U-God

Library

📚Library🔍Search☀️Daily Verse📅Sacred Calendar⭐Bookmarks

Discover

🌍ExploreNew📊TopicsNew⚖️CompareNew📝BlogNew

More

💡About📜Terms
Start Reading for Free

© 2026 U-God Sacred Library

Christianity

1 Chronicles 8Benjamin and the House of Saul

Summary

1 Chronicles 8 traces the families of Benjamin, many living in Jerusalem and Gibeon, and then gives the family of King Saul from Ner and Kish through Saul's sons Jonathan and Eshbaal. Jonathan's son Meribbaal and his descendants are followed for many generations. Benjamin matters to the Chronicler because, with Judah, it formed the southern kingdom and the core of the community that returned from exile.

Key verse

“And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.”

1 Chronicles 8:33

Themes

  • Tribe of Benjamin
  • House of Saul
  • Jerusalem
  • Continuity

Text

1

Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,

2

Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.

3

And the sons of Bela were, Addar, and Gera, and Abihud,

4

And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah,

5

And Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram.

6

And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to Manahath:

7

And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud.

8

And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.

9

And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,

10

And Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons, heads of the fathers.

11

And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal.

12

The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof:

13

Beriah also, and Shema, who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove away the inhabitants of Gath:

14

And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth,

15

And Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader,

16

And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah;

17

And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and Heber,

18

Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;

19

And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi,

20

And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel,

21

And Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of Shimhi;

22

And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel,

23

And Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan,

24

And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah,

25

And Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak;

26

And Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah,

27

And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham.

28

These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men. These dwelt in Jerusalem.

29

And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife’s name was Maachah:

30

And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab,

31

And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher.

32

And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.

33

And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

34

And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal 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, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Questions about 1 Chronicles 8

Why are Saul's sons called Eshbaal and Meribbaal in Chronicles?

Chronicles preserves names containing baal, meaning lord or master, while Samuel uses Ishbosheth and Mephibosheth. Many scholars think Samuel's scribes replaced baal with bosheth, meaning shame, to avoid the name of the Canaanite god.

Why does Chronicles list Saul's descendants?

Benjamin was Judah's partner in the southern kingdom and in the return from exile, so its families, including Saul's, were part of the community the Chronicler wrote for.