Ve-li-benei Yissakhar (=the sons of Issachar). The lamed of ve-li-benei is like the lamed of ve-ha-shelishi le-Avshalom (=the third one Absalom; 1 Chronicles 3:2). Above (2:3), the text began to present the lines of the tribes; but it interrupted with Levi, presenting their lines and their dwelling-places according to their cities. So now, it returns to provide the lines of the tribes and the numbers that they totaled in the time of King David of Israel. As for those that it leaves out and does not mention here, it mentions them along with all the rest when it relates how they joined David in Hebron in order to coronate him (1 Chronicles 12:24–39). The text does not, however, provide the lines of Dan and his sons. Some say, though (cf. the commentary attributed to a student of Saadia), that “Ḥushim the sons of aḥer” mentioned near the sons of Naphtali (v. 12) refers to Hushim son of Dan (Genesis 46:23). In the case of Naphtali also, it does not provide his progeny beyond his sons (v. 13): perhaps [Ezra] did not find their lines recorded, nor was it told to him by tradition. Alternatively, it includes the genealogies that it left out when it says at the end, “All Israel was registered by genealogies; and these are in the book of the kings of Israel” (1 Chronicles 9:1).

Le-Tola‘ men of substance according to their lines. This means: Tola had (le-Tola‘ hayu) these men of substance by the rest of his sons—other than Uzzi—and they totaled twenty-two thousand six hundred, whereas from Uzzi he had thirty-six thousand (v. 4). This is the reason the text says that they had many wives and sons (v. 4), for that is why their numbers were so high. For the numbers of the rest of Tola’s sons—of whom there were five—totaled just twenty-two thousand six hundred; but the descendants of Uzzi totaled thirty-six thousand, because they had many wives and fathered many sons.

Their kinsmen belonging to all the families of Issachar. [This refers to] those descending from Tola’s brothers—Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

[The sons of] Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael—three. Some (?) explain that this Benjamin descends from Issachar, as does the entire line until “the sons of Naphtali” (v. 13), because Benjamin [son of Jacob] will be mentioned later, after Asher (1 Chronicles 8:1). But it is possible to explain that this refers to Benjamin son of Jacob, and that here the text mentions some of the genealogy, whereas later it mentions more of it—up until the lines of King Saul of Israel.

And Jediael. He is the same as Ashbel (Genesis 46:21).

The sons of Becher … Anathoth. The city of Anathoth that is in the land of Benjamin is named for him, because this Anathoth built it. This is similar to: “and he named the city for his son Enoch” (Genesis 4:17).

And Alemeth (‘Alamet). This too is both a person’s name and the name of a city in the land of Benjamin: it is the one called “Bahurim.” Targum Jonathan, also, renders “from Bahurim” (2 Samuel 19:17): “from Alemeth (‘Almat).”