1 Chronicles 5

NOw the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel, (for he was the first-born 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., but forasmuch as he defiled his fathers bed, his birthright 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. was given unto the sons of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh, each having a distinct Portion. the sons of Israel 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.: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birth-right This is the second Reason, which shows both why R... 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,... 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..

For Judah Not the Person (for so Ioseph prevailed) but the Tribe of Iudah prevailed above his brethren Excelled the other Tribes in Number and Power, and especially in the following Priviledge., and Or, for, as the Hebrew vau is oft used: This being a Reason of the foregoing Assertion, or a Declaration wherein he did prevail. of him came the chief ruler 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., but Or, although, as vau is oft used; so this prevents or removes an Objection against Iudahs Precedency taken from his Birth-right. the (birth-right was Josephs.)

The sons, I say, of Reuben the first-born of Israel were, Hanoch and Pallu, Ezron, and Carmi.

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

Micah his son, Reaja his son, Baal his son,

Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites.

And his brethren i. e. The other Sons of Reuben and their Posterity. by their families (when the genealogy of their generation was reckoned) were the chief Heb. the head, each was the Head of his Family. Jeiel, and Zechariah.

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

And eastward he i. e. The Tribe of Reuben. inhabited unto the entring in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates 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.: because their cattel were multiplied Which forced them to enlarge their Habitation as far as they could Eastward towards Euphrates. in the land of Gilead.

And in the days of Saul they made war The Gadites and Marassites joyning with them in the War, v. 18, 19. with the Hagarites The Ishmeelites, who dwelt in Arabia the Desert., who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents The Israelites took possession of their Lands and Tents or Houses. throughout all the east-land of Gilead Which lay Eastward from the Land of Gilead..

And the children of Gad who dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salcah were as followeth.

Joel the chief The Prince of the Tribe or at least of his Family, when they were numbred, to wit, in the days of Iotham, v, 17., and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan 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..

And their brethren of the house of their fathers, were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.

These These seven last named. 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:

Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers This A... 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 named, and of their Fathers..

And they i. e. The Children or Tribe of Gad. dwelt in Gilead i. e. In part of Gi... for the Reubenites and Manassites dwelt in other parts of it, Deut. 3. 12, 13, 16. in Bashan 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 Sense it might be all given to the Manassites, and yet in its largest... ence might comprehend a Part of the Land belonging to the Gadites. and in her towns i. e. In some of her Cities and Towns., and in all the suburbs i. e. In its Fields and Pasture-grounds, 1 Chron. 27. 29. of Sharon Not that within Iordan, Isa. 35. 2. but another without Iordan., upon their borders 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..

All these were reckoned by Genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah 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., and in the days of Jeroboam Either the second of that Name, of whom see 2 Kings 13. 13, 14. O... rather the first Ieroboam; partly because he is called simply Ieroboam, without any Addition; which shows that he speaks of the most Famous of the two: and partly because this Work of taking an Account of the People does far better agree to the Times of Ieroboam the First, when the Kingdom of... 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. King of Israel.

The sons of Reuben, and the Gadite, 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.

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..

And they were helped against them To wit, By God, v. 22. who gave them extraordinary Courage and Success., and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them Their Friends and Allies in this War.: for they cried to God in the battel, and he was intreated of them, because they p... t their trust in him.

And they took away their cattel, of their camels fifty 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., and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand Whom they took Prisoners, and either used as Slaves, or sold them for such..

For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God God put them upon it, and mightily assisted them in it.. And they 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. dwelt in their steads until the captivity Of which, 2 Kings 15. 29. and 17. 6..

And the children of the half-tribe of Manasseh Having discoursed of the Reubenites, v. 3, &c. and next of the Gadites, v. 11, &c. he now comes to the Manassites., dwelt in the land i. e. In their Land, to wit, in the Northern part of the land beyond Iordan.: they increased from Bashan, unto Baal-hermon, and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.

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.

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.

And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit He so governed his Counsels and Affections that he should bring his Forces against this People rather than others. 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 Of which places see, 2 King. 15. & 17., unto this day.