How does 1 Chronicles 9:37 fit into the genealogy of Saul's family?

Setting the Scene

• 1 Chronicles 9 focuses on who returned to Judah after the Babylonian exile.

• Before listing priests, Levites, and gatekeepers, the writer pauses (vv. 35-44) to rehearse Saul’s ancestry, grounding post-exilic readers in their royal history.

• Verse 37 sits in the middle of that recap.

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Text Under the Lens

“Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.” (1 Chronicles 9:37)

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Where Verse 37 Fits

• Jeiel (also called “Jeuel,” 1 Chron 8:29) is the patriarch.

• Jeiel and his wife Maacah lived in Gibeon (v. 35).

• Verses 36-37 list their ten sons:

– Abdon (firstborn)

– Zur

– Kish

– Baal

– Ner

– Nadab

– Gedor

– Ahio

– Zechariah

– Mikloth

• Ner (named fifth) fathers Kish (v. 39).

• Kish fathers Saul (v. 39).

• Thus, the men in v. 37 are Saul’s great-uncles, filling the space between Jeiel and Ner.

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Quick Genealogy Chart

Benjamin → Jeiel + Maacah

 └─ Abdon, Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, Mikloth (1 Chronicles 9:36-37)

   └─ Ner → Kish → Saul → Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, Esh-baal (vv. 39-40)

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Parallel Passage

• 1 Chronicles 8:29-33 records the same names almost verbatim.

• Minor spelling shifts (e.g., “Zecher” vs. “Zechariah”) reflect dialect or copyist preference but point to the same individuals.

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Why the Chronicler Repeats Saul’s Line

• Affirms historical accuracy after exile—Israel’s first monarchy is part of the unbroken story.

• Highlights God’s providence: every name preserved, even those who never reigned.

• Bridges the tribe of Benjamin (vv. 1-34) to Judah’s post-exilic leadership, underscoring unity among returning Israelites.

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Cross-References

• 1 Samuel 9:1-2 – “Kish… son of Abiel… a Benjamite… Kish had a son named Saul, choice and handsome.”

• 2 Samuel 21:14 – Saul and Jonathan’s bones buried “in the tomb of Kish his father,” matching the genealogy.

• Jeremiah 33:24-26 – God refuses to reject Benjamin and Judah’s offspring, reinforcing why Chronicles preserves both tribes’ records.

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Key Takeaways

• Verse 37 showcases God’s concern for entire families, not only famous figures.

• The precise lineage validates the historical Saul narrative found in Samuel.

• By placing this lineage after the exile return lists, the Chronicler assures readers that God’s covenant purposes continue through every generation, remembered by name.