1 Chronicles 5 commentary

This chapter gives some account of the two tribes and a half seated on the east side of Jordan. They were made captives by the king of Assyria, because they had forsaken the Lord. Only two things are here recorded concerning these tribes. 1. They all shared in a victory. Happy is that people who live in harmony together, who assist each other against the common enemies of their souls, trusting in the Lord, and calling upon him. 2. They shared in captivity. They would have the best land, not considering that it lay most exposed. The desire of earthly objects draws to a distance from God's ordinances, and prepares men for destruction.

CHAPTER 5

1Ch 5:1-10. The Line of Reuben.

1. Now the sons of Reuben--In proceeding to give this genealogy, the sacred historian states, in a parenthesis (1Ch 5:1, 2), the reason why it was not placed first, as Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob. The birthright, which by a foul crime he had forfeited, implied not only dominion, but a double portion (De 21:17); and both of these were transferred to Joseph, whose two sons having been adopted as the children of Jacob (Ge 48:5), received each an allotted portion, as forming two distinct tribes in Israel. Joseph then was entitled to the precedency; and yet, as his posterity was not mentioned first, the sacred historian judged it necessary to explain that "the genealogy was not to be reckoned after the birthright," but with a reference to a superior honor and privilege that had been conferred on Judah--not the man, but the tribe, whereby it was invested with the pre-eminence over all the other tribes, and out of it was to spring David with his royal lineage, and especially the great Messiah (He 7:14). These were the two reasons why, in the order of enumeration, the genealogy of Judah is introduced before that of Reuben.

9. Eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates--The settlement was on the east of Jordan, and the history of this tribe, which never took any part in the public affairs or movements of the nation, is comprised in "the multiplication of their cattle in the land of Gilead," in their wars with the Bedouin sons of Hagar, and in the simple labors of pastoral life. They had the right of pasture over an extensive mountain range--the great wilderness of Kedemoth (De 2:26) and the Euphrates being a security against their enemies.

1Ch 5:11-26. The Line of Gad.

11-15. the children of Gad dwelt over against them--The genealogy of the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh (1Ch 5:24) is given along with that of the Reubenites, as these three were associated in a separate colony.

16. Sharon--The term "Sharon" was applied as descriptive of any place of extraordinary beauty and productiveness. There were three places in Palestine so called. This Sharon lay east of the Jordan.

upon their borders--that is, of Gilead and Bashan: Gilead proper, or at least the largest part, belonged to the Reubenites; and Bashan, the greatest portion of it, belonged to the Manassites. The Gadites occupied an intermediate settlement on the land which lay upon their borders.

17. All these were reckoned ... in the days of Jotham--His long reign and freedom from foreign wars as well as intestine troubles were favorable for taking a census of the people.

and in the days of Jeroboam--the second of that name.

18-22. Hagarites--or, "Hagarenes," originally synonymous with "Ishmaelites," but afterwards applied to a particular tribe of the Arabs (compare Psa 83:6).

Jetur--His descendants were called Itureans, and the country Auranitis, from Hauran, its chief city. These, who were skilled in archery, were invaded in the time of Joshua by a confederate army of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, who, probably incensed by the frequent raids of those marauding neighbors, took reprisals in men and cattle, dispossessed almost all of the original inhabitants, and colonized the district themselves. Divine Providence favoured, in a remarkable manner, the Hebrew army in this just war.

26. the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul--the Phalluka of the Ninevite monuments (see on 2Ki 15:19).

and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser--the son of the former. By them the trans-jordanic tribes, including the other half of Manasseh, settled in Galilee, were removed to Upper Media. This was the first captivity (2Ki 15:29).

The sons of Reuben the first-born - As Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob, why was not his genealogy reviewed first? This verse answers the question; he lost the birth-right because of the transgression mentioned Gen 35:22; Gen 49:4, and the precedency was given to Judah; from him therefore came the chief ruler. This appears to be the meaning of the place.

And of him came the chief ruler - This is, by both the Syriac and Arabic, understood of Christ: "From Judah the King Messiah shall proceed." The Chaldee paraphrases the verse thus: "Seeing Judah prevailed over his brethren, so the kingdom was taken from Reuben and given to Judah; and because he was strong, so was his kingdom. Levi also was godly, and did not transgress in the matter of the golden calf; therefore the high priesthood was taken away from the children of Reuben, and on their account from all the first-born, and given to Aaron and his sons. The custody of the sanctuary belonged to the Levites, but the birthright to Joseph." - T.

Beerah his son - After their separation from the house of David the ten tribes continued to have princes of the tribes; and this continued till the time that Tiglath-pileser carried them captives into Assyria. At that time Beerah was their prince or chief; and with him this species of dominion or precedency terminated. According to the Targum, Beerah was the same as Baruch the prophet.

Who dwelt in Aroer - This town was situated on the river Arnon; and Nebo was both a city and a mountain in the same country. They both lay on the other side of Jordan.

And they dwelt in their tents - The Hagarites were tribes of Nomade, or Scenite, Arabs; people who lived in tents, without any fixed dwellings, and whose property consisted in cattle. The descendants of Reuben extirpated these Hagarites, seized on their property and their tents, and dwelt in their place.

Joel the chief - "Joel, prince of the Sanhedrin; and Shapham, master of the college; and Jaanai and Shaphat, judges in Mathnan." - T.

And their brethren - This verse is wanting both in the Syriac and in the Arabic.

The suburbs of Sharon - There were three places of this name: that mentioned here was a district in the country of Bashan beyond Jordan, (see Jos 12:18); there was another that lay between Caesarea of Palestine and Joppa; and there was a third between Mount Tabor and the Sea of Tiberias. See Calmet.

