דברי הימים א, פרק ח׳, פסוק ו׳

The genealogical records of the tribe of Benjamin uncover a turbulent history filled with wandering, power struggles, and the forced uprooting of families. The lineage focuses on a specific group of men who served as family heads and leaders for the residents of Geba, a city within Benjamin's territory. The exact identity of their patriarch, Ehud, is viewed in a few different ways. Some identify him as Bela, who simply went by two different names [מצודת דוד], while others link him to the judge Ehud the son of Gera, one of Bela's descendants [רלב״ג]. Another perspective suggests the record is actually pointing back to two previously mentioned figures, Shephuphan and Huram [מלבי״ם].

A major turning point in this family history involves a forced exile. This was not a standard wartime captivity, but rather a harsh uprooting and displacement from their homes [רד״ק, מצודת ציון]. While the exact historical timing of this event remains unclear [ביאור שטיינזלץ], there are two main views on who was driven out and why.

The primary approach among commentators points to an internal conflict where one faction overpowered another [רלב״ג]. In this scenario, the family heads—specifically named as Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera—were the ones who drove the residents of Geba out of their city [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

An alternative explanation connects this exile directly to the tragic story of the Concubine at Gibeah. According to this view, these men were the leaders of the city during that terrible time. After the resulting civil war, the Israelites punished these leaders by exiling them. Because they had remained silent and failed to protest the horrific crime committed in their own city, they were no longer allowed to live among the people [מלבי״ם].

Regardless of who initiated the expulsion, the displaced group was forced to relocate to Manahath, a city or region that became their new home [רש״י, מלבי״ם].