Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 8:33

And Ner begot Kish, and Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

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.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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 Sauls 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 baal had no bad sense in Hebrew, but was simply an equivalent of the more ordinary ‘el, 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.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

33. Ner begat KishThe fatherof Ner, though not mentioned here, is stated (1Ch9:35) to have been Jehiel. Moreover, the father of Kish is said(1Sa 9:1) to have been Abiel, theson of Zeror, whence it would seem that Abiel and Ner were names ofthe same person.

Abinadabthe same asIshui (1Sa 14:49).

Esh-baalthat is,Ish-bosheth.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And Ner begat Kish,…. Who also is called Abiel, as the Targum here adds; for Ner had two names, as other Jewish writers likewise say r, see 1Sa 9:1,

and Kish begat Saul; the first king of Israel, for whose sake chiefly the genealogy of Benjamin is revised and enlarged in this chapter:

and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal, see 1Sa 31:2. Abinadab is called Ishui, 1Sa 14:49 and Eshbaal is the same with Ishbosheth, 2Sa 2:8, so Baal and Bosheth are used of the same idol of which they are names, Ho 9:10.

r Vajikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 152. 4.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Genealogies.

B. C. 700.

      33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.   34 And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begat Micah.   35 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz.   36 And Ahaz begat Jehoadah; and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza,   37 And Moza begat Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son:   38 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.   39 And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.   40 And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers, and had many sons, and sons’ sons, a hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.

      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, v. 33. His pedigree is carried higher 1 Sam. ix. 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 1 Sam. xiv. 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, 1Sa 20:15; 1Sa 20:23; 1Sa 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, v. 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.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

(33) The house of Saul It is not said here that Sauls 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, Davids 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.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

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 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Ner begat Kish. There are three genealogies of the house of Saul. We place the facts, (1) that persons often had two names (1Ch 8:34. Jdg 6:32, &c), and (2) that the same name recurs in the same family, against the assumption that the opposite is the case. It is this assumption which creates the difficulties in “reconciling” 1Sa 9:1; 1Sa 14:51; and 1Ch 9:38.

Esh-baal. Another name for Ish-bosheth (2Sa 2:8).

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Ner: 1Ch 9:39, 1Sa 9:1, 1Sa 14:50, 1Sa 14:51

Kish: 1Sa 9:1, Act 13:21, Cis

Saul: 1Sa 14:49, 1Sa 31:2

Abinadab: 1Sa 14:49, Ishui

Eshbaal: 2Sa 2:8, 2Sa 4:12, Ish-bosheth

Reciprocal: 1Ch 9:36 – Kish 1Ch 10:2 – Jonathan 1Ch 12:1 – Saul

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

8:33 And {f} Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and {g} Eshbaal.

(f) Who in 1Sa 9:2 is called Abiel.

(g) He is likewise called Mephibosheth, 2Sa 9:6.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes