Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 8:40
And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and sons’ sons, a hundred and fifty. All these [are] of the sons of Benjamin.
Sons, and sons sons – This genealogy of the house of Saul appears by the number of the generations to belong probably to the time of Hezekiah (compare 1Ch 4:41). Ulams sons sons are in the 13th generation from Jonathan, as Hezekiah is in the 13th generation from David.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 40. The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour] The Targum speaks honourably of them: “The sons of Ulam were mighty and strong men, subduing by wisdom their evil concupiscence, as men bend a bow; therefore they had many sons and grandsons.”
Of the six sons of Azel, mentioned 1Ch 8:38, R. S. Jarchi says that their allegorical expositions were sufficient to load thirteen thousand camels! No doubt these were reputed to be deeply learned men. There was a time when the allegorizers and metaphor-men ranked very high among theologians, even in our own enlightened and critical country. At present they are almost totally out of fashion. May they never recover their footing! But what a shameful hyperbole is that of Jarchi! The writings of six men a load for thirteen thousand camels!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Archers, 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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
40. mighty men of valour,archers(see on Jud 20:16).Great strength as well as skill was requisite in ancient archery, asthe bow, which was of steel, was bent by treading with the feet, andpulling the string with both hands.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour,…. Men of great fortitude and courage, though their names are not expressed:
archers; skilful in the use of the bow and arrows, as the Benjaminites formerly were famous for slinging stones:
and had many sons, and sons’ sons, an hundred and fifty; so that the posterity of Jonathan, whose genealogy is drawn down from 1Ch 8:34 hither, were very great; and greater still, according to the Vulgate Latin version, in which the number is 150,000 in the edition of Sixtus the fifth, and so in most MSS of that version s
all these are of the sons of Benjamin; his posterity, whose names are given in this chapter.
s See James of the Contrariety of the Popish Bibles, p. 294.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(40) And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers.The ancient prowess of the Benjamites is recorded in Judges 20. Their left-handed slingers were famous. (See also Jdg. 3:15 seq.)
Archers.Literally, treaders of the bow (1Ch. 5:18). The meaning is that they drew their bows by resting the foot against them, the bows being large.
Had many sons, and sons sons, an hundred and fifty.What was their date? If we may assume that no names have been omitted, we are concerned with the fourteenth generation from Jonathan, the friend of David. The era of David has been fixed at about 1055-1045 B.C. ; so that the great-grandsons of Ulam may have flourished about 635-625 B.C. (1055 minus 420), in the reign of Josiah. The omission of names, however, is as possible and as likely in the present series as elsewhere; and it is obvious that one or two additional members would carry the list past the exile (B.C. 588). There are reasons for believing that the posterity of Ulam really represent a family of the period of the Return. Their number is favourable to the supposition. Comp. Ezr. 2:18; Ezr. 2:21; Ezr. 2:23; Ezr. 2:27; Ezr. 2:30 for families of about the same dimensions, which returned with Zerubbabel. Further, the reference in 1Ch. 8:8-10 to a sojourn of certain Benjamite houses in Moab may be connected with the mention in Ezr. 2:6; Ezr. 8:4; Neh. 3:11, and elsewhere, of the sons of the Pasha of Moab (Pahath Moab. This word pahath used to be reckoned among the indications of the late origin of the Chronicle. Now, however, it is known to be an ancient Semitic term. Comp. the Assyrian pihatu). Ono and Lod (1Ch. 8:12) may be compared with Ezr. 2:33, and the singular names Elam (1Ch. 8:24) and Azmaveth (1Ch. 8:36), with the sons of Elam (Ezr. 2:7), and the sons of Azmaveth, or Beth-azmaveth (Ezr. 2:24; Neh. 7:28). The name Bocheru (in 1Ch. 8:38) has been classed with Gashmu (Neh. 6:6), but the latter is an Arab, and there is seemingly no MS. authority for Bocheru. Ishmael (1Ch. 8:38) reminds us of Ishmael son of Nethaniah, of the seed royal (2Ki. 25:25), who survived the fall of Jerusalem.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1Ch 8:40. Archers dorkei kesheth; those who tread the bow. Hebrew. For their steel bows were so strong, says Bishop Patrick, that they could not bend them with their arms, but sat down, and pressing them with their feet, drew the arrow with both hands, that it might fly with the greater force. See Psa 37:14.
REFLECTIONS.1st, The names of some of Benjamin’s descendants vary a little from those in Genesis 46.; but what seems variety and intricacy to us, was, at the time when this was written, no doubt, well understood. In 1Ch 8:8 after sent them away, it may best be read, even Hushim and Baara his wives, as divorced. The Ehud mentioned 1Ch 8:6 seems not to be the judge of that name. Those who dwelt at Jerusalem are twice mentioned, as an inducement to their posterity to settle there after their return from Babylon. When we depart from the prison of the body, happy will it be for those who have a part in the new Jerusalem.
2nd, The family of Saul is here taken notice of. He had several sons; but the line of Jonathan only is continued for about ten generations to Ulam, whose family was much increased, and were remarkable for their valour, and their skill in the use of the bow or sling. The name of a valiant soldier is great, but that of a saint of God greater.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
IT forms no small improvement in the perusal of this chapter, and indeed in the review of the whole registry of Israel, to remark with what honour the illustrious tribes of Israel, are handed down to us in the word of God. Here are names with whom, by frequent reading, we may become familiar, who lived and died in ages so remote from the present, while thousands and tens of thousands among the great ones of the earth, who made splendid appearances in their day, no doubt, their very memorial is perished with them. Think, Reader! what a succession of men and monarchies have passed on through the world, of whose remembrance not a vestige remains. While those families, even the least and most inconsiderable, because they were the Israel of God, are had in everlasting remembrance.
But chiefly, Reader, from this view, let you and I be led to consider the vast importance of having our names written in the book of life. Think, Sir, of that awful day, at the audit of God, which John describes as he saw it in vision; and which will one day certainly be realized: therein he tells us he saw, the dead both small and great, stand before God. And the sea gave up her dead, and death and hell delivered up their dead. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:12-15 . Oh! precious, precious Jesus, that last delivered thy people from the wrath to come; give me, dearest Lord, to rejoice in the pleasing, glorious hope, that my name, worthless as it is, is written in heaven.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
were = became.
mighty men. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14.
archers. Compare 2Ch 14:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
archers: 1Ch 12:2, 2Ch 14:8
many sons: Psa 127:3-5, Psa 128:3-6
Reciprocal: Gen 42:13 – Thy servants 1Ch 5:18 – to shoot
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ch 8:40. Archers Hebrew, 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.