What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 8:31? Gedor • In the flow of 1 Chronicles 8:29-32, Gedor is listed after Nadab and before Ahio, one of the sons of Jeiel (also called “the father of Gibeon”). Taken at face value, the verse shows God’s careful record-keeping of every Benjaminite family line. • The same name appears in the parallel genealogy after the exile (1 Chronicles 9:37), confirming that these lines survived centuries of upheaval. • By placing Gedor in this list, Scripture ties him to Kish, Saul, and the broader royal story of Benjamin (1 Samuel 9:1-2; 1 Chronicles 8:33). Even if we know nothing more about him, God does—and preserves his name for all time. Ahio • Ahio follows Gedor in the verse. While another man named Ahio helped guide the ark’s cart in David’s day (2 Samuel 6:3-4), the Ahio of 1 Chronicles 8 is a brother within Saul’s ancestry. • His inclusion highlights how every individual—famous or obscure—matters in God’s redemptive timeline. The royal narrative did not float in a vacuum; it was rooted in real households with siblings and daily life. • The repeated genealogy in 1 Chronicles 9:37 again lists Ahio, underlining the reliability and consistency of the chronicler’s records. Zecher • Zecher (rendered “Zechariah” in 1 Chronicles 9:37) closes the trio. The slight spelling difference between chapter 8 and chapter 9 shows that the chronicler was comfortable preserving older forms side-by-side with post-exilic usage, further attesting the historical trustworthiness of the account. • Zecher’s place at the end of the list leads directly to Mikloth and then Shimeah (1 Chronicles 8:31-32), bridging the family of Jeiel to those who later settled “alongside their relatives in Jerusalem.” Even after exile, the Benjaminite clans remained connected to the holy city (Nehemiah 11:7-9). • This reminds us that God not only tracks individuals but weaves them into a larger community plan, anchoring personal stories in His covenant people. summary 1 Chronicles 8:31 simply lists three brothers—Gedor, Ahio, and Zecher—yet the placement within Israel’s royal genealogy testifies that God values every name, guards every lineage, and faithfully carries the tribe of Benjamin from pre-monarchic days through exile and back to Jerusalem. |
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