What Does 1 Chronicles 8:40 Mean?

(40) **And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers.**—The ancient prowess of the Benjamites is recorded in Judges 20. Their left-handed slingers were famous. (See also Judges 3:15 *seq.*) **Archers.**—Literally, *treaders of the bow* (1Chronicles 5:18). The meaning is that they drew their bows by resting the foot against them, the bows being large. **Had many sons, and sons’ sons, an hundred and fifty.**—What was their date? If we may assume that no names have been omitted, we are concerned with the fourteenth generation from Jonathan, the friend of David. The era of David has been fixed at about 1055-1045 B.C. ; so that the great-grandsons of Ulam may have flourished about 635-625 B.C. (1055 *minus* 420), in the reign of Josiah. The omission of names, however, is as possible and as likely in the present series as elsewhere; and it is obvious that one or two additional members would carry the list past the exile (B.C. 588). There are reasons for believing that the posterity of Ulam really represent a family of the period of the Return. Their number is favourable to the supposition. Comp. Ezra 2:18; Ezra 2:21; Ezra 2:23; Ezra 2:27; Ezra 2:30 for families of about the same dimensions, which returned with Zerubbabel. Further, the reference in 1Chronicles 8:8-10 to a sojourn of certain Benjamite houses in Moab may be connected with the mention in Ezra 2:6; Ezra 8:4; Nehemiah 3:11, and elsewhere, of the “sons of the Pasha of Moab” (*Pahath Mo’ab.* This word *pahath* used to be reckoned among the indications of the late origin of the Chronicle. Now, however, it is known to be an ancient Semitic term. Comp. the Assyrian *pihatu*)*. Ono and Lod* (1Chronicles 8:12) may be compared with Ezra 2:33, and the singular names *Elam* (1Chronicles 8:24) and *Azmaveth* (1Chronicles 8:36), with the “sons of Elam” (Ezra 2:7), and “the sons of Azmaveth,” or “Beth-azmaveth” (Ezra 2:24; Nehemiah 7:28). The name *Bocheru* (in 1Chronicles 8:38) has been classed with Gashmu (Nehemiah 6:6), but the latter is an Arab, and there is seemingly no MS. authority for Bocheru. *Ishmael* (1Chronicles 8:38) reminds us of “Ishmael son of Nethaniah, of the seed royal” (2Kings 25:25), who survived the fall of Jerusalem. **Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. **Bible Hub