They made war with the Hagarites - This is probably the same war that is mentioned 1Chr 5:10. Those called Hagarites in the text are everywhere denominated by the Targum הונגראיי Hongaraai, Hongarites.

They put their trust in him - Or, as the Targum says, "Because they trusted במימריה bemeymriah, in his Word."

They took away their cattle - This was a war of extermination as to the political state of the people, which nothing could justify but an especial direction of God; and this he could never give against any, unless the cup of their iniquity had been full. The Hagarites were full of idolatry: see 1Chr 5:25.

For there fell down many slain - The hundred thousand men mentioned above were probably made slaves, and were not slain. The Targum says, one hundred thousand souls of men.

The war was of God - The Targum says, the war was מן מימרא דיי min meymera dayai, "from the Word of the Lord."

The gods of the people of the land - We see the reason why God delivered the Hagarites into the hands of these tribes; they were abominable idolaters, and therefore God destroyed them.

Tilgath-pilneser - Many MSS. have תגלת Tiglath instead of תלגת Tilgath. The Syriac, the Septuagint, and the Chaldee, have the same reading as in 2Kgs 15:29, etc.

Brought them unto Halah - See the notes on 2Kgs 17:6 (note), and 2Kgs 18:11 (note), for many particulars of these wars, and consequent captivity. It is a pity that some method were not found out to harmonize the books of Kings with the books of Chronicles, that the variations might be seen at one view.

Sons of Israel - This is added emphatically, because they were treated as if they had been the immediate sons of Jacob. Not reckoned - This is the second reason, which sheweth both why Reuben's genealogy was not first mentioned; and if another tribe was to be ranked before it, why that was Judah, and not Joseph, because the order of their genealogy was not to be ruled by the birthright, but by an higher privilege, which was given to Judah.

Judah - Not the person, but the tribe of Judah. Prevailed - Excelled the other tribes, especially in the following privilege.

Euphrates - From Jordan and the wilderness beyond it unto Euphrates. Or, of the wilderness, which lies towards or reacheth to the river Euphrates, namely, the great wilderness of Kedemoth, Deut 2:26, which was extended far and wide towards Euphrates: for that was the eastern border of Reuben's possession, and not Euphrates, to which their habitation never reached. Multiplied - Which forced them to enlarge their habitation as far as they could towards Euphrates.

They made war - Thus God did for his people, as he promised them. He cast out the enemy from before them by little and little, and gave them their land as they had occasion for it.

These - These seven last named.

Helped - By God, ver.22, who gave them extraordinary courage and success.

Was of God - Undertaken in his fear, and carried on in a dependence on him. Then we may expect to prosper in any enterprize, and then only, when we take God along with us.

1 NOw the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel, (for he was the first-born , but forasmuch as he defiled his fathers bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the sons of Israel : and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birth-right .

These and the following words to v. 3. which are inclosed within a Parenthesis, seem to be inserted here as an Answer to a secret Objection, or as a Reason why Reubens Genealogy was not set down first, but Iudah's was put before it, which is double, the first follows immediately, the other is in the last Clause of this Verse.

i. e. The Right of the First-born, which, although it contain in it something of Dominion, Gen. 27. 1. 32. which Ioseph had in his own person, Gen. 49. Yet principally consisted in having a double Portion, as appears from Deut. 21. 17. which Ioseph enjoyed both in his Person and in his Posterity, which had 2 Parts of twelve in Canaan. And it is Iosephs Posterity which is here considered.

Ephraim and Manasseh, each having a distinct Portion.

This is added emphatically, because they were reputed and treated as if they had been the immediate Sons of Iacob: of which see Gen. 48. 5.

This is the second Reason, which sheweth both why R[illegible: 1+ letters]bens Genealogy was not first mentioned; and if another Tribe was to be ranked before it, why that was Iudah, and not Ioseph, as it might seem most fit for the former Reason; because, [illegible: 1+ letters]aith he, the Order of their Genealogy was not to be ruled by the Birthright, but by an higher Priviledge, which was given to Iudah, and which here follows.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].

2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren , and of him came the chief ruler , but the (birth-right was Josephs.)

Not the Person (for so Ioseph prevailed) but the Tribe of Iudah▪

Excelled the other Tribes in Number and Power, and especially in the following Priviledge.

Or, for, as the Hebrew vau is oft used: This being a Reason of the foregoing Assertion, or a Declaration wherein he did prevail.

The Government was by Gods Promise and Appointment to be seated chiefly and most durably in that Tribe, first in David and his Successors, and then in the Messiah, who sprang out of Iudah, Heb. 7. 14. which was a far greater Priviledge than the Birth-right. Or, as to the Ruler (i. e. as to the Point of Dominion) he was more than he, or preferred before him, i. e. before Ioseph, who is named in the very next clause, the pronoun being referred unto the following noun, which is frequent among the Hebrews, as Psal. 87. 1. & 105. 19.

Or, although, as vau is oft used; so this prevents or removes an Objection against Iudahs Precedency taken from his Birth-right.

Marginal references: Gen. [illegible: 1+ letters]9. 8, 10.; [illegible: 1 span]; [illegible: 1 span].

4 The sons of Joel ; Shemajah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son.

Who was the Son either of Carmi last mentioned▪ or rather of Hanoch Reubens First-born, because he and his were successively Princes of this Tribe, as may be gathered from v. 6.

7 And his brethren by their families (when the genealogy of their generation was reckoned) were the chief Jeiel, and Zechariah.

i. e. The other Sons of Reuben and their Posterity.

Heb. the head, each was the Head of his Family.

