1 Chronicles 8 8

1 Chronicles 8:8 kjv

And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.

1 Chronicles 8:8 nkjv

Also Shaharaim had children in the country of Moab, after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives.

1 Chronicles 8:8 niv

Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara.

1 Chronicles 8:8 esv

And Shaharaim fathered sons in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives.

1 Chronicles 8:8 nlt

After Shaharaim divorced his wives Hushim and Baara, he had children in the land of Moab.

1 Chronicles 8 verses

1 Chronicles 8 8 Meaning

1 Chronicles 8:8 records part of the genealogy of Benjamin, focusing on Shaharaim, who begat children while residing in the country of Moab. The verse specifies that he had sent away previous partners or dependents, and during his time there, Hushim and Baara were his wives. This indicates a complex familial situation involving a relocation to Moab, the dismissal or divorce of earlier partners, and the establishment of a household with multiple wives.

1 Chronicles 8 8 Context

1 Chronicles chapter 8 is a detailed genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin. Following extensive genealogies of other tribes in previous chapters, the Chronicler dedicates significant attention to Benjamin, emphasizing its historical importance (especially as the tribe of King Saul and later part of the post-exilic Judahite community). These genealogies served to confirm tribal identities, establish legitimate claims to inheritance, and link the returned exiles to their heritage and God's covenant promises. Verse 8:8 specifically details Shaharaim's family history within this larger genealogical record, including unusual or notable circumstances of his marriages and relocation. The inclusion of his presence in Moab highlights interaction with a foreign nation, a recurring theme in Israel's history with varied implications, sometimes sanctioned, sometimes condemned (as seen with foreign wives after the exile). The practice of polygamy, while not God's original ideal, was accepted within ancient Israelite society and the Mosaic Law accommodated it, not endorsing it, but regulating it.

1 Chronicles 8 8 Word analysis

• And Shaharaim begat children: This is a standard genealogical formula used extensively in Chronicles and throughout the Bible. "Begat" (יָלַד, yalad) signifies direct fatherhood. The naming of the father, Shaharaim, signifies a specific individual in the lineage, essential for tracing family lines.
• in the country of Moab: This geographical detail places Shaharaim's family formation in Moab (מוֹאָב, Mo'av). Moab was a neighboring nation east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot (Gen 19:37). Historically, Moab often had antagonistic relations with Israel (e.g., Balak and Balaam in Num 22-24, Moabite oppression in Judg 3:12-30). However, the inclusion here implies either a temporary migration due to famine (like Elimelech in Ruth 1:1) or other circumstances, reflecting a lived reality of interaction, not necessarily divine sanction or condemnation. The Chronicler merely records the historical fact.
• after he had sent them away: The Hebrew verb here is שָׁלַח (shalach), often meaning "to send away," "dismiss," or "divorce." The plural suffix "them" (suffix -ו, -o in a slightly different form as a participle construction, referring to "those sent away") combined with the context of marriage and wives, strongly implies the dismissal or divorce of previous wives or concubines. This reflects a marital fluidity common in ancient Near Eastern societies but later addressed more strictly in prophetic literature and by Jesus.
• Hushim and Baara were his wives: These are specific names (חֻשִׁים, Hushim; בַּעֲרָה, Ba'arah). The use of the plural "wives" (נָשִׁים, nashim) clearly indicates polygamy (more specifically, polygyny, where one man has multiple wives), which was practiced by many prominent figures in Israel's history, including Abraham, Jacob, and David, and permitted under Mosaic law (though not necessarily ideal). These are named as his wives at the time he was in Moab and begat the children mentioned subsequently in the verse.

1 Chronicles 8 8 Bonus section

• The naming of multiple wives in this genealogical list, including the reference to dismissed prior partners, highlights the meticulous detail the Chronicler included in establishing complete and accurate lineages for post-exilic identity. This wasn't merely a list of males but sometimes acknowledged the maternal lineage for specific insights.
• The "sending away" of wives or concubines was a recognized, though not necessarily ideal, practice. The Bible generally regulates divorce and polygamy (Deu 21:15-17), indicating their prevalence while simultaneously pushing towards an ideal reflected in Jesus' teachings on marriage as a lifelong, monogamous union. The mere mention of it without immediate condemnation or justification signifies its accepted sociological reality in that historical period.
• The presence of Benjamite family branches in Moab also points to broader tribal migratory patterns or interactions that pre-date stricter legalistic separation emphasized in later periods, reminding us that ancient Israel was a dynamic society with interactions, sometimes problematic, with its neighbors.

1 Chronicles 8 8 Commentary

1 Chronicles 8:8 provides a snapshot of a complex ancient Israelite family unit, situated within a broader genealogical record of the tribe of Benjamin. The Chronicler's primary aim in compiling these extensive genealogies was to provide continuity and identity for the post-exilic community, affirming their heritage and claims to the land and covenant promises. This verse contributes to that record by noting Shaharaim's lineage, while also revealing a typical, yet historically intricate, family dynamic. The mention of his sojourn in Moab reflects the fluidity of Israelite tribal movements and interactions with surrounding peoples, though such intermingling could become a point of religious contention later (as seen with Ezra and Nehemiah's reforms against foreign wives). The detail about "sending away" (likely divorcing) prior wives before establishing a family with Hushim and Baara in Moab underscores the ancient practice of sequential and simultaneous polygamy, which, while not the Divine ideal for marriage (Gen 2:24, Mt 19:4-6), was accommodated within the legal framework of the Mosaic covenant. The Chronicler records these facts impartially, demonstrating the diverse and sometimes challenging family structures that existed even among the covenant people.