This page gives you study questions for 1 Chronicles 8, the genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin. Chapter 8 lists names that many readers skip, but it traces the family that produced Saul, Israel’s first king, and shows how God’s people were remembered by name. The questions below work for a small group, a Sunday class, or personal reflection.
1 Chronicles 8 at a Glance
The chapter opens with Benjamin’s sons and then follows several lines of descent, including the families of Ehud, Shaharaim, and Elpaal. Verses 6 to 28 focus on the heads of households in the towns of Geba, Ono, Lod, and Aijalon, and on the clans that settled in Jerusalem. Verses 29 to 40 narrow the focus to Saul’s ancestry, ending with Azel and his sons.
A leader can read the chapter in two or three movements: the family tree of Benjamin, the men who lived in the towns and in Jerusalem, and the household that led directly to Saul. Tracing those three movements keeps a long list of names from feeling random.
Observation Questions
Use these questions first, before anyone offers an interpretation. Ask the group to point to the verse that supports each answer, and let silence sit for a moment so that quieter members can join in.
1 Chronicles 8:1
Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third…
(WEB)
Read this verse first to introduce Benjamin and his sons. It sets the pattern of birth order that shapes the rest of the chapter, so the group can track the family from the start.
1 Chronicles 8:6-7
6 These are the sons of Ehud. These are the heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Geba, who were carried captive to Manahath: 7 Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them captive; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
(WEB)
Read this passage to show the captivity of Geba and the men who carried the people away. It reminds the group that the chapter records real loss alongside family names.
1 Chronicles 8:28
These were heads of fathers’ households throughout their generations, chief men. These lived in Jerusalem.
(WEB)
Read this verse to highlight the heads of households and their role in the community. It helps the group see the leaders who held families together through their generations.
1 Chronicles 8:33
Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
(WEB)
Read this verse to mark the line from Ner to Kish to Saul. It anchors the chapter in the story of Israel’s first king and helps the group connect the genealogy to the books of Samuel.
1 Chronicles 8:40
The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and sons’ sons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.
(WEB)
Read this final verse to close the chapter’s list of descendants. It ends with a count and a statement of tribal identity, which gives the group a clear point to pause and reflect.
Memory Verse for 1 Chronicles 8
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we thank you that you know every name and every family that belongs to you. We confess that we often hurry past the ordinary and forget the people who have shaped our lives. Help us to remember the faithful ones who came before us and to tell their stories with gratitude. Give us the courage to share our own faith with the next generation, and make us attentive to those who carry grief or loss today. Keep our hearts open to the quiet ways you work through common people. We trust you with the names and the stories that are still being written. Amen.
