Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: 1 Paralipomenon
Ver. 23. Cubits. 2 Kings, "a man of great aspect." --- Ones. Hebrew, "and he had a name among three mighty men." (Kennicott) --- Shelosha, "three," has the u omitted, (2 Kings) as it is frequently on other occasions. (Haydock)
Ver. 25. Among, or rather "above," as he was the second captain of this series, and not one of the body of Thirty. (Kennicott) --- Council. Literally, "placed him at his ear," (Haydock) fecit eum auricularium a secreto; (2 Kings) though the word is the same. (Calmet) --- It seems, however, to have been read differently. (Haydock) --- Septuagint, "he placed him over his family, (Calmet, patrian) or native place." (Haydock) --- Syriac, "guard of his spear, and chief of his heroes." Arabic, "over all his riches." Some would translate, "captain of his guards." (Grotius) --- Banaias was a man of consummate prudence, as well as a great warrior. (Calmet) --- David "gives Banaias the command of his life-guard." (Josephus, [Antiquities?] vii. 12.) --- Hebrew, "Behold! he was more honourable than the Thirty; but he attained not unto the first three, and David set him over his guard," the Cerethites, &c., chap. xviii. 17. (Kennicott) --- This author adopts the correction of Grotius, as the Protestants do; though he acknowledges there is no impropriety in the present reading, "over his hearing or obedience." He also adds "first," by way of explanation, as [in] ver. 21. (Haydock)
Ver. 26. Moreover. Nothing particular is here recorded of Asahel, and therefore he is barely mentioned with the rest. But the Book of Kings had been more particular in determining their rank, and had said, "Asahel, brother of Joab, was over the Thirty," being the last of the second ternary. The preposition b (Kennicott) frequently means, "over." (Nold., &c.) --- Arabic, "head of Thirty, whose names are these." (Kennicott) --- Elchanan; probably the son of Jair, 2 Kings xxi. 18. (Calmet)
Ver. 27. Arorite, or Harodite, (2 Kings) to distinguish him from Shammah. Eliza, who follows in 2 Kings is here universally omitted, as he is supposed to have died soon, and to have been replaced by Zabad, (ver. 41.) who completes the number of 30. (Kennicott) --- Phalonite; not Paltite, as 2 Kings, where t has been formed of the two letters un. So Septuagint have read Adni, "my lord," perhaps correctly, (Kennicott) instead of Adan, "any man's," (1 Kings xvii. 32.) as the two letters might easily be mistaken for one. (Kennicott) --- Helles was the captain for the seventh month, as the following was for the sixth, and Abiezer for the ninth, chap. xxvii. 10. (Haydock)
Ver. 29. Sobbochai, rather than Mobonnai, (2 Kings) where s and m have been mistaken for m and n, which are very similar in Hebrew. The Septuagint (Aldi) has there also Sabouchai. He was the eighth captain, chap. xxvii. --- Ilai, or Selmon, 2 Kings. Septuagint have the same variation in some copies; but others lead us to suppose that Ilai was the true name. Neither occur any where else in Scripture.
Ver. 30. Maharai, the tenth captain, chap. xxvii. Heled was the twelfth.
Ver. 31. Ethai. Not the famous prince of Geth, (2 Kings xv. 19.; Kennicott) though the name is written alike, (2 Kings xxiii. 29.) an i being omitted. (Haydock) --- This captain contributed to make David king, ver. 10. --- Banaia. 2 Kings xxiii., a v is added, which makes the name like that of the second general; (ver. 22.) but it ought to form part of the e, which is wanting in the following word.
