And at Gibeon - This passage to the end of the 38th verse is found with a little variety in the names, 1 Chronicles 9:35-44.

The rabbins say that Ezra, having found two books that had these passages with a variety in the names, as they agreed in general, he thought best to insert them both, not being able to discern which was the best.

His general plan was to collate all the copies he had, and to follow the greater number when he found them to agree; those which disagreed from the majority were thrown aside as spurious; and yet, in many cases, probably the rejected copies contained the true text.

If Ezra proceeded as R. Sol. Jarchi says, he had a very imperfect notion of the rules of true criticism; and it is no wonder that he has left so many faults in his text.

And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon,.... The builder of the city, and prince of the inhabitants of it, which was in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25 whose name was Jehiel, 1 Chronicles 9:35,

(whose wife's name was Maachah;) of which name were many, see 1 Chronicles 2:48.

_ - 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.

And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name was Maachah:

father...: also called Jehiel

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.