8 And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo, and Baalmeon.

To wit, the Reubenites, all these here before mentioned, as appears both by the following Verses, which relate to the whole Tribe; and by the Agreement of this Description of their Inheritance with that, Ios. 13. 15, 16.

Marginal references: Or, Shemajah, ver. 4.; Josh. 13. 15, 16.

9 And eastward he inhabited unto the entring in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates : because their cattel were multiplied in the land of Gilead.

i. e. The Tribe of Reuben.

From Iordan and the Wilderness beyond it unto Euphrates. Or, of the Wilderness which lies towards or reacheth to the River Euphrates, namely, the great Wilderness of Kedemoth, Deut. 2. 26. which was extended far and wide towards Euphrates: for that was the Eastern Border of Reubens Possession, and not Euphrates, to which their Habitation never reached.

Which forced them to enlarge their Habitation as far as they could Eastward towards Euphrates.

10 And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites , who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east-land of Gilead .

The Gadites and Marassites joyning with them in the War, v. 18, 19.

The Ishmeelites, who dwelt in Arabia the Desert.

The Israelites took possession of their Lands and Tents or Houses.

Which lay Eastward from the Land of Gilead.

Marginal references: Heb. upon all the face of the east.

12 Joel the chief , and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan .

The Prince of the Tribe or at least of his Family, when they were numbred, to wit, in the days of Iotham, v, 17.

i. e. Who dwelt in the City of Bashan. Others thus, Who abode in Bashan to defend the City and Country, when their Brethren went out to War against the Hagarens, v. 18.

14 These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael; the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz:

These seven last named.

15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers .

This A[illegible: 1+ letters]i was the Head or Chief of the Houses or Families either 1. of those seven named, v. 13, or 2. of Abdiel and Guni [illegible: 1 word] named, and of their Fathers.

16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan and in her towns , and in all the suburbs of Sharon , upon their borders .

i. e. The Children or Tribe of Gad.

i. e. In part of Gi [illegible: 1+ letters] for the Reubenites and Manassites dwelt in other parts of it, Deut. 3. 12, 13, 16.

In the Land of Bashan, as it is said v. 11. Qu. How come the Gadites to dwell in Bashan, when all Bashan is expresly said to be given to the half Tribe of Manasseh, Deut. 3. 13. & Ios. 13. 29, 30? Ans. All Bashan is put for the greatest Part of it by a Synecdoche very frequent in Scripture and all Authors; and so the Gadites might possess a Part of it. And thus both Bashan and Gilead are used for Parts of them, Ios. 17. 1. where it is said of Machir a Manassite, that he had Gilead and Bashan. And as it is unquestionably true that Gilead is taken sometimes more largely for all the Land of the Israelites beyond Iordan, sometimes more strictly for that part of it which Borders upon Mount Gilead; of which see my Notes on Ios. 17. 1. The like may be presumed concerning Bashan; and so in its strictest Sence it might be all given to the Manassites, and yet in its largest [illegible: 1+ letters]ence might comprehend a Part of the Land belonging to the Gadites.

i. e. In some of her Cities and Towns.

i. e. In its Fields and Pasture-grounds, 1 Chron. 27. 29.

Not that within Iordan, Isa. 35. 2. but another without Iordan.

To wit, of Gilead and Bashan. For Gilead, properly so called, or the greatest Part of it, belonged to the Reubenites; and Bashan, or the greatest Part of it, to the Manassites; and so the Gadites (whose Habitation was between the Reubenites and Manassites) had those Parts of both their Countries which were towards their Borders. Or, unto their Borders, i. e. as far as the Suburbs or Fields of Sharon, which were last mentioned, were extended.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span]; Ch▪ 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 29.; [illegible: 1 span]

17 All these were reckoned by Genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah , and in the days of Jeroboam King of Israel.

Who reigning long, partly in his Fathers days, and partly by himself, 2 Kings 15. And being at leasure as to Wars or Troubles, thought this a fit Season to examine the state of his People.

Either the second of that Name, of whom see 2 Kings 13. 13, 14. O[illegible: 1+ letters] rather the first Ieroboam; partly because he is called simply Ieroboam, without any Addition; which shews that he speaks of the most Famous of the two: and partly because this Work of taking an Account of the People doth far better agree to the Times of Ieroboam the First, when the Kingdom of [illegible: 1+ letters]srael was first erected and established, and broken off from that of Iudah, when it was necessary for Ieroboam to know his own Strength and the Numbers of his People, than to the Times of Ieroboam the second, when the Kingdom of Israel was broken and near to its Ruine.

Marginal references: 2 Kin. 15. 5. 32.; 2 Kin. 14. 16, 28.

19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab .

i. e. With the Posterity of Ietur, &c. who were Ishmeelites, appears from Gen. 25. 15.

Marginal references: Gen. 25. 15. Ch. 1. 31.

20 And they were helped against them , and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them : for they cried to God in the battel, and he was intreated of them, because they p[illegible: 1+ letters]t their trust in him.

To wit, By God, v. 22. who gave them extraordinary Courage and Success.

Their Friends and Allies in this War.

21 And they took away their cattel, of their camels fifty thousand , and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand .

For Camels were very numerous in Arabia, being used in War and for Burdens, &c. and being very patient of thirst, and therefore most fit for those hot and dry Countries.

Whom they took Prisoners, and either used as Slaves, or sold them for such.

Marginal references: Heb. led captive.; Heb. soul[illegible: 1+ letters] of men, as Num. 31. 35.

22 For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God . And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity .

God put them upon it, and mightily assisted them in it.

i. e. That Party of these Tribes which went out to this War being 44760 men; or part of them by the consent of the rest.

Of which, 2 Kings 15. 29. and 17. 6.

