1 Chronicles 8:32

And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(32) Shimeah is essentially the same word as Shimeam (1Chronicles 9:38). The latter is a mimmated form (i.e., a more ancient form of the noun, with the original ending m).

And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.—Literally, And they also, before their brethren, dwelt in Jerusalem with their brethren. The verse seems to tell us that of all the stock of Gibeon only the branch of Mikloth-Shimeah settled in Jerusalem. When, we are not informed. Some think the reference is to the repeopling of Jerusalem after the Restoration (Nehemiah 11:1). “Before their brethren.”—Before in Heb. means east, as behind means west. The clans in question dwelt in Jerusalem, to the east of their fellow-tribesmen in Gibeon.

With their brethren—that is, with the other Benjamite clans settled in Jerusalem (1Chronicles 8:16-28).

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 8:32. These also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem — With those other Benjamites spoken of 1 Chronicles 8:28; over against them — In some street or part of Jerusalem, which was over against that where their brethren dwelt.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:1-40 Genealogies. - Here is a larger list of Benjamin's tribe. We may suppose that many things in these genealogies, which to us seem difficult, abrupt, and perplexed, were plain and easy at that time, and fully answered the intention for which they were published. Many great and mighty nations then were in being upon earth, and many illustrious men, whose names are now wholly forgotten; while the names of multitudes of the Israel of God are here kept in everlasting remembrance. The memory of the just is blessed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

These dwelt in Jerusalem - Jerusalem was partly within the limits of the tribe of Benjamin Joshua 18:28; but we do not hear of Benjamites inhabiting it until after the return from the captivity 1 Chronicles 9:3; Nehemiah 11:4.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

28. These dwelt in Jerusalem—The ordinary and stated inhabitants of Jerusalem were Judahites, Benjamites, and Levites. But at the time referred to here, the chiefs or heads of the principal families who are enumerated (1Ch 8:14-27) established themselves in the city after their return from the captivity.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

With their brethren, i.e. with those other Benjamites spoken of 1 Chronicles 8:28.

Over against them; in some street or part of Jerusalem, which was over against that where their brethren dwelt.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Mikloth begat Shimeah,.... Called Shimeam, 1 Chronicles 9:38.

and these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them; in another part of the city, right beside them.

Geneva Study Bible

And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32. with their brethren etc.] i.e. with some of their brethren in Jerusalem over against other of their brethren in Gibeon and other places. 1 Chronicles 8:32 b. looks like the heading of a list which has been lost.

over against them] R.V. over against their brethren.

1 Chronicles 8:32

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

_ - 1 Chronicles 8:29-38 recur in 1 Chronicles 9:35-44 (see on that passage).

1 Chronicles 8:29-32

The ancestors of Saul. They dwelt mainly in Gibeon, but a branch of them were settled in Jerusalem, 1 Chronicles 8:32.f. In Gibeon, now El Jib, two hours north-west from Jerusalem (see on Joshua 9:3), dwelt the father of Gibeon, with his wife and his sons. The plural ישׁבוּ is used because there dwelt there, besides the father of Gibeon, also his wife and his sons. The father, i.e., the lord and possessor of Gibeon, was called, according to 1 Chronicles 9:35, Jehiel (יעיאל, Keth. יעואל), and his wife Maachah, a not uncommon female name (see on 1 Chronicles 2:48). The descent of Jehiel from Benjamin is not given. In 1 Chronicles 8:30 eight names are given as those of his sons, while in 1 Chronicles 9:36. ten are mentioned, the latter statement being correct; for a comparison of the two passages shows that in our verse two names have been dropped out, - Ner between Baal and Nadab, and Mikloth at the end, which must have originally stood in our register also, - for in 1 Chronicles 8:32, 1 Chronicles 8:33 their descendants are mentioned. זכר is called in 1 Chronicles 9:37 זכריה. These names are evidently those of actual sons of Jehiel who were progenitors of fathers'-houses (groups of related households), but in the case of only two is the race descended from these further noticed. In 1 Chronicles 8:32 we have that of the youngest Mikloth, who begat Shimeah, called in 1 Chronicles 9:38 Shimeam. These also (viz., Shimeah and his family) dwelt in Jerusalem אחיהם נגד, "before their brethren," i.e., over against them, and אחיהם עם, "with their brethren." The brethren are the other Benjamites in the first clause, those dwelling outside of Jerusalem and inhabiting the neighbouring country as far as Gibeon (1 Chronicles 8:30); in the second, those dwelling in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 8:28). From this it is clear that of the descendants of Abi-Gibeon only that branch which was descended from Mikloth went to Jerusalem.