure: 3 words, 14 letters. The shortest word is "and·Zecher" (וָזָֽכֶר, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·Gedor" (וּגְד֥וֹר, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Zecher" (וָזָֽכֶר). 3 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root זכר ("and·Zecher") in I Chronicles. Full calculation: וּגְד֥וֹר [and·Gedor] (219) + וְאַחְי֖וֹ [and·Ahio] (31) + וָזָֽכֶר [and·Zecher] (233) = 483.
And Mikloth begot Shimeah. And they also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against their brethren.
verse value 2722
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "over·against" (נֶ֧גֶד, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·Jerusalem" (בִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Shimeah" (אֶת־שִׁמְאָ֑ה), "and·even·they" (וְאַף־הֵ֗מָּה). The root אח appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles); "their·brethren" (root אח, 95x in I Chronicles); "they·dwelt" (root ישב, 44x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root מקלות ("and·Mikloth") in I Chronicles. First appearance of the root אף ("and·even·they") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Shimeah', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּמִקְל֖וֹת [and·Mikloth] (582) + הוֹלִ֣יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־שִׁמְאָ֑ה [Shimeah] (747) + וְאַף־הֵ֗מָּה [and·even·they] (137) + נֶ֧גֶד [over·against] (57) + אֲחֵיהֶ֛ם [their·brethren] (64) + יָשְׁב֥וּ [they·dwelt] (318) + בִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם [in·Jerusalem] (588) + עִם־אֲחֵיהֶֽם [with·their·brethren] (174) = 2722.
Metzudat David
'And Mikloth' — he too was a son of the father of Gibeon, as is stated further below as well. 'And they also' — meaning, even though they dwelt in Gibeon, nevertheless they also dwelt at times in Jerusalem, alongside their brethren mentioned above, on equal standing with them. 'With their brethren' — this restates the same idea for the sake of further clarification, for 'with' here carries the sense of 'alongside, opposite.'
Metzudat Zion
Over against their brethren - On the same level as their brethren, as in "and I will go alongside you" (Genesis 33:12); and there are many similar cases.
Malbim
'And Mikloth begot Shimeah' — there (9:37) it is written "and Zechariah, and Mikloth. And Mikloth begot Shimeam" — from this we learn that wherever [Scripture] writes in this fashion, the name continues both backward and forward [serving as the end of the preceding clause and the subject of the next]. This is like what the Rashbam writes in Parashat Vayishlach, commenting on the phrase "and Timna was a concubine," that the name Timna continues both backward and forward. And you will likewise see it made clear below (ibid., vv. 41-42), "and Tarea; and Ahaz begot" — meaning, "and Tarea, and Ahaz — and Ahaz begot." Accordingly, the same applies to what is stated above (4:8), "and Ethnan, and Koz begot" — which should be read, "and Ethnan, and Koz — and Koz begot." Likewise (ibid., v. 14), "and the sons of Othniel: Hathath, and Meonothai begot" — which should be read, "Hathath, and Meonothai — and Meonothai begot." Likewise (ibid., v. 17), "and Eshtemoa, and Ben-Ezra: Jether" (some commentators read it "Bnei Ezra") — which should be read, "and Eshtemoa, and Ben-Ezra — and Ben-Ezra begot." And likewise what is stated above (verse 8), "and Ahihud and Shaharaim begot" — should be read, "and Ahihud, and Shaharaim — and Shaharaim begot," so that all the sons enumerated there would be sons of Shaharaim. 'And they also dwelt [with their brethren in Jerusalem]' — afterward Mikloth and Shimeah too settled in Jerusalem with their brethren who were listed above as dwelling in Jerusalem (as stated in verse 28); and this is the meaning of "over against their brethren" — that is, in opposition to the view of their brethren who dwelt in Gibeon.
