Tarshish, Great-grandson of Benjamin

Background and Family

Tarshish appears in the genealogical lists of 1 Chronicles 7, a section dedicated to the descendants of the sons of Jacob. He is specifically identified as the son of Bilhan. To understand his placement, one must trace the lineage back to Jediael, who is listed as a son of Benjamin. Bilhan, the father of Tarshish, was the son of Jediael, making Tarshish the great-grandson of the patriarch Benjamin.

Tarshish was part of a large household. The text lists him alongside six brothers: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, and Ahishahar. The collective mention of these seven sons highlights a robust family line within the Benjamite territory.

Major Life Events

There are no specific biographical events or narrative actions recorded for Tarshish in the Masoretic Text or the Septuagint. His historical footprint is strictly genealogical. However, the context of 1 Chronicles 7:10–11 provides insight into his social standing. The text notes that the descendants of Jediael were "mighty men of valor" and "heads of their fathers' houses."

During the era of the Divided Monarchy, these family units were essential for both the census and the military organization of the Kingdom of Judah (into which Benjamin was integrated). Tarshish would have functioned as a clan leader, responsible for the men of his immediate family and their contributions to the tribal assembly.

Relationship to Other Biblical Figures

Tarshish is defined primarily by his immediate kin. His brothers—Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, and Ahishahar—formed the core of the Jediaelite branch of the tribe of Benjamin. It is notable that his brother Benjamin carries the name of their great-grandfather, suggesting a strong sense of tribal identity within the family. As a descendant of Jediael, Tarshish was part of the broader community of the tribe of Benjamin, a group known for their martial skill and their strategic position between the northern and southern kingdoms.

Spiritual Significance

The preservation of Tarshish’s name in the biblical canon serves a specific theological purpose for the Chronicler. By documenting names like Tarshish, the author demonstrates God’s preservation of the tribes of Israel through the tumultuous years of the Divided Monarchy and the subsequent Babylonian exile. While Tarshish performed no recorded miracles and gave no recorded prophecies, his existence as a named member of a holy lineage underscores the biblical theme that every individual within the covenant community is known and accounted for in the sight of God.