THE TRIBE OF ASHER (1Chronicles 7:30-40).

(30, 31) The sons of Asher; Imnah. . . . Malchiel.--This is a literal transcript of Genesis 46:17. Comp. also Numbers 26:44-46, where the clan (mishpahath) of each eponym is assigned; but the name of Isaah (Heb., Yishw?h) does not appear.

Beriah.--Also the name of an Ephraimitic stock (1Chronicles 7:23). Malchiel is called the "father (chief or founder) of Birzavith" only here. The Heb. margin has Birzayith, perhaps "well of olive" (be-er zayith); the text, Berazoth or Barz-th. It is probably the name of a place.

Verse 30. - The same four sons and one daughter of Asher are found in Genesis 46:17; but the name of the second son is wanting to the list of families descended from Asher of Numbers 26:44-47, and the name of the daughter is given by itself, and not as furnishing a family.

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.The son of Asher,.... Which, and his two grandsons born before Jacob went down to Egypt, are here reckoned as in Genesis 46:17 only it is here added Malchiel his second grandson:

who is the father of Birzavith; which Jarchi interprets, prince of a city of this name, which signifies pure oil; which it might have from the abundance of olives about it, Asher being a tribe which abounded with them, see Deuteronomy 33:24 though some of the Rabbins take it to be the name of a man, whose daughters, they say, as Jarchi observes, were very beautiful, having much oil to anoint with, and were married to kings and priests anointed with oil.