This section covers those descendants of Benjamin who dwelt in Jerusalem, Elpaal forming the focus of this section. How the listings of the families of Shaharaim (1 Chronicles 8:8–12) and Elpaal (1 Chronicles 8:13–28) relate to the genealogies of Bela and Ehud (1 Chronicles 8:1–7) is unclear. Little is known about those individuals included in the genealogy since most of the names occur only here in the Bible.1
Perhaps geography is the organizing principle in the piecing together of the Benjaminite genealogy because there is a general movement from the outlying areas of Benjamin towards Jerusalem. Williamson emphasizes the fact that the sons of Elpaal mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:12 will be the ones toward whom this section has been moving, whose descendants lived in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 8:28). At first glance it seems that this section continues directly from what precedes. However, the heads of families that now follow (1 Chronicles 8:16, 1 Chronicles 8:21, 1 Chronicles 8:25, 1 Chronicles 8:27) are all mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:13–14. This means that the rest of the section (1 Chronicles 8:15–28) expands on the offspring of Elpaal (1 Chronicles 8:12). The exception is the Elpaal noted in 1 Chronicles 8:18. It may refer back to the first reference to this name in 1 Chronicles 8:11–12, but this seems unlikely because 1 Chronicles 8:18 would be out of place in an otherwise orderly genealogical arrangement. Williamson suggests that the same name may refer to two different people or otherwise refer to a strong clan that developed independently in different areas.2
13 and Beriah and Shema (they were heads of fathers’ houses of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who caused the inhabitants of Gath to flee);