Study 8 The Mighty Men of Valour and the Rest of Israel (1Chro 7-9)
a. We noted in study 1 that the purpose of Ezra was to encourage the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem.
But Ezra’s purpose is to remind the covenant people of God’s great covenant faithfulness despite their failure. The Chronicles records God’s faithfulness, emphasizing hope for the future as they wait for the coming of the promised Messiah. The purpose of God shall not be frustrated. The recalling of the past was meant to give the people a sense of purpose and direction to the people.
- So far, six tribes have been listed. Next, the other six tribes are briefly mentioned – Issachar (7:1-5), Benjamin (7:6-12; 8:1-40; 9:35-44), Naphtali (7:13), Manasseh West (7:14-19), Ephraim (7:20-29), Asher (7:30-40
1. Tribes of
Valiant and Mighty Men Valour (7:1-12)
a. The listing of
Issachar and Benjamin harks back, as chapter 6 did, to the glorious days of
David (v2). The day of David was a blessed time for all the tribes, but it
seems to have been so for these two tribes especially on account of their
military prowess.
- The men of
Issachar were distinguished as “mighty men of valour in their generations,
their number in the days of David was 22,600… All five of them were chief men –
commanders…36,000 troops ready for war.”
- This was their
glory: a tribe blessed with mighty men of valour to serve the king and his
kingdom. They considered it their glory to serve in the army of King David.
They were a great asset to the kingdom of Israel.|
## Where are mighty
men of valour for this generation? Able serving men are assets to the kingdom
of Christ.
b. Similar thing is
said of the descendants of Benjamin: of Bela there 20,034 mighty men of valour,
of Becher there were 20,200 mighty men of valour, and of Jediael there were
17,200 mighty men of valour fit to go out for war and battle. This was the
glory of the tribe of Benjamin – they have numerous “mighty men of valour” at
the service of the King
- The tribe of
Benjamin will be listed again in 8:1-40 and 9:35-44. This is significant. Next
to the tribe of Judah and Levi, it occupies the most space in the lists.
Possible reasons for this are:
- Benjamin kept
together with Judah and remained faithful to God for another 100 years before
the exile. Benjamin, as it were, took refuge under the shadow of Judah, the
royal tribe.
- The descendants of
Benjamin were one of the major groups who returned from the exile in Babylon.
Many others did not return but remained.
- The first king of
Israel, Saul, was a Benjamite. Later Saul’s family is singled out for special
mention in 8:24-40 and is repeated in 9:35-44 as a prologue to the account of
the king’s death in chapter 10. In a real but lesser sense, Benjamin was the
first fruit of kingship for Israel, and therefore called for this extra
mention.
## The smallest because of their faithfulness to God is honoured accordingly. The least has no reason to despair. God does with His people righteously, not according to outward appearance.
2. The Rest of
Israel (7:13-40)
a. 7:13: The tribe
of Napthali: is given a brief one-line mention.
b. 7:14-19: The tribe of Manasseh (w): nothing significant is mentioned except for the case of Zelophehad, the central figure in a famous legal case described in Num 27:1-11; 36:1-12. Do read the account in Numbers and marvel at the justice and goodness of the Lord’s dealing with His people.
c. 7:20-29: The
tribe of Ephraim: there is a tangled of relationship. Some sons suffered
premature death because of presumption, who tried to conquer the promised land
before God’s appointed time has arrived. The problem was disobedience to God
and this explains the ‘tragedy’ that came upon his house, v23.
- Sheerah, a
prominent daughter of Ephraim is mentioned. Cp Josh 16:3-5
d. 7:30-40: The tribe of Asher: the list has a note of the tribe’s warriors, chiefs, and ‘thousands’ of choice men and mighty men of valour fit for battle.
e. No mention is made of Dan and Zebulun. It appears that some tribes dwindled and were assimilated into others. These two missing tribes were compensated by the division of Joseph's descendants into two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh, and the further division of Manasseh into two sections.
- In all, ALL are
accounted for.
- The complete
number 12 is still preserved. The 12 tribes are symbolic of the full number of
God’s people in the OT (9:1, cf. Rev 21:12), just as all the NT believers are
represented by the twelve apostles (Rev 21:14).
- The northern
tribes were punished for their rebellion against David and for their apostasy.
The south tribes were punished for their unfaithfulness, yet God dealt
mercifully with them. He kept His covenant with David.
3. The Restoration
of worship in Jerusalem (9:1-44)
a. 9:1 might be
taken as a conclusion and summary of the whole first section (chapter 1-9) of
the book. But God’s faithfulness to His covenant with David saw the return of
the Jews back to Jerusalem and Ezra was intent to record these few remaining
lists before he embarks on the narratives that start with chapter 10.
- These remaining
lists have to do with the temple worship in Jerusalem, something central to
those who returned. Those who returned home and dwelt in the city of Jerusalem
were carefully noted.
b. 9:2 – “the first
inhabitants” are those who had returned from exile, and dwelt in Jerusalem.
- All of the
returnees were grouped into four categories: Israelites is a general
description of the whole nation, and “priests, Levites and the Nethinims” are
the three classes of people associated with temple worship. Nethnims are the
general workers of the temple service.
- 9:10-13 – of the
priests
- 9:14-34 – of the
Levites
- 9:35-44 - a
repetition of the genealogy of the ancestors and posterity of Saul king of
Israel
c. Among the
returnees from exile, a large group from Benjamin’s tribe is recorded, (v4-8),
apart from those from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (representatives of
the northern kingdom’s ten tribes).
- These new groups
which formed the ‘new Israel’ was made up of people from the northern kingdom
as well as those from the southern kingdom.
- Though several
tribes have ceased to exist, yet in essence, there is continuity between the
‘new Israel’ and the old Israel.
- God’s covenant
faithfulness has preserved the remnant out of the old Israel. And the same
covenant faithfulness shall preserve this insignificant, but a faithful remnant
that devoted themselves to the service of the house of God (v13). They
preferred Jerusalem rather than glamorous Babylon.
## Is the house of
God the central focus of our life?
d. But Ezra’s focus
is upon the priests and the Levites with dwelt in Jerusalem for the temple
service. Of the priests, it was said, “[They were] very able men for the work
of the service of the house of God” (v13).
- Verses 14-16
record those who carried the name ‘Levite’ as a special designation, probably
instructors or teachers of the word of God in Jerusalem.
- Verses 17-34
record those who serve as gatekeepers, singers, and all the other ‘temple
servants’.
e. Despite the great
gulf caused by the exile to Babylon, yet by God’s faithfulness, there is
continuity in the priestly ministry and temple worship for the people of God in
Jerusalem.
- The restoration of
God’s people to Jerusalem was most significant because Jerusalem was the
unifying factor of all the tribes of Israel. It symbolized the presence of God
with His people. The remnant’s restoration to Jerusalem speaks of the covenant
faithfulness of God to His people. True worship was re-established for His
people… pointing forward to the coming of the promised Messiah. The hope of His
people was kept alive.
