Did you know…
The Benjamites were nearly exterminated during the period of the judges because of their immorality and their decision to wage civil war (Judges 20:4-5, 12-14). This was followed by a rash oath from the Israelites not to give the defeated Benjamites any wives (Judges 21:1-3).
The Benjamites were also among the first group of people to return from exile to rebuild God’s temple (Ezra 1:5).
In the apostle John’s vision of the last days, he saw the tribe of Benjamin sealed by God’s angels as a mark of their salvation and identity as servants of God (Revelation 7:8).
Taken together, this lineage of Benjamin—which includes Saul’s genealogy—is a testament to God’s grace for imperfect people.
In this genealogy, besides Saul, the failed king, we see people who were carried into exile because of the nation’s idolatry (2 Kings 17:6-7, 16-18), as well as people who fathered children in idol-worshipping countries such as Moab.
Yet we also see people who apparently responded to God’s call to put away their foreign wives (1 Chronicles 8:8; Ezra 10:9-12, 19).
We see people whom God blessed with success: the ability to build towns such as Ono and Lod, drive out enemies such as the Philistines in Gath, become mighty warriors, and have many sons and grandsons.
Above all, we see God mercifully preserving Saul’s lineage—and ultimately the Benjamites—despite their spiritual failings, which is why we can still read their genealogy today.
Reflection questions:
How has God shown me grace despite my spiritual failings? Give thanks to God for these in prayer.
Verse 8 alludes to an act of repentance by the Benjamites that involved putting away their foreign wives. What corrective actions might God want me to take today to restore my relationship with Him?