23 And the children of the half-tribe of Manasseh , dwelt in the land : they increased from Bashan, unto Baal-hermon, and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.

Having discoursed of the Reubenites, v. 3, &c. and next of the Gadites, v. 11, &c. he now comes to the Manassites.

i. e. In their Land, to wit, in the Northern part of the land beyond Iordan.

26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, (even the Reubenite, and the Gadite, and the halftribe of Manasseh) and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan , unto this day.

He so governed his Counsels and Affections that he should bring his Forces against this People rather than others.

Of which places see, 2 King. 15. & 17.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span]; [illegible: 1 span].

The families of the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan.

1Ch 5:1-3 The families of the tribe of Reuben. - 1Ch 5:1, 1Ch 5:2. Reuben is called the first-born of Israel, because he was the first-born of Jacob, although, owing to his having defiled his father’s bed (Gen 49:4), his birthright, i.e., its privileges, were transferred to the sons of Joseph, who were not, however, entered in the family register of the house of Israel according to the birthright, i.e., as first-born sons. The inf. התיחשׂ with ל expresses “shall” or “must,” cf. Ew. §237, e., “he was not to register,” i.e., “he was not to be registered.” The subject is Joseph, as the Rabbins, e.g., Kimchi, have perceived. The clauses after הוּא כּי form a parenthesis, containing the reason of Reuben’s being called ישׂראל בּכור, which is still further established by its being shown (in 1Ch 5:2) how it happened that Joseph, although the birthright was given to him, according to the disposition made by the patriarch (Gen 48:5.), yet was not entered in the family registers as first-born. The reason of this was, “for Judah was strong among his brethren, and (one) from him became the Prince;”scil. on the strength of the patriarchal blessing (Gen 49:8-12), and by means of the historic fulfilment of this blessing. The “prevailing” of Judah among his brethren showed itself even under Moses at the numbering of the people, when the tribe of Judah considerably outnumbered all the other tribes (cf. t. i. 2, S. 192). Then, again, it appeared after the division of the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel, Judah being called by a declaration of the divine will to be the vanguard of the army in the war against the Canaanites (Jdg 1:1.); and it was finally made manifest by the נגיד over Israel being chosen by God from the tribe of Judah, in the person of David (cf. 1Ch 28:4 with 1Sa 13:14; 1Sa 25:30). From this we gather that the short, and from its brevity obscure, sentence ממּנוּ וּלנגיד bears the signification we have given it. “But the birthright was Joseph's;” i.e., the rights of the progenitor were transferred to or remained with him, for two tribal domains were assigned to his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, according to the law of the first-born (Deu 21:15-17).

After this parenthetic explanation, the words “the sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel,” 1Ch 5:1, are again taken up in 1Ch 5:3, and the sons are enumerated. The names of the four sons correspond to those given in Gen 46:9; Exo 6:14, and Num 26:5-7.

1Ch 5:4-6

From one of these sons descended Joel, whose family is traced down through seven generations, to the time of the Assyrian deportation of the Israelites. But we are neither informed here, nor can we ascertain from any information elsewhere given in the Old Testament, from which of the four sons Joel was descended. For although many of the names in 1Ch 5:4-6 frequently occur, yet they are nowhere met with in connection with the family whose members are here registered. The last-named, Beerah, was לראוּבני נשׂיא, a prince of the Reubenites, not a prince of the tribe of Reuben, but a prince of a family of the Reubenites. This is expressed by ל being used instead of the stat. constr.; cf. Ew. §292, a. In reference to the leading away of the trans-Jordanic tribes into captivity by Tiglath-pilneser, cf. on 2Ki 15:29. The name of this king as it appears in the Chronicles is always Tiglath-pilneser, but its meaning has not yet been certainly ascertained. According to Oppert’s interpretation, it = תּגלת־פּלּא־סחר, i.e., “worship of the son of the Zodiac” (i.e., the Assyrian Hercules); vid., Delitzsch on Isaiah, Introd.

1Ch 5:7-8 “And his brothers,” (each) according to his families in the registration, according to their descent (properly their generations; vide for תּולדות on Gen 2:4), are (were) the head (the first) Jeiel and Zechariah, and Bela, ... the son of Joel,” probably the Joel already mentioned in 1Ch 5:4. “His (i.e., Beerah’s) brothers” are the families related to the family of Beerah, which were descended from the brothers of Joel. That they were not, however, properly “brothers,” is clear from the fact that Bela’s descent is traced back to Joel as the third of the preceding members of his family; and the conclusion would be the same, even if this Joel be another than the one mentioned in 1Ch 5:4. The singular suffix with למשׁפּחתיו is to be taken distributively or אישׁ may be supplied before it in thought; cf. Num 2:34; Num 11:10. The word ראשׁ, “head,” for the first-born, stands here before the name, as in 1Ch 12:3; 1Ch 23:8; elsewhere it stands after the name, e.g., 1Ch 5:12 and 1Ch 9:17. The dwelling-places of Bela and his family are then given in 1Ch 5:8, 1Ch 5:9. “He dwelt in Aroer,” on the banks of the brook Arnon (Jos 13:9; Jos 12:2), now the ruin Araayr on the northern bank of the Mojeb (vide on Num 32:34). “Until Nebo and Baal-meon” westward. Nebo, a village on the hill of the same name in the mountains of Abarim, opposite Jericho (cf. on Num 32:38). Baal-meon is probably identical with the ruin Myun, three-quarters of an hour south-east from Heshbon.

1Ch 5:9 “Eastward to the coming to the desert (i.e., till towards the desert) from the river Euphrates,” i.e., to the great Arabico-Syrian desert, which stretches from the Euphrates to the eastern frontier of Perea, or from Gilead to the Euphrates. Bela’s family had spread themselves so far abroad, “for their herds were numerous in the land of Gilead,” i.e., Perea, the whole trans-Jordanic domain of the Israelites.

