Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him.
We have here an account, I. Of the tribe of Ephraim. Great things we read of that tribe when it came to maturity. Here we have an account of the disasters of its infancy, while it was in Egypt as it should seem; for Ephraim himself was alive when those things were done, which yet is hard to imagine if it were, as is here computed, seven generations off.
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 7:20-40
The son of Asher,.... Which, and his two grandsons born before Jacob went down to Egypt, are here reckoned as in Gen 46:17 only it is here added Malchiel his second grandson: who is the father of Birzavith; which Jarchi interprets, prince of a city of this name, which signifies pure oil; which it might have from the abundance of olives about it, Asher being...
OF MANASSEH. (1Ch. 7:14-40) The sons of Manasseh--or descendants; for Ashriel was a grandson, and Zelophehad was a generation farther removed in descent (Num 26:33). The text, as it stands, is so confused and complicated that it is exceedingly difficult to trace the genealogical thread, and a great variety of conjectures have been made with a view to clear away the obscurity.
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 7:14-40