King Saul
Ancestors and Descendants of the First King of Israel
Family of Saul
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Contents:
Ancestors and Descendants of the First King of Israel
Family of Saul
Genealogies
Introduction. Many are Interested in the Tribe of Benjamin
The Tribe of Benjamin
Saul
Geneaology of Saul
Traditional Aramaic Translations of the Bible.
The Immediate Ancestry of Saul
The Wives of Saul
Introduction. Many are Interested in the Tribe of Benjamin
King Saul was from the Tribe of Benjamin. We have written somewhat more about this Tribe, than we have for some of the others, and also produced Video Clips on it. There was no conscious reason for this.
It just turned out that way. Surprisingly a large number of people expressed interest and appreciation for what we had written.
The following article is in response to a request by our friend, Michael Greenwood.
Part of the sources were supplied by Rabbi David Feldman on behalf of Brit-Am.
Yair Davidiy was responsible for the editing and for an attempt to unravel and reconcile the genealogical trees.
The articles in its present state does not gibve any definitive directions. Many points are still confused. Nevertheless it has value as an initial attempt that others may build on.
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Some Reference Sources:
Mishpachat HaMatri ve Ha-Givonim," (Hebrew language) by Zeev Erlich.
http://www.daat.ac.il/he-il/eretz_israel/books-and-articles/erlich_metri.htm
Daat Mikra, "Sefer Shmuel," (Hebrew -language Book of Samuel) by Yehudah Kiel.
Daat Mikra, "Sefer Divrie haYamim," (Hebrew-language Book of Chronicles) by Yehudah Kiel.
Erlich, Zeev. (Hebrew language article) "Mishpachat HaMitri ve Ha-Givonim," Jerusalem, 5745.
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The Tribe of Benjamin
King Saul was a descendant of Bela son of Benjamin son of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham the Hebrew.
List 1.
Genesis 26:
21 The sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim and Ard. (10 Names)
One of the brothers of Bela was named Gera and so was a son of his. This has caused confusion in some genealogical lists.
List 2.
Numbers (NASB) 26:
38 The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 39 of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.
We find here 7 Names including Bela as a separate name apart from his two sons, Ard and Naaman.
Comparing the two lists we find in both lists the names Bela, Ashbel, Naaman, Ard.
Names that occur in only one of the lists included:
In Genesis 46:21 (List 1) we find: Becher, Gera, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim.
In Numbers 26:38-40 (List 2) we find: Ahiram, Shephupham, Hupham.
Zeev Erlich points out that the problem of not being able to associate family names with previously mentioned ones is a recurring occurrence with Benjamin.
For example,
One of the Princes: Avidan ben-Gideoni (Numbers 1:11).
One of the Spies: Palti ben-Refu (Numbers 13:9).
One of the Apportioners of the Land: Elidad ben-Kislon (Numbers 34:21).
We often find that Biblical personalities were known by more than one name. This can confuse understanding their genealogies.
An example is Jeiel, the father of Gibeon, who was the father of Kish father of Saul.
1-Chronicles 9:
35 In Gibeon Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife's name was Maacah, 36 and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth. 38 Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. And they also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives. 39 Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab and Eshbaal.
We see here that Jeiel was known as the father of Gibeon. He begat Ner who begat Kish who begat Saul.
1-Samuel 9:1 tells us:
Aphiah
Becorath
Zeror
Abiel
Kish and his brother Ner
Saul Abner son of Ner
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Saul
1-Samuel 9:
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.
1-Samuel 10:
21 Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
From the above we see that Saul belonged to the Matri (Matrite) family. We know little about it. The name "Matri" is believed to derive from the word-root "matar" meaning rain, or from an Aramaic-related root "Natar" connoting guardian or protect.
Zeev Erlich points out that there is a place name, "Chuirvat el-Matri," literally meaning in Arabic: "The Ruin of Matri". This is close to place-names in the territory of Benjamin such as Giveon (Gibeon) and Ha-Kafira.
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Geneaology of Saul
From 1-Chronicles ch. 8 we may tentatively trace the ancestry of Saul back to Bela firstborn son of Benjamin
1-Chronicles 8:
1 And Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, 2 Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.
3 Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud,
4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,
5 Gera, Shephuphan and Huram.
6 These are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers' households of the inhabitants of Geba, and they carried them into exile to Manahath,
7 namely, Naaman, Ahijah and Gera, he carried them into exile; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
8 Shaharaim became the father of children in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives.
9 By Hodesh his wife he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam,
10 Jeuz, Sachia, Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' households.
11 By Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal.
12 The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns;
13 and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of fathers' households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath;
14 and Ahio, Shashak and Jeremoth.
15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah and Joha were the sons of Beriah.
17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
19 Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi,
20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.
22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan,
24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah,
25 Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham.
28 These were heads of the fathers' households according to their generations, chief men who lived in Jerusalem.
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Traditional Aramaic Translations of the Bible.
Targum 1.
Book of Esther 7:7
Mordecai son of
Yair son of
Shmei son of
Shemyada
Baana
Elah
Micah
Mephioboshet
YehonatanShaul
Kish
Aviel
Tsror
Bechorah
Apyah
Shcharim
Uzah
Sasson
Michael
Eliel
Amihud
Shafatyah
Penuel
Paytach
Me loch
Yerubaal
Yerucham
Chananyah
Zabdi
Elpaal
Shimri
Zevadyah
Ramoth
Chushim
Shroah
Aza
Guza
Gera
Benyamin
Yaacov
Yitschak
Avraham
Kish was the brother of Abdon sons of Jeiel, possibly sons of Shashak.
Here are extracts from the passage:
1-Chronicles 8:
1 And Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn....3 Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, 4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan and Huram. 6 These are the sons of Ehud..... 7.... he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. 8 Shaharaim....11 By Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal were ..14 Ahio, Shashak and Jeremoth. ..... 22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak......29 Now in Gibeon, Jeiel, the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife's name was Maacah; 30 and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio and Zecher.
Going backwards from Saul we obtain the following lineage:
Saul - Kish- Ner - Jeiel (lived in Gibeon. 8:29, before that his forefather had been in the Benjaminite section of Jerusalem) - Jeiel appears to have been one of the brothers (under another name of Shashak, 8:14), - Elpaal (8:11) - Shaharaim (by Hushim his wife) - Ehud (8:6, he may have been the grandfather of Shaharaim and perhaps Ahidud his son was the father of Shaharaim (8:7) - Huram (or one of his brothers, sons of Bela, son of Benjamin.
The ancestors of Saul had dwelt in Gibeon (pronounced "Giveon").
1-Chronicles 8:
29 Now in Gibeon, Jeiel, the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife's name was Maacah; 30 and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio and Zecher. 32 Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. And they also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives.
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The Immediate Ancestry of Saul
1-Samuel 14:
50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
1 Samuel 14:
51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner [brother of Kish] the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
Aphiah
Becorath
Zeror
Abiel
Kish Ner
Saul Abner
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The Wives of Saul
It is usually accepted that Saul had two wives:
1-Samuel 14:
50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. ...
1-Samuel 21:
8 So the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had borne to Saul....
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Continued at: Descendants of Saul