Moza
Moza, a Benjamite, was a descendant of King Saul.
Biography
Moza was a Benjamite and a descendant of King Saul through the line of Jonathan, recorded in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 8:36-37 and 9:42-43. He was the son of Zimri (also called Zimri) and the father of Binea, continuing the royal Saulide lineage well into the post-exilic period. Though the monarchy had long since passed from Saul's house to David's, the careful preservation of Saul's genealogy through figures like Moza indicates that the descendants of Israel's first king maintained their tribal identity and social standing within Benjamin. Moza lived during a period when the Saulide line no longer held political power but retained its significance as part of Israel's historical memory and tribal structure.
Significance
Moza's place in the Saulide genealogy illustrates the Chronicler's concern to honor all of Israel's tribal heritage, even the line of a king whose reign ended in failure and divine judgment. The preservation of Saul's descendants through figures like Moza demonstrates that God's dealings with Saul did not result in the obliteration of his family line. This reflects a broader biblical principle that divine judgment upon leaders does not necessarily extend to the permanent erasure of their posterity. Moza's genealogy also served practical purposes in the post-exilic community, helping Benjamites establish their tribal credentials as they resettled in Jerusalem and its environs (1 Chronicles 9:35-44).
Verse Appearances (4)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]