The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 14

half-way to Abram. H is hore tho lineal parentage found in Abraham, the" common tnblo pnuees to givo Joktan and hie thirteen father of the faithful." snns. 'l'ho names then in this portion of Vers. 28 - 37. - K LIST OF THE SONS, the list are twenty-six in number. In the GRANDSONS, AND OTHER DESCE~DANTS OF Authorized Vorsion they correspond with ABRAHAM, In the first of these verses tho thoso in Gonesis, except that Meschech new form of the name of Abraham is at once, ('1Jo/9J) here is called Mash(~1?J) there; Bhelah used in place of the old form. And the here is spelled Salnh there; and Ebal (':i•Jl) names of two of his sons are given, Isaao the son by Sarnh, and Ishmael the son by hero is written Obal (~=)iV) there. The dif- Hagar, bis Egyptian bondwoman. That ference between the Hebrew texts justifies these stand in the inverse order of their the first and last of these variations in the birth and age requires no explanation. Authorized Version, but in all other re- The distinct and separate mention of these spects those texts are in entire ~ccord with two sons, apart from all the others, i3 of one nnother, for this paragraph. The Sep- course in harmony with Gen. xxi. 12, 13, tuagint gives very little of this po~tion of "In Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also the list. It corresponds, whether with the of the son of the bondwoman will I make a Hebrew or the Authorized Version, only as nation, because he is thy seed." Although far as to the name Arphaxad, after which stated in the first place in the order of im- it carries down the line at once to Abram portance, and Isaac takes precedence of by the remaining eight names as given in Ishmael, the name of this latter and of his our twenty-fourth to twenty-seventh verses. posterity are treated of first. To note each Nor is it in agreement with its own version clear instance of this kind will guard us in Genesis, which has points of important a.gainilt inferring, in cases not clear, anything variation with the Hebrew text also. It is positive, one way or the other, respecting then at this break of the list tllat, after the seniority merely from order. T lie order names of Joktan's sons, we have in Genesis either of age or of historic importance may these words," And their dwelling was from be given in the first instance, to be im- Mesha, as thou goest unto Sepha.r a mount mediately reversed in favour of the order of the east. These are the sons of Shem, which shall enable the w1·iter to clear out after their families, after their tongues, in of his way the less important. their Jo.nds, after their nations. These are Vers. 29 - 31 contain the list of Ish- the families of the sons of Noah, after their- mael's sons, twelve in number. The named generations, in their nations ; and by these in the Authorize,! Version and in the Hebrew were the nations divided in the earth nfter the text are identical respectively with thosu Flood." Upon this follows the account of in Gen. xxv. 1:3 - 15, except that for Babel, in nine long verses, nnd thon a Hadar there we read Hadad here. In the chronological summary i3 furnished in Septuagint we have Idouma, Chondan, lethr lineal descent only from Shem to Abram. here, for Douma, Choddo.n, and Ietur there. It is with the names in this chronological At the close of this list in Genesfa we have summary that those in this second part of joined on to" these nre tlie sons of Ishmael," our list (vers. 24-27) are found to agree. the clauses, "and these are their names, by But any attempt at reproduction of the chro- their 1.owns, a.nu by their castles; twelva nology found in Genesis is again absent here. princes a.ccording to their nations. Ancl At this point a significant stage of these these are the years of the lifo of Ishmael. genealogies is reached. 'fhe ever-broaden- an hundred and thirty and seven years : ing stream of population now narrows again. and he ga.ve up- the ghost and died; and Two thousand years have flown by, tllen was gathered unto hi~ people. And they Abraham appears on the stream and tide of dwelt from Hnvilah unto Shur, that is human life. Of that long period the life of before Egypt, as thou gocst tow11rd Assyri,i: Adam himself spanned nearly the half. So and he died in the proscnco of all his far we learn without partiality of all his brethren." descendants in common. But henceforth, Vers. 32, 33, contain the list of A bra- the real, the distinct purpose of the genea- ham's sons by Koturah, hero c111led ono of logy becomes o.ppnrent, in that the line of his concubines; Lut in Genesis, '' n wife," the descendants of Abraham, and that by and apparently not tllken by Abrnh,im till one family, alone is maintained, and proves after S11rah's death (Gen. xxv. 1-4). 'fho to be a purpose leading by one long straight sons are six; the grandsons, two by tho line to Christ himself. With Abraham "the son placed second in oruer, and fi rn by the covenant of innocency," long forfeited in son placed fourth in order; in all thirteen Adam, is superseded by the everlasting no.mes. But the passage in Genesis gives "covenant of grace," o.nd we lose sight in also ttree great - grauclsons, through the some measure of Adam, the " common second gmndson. All the thirteen nro in father of our flesh," to think of a happier the Authorized Version identiclll in tho two  4 THE FlHST DOOK OF THE ClIRO.NICLES. [en. 1. 1-54,