*H The sons of Juda: Phares, Hesron, and Charmi and Hur, and Sobal.
Ver. 1. Charmi, the great-grandson of Juda, by Zara and Zamri. Jos. vii. 1. — Junius takes him to be the same with Calubi, (C. ii.) father of Sobal. This seems to be transcribed from another ancient register of the family of Juda, and designed to shew where the principal men had resided. C. — Only the chiefs are specified. D.
* Footnote * Genesis 38 : 3
And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her.* Footnote * Genesis 46 : 12
The sons of Juda: Her and Onan, and Sela, and Phares and Zara. And Her and Onan died in the land of Chanaan. And sons were born to Phares: Hesron and Hamul.* Footnote * Matthew 1 : 3
And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram.*H And Raia the son of Sobal begot Jahath, of whom were born Ahumai, and Laad. These are the families of Sarathi.
Ver. 2. Sarathi, who peopled Saraa. C.
*H And this is the posterity of Etam: Jezrahel, and Jesema, And Jedebos: and the name of their sister was Asalelphuni.
Ver. 3. Posterity. So all the ancient versions seem to have read boni, instead of the present Heb. abi, which literally means, "and these are the father of Etam." If words ever wanted sense, they do so here. Kennicott. — Etham is perhaps the name of a town. Malv.
*H And the sons of Halaa, Sereth, Isaar, and Ethnan.
Ver. 7. Ethnan. Some would insert "and Cos," to connect this with the following.
*H And Cos begot Anob, and Soboba, and the kindred of Aharehel the son of Arum.
Ver. 8. Cos. Perhaps (C.) the same with Cenez, v. 13. T.
*H And Jabes was more honourable than any of his brethren, and his mother called his name Jabes, saying: Because I bore him with sorrow.
Ver. 9. Jabes. That is, sorrowful. Ch. — There seems to be something wanting, as we are not informed who were the brethren of Jabes. C. — This name he received from his mother, while his father Cos, called him Othoniel. E.
*H And Jabes called upon the God of Israel, saying: If blessing thou wilt bless me, and wilt enlarge my borders, and thy hand be with me, and thou save me from being oppressed by evil. And God granted him the things he prayed for.
Ver. 10. For. To reward his piety and vow. Othoniel obtained Cariath-sepher, and Axa, the daugher of Caleb. Jos. xv. 17. C. — Jabes imitated holy Jacob, (Gen. xxviii.) and both desired temporal blessings, for their advancement in virtue. W.
*H And Caleb the brother of Sua begot Mahir, who was the father of Esthon.
Ver. 11. Caleb. Heb. "Celub," different both from Calubi and the son of Jephone, v. 15. C. — Brother, &c. Sept. "father of Ascha," which would seem to make him the same with the latter.
*H And Esthon begot Bethrapha, and Phesse, and Tehinna father of the city of Naas: these are the men of Recha.
Ver. 12. City. Heb. "Hir-Nachash." H. — The latter term denotes "copper or a serpent." We know not where this city was situated, no more than Recha. C.
*H And the sons of Cenez were Othoniel, and Saraia. And the sons of Othoniel, Hathath, and Maonathi.
Ver. 13. Othoniel, first judge. H. — He was brother, or rather cousin, of Caleb. See Jos. xv. 17.
*H Maonathi begot Ophra, and Saraia begot Joab the father of the Valley of artificers: for artificers were there.
Ver. 14. Artificers. Heb. Charashim, which means various sorts of "workmen," (C.) or "father (prince. M.) of Ge-Harasim, for," &c. C. — Under this lord the artificers dwelt who built the temple. W.
*H And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephone, were Hir, and Ela, and Naham. And the sons of Ela: Cenez.
Ver. 15. Caleb, so memorable (C.) for this fidelity. Num. xii. 30. and xxxii. 12. H.
*H And his wife Judaia, bore Jared the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Icuthiel the father of Zanoe. And these are the sons of Bethia the daughter of Pharao, whom Mered took to wife.
