Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 46:21
And the sons of Benjamin [were] Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
21. the sons of Benjamin ] The mention of Benjamin’s sons in a list purporting to be a record of those who came with Jacob into Egypt is of course irreconcilable with the narrative. But it illustrates the separate origin of these lists of names (connected with P) from the general narrative preserved by J and E. The difficulty experienced by the ordinary reader was possibly felt in very early times. The LXX gives Benjamin three sons, Bela, Chobor, and Ashbel; six grandsons, sons of Bela, viz. Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim; and one great-grandson, Ard, the son of Gera. If this list was the original form of the genealogy, it may have been modified, in order to get rid of the strange statement, that Benjamin’s grandsons and great-grandsons went down with Jacob into Egypt. Another version is given in Num 26:38-40.
Becher ] In LXX . Cf. 2Sa 20:1, Sheba, the Bichrite.
Gera ] Omitted in Numbers 26. In Jdg 3:15 the “judge” Ehud, the Benjamite, is the son of Gera; and in 2Sa 16:5 Shimei, of the family of Saul, the Benjamite, is the son of Gera.
Ehi ] In Num 26:38, Ahiram, omitting Rosh.
Muppim ] In Num 26:39, Shephupham; in 1Ch 7:12, Shuppim. Ehi, Rosh, Muppim are probably textual variations of Ahiram and Shephupham.
Ard ] = 1Ch 8:3, Addar. In Num 26:40 Naaman and Ard are “sons of Bela.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Whereof part seem to be born before his coming to Egypt, and part in Egypt, Benjamin being now but twenty and four years old.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the sons of Benjamin,…. The second son of Jacob by his wife Rachel; whose sons
[were] Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh,
Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard; in all one hundred and ten. It is a difficulty to account for it, that Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son, often called a lad at this time, and generally supposed to be about twenty three or four years of age, should have so many sons: some think he had more wives than one, which is not likely, since we never read of any of Jacob’s sons that had more than one at a time; and others, that his sons were born twins, and so had them in a little time, which is a much better solution of the difficulty: but others are of opinion, that though the greater part of them might be born in Canaan, yet others might be born in Egypt; and being denominated from the greater part, and that being put for the whole, may be reckoned among the descendants into Egypt; and even those that were in Egypt, being born while Jacob was alive, might be said to descend there in his loins; which may be the best of the ways proposed for removing this difficulty: though I should rather think they were all born before the descent into Egypt, the whole narrative seems to require this of them all; for otherwise many more might be, said to descend in the loins of Jacob, or in the loins of his sons, which would greatly increase the number of those said to go down with him, after mentioned: to which it may be added, that Benjamin was at least thirty two years of age, and so may very well be thought to have had these children before he went to Egypt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(21) Benjamin has ten sons:
Num. 26:38-40. 1Ch. 7:6. 1Ch. 8:1-5.
Belah,
Bela,
Bela,
Bela,
Becher,
(omitted)
Becher,
(omitted)
Ashbel,
Ashbel,
Jediael.
Ashbel,
Gera,
(omitted)
(given as grandson)
Naaman,
(given as grandson)
do.
Ehi,
Ahiram,
Aharah, Nohah,
Rosh,
(omitted)
Rapha (?)
Muppim,
Shupham,
(given as grandson)
Huppim,
Hupham,
do.
Ard,
(given as grandson)
do.
Thus in Numbers Benjamin has only five sons, but Naaman and Ard are also heads of families, and are described as sons of Bela. In Chronicles Benjamin is first described as having three sons, among whom appears Becher with numerous descendants, though omitted elsewhere, and then as having five sons, one of whom, Nohah, has a name completely different from any of those in the other three documents. And not only is Bela described as the father of Gera, Naaman, Muppim (called Sheplmphan), Huppim (called Huram), and Ard (called Addar): but also of Abihud, Abishua, Ahoah, and another Gera.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Naaman Ard In Num 26:40, these appear as sons of Bela . The most probable explanation of this discrepancy is, the Naaman and Ard here mentioned as sons of Benjamin died in Egypt without issue, and two of their brother Bela’s sons were named after them and substituted in their place, according to levirate law, to perpetuate intact the families of Benjamin.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
the sons: Gen 49:27, Num 1:11, Num 1:36, Num 1:37, Deu 33:12, 1Ch 7:6-12, 1Ch 8:1-7
Ehi: Num 26:38, Ahiram
Muppim: Num 26:39, Shupham, 1Ch 7:12, Shuppim
Huppim: Num 26:39, Hupham
Reciprocal: Gen 44:20 – a child Num 26:41 – General 1Ch 8:3 – Addar 1Ch 8:6 – Ehud