1 Chronicles 5

Time tuere their habitations, and their genealogy. Or, as it is in the margin, they divided themselves by nations among them; i.e. among these places. sons of this tribe; and consequently those who were descended from the first-born. Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son. Jetur,andNephish, and Nodab.] There was mention of the Hagarites before, but now ho shews how they were utterly expelled their country, though their neighbours came to their assistance; viz. those of Jetur, Nephish, and Nodab: who were all Ishmaclitcs; the two first being expressly mentioned as the sons of Ishmael, (Gen. xxv. 15.) from whom these people took their name. But, as Dr. Jackson observes, there are no people mentioned in Scripture, who took their name from Nebaioth his eldest son. Which makes it probable, that they who in heathen writers arc called Nabathsei, were in Scripture called Ishmaelitcs, as sole heirs to their first progenitor’s name. Their scat was in the best part of Arabia Petraea, near to the Midianites. Sec book i. on the Creed, chap. 25. sect. 3. where he notes, that the Greek writers call the Hagaritcs’Aypatoi; which is more consonant to the Hebrew name than the Latin, Hagareni. Their chief city was called Atra, and the inhabitants Atneni, unless they mistook their name, which perhaps wasAgreni.

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jyi OW the sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel^ (for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto Joseph the son of Israel.’] The double portion, which was the right of the first-born, (Deut. xxi. 16, 17.) was given to Joseph: whose • two sons had each of them a lot in the land of Canaan; as if they had been the sons of Israel. The Jewish doctors say there were two other prerogatives belonging to the firstborn; viz. the principality, and the priesthood: the former of which was given to Judah, the latter to Levi. But I see no ground to think the priesthood was annexed to it: and. as for the other, it is taken notice of in the following verse. And the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birth* right.] This is the reason why neither Reuben’s nor Joseph’s genealogy is first set down: for though the double portion belonged to the first-born, yet he had not therefore the pre-eminence in other things, as it here follows.

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For Judah prevailed above his brethren. That is, the tribe of Judah (not his person), which was the most powerful, and in all things, as I before shewed, preferred to the rest. And of him came the chief rider.] This is the principal reason why he prevailed, because the great prince of the. people was to arise out of this tribe: first David, and at* last the Messiah. But the birthright was Joseph’s).] Or, though the birthright was Joseph’s; yet, for the reason beforementioned,; Judah’s genealogy is first set down.

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The sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel, were Hanoch, and Pallti, and Hezron, and Carmu. See Gen. xlvi. 19.

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Tlie sons of Joel. Who, it is likely, was the son of Hanoch the eldest son of Reuben: because it appears from ver. G. that he here gives an account of the chief per-.

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Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son. Ver. G. Beerah his son. Whom the Targum takes for a.prophet, the father of Hosea, who is called Beeri, Hos. i. 1. But that is a mere fancy; for that prophet was of the tribe •of Issachar, but this Beerah of the tribe of Reuben. Whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive out of their 6wn land.] He is called Tiglath-pileser, 2 Kings xv. 29. He ivas prince of the Reubenites.] When the two tribes and half were carried away captive out of their own country beyond Jordan, by the king of Assyria; viz. Tiglatlrbeforementioncd. The rest were carried away by Shalmaneser.

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And his brethren by their families (when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned) were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah. The genealogies of those descended from the rest of Reuben’s sons were preserved: but he thought fit to mention only the chief of them, who were these two and those that follow.

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And Bela the son ofAzaz, the son ofShema, the son of Joel. This was another Joel, different from him mentioned ver. 4. Who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo, and Baal-meon.] •All these were seated on the other side of Jordan. See Numb, xxxii. 37. Josh. xiii. 15, 16, &c. where w r e read of this city Baal-meon.

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And eastward he inhabited. That is, the posterity lof Reuben. Uiito the entering in of the wilderness.] This is the wilderness of Kedemoth, mentioned Deut. ii. 28. upon which the country of Sihon (which Reuben possessed) bordered. From the river Euphrates.] Their territory did not reach so far as Euphrates: but only to the entrance of that wilderness, which extended itself to that river. Because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.] When their stock very much increased, so that they had not pasturage enough for them, they enlarged their border, as far as they were able, eastward towards the river Euphrates.

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And in the days of Saul they made war. With the assistance of other tribes that dwelt on that side Jordan, (ver. 18, 19.) With the Hagarites.] That is, the Ishmaelites descended from Hagar; who were settled in Arabia Deserta. (See Bochartus, in his Phaleg. lib. iv. cap. 11.) Who fell by their hands.] Were conquered by them in that war: so that, as it here follows, they possessed their country. And they dwelt in their tents.] This shews they were Arabians; or near neighbours to them. Throughout all the east land of Gilead.] They possessed all that country which lay cast of Gilead: which chiefly belonged to the Gadites and Manassitcs, though the Rcubenites had some of it, (Deut. iii. 12, 13.) A very learned man of our own is of opinion, that those Hagarites inhabited the country called Petra-Nabataea. See Dr. Fuller’s Miscellanea Sacra, lib. ii. cap. 13. where he observes, that all the rest, who were called Ishmaelites, or Kcdar, were afterward comprehended under the name of Saracens.

