1 Chronicles 8:33

King James Version (KJV)

And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

This verse combined with 1 Chronicles 9:35-39, seems to show that the genealogy of Saul was:

d Abiel (= Jehiel?)

d Ner

d KishAbner

d Saul

Rather than that to be inferred from 1 Samuel 9:1; 1 Samuel 14:50-51.

In 1 Samuel 14:49 note, it is concluded that Saul‘s second son bore the two names of “Ishui” and “Abinadab.” But the order of the names here:

(1) Jonathan;

(2) Malchi-shua; and

(3) Abinadab - suggests another explanation, namely, that Ishui, the second son, died young, and that Abinadab was really the fourth son.

Esh-baal - Previous to the introduction of the Phoenician Baal-worship into Israel by Ahab, the word “Baal” בעל ba‛al had no bad sense in Hebrew, but was simply an equivalent of the more ordinary אל 'êl “God” (1 Chronicles 3:1 note). Hence, there is nothing strange in the use at this time of the names, “Esh-baal” (“man of God”), “Baal,” “Beel-iada,” “Merib-baal,” etc. Later on such names became offensive to pious ears, and were changed for the better, or for the worse, “Beel-iada” becoming “El-iada” (“let God aid”) - “Esh-baal,” “Ish-bo-sheth” (“man of shame”) - “Merib-baal,” “Mephi-bosheth;” and the like.

Was this helpful?