Bible Study 1 Chronicles 8
‹ 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 8 · WEB

The Genealogy of Benjamin and the Family of Saul

Listen — WEB narration 0:00 / 0:00 Narration: World English Bible (David Williams), public domain — AudioTreasure.

Tap a verse to copy it, open the Hebrew, or write a note.

Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third,
2Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
3Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud,
4Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,
5Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
6These are the sons of Ehud (these are the heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of Geba, and they carried them captive to Manahath):
7Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera — he carried them captive — and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
8Shaharaim became the father of children in the field of Moab, after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives.
9He became the father of Hodesh his wife: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam,
10Jeuz, Sachiah, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' houses.
11Of Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal.
12The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its towns);
13and Beriah and Shema (who were heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath);
14and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth.
15Zebadiah, Arad, Eder,
16Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.
17Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber,
18Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
19Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi,
20Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,
21Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.
22Ishpan, Eber, Eliel,
23Abdon, Zichri, Hanan,
24Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah,
25Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
26Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah,
27Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham.
28These were heads of fathers' houses throughout their generations, chief men. These lived in Jerusalem.
29In Gibeon there lived the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife's name was Maacah;
30and his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab,
31Gedor, Ahio, Zecher,
32and Mikloth, who became the father of Shimeah. They also lived in Jerusalem over against their brothers, with their brothers.
33Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul; and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
34The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal; and Merib Baal became the father of Micah.
35The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
36Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah; and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza;
37and Moza became the father of Binea; Raphah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.
38Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
39The sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
40The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons and sons' sons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.
✶

Summary

This chapter gives an extended genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin, culminating in the family of Saul — Israel's first king. The line from Ner through Kish to Saul, Jonathan, and Merib-baal (Mephibosheth) is traced in detail, along with Saul's extended descendants. The placement of Benjamin's genealogy just before the narrative of Saul's death (chapter 10) sets the stage for the transition to David's reign.

Themes

  • Benjamin's tribal identity preserved in genealogy
  • The house of Saul as a significant but flawed dynasty
  • Continuity of family lines even through national upheaval

Key verses

  • 1 Chr 8:33 — “Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul; and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.”
  • 1 Chr 8:34 — “The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal; and Merib Baal became the father of Micah.”

Context & background

Benjamin was the smallest tribe of Israel, yet it produced the nation's first king, Saul, who ruled from Gibeah (modern Tel el-Ful, near Jerusalem). Gibeon (modern Al-Jib, northwest of Jerusalem in the West Bank) is identified as the ancestral home of Saul's family. The name "Eshbaal" (meaning "man of Baal") was later changed to Ishbosheth ("man of shame") in Samuel, reflecting later scribal sensitivity to the word "Baal." Merib-baal is known in 2 Samuel as Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan whom David showed kindness to.

Cross-references

  • 1 Chronicles 10 — The death of Saul immediately follows this genealogical setup
  • 1 Samuel 9:1-2 — Kish introduced as Saul's father; Saul's physical description
  • 2 Samuel 9 — David's kindness to Mephibosheth (Merib-baal), Jonathan's son
  • Philippians 3:5 — Paul again cites his Benjaminite heritage as part of his pedigree
  • Romans 11:1 — Paul identifies himself as "of the tribe of Benjamin" — the tribe of Saul

Check your reading

Log in to take the quiz and save your progress.

  1. Observe

    Who are the four sons of Saul listed in this genealogy?

  2. Observe

    What is the family relationship between Jonathan and Merib-baal?

  3. Interpret

    Why does the Chronicler include Saul's detailed family tree even though Saul's dynasty was rejected?

  4. Interpret

    What does the continuation of Saul's line through Merib-baul and his descendants suggest about God's character?

  5. Apply

    Who in your life might benefit from the kind of unexpected, covenant-based kindness David showed Mephibosheth?

  6. Apply

    What warning does Saul's trajectory from promising king to rejected dynasty offer you?

Your journal

Write your own answers — they save automatically, and only you can see them.

Log in to write and save journal answers.

Apply (How does it apply to me?)

Personal notes (anything else about this chapter)