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And the children of Gad dwelt over against tliem, in the land ofBashan, unto Salcah. Sec Josh. xiii. 24, 25, &c. He next mentions thc’Gadites, because they were neighbours to the Reubenites.

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Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan. He doth not give us the genealogy of this whole tribe, tmt only the names of the principal persons; among Whom these were the most eminent, when their genealogy vtfas examined: which seems to have been in the reign of Josham, (ver. 17.) AH these dwelt, I suppose, in the metropolis of the country called Bashan: where the chief city was called by the same name; and afterward called Batanaea.,

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And their brethren, of the house of their fathers, were Michael, and Meshallam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven. These seven were eminent persons descended from other great men, of the same family with those beforenamed: and therefore are called their brethren.

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These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri. That is, the seven beforementioned came from Abihail; whose pedigree here follows. The son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son ofJahdo, the son of Buz.

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AM the son of Afidiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers. Besides the foregoing, there was another great person who was of chief authority in the family of Abdiel and Guni, and their fathers.

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And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan. In a part of it, the rest being given to the Reubenites and the half tribe of Manasseh. See Josh. xiii. 25. xvii. 1. Deut. iii. 13. where it is said Moses gave all Bashan to the Manassitcs: but the meaning is, all that was not given to the other two tribes, who had a share therein. (See what I have noted upon Deut. iii. 13.) And in her towns.] That is, such towns as belonged to that portion of the country which they possessed. And in all the suburbs ofSharan.] A country where there was excellent pasturage, and which produced the most generous wine. There were two Sharans; one in the cast inhabited by the Gadites, (Deut. iii. 12, 13.) another in the west, (Josh. xii. 18.) not far from the famous port called Joppa, (Acts ix. 35.). Upon their borders^ Unto the utmost bounds (as the Hebrew words signify) of that country.

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All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days ofJotham king ofJudah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. This doth not imply that Jotham and Jeroboam reigned in the same time: but that in their several reigns this account was taken. Kimchi thinks that all these (i. e. the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half tribe of Manasseh) were reckoned, that were listed to undertake the war afterward mentioned with the Hagarites: so that it may not concern the genealogy.

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The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and stvord 9 and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four-and-forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.] These three tribes, or at least so many of them as made a great army, joined their forces together, consisting of their best soldiers, to invade the country of the Hagarites. This seems to be a distinct war fromthatin the days of Saul, ver. 10. (Seel Sam. xiv. 47.)

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And they made war with the Hagarites, xvith

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And they were helped against them. It is likely the Hagarites fought stoutly, but God assisted the Israelites; enduing them with extraordinary courage, and daunted their enemies. For it is not likely any other help is here meant but that from God. And the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them.] That is, those allies beforcmentioned, who came to their aid. For they cried unto God in the battle, and he was entreated of them; because they put their trust inhim.] I suppose their enemies were too hard for them in the first onset, which made them pray to God most earnestly in the midst of the fight: representing to him the pious confidence they placed in him and his almighty power, and not in their arms and warlike skill: which moved him to give them the success they desired. Here the Targum, instead of these words, They put their trust in him, hath these, They put their trust be Memra, in his Word.

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And they took away their cattle. In the Hebrew, led captive; that is, drove as many of their cattle as they pleased into their own country. This place is, among others, alleged by Grotius, as a proof of the lawfulness of taking the spoil in a just war against an enemy: as God allowed the Israelites to do, w r hen a city fell into their hands, which had refused their offers of peace, (Deut. xx. 14.) But this instance is the more to be minded, because the war here spoken of was not by Divine precept as that against the seven nations of Canaan: but from common right, which men had to defend themselves against injurious persons, or to invade those who had invaded them, and would make them no satisfaction. Such war was approved by God, it appears by this, that he aided them, when they called upon him for help, as we read in the foregoing verse. (Sec lib. iii. dc Jure Belli ct Pacis, cap. 6. sect. 1.) Of their camels fifty thousand.] It is no wonder there were so many, for the Arabians abounded in camels, as Diodorus Siculus relates, lib. iii. cap. 12. which they used in war, as well as to carry burdens in the time of peace. (See Pliny, lib. viii. cap. 18. and Vegctius, lib. iii.). For they being creatures very patient of thirst, were the fitter for any service in that hot and dry country. (See Bochartus, in his Hicrozoicon, par. i. lib. ii. cap. 2.) And of sheep tivo hundred avd fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand.] The prodigious number of sheep that those countries produced, is at large shewed by the same author,- lib. ii.cap. 4G. and their breed of asses in the same book, cap. 13. And of men.] In the Hebrew, souls of men; i. e. of men, women, and children. A hundred thousand.] Whom they did not kill (it appears by this relation), but carried them out of their own country, and sold them for slaves (as the manner was in those days), or employed them as such in their own business.