Ver. 32. Hurai, rather than Heddai, (2 Kings.; Kennicott) though there is some doubt which is to be preferred. (Haydock) --- Syriac and Arabic have Hiddai; but the Septuagint declare for Hurai here, and the Aldine copy has Ouri also, 2 Kings. (Kennicott) --- Torrent. Hebrew, "of the torrents or vales of Gaas." (Calmet) --- Abiel. 2 Kings Abialbon, which seems to be the right word, as a transcriber may omit letters more easily than he can insert them. Bun and the end seems to have been written separate, and to have been translated "the son of," by Syriac and Arabic. The particles al and al, have also been frequently mistaken on account of their nearly similar pronunciation. --- Bauramite. Hebrew habacharumi, 2 Kings habarchumi, where two letters are transposed, and v is omitted, as usual, in the latter book. (Haydock) --- The former reading appears to be more correct, as the hero probably came from Bahurim, (berim, 2 Kings iii. 16.) and the Syriac and Arabic seem to have read properly. --- Salabonite. Septuagint Salabonites (2 Kings) Salaboni. (Kennicott) --- The translator of the latter book gives the Hebrew termination throughout, instead of the Greek; (Haydock) "whence the learned have drawn an unanswerable argument against that version's being the work of the same author." (Kennicott) --- They might as well prove that St. Jerome did not translate both these books. (Haydock)
Ver. 33. Gezonite. We know not the meaning of this epithet. (Calmet) --- In 2 Kings, we read of the sons of Jassen, Jonathan, and Semma; (K.) but both seem to be incorrect; instead of Septuagint, "the son," or supposing m to be lost, at the beginning, "of the sons of Assem, Gouni," as Septuagint read, instead of Gezonite, which would leave this hero without any name. See chap. v. 15. E is prefixed to this name, as it is to that of Manasses, Josue i. 12. --- Sage, should be Shamha, (Kennicott) or Jonathan, the son of Samaa, the brother of David. He slew the monstrous giant, (chap. xx. 7.) as Sabachai did another. Jonathan is mentioned also along with Asahel (2 Kings xxi.) so that he deserves a place here among David's heroes.
Ver. 34. Sachar, mentioned [in] chap. xxvi. 4.
Ver. 35. Eliphal should be Eliphelet, the son of Aasbai, the son of Machati, (Haydock) or of the country of Maacha, 4 Kings xxv. 23. (Kennicott) --- Eliphal and Hepher cannot constitute two heroes, as that would derange the number 37, 2 Kings xxiii. 39. The copies of the Septuagint vary much. (Haydock)
Ver. 36. Ahia, or rather "Eliam, the son of Achitophel, the Gilonite," 2 Kings. The name of the hero is lost here; and the latter part of his father's name (p) has also been mistaken for g, which it resembles.
Ver. 37. Hesro ends with u in the Hebrew. Yet some read more properly with i, "Hetzrai," as all the ancient versions have it, except the Vulgate, (Kennicott) some copies of which read Asra. (Blanchini, Vind. 1740.) --- Carmelite. Septuagint Karmedi. The D might easily be mistaken for L, as the Greek bibles (Kennicott) for some ages after Origen were written in capital letters, without accents. (Montfaucon, Pref. to Hexap. p. 44.) --- Azbai seems preferable to Arbi, as the proper name seems also more correct than Pharai, 2 Kings. (Haydock) --- The Vatican Septuagint confounds both words in one "Ouraiverchi." We may apply to many of the proper names that severe censure which St. Jerome has passed upon the transcribers of the book of Chronicles. Ita in Græcis & Latinis cod: hic nominum liber vitiosus est, ut non tam Hebræa quam Barbara quædam & Sarmatica nomina conjecta arbitrandum est, &c. (ep. ad Domn.) If this epistle be not genuine, the same doctor complains at least of the incorrect state of the Septuagint. (Pref. in Paral.)
Ver. 38. Joel seems better than Igaal, (2 Kings; Haydock) as we know there were some of this name [who] lived under David, (chap. xxvi. 22., and xxvii. 20.) and all the versions agree here, but vary much [in] 2 Kings. It is, therefore, more natural for us to adhere to that copy which has the greatest authority from the ancient versions. (Kennicott) --- Brother, relation, adopted child, (Du Hamel) or son, (2 Kings) which seems more correct, as this is an usual expression. (Calmet) --- This reason may rather lead us to conclude that the mistake being more natural, has been made by the transcriber of that book; particularly as we no where else read of Joel being the son of Nathan, but rather of Pedaiah, &c. --- Mibahar, or rather "Nathan of Tzoba." --- The son, ought to be the proper name, "Bonni, (of Gadi, 2 Kings) or the Gadite." (Kennicott)