1Ch 5:10 “In the days of Saul they made war upon the Hagarites, and they fill into their hands, and they dwelt in their tents over the whole east side of Gilead.” The subject is not determined, so that the words may be referred either to the whole tribe of Reuben or to the family of Bela (1Ch 5:8). The circumstance that in 1Ch 5:8 and 1Ch 5:9 Bela is spoken of in the singular (יושׁב הוּא and ישׁב), while here the plural is used in reference to the war, is not sufficient to show that the words do not refer to Bela’s family, for the narrative has already fallen into the plural in the last clause of 1Ch 5:9. We therefore think it better to refer 1Ch 5:10 to the family of Bela, seeing that the wide spread of this family, which is mentioned in 1Ch 5:9, as far as the desert to the east of the inhabited land, presupposes the driving out of the Hagarites dwelling on the eastern plain of Gilead. The notice of this war, moreover, is clearly inserted here for the purpose of explaining the wide spread of the Belaites even to the Euphrates desert, and there is nothing which can be adduced against that reference. The אחיו in 1Ch 5:7 does not, as Bertheau thinks probable, denote that Bela was a contemporary of Beerah, even if the circumstance that from Bela to Joel only three generations are enumerated, could be reconciled with this supposition. The spread of Bela’s family over the whole of the Reubenite Gilead, which has just been narrated, proves decisively that they were not contemporaries. If Bela lived at the time of the invasion of Gilead by Tiglath-pileser, when the prince Beerah was carried away into exile, it is certainly possible that he might have escaped the Assyrians; but he could neither have had at that time a family “which inhabited all the east land,” nor could he himself have extended his domain from “Aroer and Nebo towards the wilderness,” as the words יושׁב הוּא, 1Ch 5:8, distinctly state. We therefore hold that Bela was much older than Beerah, for he is introduced as a great-grandson of Joel, so that his family might have been as widely distributed as 1Ch 5:8, 1Ch 5:9 state, and have undertaken and carried out the war of conquest against the Hagarites, referred to in 1Ch 5:10, as early as the time of Saul. Thus, too, we can most easily explain the fact that Bela and his brothers Jeiel and Zechariah are not mentioned. As to הגרעים, cf. on 1Ch 5:19.

1Ch 5:11 The families of the tribe of Gad, and their dwelling-places. - 1Ch 5:11. In connection with the preceding statement as to the dwelling-places of the Reubenites, the enumeration of the families of Gad begins with a statement as to their dwelling-places: “Over against them (the Reubenites) dwelt the Gadites in Bashan unto Salcah.” Bashan is used here in its wider signification of the dominion of King Og, which embraced the northern half of Gilead, i.e., the part of that district which lay on the north side of the Jabbok, and the whole district of Bashan; cf. on Deu 3:10. Salcah formed the boundary towards the east, and is now Szalchad, about six hours eastward from Bosra (see on Deu 3:10).

1Ch 5:12-14

The sons of Gad (Gen 46:16) are not named here, because the enumeration of the families of Gad had been already introduced by 1Ch 5:11, and the genealogical connection of the families enumerated in 1Ch 5:12., with the sons of the tribal ancestor, had not been handed down. In 1Ch 5:12 four names are mentioned, which are clearly those of heads of families or fathers'-houses, with the addition “in Bashan,” i.e., dwelling, for ישׁבוּ is to be repeated or supplied from the preceding verse. - In 1Ch 5:13 seven other names occur, the bearers of which are introduced as brothers of those mentioned (1Ch 5:12), according to their fathers'-houses. They are therefore heads of fathers'-houses, but the district in which they dwelt is not given; whence Bertheau concludes, but wrongly, that the place where they dwelt is not given in the text. The statement which is here omitted follows in 1Ch 5:16 at a fitting place; for in 1Ch 5:14 and 1Ch 5:15 their genealogy, which rightly goes before the mention of their dwelling-place, is given. אלּה, 1Ch 5:14, is not to be referred, as Bertheau thinks, to the four Gadites mentioned in 1Ch 5:12 and 1Ch 5:13, but only to those mentioned in 1Ch 5:13. Nothing more was known of those four (1Ch 5:12) but that they dwelt in Bashan, while the genealogy of the seven is traced up through eight generations to a certain Buz, of whom nothing further is known, as the name בּוּז occurs nowhere else, except in Gen 22:21 as that of a son of Nahor. The names of his ancestors also are not found elsewhere among the Gadites.

1Ch 5:15

The head of their fathers'-houses (i.e., of those mentioned in 1Ch 5:13) as Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, who is conjectured to have lived in the time of King Jotham of Judah, or of Jeroboam II of Israel, when, according to 1Ch 5:17, genealogical registers of the Gadites were made up.

