(17) Bedan (i.e., ben Dan "the Danite" in 1Samuel 12:11 is a judge between Jerubbaal and Jephthah. Here a clan is meant, not a person.

These were the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.--These words appear to refer to a series of names which has dropped out of the text, but which may be inferred from Numbers 26:30-32 to have included Abiezer (of which Jeezer is a contraction) and Shemidah. (See the genealogy, 1Chronicles 7:14, Note.) 1Chronicles 7:17 b and 1Chronicles 7:18 may thus have read, "These were the sons of Gilead, &c. Abiezer . . . Shemidah. (Now his sister Hammoleketh had borne Ish-hod and Abiezer and Mahalah.) And the sons of Shemidah were," &c. (1Chronicles 7:19).

Hammoleketh--or, the queen, as the Vulg. renders it, may be conceived of here as a half-sister and consort of Gilead.

Ishod = Man of majesty.

Verse 17. - Bedan. While all the names of the preceding verse are strange to us, this name excites much interest, as possibly to be identified with the Bedan (1 Samuel 12:11) who is placed after Jerubbaal (i.q. Gideon), and before Jephthah and Samuel. Who in the Book of Judges is to answer to this Bedan of the Book of Samuel it is impossible to say. See Bishop Cotton's excellent short article (Smith's 'Bible Dictionary,' L 177). These were the sons of Gilead (see ver. 14). The name Gilead surpassed the name Machir, and even rivalled that of Manasseh itself.

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 Ulam: Bedan,.... See 1 Samuel 12:11.

these were the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh; that is, were of his posterity, or belonged to his family; for Ulam and Rakem were sons of a brother of Gilead, 1 Chronicles 7:16.