Ver. 18. Judaia, a second wife, of his own nation. By the first, from Egypt, Mered had Miriam, &c. Some words seem to be lost, which render it doubtful to whom Judaia was married.
*H And the sons of his wife Odaia the sister of Naham the father of Celia, Garmi, and Esthamo, who was of Machathi.
Ver. 19. Odaia, perhaps the same with Judaia, (C.) as the Sept. read. — Who was. Heb. and Sept. "Machatha," (H.) a place to the north of Basan, far from the limits of Juda, whence we should, perhaps, read Menuchat, as C. ii. 52. 54.
*H The sons of Sela the son of Juda: Her the father of Lecha, and Laada the father of Maresa, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen in the House of oath.
Ver. 21. Her. Hitherto we have seem the possessions of the descendants of Phares. Those of Her inhabited the country rendered famous by the exploits of Samson with the jaw bone. Judg. xv. 9. C. — The first-born of Sela was called Her, after his unfortunate uncle. Gen. xxxviii. 7. H. — That wrought. Sept. take it for a proper name, "Ebdath." Heb. Beth-habodath habuts, "the house of the byssus, or fine linen manufacturers in Beth-Ashbáah," (H.) which is, perhaps, the same with Beersabee, "the well of swearing." Gen. xxi. 31. C. — Oath. The Latin word juramenti, might be retained here, as well as Calor. C. ii. 55. See 2 K. xxi. 19. Sept. read, "Esoba," as the proper name of a place. H.
* Footnote * Genesis 38 : 5
She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. After whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.*H And he that made the sun to stand, and the men of Lying, and Secure, and Burning, who were princes in Moab, and who returned into Lahem. Now these are things of old.
Ver. 22. He, that made, &c. viz. Joazim, the meaning of whose name in Hebrew, is, he that made the sun to stand. In like manner the following names, Lying, (Cozeba) Secure, (Joash) and Burning, (Saraph) are substituted in place of the Hebrew names of the same signification. Ch. — The first etymology is not perfectly accurate, as Jokim means simply, "he made to stand;" Jachin, the pillar which Solomon erected, has the same import. H. — Some injudicious person seems to have placed the sun in the margin, whence it has crept into the text. T. — It might be occasioned by the fable of the Rabbins, who assert (H.) that Elimelech wrought the like miracle as Josue, to convince the people of Bethlehem of the necessity of being converted; but, finding them incorrigible, denounced a famine, which forced him to retire with his family into the country of Moab. S. Jer. Trad. &c. — Elimelech died in that country; but these four descendants of Sela retired, probably, along with him, and returned afterwards to Lehem, or Bethlehem, as it is customary to omit a part of a word. T. — This town was peopled by different branches of Juda's family, v. 4, and C. ii. 54. C. — Lahem, &c. Sept. seem to leave the original terms: "he made them return to Abedderim Athoukiim." — Who returned, is also left as a proper name by the Prot. (H.) &c. "And Jasubi Lehem." Vat. M. — It is not easy to decide, when the Hebrew words should be translated. — Old. Heb. "and ancient words;" (H.) records, shewing where these families resided, (C.) unless this be also the name (H.) of a place. Sept.
*H These are the potters, and they dwelt in Plantations, and Hedges, with the king for his works, and they abode there.
Ver. 23. Potters. Heb. yotserim, may also designate some family, as it seems improbable that the princes, in Moab, should be reduced to so mean a condition. But we have many examples of such a fall; (H.) and it is supposed, that these descendants of Sela were employed by the king of Babylon, at Nethaim and Gadera. C. — Hedges. These are the proper names of the places where they dwelt. In Hebrew, Netahim and Gedera. Ch. — Sept. "Ataim and Gadera." H. — The correct Roman edition of the Vulg. prints these words, plantationibus et Sepibus, with large letters, to imply as much. M. — King; David. Sa. M. — Many of the tribe of Juda attended David, while he was forced to flee before Saul, and to hide himself in unfrequented places. Some of them might be these Yotserim, or they might follow the profession of potters. H. — "With the king they were powerful in his kingdom, and dwelt there." Sept. H. — The Vulg. often gives the meaning of proper names. D.