1Ch 5:16

The families descended from Buz “dwelt in Gilead,” in the part of that district lying to the south of the Jabbok, which Moses had given to the Gadites and Reubenites (Deu 3:12); “In Bashan and her daughters,” that is, in the villages belonging to the cities of Bashan and Gilead inhabited by them (for the suffix in בּבנותיה is to be referred distributively to both districts, or the cities in them). “And in all the pasture grounds (מגרשׁ, cf. on Num 35:2) of Sharon unto their outgoings.” שׁרון, Sharon, lay not in Perea, but is a great plain on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from Carmel to near Joppa, famed for its great fertility and its rich growth of flowers (Sol 2:1; Isa 33:9; Isa 35:2; Isa 55:10). “A Caesarea Palaestinae usque ad oppidum Joppe omnis terra, quae cernitur, dicitur Saronas.” Jerome in Onom.; cf. v. Raumer, Pal. S. 50, and Robins. Phys. Geog. S. 123. It is this plain which is here meant, and the supposition of the older commentators that there was a second Sharon in the east-Jordan land is without foundation, as Reland, Palestina illustr. p. 370f., has correctly remarked. For it is not said that the Gadites possessed cities in Sharon, but only pastures of Sharon are spoken of, which the Gadites may have sought out for their herds even on the coast of the Mediterranean; more especially as the domain of the cis-Jordanic half-tribe of Manasseh stretched into the plain of Sharon, and it is probable that at all times there was intercourse between the cis-and trans-Jordanic Manassites, in which the Gadites may also have taken part. תּוצאותם are the outgoings of the pastures to the sea, cf. Jos 17:9.

1Ch 5:17 “And these (כּלּם, all the families of Gad, not merely those mentioned in 1Ch 5:13.) were registered in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.” These two kings did not reign contemporaneously, for Jotham ascended the throne in Judah twenty-five years after the death of Jeroboam of Israel. Here, therefore, two different registrations must be referred to, and that carried on under Jotham is mentioned first, because Judah had the legitimate kingship. That set on foot by Jeroboam was probably undertaken after that king had restored all the ancient boundaries of the kingdom of Israel, 2Ki 14:25. King Jotham of Judah could prepare a register of the Gadites only if a part of the trans-Jordanic tribes had come temporarily under his dominion. As to any such event, indeed, we have no accurate information, but the thing in itself is not unlikely. For as the death of Jeroboam II was followed by complete anarchy in the kingdom of the ten tribes, and one ruler overthrew the other, until at last Pekah succeeded in holding the crown for ten years, while in Judah until Pekah ascended the throne of Israel Uzziah reigned, and raised his kingdom to greater power and prosperity, the southern part of the trans-Jordanic land might very well have come for a time under the sway of Judah. At such a time Jotham may have carried out an assessment and registration of the Gadites, until his contemporary Pekah succeeded, with the help of the Syrian king Rezin, in taking from the king of Judah the dominion over Gilead, and in humbling the kingdom of Judah in the reign of Ahaz.War of the trans-Jordanic tribes of Israel with Arabic tribes. - As the half-tribe of Manasseh also took part in this war, we should have expected the account of it after 1Ch 5:24. Bertheau regards its position here as a result of striving after a symmetrical distribution of the historical information. “In the case of Reuben,” he says, “the historical information is in 1Ch 5:10; in the case of the half-tribe of Manasseh, in 1Ch 5:25, 1Ch 5:26; as to Gad, we have our record in 1Ch 5:18-22, which, together with the account in 1Ch 5:25, 1Ch 5:26, refers to all the trans-Jordanic Israelites.” But it is much more likely that the reason of it will be found in the character of the authorities which the author of the Chronicle made use of, in which, probably, the notes regarding this war were contained in the genealogical register of the Gadites.

1Ch 5:18 חיל מן־בּני belongs to the predicate of the sentence, “They were the sons of Valour,” i.e., they belonged to the valiant warriors, “men bearing shield and sword (weapons of offence and defence), and those treading (or bending) the bow,” i.e., skilful bowmen. מלחמה למוּדי, people practised in war; cf. the portrayal of the warlike valour of Gad and Manasseh, 1Ch 12:8, 1Ch 12:21. “The number 44,760 must be founded upon an accurate reckoning” (Berth.); but in comparison with the number of men capable of bearing arms in those tribes in the time of Moses, it is somewhat inconsiderable: for at the first numbering under him Reuben alone had 46,500 and Gad 45,650, and at the second numbering Reuben had 43,730 and Gad 40,500 men; see on Num 1-4 (1:2, S. 192).

1Ch 5:19 “They made was with the Hagarites and Jethur, Nephish and Nodab.” So early as the time of Saul the Reubenites had victoriously made war upon the Hagarites (see 1Ch 5:10); but the war here mentioned was certainly at a later time, and has no further connection with that in 1Ch 5:10 except that both arose from similar causes. The time of the second is not given, and all we know from 1Ch 5:22 is that it had broken out before the trans-Jordanic Israelites were led captive by the Assyrians. הגריאים, in Psa 83:7 contracted into הגרים, are the Ἀγραῖοι, whom Strabo, xvi. p. 767, introduces, on the authority of Eratosthenes, as leading a nomadic life in the great Arabico-Syrian desert, along with the Nabataeans and Chaulotaeans. Jetur, from whom the Itureans are descended, and Nephish, are Ishmaelites; cf. on Gen 25:15. Nodab, mentioned only here, is a Bedouin tribe of whom nothing more is known.

1Ch 5:20

The Israelites, with God’s help, gained the victory. יעזרוּ, “it was helped to them,” i.e., by God “against them” - the Hagarites and their allies. שׁעמּהם contracted from עמּהם אשׁר. נעתּור is not an uncommon form of the perf. Niph., which would not be suitable in a continuous sentence, but the inf. absol. Niph. used instead of the third pers. perf. (cf. Gesen. Heb. Gramm. §131, 4): “and (God) was entreated of them, because they trusted in Him.” From these words we may conclude that the war was a very serious one, in which the possession of the land was at stake. As the trans-Jordanic tribes lived mainly by cattle-breeding, and the Arabian tribes on the eastern frontier of their land were also a shepherd people, quarrels could easily arise as to the possession of the pasture grounds, which might lead to a war of extermination.

1Ch 5:21

The conquerors captured a great booty in herds, 50,000 camels, 250,000 head of small cattle (sheep and goats), 2000 asses, and 100,000 persons - all round numbers; cf. the rich booty obtained in the war against the Midianites, Num 31:11, Num 31:32.