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For there fell down many slain. Besides these taken captive, a great number were slain in the fight, which could not be avoided. Because the ivar was of God.] Perhaps they consulted him before they went upon this expedition; and he encouraged them to undertake it, as he powerfully assisted them in it. Here again the Targum saith, The war was from the Word of Jehovah. And they dwelt in their steads.] Possibly all those valiant men who were engaged in this war, settled themselves in the country which they had conquered. Until the captivity.] In the days of Pekah, 2 Kings xv. 29. when they were rooted out, as the rest of the ten tribes were in the days of Hoshea.

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And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land. In the same country, oh the other side of Jordan, with the Rcubcnites and Gadites: of whom he having spoken, gives a short account of the Manassites. They increased from Bashan unto Baal-Hermon and Senir, arid unto Hermon.] They were first possessed of the kingdom of Og and Bashan; (Josh.xiii.30.) from whence they extended their territories, when they were increased, unto the northern parts of the country beyond Jordan.

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And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, andJahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.] He reckons only the most remarkable men of this tribe: who were not only of chief authority in their several families, but by their valiant exploits had gotten great renown.

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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. All Israel transgressed as well as they: but it seems they were the greatest transgressors, who began, perhaps, the apostacy from God, and were ring-leaders to idolatry. And, therefore, as it here follows, they were the first that were carried away captive.

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And the God of Israel. The Targum saith, The Memra, or Word, of the God of Israel. From whence it appears they thought the Divine AOrOS to be the God of Israel: for they are words of the same import. Stirred up the spirit ofPul the king of Assyria.] When, perhaps, he intended to bend his forces another way, God inclined him to go against Israel: whom he distressed so much, that they were forced to make him a great present: whfcreby they moved him not to stay (here, but return to his own country, (2 Kings xv. 19, 20.) AVe do not read that he carried any of the people captive, though perhaps he might, after some spoil in the skirts of the country, as he went home.

And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah. These, and the rest that follow, seem to have been very eminent persons in this tribe: by whose valour these great things were performed, which are mentioned ver. 38, 39, &c. There is so great a resemblance in tho name, that some fancy the name’Ia/ij3Xtxoc among the Greeks came from this name Jamlech.

And Joel, and Jehu tfie son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son ofAsieL Ver. 3G. And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah.

And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Alton, the son ofJedaiah, the son ofShimri, the son of Sliemaiah.

Tliese mentioned by their names. Whose names are mentioned in the four foregoing verses. Were princes in their families.’] Great persons of chief authority in their several families. And the house of their fathers increased exceedingly.] By their, valour they enlarged their habitations, which were too strait for them..

And they went to the entrance of Gedor. There was a place of this name belonging unto Judah, (Josh. xv. 58.) and another called Gederah, appertaining to the same tribie, (ver. 36.) out of which perhaps Judah had not driven, the old inhabitants: and therefore the Simeonites wanting room,.went thither, and by dispossessing them enlarged their border. But sec the next verse, which places Gedor elsewhere. Even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.] For their sheep and their goats: which arc properly meant by flocks..

And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable. So that they might feed their flocks securely. For they of Ham had dwelt there of old.] This had inclined Bochart to think, that Gedor was some place in Arabia, where some of the posterity of Ham settled, as he hath demonstrated. And the Arabians being wholly addicted to pasturage, sought out the best ground they could find for the feeding their flocks. Whose country the Simeonites made no scruple to invade; the posterity of Ham being accursed by Noah. (See his Phaleg. lib. iv. cap.l.)

And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. Their names arc set down before, •ver. 34 — 37. now the time is recorded wherein they per-, formed such memorable exploits, which was in the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah. That is, as some take it, a little before the ten tribes were carried captive:* or rather, some time after it, when these Simeonites, who were mixed with Judah, finding themselves very much straitened, made this expedition. And^sniote their tents, and the habitations that were found there.] Jf they smote their tents, then it was sufficiently evident they smote their habitations; for they dwelt in tents. Therefore the word Meunim, I have shewn upon Judg. x. 12. (see my notes there), doth not signify habitations, but a people in Arabia, who dwelt in tents: which the Simeonites smote, as it here follows, and settled themselves in their place. And destroyed them utterly Jnto this day, and dwelt in their rooms.] There were none remained to attempt the recovery of their country any more: but the Simeonites possessed it when this book was written, after the captivity ofBabylon. Because there was pasture therefor their flocks. “\ Which ■ made them seek for no other settlement.

And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to Mount Seir, having for their cap tains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Repltaiah, and Uzziel, the sons ofJshi.* Another body of them under these four great commanders, who were brethren, settled. themselves, in » some part of the country of the Edomites: being forced to seek for subsistence abroad; either when the Assyrians invaded their country, or afterward, when it w r as destroyed, and there was not room enough for them among the Jews; » whither many of them fled.

And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped. Who escaped the hands of Saul, and of David. And dwelt there unto this day.] The king of Babylon did not disturb them in these new possessions: which were. small, and not worth his regard. -