*H The sons of Simeon: Namuel and Jamin, Jarib, Zara, Saul:
Ver. 24. Namuel, or Jamuel. Gen. xlvi. 10. — Jarib; perhaps the same with Sohar, (M.) unless the latter be Zara, or Zare. Num. xxvi. 12. These genealogies seem different; but the same person (C.) might have many names. D.
* Footnote * Genesis 46 : 10
The sons of Simeon: Jamuel and Jamin and Ahod, and Jachin and Sohar, and Saul, the son of a woman of Chanaan.*H The sons of Semei were sixteen, and six daughters: but his brethren had not many sons, and the whole kindred could not reach to the sum of the children of Juda.
Ver. 27. Juda, probably, not even in the following cities, which they inhabited along with them. This tribe of Simeon was always the weakest, and kept close to Juda. See Num. xxvi. 14.
*H And in Bathuel, and in Horma, and in Siceleg,
Ver. 30. Bathuel appears to be the same with Bethulia. Judith vi. 7. C.
*H And in Bethmarchaboth, and in Hasarsusim, and in Bethberai, and in Saarim. These were their cities unto the reign of David.
Ver. 31. David, who had Siceleg given to him, 1 K. xxvii. 6. H. — After the schism, Juda straitened the tribe of Simeon; so that it was forced to seek for other habitations in Gador, under Ezechias, v. 39, &c. C. — It could no longer reside among those of the tribe of Juda, (D.) and acknowledge another king. H.
*H And all their villages round about these cities as far as Baal. This was their habitation, and the distribution of their dwellings.
Ver. 33. Baal, or Ballath. Jos. xix. 1. — Distribution. Heb. and Sept. "and their genealogy." M. — Καταλογισμος, may as well have the former signification, "their class;" (H.) though the sequel seems to determine it in the latter sense. D.
*H And Mosabab and Jemlech, and Josaphat, the son of Amasias,
Ver. 34. Mosabab. This and the following princes joined their forces, to conquer fresh territories from Gador, (H.) or Gadara, near Joppe, (Strabo xvi.) which had been long in the possession (H.) of the Egyptians, (v. 40. C.) or Philistines. Malvenda.
*H And they found fat pastures, and very good, and a country spacious, and quiet, and fruitful, in which some of the race of Cham had dwelt before.
Ver. 40. Cham. It is not certain that the Philistines, who came from the country of the Casluim, were descendants of Mezraim. Gen. x. 14. But it is very clear that the Egyptians sprung from Cham. Ps. lxxvii. 51.
*H And these whose names are written above, came in the days of Ezechias king of Juda: and they beat down their tents, and slew the inhabitants that were found there, and utterly destroyed them unto this day: and they dwelt in their place, because they found there fat pastures.
Ver. 41. Inhabitants. Sept. "and the Mineans." Heb. meyenim, "the inhabitants of Maon," in Arabia. See Judg. x. 11. Syr. and Arab. "the fountains."
*H Some also of the children of Simeon, five hundred men, went into mount Seir, having for their captains Phaltias and Naaria and Raphaia and Oziel the sons of Jesi:
Ver. 42. Jesi; perhaps Asaia, by the transposition of one letter; (v. 36. C.) or these chiefs were remote descendants of Jesi, v. 20. H. — The expedition probably took place about the same time as the preceding, to avoid the attack of the Assyrians, or of Juda, by retiring farther into Arabia. C.
*H And they slew the remnant of the Amalecites, who had been able to escape, and they dwelt there in their stead unto this day.
Ver. 43. Escape the arms of Saul, or of David. D. — Day. It seems, therefore, that they escaped captivity, having abandoned their own country; or this was taken from a record, which had been made before that event, and is here inserted by Esdras; though, when he wrote, these Simeonites might have experienced the fate of their brethren, who were led captives in the 6th year of Ezechias. H.