1Ch 5:22

This rich booty should not surprise us, “for there fell many slain,” i.e., the enemy had suffered a very bloody defeat. “For the war was from God,” i.e., conducted to this result: cf. 2Ch 25:20; 1Sa 17:47. “And they dwelt in their stead,” i.e., they took possession of the pasture grounds, which up to that time had belonged to the Arabs, and held them until they were carried away captive by the Assyrians; see 1Ch 5:26. 1Ch5:23 The families of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, and the leading away of the East-Jordan Israelites into the Assyrian exile. - 1Ch 5:23. The half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan was very numerous (רבוּ המּה), “and they dwelt in the land of Bashan (i.e., the Bashan inhabited by Gad, 1Ch 5:12) (northwards) to Baal Hermon,” - i.e., according to the more accurate designation of the place in Jos 12:7 and Jos 13:5, in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon, probably the present Bânjas, at the foot of Hermon (see on Num 34:8), - “and Senir and Mount Hermon.” שׂניר, which according to Deu 3:9 was the name of Hermon or Antilibanus in use among the Amorites, is here and in Eze 27:5 the name of a part of those mountains (vide on Deu 3:9), just as “mount Hermon” is the name of another part of this range.

1Ch 5:24

Seven heads of fathers'-houses of the half-tribe of Manasseh are enumerated, and characterized as valiant heroes and famous men. The enumeration of the names begins strangely with ו (ואפר); perhaps a name has fallen out before it. Nothing has been handed down as to any of these names.

1Ch 5:25-26 1Ch 5:25 and 1Ch 5:26 form the conclusion of the register of the two and a half trans-Jordanic tribes. The sons of Manasseh are not the subject to ויּמעלוּ, but the Reubenites and Manassites, as is clear from 1Ch 5:26. These fell away faithlessly from the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God had destroyed before them, i.e., the Amorites or Canaanites. “And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of the Assyrian kings Pul and Tiglath-pilneser, and he (this latter) led them away captives to Halah and Habor,” etc. את־רוּח ויּער, Lavater has rightly rendered, “in mentem illis dedit, movit eos, ut expeditionem facerent contra illos;” cf. 2Ch 21:16. Pul is mentioned as being the first Assyrian king who attacked the land of Israel, cf. 2Ki 15:19. The deportation began, however, only with Tiglath-pileser, who led the East-Jordan tribes into exile, 2Ki 15:29. To him ויּגלם sing. refers. The suffix is defined by the following acc., וגו לרעוּבני; ל is, according to the later usage, nota acc.; cf. Ew. §277, e. So also before the name חלח, “to Halah,” i.e., probably the district Καλαχήνη (in Strabo) on the east side of the Tigris near Adiabene, to the north of Nineveh, on the frontier of Armenia (cf. on 2Ki 17:6). In the second book of Kings (1Ch 15:29) the district to which the two and a half tribes were sent as exiles is not accurately determined, being only called in general Asshur (Assyria). The names in our verse are there (2Ki 17:6) the names of the districts to which Shalmaneser sent the remainder of the ten tribes after the destruction of the kingdom of Israel. It is therefore questionable whether the author of the Chronicle took his account from an authority used by him, or if he names these districts only according to general recollection, in which the times of Shalmaneser and of Tiglath-pileser are not very accurately distinguished (Berth.). We consider the first supposition the more probable, not merely because he inverts the order of the names, but mainly because he gives the name הרא instead of “the cities of Media,” as it is in Kings, and that name he could only have obtained from his authorities. חבור is not the river Chaboras in Mesopotamia, which falls into the Euphrates near Circesium, for that river is called in Ezekiel כּבר, but is a district in northern Assyria, where Jakut mentions that there is both a mountain Χαβώρας on the frontier of Assyria and Media (Ptolem. vi. 1), and a river Khabur Chasaniae, which still bears the old name Khâbur, rising in the neighbourhood of the upper Zab, near Amadijeh, and falling into the Tigris below Jezirah. This Khâbur is the river of Gozan (vide on 2Ki 17:6). The word הרא appears to be the Aramaic form of the Hebrew הר, mountains, and the vernacular designation usual in the mouths of the people of the mountain land of Media, which is called also in Arabic el Jebâl (the mountains). This name can therefore only have been handed down from the exiles who dwelt there.

Genealogies. (b. c. 715.)

1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. 2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:) 3 The sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4 The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5 Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son, 6 Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites. 7 And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 8 And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baal-meon: 9 And eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead. 10 And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead. 11 And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salchah: 12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13 And their brethren of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven. 14 These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; 15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers. 16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, upon their borders. 17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

We have here an extract out of the genealogies,

I. Of the tribe of Reuben, where we have,

1. The reason why this tribe is thus postponed. It is confessed that Reuben was the first-born of Israel, and, upon that account, might challenge the precedency; but he forfeited his birthright by defiling his father's concubine, and was, for that, sentenced not to excel, Gen. xlix. 4. Sin lessens men, thrusts them down from their excellency. Seventh-commandment sins especially leave an indelible stain upon men's names and families, a reproach which time will not wipe away. Reuben's seed, to the last, bear the disgrace of Reuben's sin. Yet, though that tribe was degraded, it was not discarded or disinherited. The sullying of the honour of an Israelite is not the losing of his happiness. Reuben loses his birthright, yet it does not devolve upon Simeon the next in order; for it was typical, and therefore must attend, not the course of nature, but the choice of grace. The advantages of the birthright were dominion and a double portion. Reuben having forfeited these, it was thought too much that both should be transferred to any one, and therefore they were divided. (1.) Joseph had the double portion; for two tribes descended from him, Ephraim and Manasseh, each of whom had a child's part (for so Jacob by faith blessed them, Heb. xi. 21; Gen. xlviii. 15, 22), and each of those tribes was as considerable, and made as good a figure, as any one of the twelve, except Judah. But, (2.) Judah had the dominion; on him the dying patriarch entailed the sceptre, Gen. xlix. 10. Of him came the chief ruler, David first, and, in the fulness of time, Messiah the Prince, Mic. v. 2. This honour was secured to Judah, though the birthright was Joseph's; and, having this, he needed not envy Joseph the double portion.

