54 The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Ataroth, the house of Joab - Rather, "Ataroth-beth-Joab," probably so called, to distinguish it from Ataroth-Adar, a city of Benjamin Joshua 18:13. It is uncertain from what Joab it derived its distinctive appellation.
The sons of Salma - "The righteous Bethlehemites, who had a good name, as the Netophathites, who removed the guards which Jeroboam had placed in the way lest the people should carry the first-fruits to Jerusalem: for the sons of Salma carried baskets full of first-fruits privately to Jerusalem; and having cloven wood, they made ladders, and brought them to Jerusalem to be laid up in Beth-mokad for oblations. These came from the lineage of Joab the son of Zeruiah; and some of them were priests; and they divided the residue of the sacrifices with the sons of the prophets who were in Zorah." - T.
The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Ataroth, the (n) house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the Zorites.
(n) The chief and principle of the house of Joab.
The sons of Salma,.... Another son of the younger Caleb, 1-Chronicles 2:50 whose sons were Bethlehem, the inhabitants of the place, at least many of them, of which he was prince, 1-Chronicles 2:51 and the Netophathite; the inhabitants of Netophah, a place in the tribe of Judah, mentioned along with Bethlehem, Nehemiah 7:26 these sprung from Salma:
Ataroth, the house of Joab; Ataroth seems to be the name of a place in the tribe of Judah, where the family of Joab lived, the inhabitants of which were the descendants of Salma:
and half of the Manahethites; the other half of the inhabitants of Manahath, see 1-Chronicles 2:52,
the Zorites; part also of them, called Zareathites, 1-Chronicles 2:53.
The descendants of Salma: Bethlehem, i.e., the family of Bethlehem (see on 1-Chronicles 2:52), the Netophathites, i.e., the inhabitants of the town of Netophah, which, according to our verse and Ezra 2:22, and especially Nehemiah 7:26, is to be looked for in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem (cf. 1-Chronicles 9:16); a family which produced at various times renowned men (cf. 2-Samuel 23:28.; 2-Kings 25:23; Ezra 2:22). The following words, י עטחרות ב, i.e., "crowns of the house of Joab," can only be the name of a place which is mentioned instead of its inhabitants; for עטרות occurs elsewhere, sometimes alone, and sometimes in conjunction with a proper name, as the name of places: cf. Numbers 32:34.; Joshua 16:2, Joshua 16:5,Joshua 16:7; Joshua 18:13. Hazi-Hammanahath is certainly to be sought in the neighbourhood of Manahath, 1-Chronicles 8:6, whose position has, however, not yet been ascertained. הצּרעי is only another form of הצּרעתי, and is derived from the masculine of the word. The Zorites here spoken of formed a second division of the inhabitants of Zoreah and the neighbourhood, along with the Zoreathites descended from Shobal, 1-Chronicles 2:53.
*More commentary available at chapter level.