firstborn: 1 Chronicles 5:1; Leviticus 27:26; Genesis 14:20; Here there is an ellipsis of the name of the firstborn, which the margin correctly supplies as Joel. The word Vashni: when otherwise pointed means "second," so that the verse more properly reads "And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn (Joel) and the second Abiah."
Vashni: i.e. Jah is strong; wherefore, sleep thou; changed; my year; second; liberal gift of the Lord, strong:H2059. It appears that the Joel is here lost out of the text; and that washni:, which signifies "and the second," and which refers to Abiah, is made into a proper name. The Syriac and Arabic read as in Samuel. The marginal references contain the variation in the names given to the same persons, in different parts of sacred history, as far as it can be ascertained; and nearly the whole, that is at present known concerning them, may be learned by carefully consulting them. 1 Chronicles 6:33; 1 Samuel 8:2, Joel