And Ner begot Kish; and Kish begot Saul; and Saul begot Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
verse value 5820
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "and·Ner" (וְנֵר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Malchi-shua" (וְאֶת־מַלְכִּישׁ֔וּעַ, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 55: begot, begot, begot. The root ילד appears 3 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles); "Saul" (root שאול, 32x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root נר ("and·Ner") in I Chronicles. First appearance of the root יהונתן ("Jonathan") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Saul', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְנֵר֙ [and·Ner] (256) + הוֹלִ֣יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־קִ֔ישׁ [Kish] (811) + וְקִ֖ישׁ [and·Kish] (416) + הוֹלִ֣יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־שָׁא֑וּל [Saul] (738) + וְשָׁא֗וּל [and·Saul] (343) + הוֹלִ֤יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ [Jonathan] (922) + וְאֶת־מַלְכִּישׁ֔וּעַ [and·Malchi-shua] (883) + וְאֶת־אֲבִינָדָ֖ב [and·Abinadab] (476) + וְאֶת־אֶשְׁבָּֽעַל [and·Eshbaal] (810) = 5820.
Metzudat David
'And Ner' — he too was a son of the father of Gibeon, as is stated further below as well. 'Eshbaal' — this is the same as Ish-bosheth, who reigned in Saul's place, and he is the Ishvi mentioned in I Samuel.
Malbim
'And Ner begot Kish' — now this seems to contradict what is stated (in vv. 29-30), that the father of Gibeon (whose name was Jeiel, as stated below, 9:35) was the father of Kish, Ner, and Nadab; from this it is clear that the father of Gibeon was also called by the name Ner. And in I Samuel it is clear that he was also called by the name Abiel, for it says there (I Samuel 9:1), "Kish son of Abiel," and there (I Samuel 14:50-51), "Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul... and Abner son of Ner was the son of Abiel." This shows that Kish and Ner — the father of Saul and the father of Abner — were sons of Abiel; for the aforementioned Jeiel, who was the father of Gibeon, was called both Abiel and Ner. As for what is written here in the commentary of the Gra (Vilna edition), as follows: "'And Ner' refers back [to what was stated above], for he too was among the sons of Jeiel, and it was he who begot Kish; and his name was not [really] Ner, but rather Abiel" — the author of this did not convey his point well; he surely meant that Ner is Jeiel himself, and that his name was also Abiel — but as worded, the statement is baffling. 'and Eshbaal' — he is [the same as] Ish-bosheth; for "Bosheth" and "Baal" are one and the same, [compare] "altars to Bosheth, altars to burn incense to Baal" (Jeremiah 11:13); and likewise Jerubbaal (Judges 6) [is called] Jerubbesheth (II Samuel 11) — this substitution being made so as not to mention the name of "Baal."
And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begot Micah.
verse value 1824
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "baal" (בָּ֑עַל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·son·of·Jonathan" (וּבֶן־יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 102: baal, baal. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "and·Merib-" (וּמְרִ֥יב). The root ריב appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·son·of·Jonathan" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root ריב ("Merib-") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'baal', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּבֶן־יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן [and·son·of·Jonathan] (579) + מְרִ֣יב [Merib-] (252) + בָּ֑עַל [baal] (102) + וּמְרִ֥יב [and·Merib-] (258) + בַּ֖עַל [baal] (102) + הוֹלִ֥יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־מִיכָֽה [Micah] (476) = 1824.
Ralbag
'And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal' - It appears that Merib-baal is [the same as] Mephibosheth, for no son was left to the house of Saul except Mephibosheth, as is stated at the end of the Book of Samuel.
Metzudat David
'Merib-baal' — this is Mephibosheth.
Malbim
'Merib-baal' — and in [the Book of] Samuel, [he is called] Mephibosheth.
And the sons of Micah; Pithon, and Melech, and Taarea, and Ahaz.
verse value 1484
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "and·sons·of" (וּבְנֵ֖י, 4 letters) and the longest is "Pithon" (פִּית֥וֹן, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Pithon" (פִּית֥וֹן), "and·Taarea" (וְתַאְרֵ֥עַ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "and·Melech" (root מלך, 91x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Micah', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּבְנֵ֖י [and·sons·of] (68) + מִיכָ֑ה [Micah] (75) + פִּית֥וֹן [Pithon] (546) + וָמֶ֖לֶךְ [and·Melech] (96) + וְתַאְרֵ֥עַ [and·Taarea] (677) + וְאָחָֽז [and·Ahaz] (22) = 1484.
