Bible Strands
1 Samuel 8:2
The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records this detail at the moment Samuel formally appoints his sons as judges over Israel. The text introduces Joel and Abijah immediately after establishing their father's administrative act.
The words — The Hebrew בְּכוֹר (bekhor) denotes the firstborn son, establishing Joel's priority in lineage. The term מִשְׁנֵהוּ (mishnehhu) literally means "his second," marking Abijah's birth order.
The thread — The sons' names and birth order are repeated in 1 Chronicles 6:28, while Beersheba appears as a geographic marker in Genesis 22:19 and 1 Kings 19:3. These references anchor the narrative in established patriarchal and prophetic traditions.
Why it lands — The verse establishes the factual appointment of Samuel's sons before their later corruption, requiring the reader to track institutional continuity and human failure. It demands attention to how leadership succession is recorded without yet judging the outcome.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer–sheba.
Cross-references
- Genesis 22:19 Abraham went back to his servants, and they got up and set out together for Beersheba. And Abraham settled in Beersheba.
- 1 Kings 19:3 And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
- 1 Chronicles 6:28 The sons of Samuel: Joel his firstborn and Abijah his second son.
- 1 Chronicles 6:38 the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
- Amos 5:5 Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.