(33) The house of Saul It is not said here that Saul's immediate family was settled at Gibeon. From 1Samuel 10:26; 1Samuel 15:34, and 2Samuel 21:6, we learn that Gibeah, or "Gibeah of Saul," was the seat of the king. It is gratuitous to suppose that the chronicler has confounded two different places.

And Ner begat Kish.--1Samuel 9:1 gives the following pedigree of Kish: Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah; and 1Samuel 14:51 states that Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, were sons of Abiel. The omission of intermediate names is not uncommon in these lists. We may, therefore, suppose that some members of the genealogical series are here omitted between Ner and Kish. The father of Abner was, of course, only a namesake of the present Ner, which is perhaps a clan, not an individual.

Saul begat Jonathan.--So 1Samuel 14:49; 1Samuel 31:2; save that the former passage has Ishui for Abinadab. This seems to be a case of double naming. Others identify Ishui with Ishbosheth.

Abinadab.--Comp. Nadab, 1Chronicles 8:30. Both are probably Divine titles, meaning "the father (i.e., Jehovah) is noble." Comp. Kammusu Nadbi, "Chemosh is my prince," the name of a Moabite king, mentioned by Sennacherib. Ner and Kish also both occurred in 1Chronicles 8:30 as Gibeonite clans. Here they (or at least Kish) may be said to be personal names.

Esh-baal.--2Samuel 2:8, Ish-bosheth, David's rival king. Esh-baal ("man of Baal") is the true name. Ish-bosheth ("man of shame") is a sort of euphemism, avoiding the very mention of an idol. So the Merib-baal ("Baal strives;" rather, perhaps, Meri-Baal, "man of Baal") of 1Chronicles 8:34 appears in 2Samuel 4:4; 2Samuel 9:6, &c, as Mephibosheth, where probably the right reading is Meribbosheth. In like manner, idols are styled "abominations." 1Kings 11:5 : "Milcom the abomination (i.e., god) of the sons of Ammon," and elsewhere. Beth-el, the sanctuary of the golden calf, or rather bullock, is called Beth-aven. The "house of God" is a "house of wickedness" (Hosea 4:15; Hosea 5:8; Joshua 7:2.) (See Note on 1Chronicles 8:30.)

Verses 33, 34. - The number of Saul's children was certainly nine. In addition to the four (1 Samuel 31:2) mentioned here, there was Ishui, probably standing second (1 Samuel 14:49), and there were two daughters, Merab and Michal (1 Samuel 14:49), and there were two sons by Rizpah (2 Samuel 21:8), named Armoui and Mephi-bosheth. Esh-baal; the same with Ishbo-sheth (2 Samuel 2:8; 2 Samuel 3:7-14; 2 Samuel 4:4-12). Merib-baal; the same with Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:12). Micah is, therefore, the great-grandson of Saul.

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.And Ner begat Kish,.... Who also is called Abiel, as the Targum here adds; for Ner had two names, as other Jewish writers likewise say (r), see 1 Samuel 9:1,

and Kish begat Saul; the first king of Israel, for whose sake chiefly the genealogy of Benjamin is revised and enlarged in this chapter:

and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal, see 1 Samuel 31:2. Abinadab is called Ishui, 1 Samuel 14:49 and Eshbaal is the same with Ishbosheth, 2 Samuel 2:8, so Baal and Bosheth are used of the same idol of which they are names, Hosea 9:10.

(r) Vajikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 152. 4.