(12) Shamer, or Shemer, occurred in 1Chronicles 7:34 as a clan of Asher. Who built.Ono and Lod. . . .--Literally, he built Ono and Lod and her daughters. The clause is a parenthesis referring to Shemer. Ono, now Kefr Auna, recurs in Ezra 2:33, Nehemiah 7:37; Nehemiah 11:35, but is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. It is always coupled with Lod, and must have been near it. Lod, the Lydda of Acts 9:32, is now the village of Ludd, north of Ramleh, between Jaffa and Jerusalem. Verses 12-28. - One of the sons of this last-named wife, Hushim, was named Elpaal. From ver. 12 to ver. 28 we have a numerous list of his descendants, evidently in different degrees of relationship, but with the thread picked up apparently several times, in the persons of the first-mentioned "sons," viz. the five, Eber, Misham, Shamed, Beriah, Shema (see vers. 16, 18, 21, 25, 27). Verse 12. - Ono and Lod. These places are not mentioned in Joshua as originally assigned to Benjamin. They were obtained or "built" afterwards. They are first mentioned in this passage, afterwards in Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 6:2; Nehemiah 7:37; Nehemiah 11:36. Led is, with little doubt, the Lydda of Acts 9:32. 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.The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed,.... Besides those in 1 Chronicles 8:14.who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof; not Shamed, but Elpaal his father, so the Targum; and the Talmudists say (o), these were walled cities from the days of Joshua the son of Nun, and were destroyed in the days of the concubine in Gibea, and Elpaal came and rebuilt them; they were inhabited by the Benjaminites, upon their return from the Babylonish captivity, Nehemiah 11:35 they were near to each other; according to a Jewish chronologer (p), it was three miles from the one to the other; Lod is the same with Lydda, in Acts 9:32. (o) T. Hieros. Megillah, fol. 70. 1. & T. Bab Megillah, fol. 4. 1. So the Targum. (p) Juchasin, fol. 39. 2. |