And Ahaz begot Jehoaddah; and Jehoaddah begot Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begot Moza;
verse value 4130
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "and·Ahaz" (וְאָחָז֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "Jehoaddah" (אֶת־יְהוֹעַדָּ֔ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 55: begot, begot, begot. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Jehoaddah" (אֶת־יְהוֹעַדָּ֔ה), "and·Jehoaddah" (וִיהוֹעַדָּ֗ה). The root ילד appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root עזמות ("and·Azmaveth") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·Zimri', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאָחָז֙ [and·Ahaz] (22) + הוֹלִ֣יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־יְהוֹעַדָּ֔ה [Jehoaddah] (501) + וִיהוֹעַדָּ֗ה [and·Jehoaddah] (106) + הוֹלִ֛יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־עָלֶ֥מֶת [Alemeth] (941) + וְאֶת־עַזְמָ֖וֶת [and·Azmaveth] (930) + וְאֶת־זִמְרִ֑י [and·Zimri] (664) + וְזִמְרִ֖י [and·Zimri] (263) + הוֹלִ֥יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־מוֹצָֽא [Moza] (538) = 4130.
and Moza begot Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.
verse value 1708
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 36 letters. The shortest word is "Raphah" (רָפָ֥ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "Binea" (אֶת־בִּנְעָ֑א, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 58: his·son, his·son, his·son. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Raphah" (רָפָ֥ה). The root בן appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·son" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "begot" (root ילד, 117x in I Chronicles). First appearance of the root רפה ("Raphah") in I Chronicles. First appearance of the root אצל ("Azel") in I Chronicles. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Binea', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּמוֹצָ֖א [and·Moza] (143) + הוֹלִ֣יד [begot] (55) + אֶת־בִּנְעָ֑א [Binea] (524) + רָפָ֥ה [Raphah] (285) + בְנ֛וֹ [his·son] (58) + אֶלְעָשָׂ֥ה [Eleasah] (406) + בְנ֖וֹ [his·son] (58) + אָצֵ֥ל [Azel] (121) + בְּנֽוֹ [his·son] (58) = 1708.
Metzudat David
'Raphah was his son' — that is, the son of Binea; and so it continues, each one counted as the son of the one before him.
And the sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
verse value 2430
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 39 letters. Verse gematria: 2430 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "Eshek" (עֵ֣שֶׁק, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Eliphelet" (וֶאֱלִיפֶ֖לֶט, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "Eshek" (עֵ֣שֶׁק). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·sons·of" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "his·brother" (root אח, 95x in I Chronicles); "his·firstborn" (root בכור, 24x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·brother', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּבְנֵ֖י [and·sons·of] (68) + עֵ֣שֶׁק [Eshek] (470) + אָחִ֑יו [his·brother] (25) + אוּלָ֣ם [Ulam] (77) + בְּכֹר֔וֹ [his·firstborn] (228) + יְעוּשׁ֙ [Jeush] (386) + הַשֵּׁנִ֔י [the·second] (365) + וֶאֱלִיפֶ֖לֶט [and·Eliphelet] (166) + הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁי [the·third] (645) = 2430.
Metzudat David
'And the sons of Eshek his brother' — Eshek, who was the brother of Azel.
Malbim
'And the sons of Eshek' — the commentators explain that this means the sons of Elasah; but understood simply, [Scripture] did not list all the sons of Moza in verse 37, only the prominent ones, and he had yet another son named Eshek [as well].
And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers; and had many sons, and sons’ sons, a hundred and fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.
verse value 3240
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 73 letters. Notable word values: "all·these" (כׇּל־אֵ֖לֶּה) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 3240 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "bow" (קֶ֗שֶׁת, 3 letters) and the longest is "mighty·of·valor" (גִּבּוֹרֵי־חַ֜יִל, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 102: sons, sons, from·sons·of. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Chronicles. Unique to this verse in I Chronicles (hapax): "sons·of·Ulam" (בְנֵֽי־א֠וּלָ֠ם), "mighty·of·valor" (גִּבּוֹרֵי־חַ֜יִל), "treaders·of" (דֹּ֣רְכֵי). The root בן appears 5 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Ulam" (root בן, 665x in I Chronicles); "and·they·were" (root היה, 104x in I Chronicles); "all·these" (root אלה, 89x in I Chronicles). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·fifty', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Metzudat David
'A hundred and fifty' — that is, a hundred and fifty in number.
Rashi
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Malbim