1 Chronicles 8:6

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:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) And these are the sons of Ehud.—The Authorised Version makes no distinction between this Ehud and Ehud son of Gera, the famous Benjamite judge (Judges 3:15). The difference in the Heb. is so slight, that perhaps we may assume an original identity of the two names. In that case we get a link between the sons of Ehud and the house of Gera, 1Chronicles 8:5. Others identify the present Ehud with the Abihud of 1Chronicles 8:3, which is possibly correct: (Comp. Nadab-Abinadab, Dan and Abidan, Numbers 1:11.)

These are the heads of the fathers.—Heads of father-houses, i.e., of groups of kindred families or clans. The Hebrew text of the rest of this verse, and 1Chronicles 8:7-8, is unusually obscure, partly owing to the construction, but chiefly because of the historical allusions which are no longer explicable with any certainty. Most interpreters assume a parenthesis after the words “and these are the sons of Ehud,” extending to the words “he removed them,” in 1Chronicles 8:7.

Uzza and Ahihud are then “the sons of Ehud” referred to in 1Chronicles 8:6.

Removed them.—Rather, carried them captive, or transported them. The same expression denotes the Babylonian exile or transportation, and was used in 1Chronicles 5:26 of the Assyrian removal of the trans-jordanic tribes.

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 8:6. These are the sons of Ehud — These following, 1 Chronicles 8:7, because he here speaks of them who were removed. He describes the sons of Benjamin by the places of their habitation, without an exact account of their parents; because their genealogies were broken by that almost total extirpation of this tribe, Judges 20.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:1-40 Genealogies. - Here is a larger list of Benjamin's tribe. We may suppose that many things in these genealogies, which to us seem difficult, abrupt, and perplexed, were plain and easy at that time, and fully answered the intention for which they were published. Many great and mighty nations then were in being upon earth, and many illustrious men, whose names are now wholly forgotten; while the names of multitudes of the Israel of God are here kept in everlasting remembrance. The memory of the just is blessed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And they removed them to Manahath - "They" has no antecedent; and it is difficult to supply one. Almost all commentators suppose that there has been some corruption here, from which, however, we may gather that the "sons of Ehud" (or, perhaps, of Ahoah, 1 Chronicles 8:4) were originally settled at Geba (Joshua 18:24 note), but afterward removed to a place called Manahath, probably a town in the vicinity. Gera 1 Chronicles 8:7 directed the movement.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6. these are the sons of Ehud—most probably the judge of Israel (Jud 3:15). His descendants, who had at first been established in Geba in Benjamin, emigrated in a body under the direction of Gera (1Ch 8:7) to Manahath, where their increased numbers would find more ample accommodation. Manahath was within the territory of Judah.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

These are the sons; either those three last mentioned; or rather these following, 1 Chronicles 8:7, because he here speaks of them who were removed, and they are said to be removed, 1 Chronicles 8:7

He describes the sons of Benjamin by the places of their habitation, without an exact account of their parents, because their genealogies were broken by that almost total extirpation of this tribe, Jud 20.

They removed them; either their fathers, or their heads and superiors, removed them; or they removed themselves; either because they were too numerous for that place, or because they desired to change their habitation, and hoped it would be for the better, and judged Manahath a more convenient place.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And these are the sons of Ehud,.... Not he that was a judge in Israel, Judges 3:15 but perhaps a son of Huram the last mentioned; for not the three last are his sons, as some think, but the three following in the next verse; what follows being to be read in a parenthesis:

(these are the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba;) a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:24 namely, those sons of Ehud, after mentioned, were principal men in that tribe, and chief of the inhabitants of the city of Geba:

and they removed them to Manahath; the name of a country referred to in 1 Chronicles 2:52 according to Jarchi, which was in the tribe of Judah; Geba being too small, either the inhabitants of Geba removed them, or they removed themselves, or their fathers removed them, 1 Chronicles 8:7, or it may be read impersonally, they were removed thither for the sake of a better habitation; the Targum adds,"to the land of the house of Esau,''to Edom; which is not likely.

Geneva Study Bible

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

(b) Meaning, the inhabitants of the city of Geba.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. And these are the sons of Ehud] Ehud (the deliverer of Israel from Moab) was descended from Gera (1 Chronicles 8:5; Jdg 3:15). His genealogy is given somewhat fully.

they ramoved them] R.V. they carried them captive. Probably some words have fallen out; we cannot say who carried whom captive.

to Manahath] Targ. to Manahath to the land of the house of Esau.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 6, 7. - Ehud. We are brought to a halt again by the sudden introduction of this name. Even if it stand for Abihud (ver. 3) or for Ahoah (ver. 4), why is it changed in so short an interval? It is impossible to establish order in these verses except by most gratuitous conjecture. But it may be supposed that the verses say that Ehud's people once belonged to Manahath, that the heads of them removed them to Geba (Joshua 18:24), and that he himself (query, Ehud? but commonly read Gera) removed them, and also Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera (which look very much like the Naaman, Ahoah, and Gera of vers. 4, 5); and finally that after the removing "he" had two fresh sons, Uzza and Ahihud. 1 Chronicles 8:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Sons of Ehud. - The descent of Ehud from the sons, grandsons, and descendants of Benjamin, enumerated in 1 Chronicles 8:1-5, is not given. The names of Ehud's sons follow only at the end of the 1 Chronicles 8:7, "And he begat Uzza and Ahihud," while the intermediate clauses contain historical remarks. These sons were "heads of fathers'-houses of the inhabitants of Geba," i.e., Geba of Benjamin (1 Samuel 13:16), the Levite city, 1 Chronicles 6:45, which still remains as the half-ruinous village Jeba, about three leagues to the north of Jerusalem; see on Joshua 18:24. "And they led them captive to Manahath, viz., Naaman and Ahiah and Gera, this man led them captive." The subject to ויּגלוּם are the men mentioned in the following verse, while the הוּא which follows shows that, of the three above mentioned, the last, Gera, was the author of their captivity. The place Manahath is not known, but is conjectured to be connected with Hazi-Hammanahti and Hazi-Hammenuhoth, 1 Chronicles 2:54 and 1 Chronicles 2:52; but we cannot ascertain with certainty whether the name denotes a city or a district, and the situation of it has not yet been discovered. Of the hostile collision of these Benjamite families also, no more detailed accounts have come down to us.