Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 11:7
And these [are] the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah.
7. Sallu the son of Meshullam ] This name stands at the head of the Benjamites in 1Ch 9:7-9. But otherwise the lists here vary from one another.
8 Gabbai, Sallai ] The occurrence of these names, not separated by the copula, is peculiar. No connexion can be traced between the ‘Gabbai, Sallai, Joel, Judah,’ of our list with the ‘Ibneiah, Elah and Meshullam’ in 1Ch 9:8. But there are certain peculiarities in the two lists at this point which make us suspect that the text of the original document was here at fault. Thus in our text we may remark on (1) the abruptness of ‘after him Gabbai, Sallai,’ (2) the number 928 differing from, but yet sufficiently close to, that of 956 in 1 Chron. Sallai, it has been conjectured, is the name Sallu repeated, which has crept into the text from a gloss on the word ‘after him.’ In 1 Chronicles we remark upon Meshullam occurring twice, and Ibneiah by the side of Ibnijah. The number 928, if we may argue from the analogy of Neh 11:6, relates only to the house of Sallai or Gabbai Sallai. In 1Ch 9:9, the number 956 represents the sons of Benjamin.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And these are the sons of Benjamin,…. That were of that tribe, and inhabited Jerusalem, namely, that follow:
Sallu the son of Meshullam; who from him is traced up through Joed, Pedaiah, Kolaiah, Maaseiah, Ithiel, to Jesaiah.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of the Benjamites there were two heads of houses: Sallu, and after him Gabbai-Sallai, with nine hundred and twenty-eight fathers of families. Their chief was Joel the son of Zichri, and Jehuda the son of Sennah over the city as second (prefect).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(7) The Benjamites were represented by two families, and gave the city two prefects (Neh. 11:9).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Of The Children Of Benjamin ( Neh 11:7-9 ).
Again when comparing with 1 Chronicle 9 there is not a single duplication. A Sallu, the son of Meshullam, is mentioned in both, but these were clearly popular Benjamite names and their antecedents reveal that the name refers to different men. Otherwise the names in each are totally distinctive. This demonstrates that they are referring to different times. Again the ones named in 1 Chronicles 9 may be those who settled in Jerusalem prior to the time of Nehemiah because it was ‘their own city’, with the ones described here seen as moving to live in Jerusalem at the instigation of Nehemiah.
Neh 11:7
‘And these are the sons of Benjamin:’
Neh 11:7
‘Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah.’ 11:8 ‘And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred and twenty eight. 11:9 ‘And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.’
This Sallu, the son of Meshullam, was a different one than that in 1Ch 9:7 as is demonstrated by his antecedents. That Joel was appointed as ‘overseer/officer’ ( 2Ki 25:19; Gen 41:34; Jdg 9:28) may refer to his being given a military responsibility, and not one necessarily limited to Benjamin. Judah was his second in command. How this reconciles with the appointment of Hanani and Hananiah as having ‘charge over the city’ (Neh 7:2) we are in no position to judge. This may well have been a specifically military appointment.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Neh 11:7 And these [are] the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah. Neh 11:8 And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.
Ver. 7,8. Little Benjamin, the smallest of the tribes of Israel, 1Sa 9:21 , yields more by half than Judah. Jerusalem stood in both these tribes.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 11:7-9
7Now these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah; 8and after him Gabbai and Sallai, 928. 9Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second in command of the city.
Neh 11:8
NASB, NKJV,
JPSOAafter him
NRSV, NJBhis brothers
TEVclose relatives
NET, NIVhis followers
REBhis kinsmen
This Hebrew term (BDB 29) has a large usage. All of the above translations are a possibility. For me those that focus on kinship fit the context best. However, brothers involves a textual emendation.
Neh 11:9 their overseer This term (BDB 824) means commissioner, deputy, overseer. It is used in Neh 11:22 for a leader of Levites. It is used of the king’s officers in 2Ch 24:11 and of the king’s military officers in 2Ki 25:19. This text does not specify exactly what kind of overseer.
second in command of the city This may imply that he was next to Nehemiah’s brother, Hanani (cf. Neh 7:2). It is possible that Judah was the overseer of Benjamin’s labor force who helped rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
The NIV translates this phrase was over the Second District of the city. The only other English translation that I have found that has this interpretation is James Moffatt, A New Translation of the Bible. It is also in the footnote of the NEB.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Neh 11:7-9
Neh 11:7-9
CONCLUSION OF THE LIST OF CHIEFS
“And these are the sons of Benjamin: Salu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah. And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight. And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.”
This concludes the list of the princes (chiefs) who were already living in Jerusalem. There were 1,396 of these.
E.M. Zerr:
Neh 11:7-9. The little tribe of Benjamin had become sufficiently numerous to furnish 928 men for the service in the city. This particular group had its own supervisor whose name was Joel. The Judah named as second ruler is only another man with the same name as the one heading the tribe and it is a coincidence of names.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the sons: 1Ch 9:7-9
Joed: It is probable that Joed was also called Hodaviah, and that Pedaiah had also the name of Hasenuah.
Reciprocal: 1Ch 8:28 – dwelt Neh 8:4 – Meshullam