2. The genealogy of the princes of this tribe, the chief family of it (many, no doubt, being omitted), to Beerah, who was head of this clan when the king of Assyria carried them captive, v. 4-6. Perhaps he is mentioned as prince of the Reubenites at that time because he did not do his part to prevent the captivity.

3. The enlargement of the coasts of this tribe. They increasing, and their cattle being multiplied, they crowded out their neighbours the Hagarites, and extended their conquests, though not to the river Euphrates, yet to the wilderness which abutted upon that river, v. 9, 10. Thus God did for his people as he promised them: he cast out the enemy from before them by little and little, and gave them their land as they had occasion for it, Exod. xxiii. 30.

II. Of the tribe of Gad. Some great families of that tribe are here named (v. 12), seven that were the children of Abihail, whose pedigree is carried upwards from the son to the father (v. 14, 15), as that v. 4, 5, is brought downwards from father to son. These genealogies were perfected in the days of Jotham king of Judah, but were begun some years before, in the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel. What particular reason there was for taking these accounts then does not appear; but it was just before they were carried away captive by the Assyrians, as appears 2 Kings xv. 29, 31. When the judgments of God were ready to break out against them for their wretched degeneracy and apostasy then were they priding themselves in their genealogies, that they were the children of the covenant; as the Jews, in our Saviour's time, who, when they were ripe for ruin, boasted, We have Abraham to our father. Or there might be a special providence in it, and a favourable intimation that though they were, for the present, cast out, they were not cast off for ever. What we design to call for hereafter we keep an inventory of.

The Defeat of the Hagarites. (b. c. 750.)

18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. 19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. 20 And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him. 21 And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men a hundred thousand. 22 For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity. 23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon. 24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers. 25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

The heads of the half-tribe of Manasseh, that were seated on the other side Jordan, are named here, v. 23, 24. Their lot, at first, was Bashan only; but afterwards they increased so much in wealth and power that they spread far north, even unto Hermon. Two things only are here recorded concerning these tribes on the other side Jordan, in which they were all concerned. They all shared,

I. In a glorious victory over the Hagarites, so the Ishmaelites were now called, to remind them that they were the sons of the bond-woman, that was cast out. We are not told when this victory was obtained: whether it be the same with that of the Reubenites (which is said v. 10 to be in the days of Saul), or whether that success of one of these tribes animated and excited the other two to join with them in another expedition, is not certain. It seems, though in Saul's time the common interests of the kingdom were weak and low, some of the tribes that acted separately did well for themselves. We are here told,

1. What a brave army these frontier-tribes brought into the field against the Hagarites, 44,000 men and upwards, all strong, and brave, and skilful in war, so many effective men, that knew how to manage their weapons, v. 18. How much more considerable might Israel have been than they were in the time of the judges if all the tribes had acted in conjunction!

2. What course they took to engage God for them: They cried to God, and put their trust in him, v. 20. Now they acted as Israelites indeed. (1.) As the seed of believing Abraham, they put their trust in God. Though they had a powerful army, they relied not on that, but on the divine power. They depended on the commission they had from God to wage war with their neighbours for the enlarging of their coasts, if there was occasion, even with those that were very far off, besides the devoted nations. See Deut. xx. 15. They depended on God's providence to give them success. (2.) As the seed of praying Jacob, they cried unto God, especially in the battle, when perhaps, at first, they were in danger of being overpowered. See the like done, 2 Chron. xiii. 14. In distress, God expects we should cry to him; he distrains upon us for this tribute, this rent. In our spiritual conflicts, we must look up to heaven for strength; and it is the believing prayer that will be the prevailing prayer.

3. We are told what success they had: God was entreated of them, though need drove them to him; so ready is he to hear and answer prayer. They were helped against their enemies; for God never yet failed any that trusted in him. And then they routed the enemy's army, though far superior in number to theirs, slew many (v. 22), took 100,000 prisoners, enriched themselves greatly with the spoil, and settled themselves in their country (v. 21, 22), and all this because the war was of God, undertaken in his fear and carried on in a dependence upon him. If the battle be the Lord's, there is reason to hope it will be successful. Then we may expect to prosper in any enterprise, and then only, when we take God along with us.

II. They shared, at length, in an inglorious captivity. Had they kept close to God and their duty, they would have continued to enjoy both their ancient lot and their new conquests; but they transgressed against the God of their fathers, v. 25. They lay upon the borders, and conversed most with the neighbouring nations, by which means they learned their idolatrous usages and transmitted the infection to the other tribes; for this God had a controversy with them. He was a husband to them, and no marvel that his jealousy burnt like fire when they went a whoring after other gods. Justly is a bill of divorce given to the adulteress. God stirred up the spirit of the kings of Assyria, first one and then another, against them, served his own purposes by the designs of those ambitious monarchs, employed them to chastise these revolters first, and, when that humbled them not, then wholly to root them out, v. 26. These tribes were first placed, and they were first displaced. They would have the best land, not considering that it lay most exposed. But those who are governed more by sense than by reason or faith in their choices may expect to fare accordingly.