(7) And the sons of Bela.--The names are wholly different in 1 Chronicles 8:3-4. The reason would seem to be that the names before us represent the chieftains and clans of Bela as they existed at a given epoch, viz., the time of David's census. The list of 1 Chronicles 8 belongs to another period. Here, as elsewhere, it is evident enough that the chronicler has faithfully followed or rather transcribed his sources, without a thought of harmonising their apparent inconsistencies.
Heads of. . .fathers.--Rather, heads of theirfather-houses, i.e., chieftains.
And were reckoned by their genealogies.--And their census was 22,034. This number represents the fighting strength of the Belaites,. who are here identified with their heads.
Verse 7. - And the sons of Bela. The first and last of the five (descendants or heads of families) here given, viz. Ezbon and Iri, are not found in previous places among Benjamite families, but are found (Genesis 46:16; Numbers 26:16) among Gadite families. It would seem that by David's time they had become in some aspects ranked among the Benjamites, though not originally of them.
7:1-40 Genealogies. - Here is no account either of Zebulun or Dan. We can assign no reason why they only should be omitted; but it is the disgrace of the tribe of Dan, that idolatry began in that colony which fixed in Laish, and called it Dan, Jud 18 and there one of the golden calves was set up by Jeroboam. Dan is omitted, Re 7. Men become abominable when they forsake the worship of the true God, for any creature object.
And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five,.... These are thought by some to be the grandsons of Bela, because of the different names in 1 Chronicles 8:3,
heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; principal men in their tribe and families, and of great courage:
and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four; who sprung from these men.
Heads of . . . fathers.--Rather, heads of their father-houses, i.e., chieftains.
And were reckoned by their genealogies.--And their census was 22,034. This number represents the fighting strength of the Belaites,. who are here identified with their heads.
heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour; principal men in their tribe and families, and of great courage:
and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and four; who sprung from these men.