1 Chronicles 9:8

And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) Three other Benjamite houses.

Ibneiah is much the same name as “Ibnijah” at the end of the verse. Both mean “Jah buildeth,” i.e., maketh offspring. (Comp. Assyrian Ea-Ibni, “Ea made,” i.e., a son.)

Son of Jeroham.—The sons of Jeroham dwelt in Jerusalem before the exile as well as after it (1Chronicles 8:27).

Michri should perhaps be Zichri. (Comp. 1Chronicles 8:19; 1Chronicles 8:23; 1Chronicles 8:27.)

1Chronicles 9:7-9 correspond to Nehemiah 11:7-9; but after tracing the ascending line of Sallu son of Meshullam (1Chronicles 9:7) through six degrees, the latter account continues (Nehemiah 11:8): “And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.” This apparently is quite a different statement from that of our 1Chronicles 9:8. Gabbai, Sallai, however (note the absence of a conjunction), may be corrupt. Gabbai perhaps conceals Bani or Ibni, a contracted form of lbneiah; and Sallai might have originated out of Shallum or Meshullam, under the influence of the preceding Sallu (1Chronicles 9:7). Nehemiah 11:9 continues, “And Joel son of Zikri was their overseer, and Judah son of Hasenuah was over the second part of the city.” “Joel son of Zikri” may be our “Elah son of Uzzi son of Michri” (1Chronicles 9:8); for Joel (“Jah is El”) may be compared with Elah, which is perhaps a disguise of Elijah (“El is Jah;” only yod, the smallest Hebrew letter, is wanting). “Judah son of Hasenuah,” may be the equivalent of “Hodaviah son of Hasenuah.” If these combinations be accepted, the list here is brought into strict harmony with its parallel—five Benjamite clans being named in each, viz., Sallu, Hodaviah (Judah), Ibneiah (Bani), Joel (Elah), and Meshullam.

And their brethren, according to their generations.—The members of the five Benjamite clans amounted to nine hundred and fifty-six, according to their family registers. Nehemiah 11:8 gives a total of nine hundred and twenty-eight. If the numbers are both genuine, our text may refer to a date a little subsequent to the time intended in Nehemiah.

All these men.—Translate, all these men were chiefs of their respective clans. This appears to be the subscription to 1Chronicles 9:4-9. It states that the proper names are representatives of clans, and, so to speak, collective personalities.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:1-44 Genealogies. - This chapter expresses that one end of recording all these genealogies was, to direct the Jews, when they returned out of captivity, with whom to unite, and where to reside. Here is an account of the good state into which the affairs of religion were put, on the return from Babylon. Every one knew his charge. Work is likely to be done well when every one knows the duty of his place, and makes a business of it. God is the God of order. Thus was the temple a figure of the heavenly one, where they rest not day nor night from praising God, Re 4:8. Blessed be His name, believers there shall, not in turn, but all together, without interruption, praise him night and day: may the Lord make each of us fit for the inheritance of the saints in light.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The correspondence and the diversity between the account here and in Nehemiah Neh. 11:4-19 are explained by the probability that both writers drew from a common and fuller document. They selected, in some instances, different names, or names which are now different through corruption; and they frequently expressed the genealogies of the same persons differently, both going on the principle of compression by means of omissions, but omitting from their lists different links of the chain.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions—This chapter relates wholly to the first returned exiles. Almost all the names recur in Nehemiah (Ne 11:1-36), although there are differences which will be explained there. The same division of the people into four classes was continued after, as before the captivity; namely, the priests, Levites, natives, who now were called by the common name of Israelites, and the Nethinims (Jos 9:27; Ezr 2:43; 8:20). When the historian speaks of "the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions," he implies that there were others who afterwards returned and settled in possessions not occupied by the first. Accordingly, we read of a great number returning successively under Ezra, Nehemiah, and at a later period. And some of those who returned to the ancient inheritance of their fathers, had lived before the time of the captivity (Ezr 3:12; Hag 2:4, 10).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham,.... Who with two more, Elah and Meshullam, whose ancestors are given, of whom we have no mention elsewhere, were all of the tribe of Benjamin, said to settle at Jerusalem.

Geneva Study Bible

And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. Ibneiah, Elah, Meshullam] Not mentioned in Nehemiah 11.

1 Chronicles 9:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Of the sons of Benjamin, i.e., of the Benjamites, four heads are named, Sallu, Ibneiah, Elah, and Meshullam; and of the first and fourth of these, three generations of ancestors are mentioned, of the second only the father, of the third the father and grandfather. "And their brethren according to their generations, 956;" cf. on 1 Chronicles 9:6. "All these men" are not the brethren whose number is given, but the heads who have been mentioned by name. Now, if we compare this with Nehemiah 11, we meet in 1 Chronicles 9:7-9 with only one of the four heads of Benjamin, Sallu, and that too, as in the Chronicle, as a son of Meshullam, while the ancestors of both are different. Instead of the three others in 1 Chronicles 9:8, we have סלּי גּבּי, 928; and in 1 Chronicles 9:9, as overseer (prefect), and Jehudah as ruler over the city.