Thread: 7 Feb 2000
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Old 09-10-2020, 04:34 PM   #25
FoolofaTook
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4:9 One might guess that Jabez is from Judah because he is mentioned here. Otherwise, there is no direct connection between him and Judah. His name is not mentioned anywhere else. His mother bore him in pain, probably a reference to a difficult delivery. There is another reference in the Bible to a similarly difficult delivery—for instance, when Rachel delivered her son, she called him Ben-Oni, but Jacob changed his name to Benjamin (Gen 35:16–18).
4:10 Jabez’s prayer had the purpose of counteracting what his mother said at his birth. His name had a meaning that involved the concept of “pain.” Therefore, he was looking for a more positive and hopeful life than the one wished for him by his mother. It was not as materialistic a prayer as it may sound.
Notice that there are three elements in this prayer. First, Jabez asks for an expansion of his territory, which would be a natural petition in the context of the conquest and settlement of Canaan. Second, he asks for the company of God to be with him. This was the source of victory over his enemies. God was the one who fought for Israel (Deut 1:30). Third, he requests that pain would be taken away from him. This pain seems to be related to the conquest of the land. It might imply that he wanted to inherit his share without inflicting pain on his enemies, or that God would fight for him so his family would not suffer pain. Therefore, Jabez focuses on God as the only giver of peace (no war), shelter (land), food (land), and happiness (absence of pain).
Throughout Judah’s genealogy, one can observe that most, if not all, the members mentioned in the list are placeholders. Each founded a city, village, or a topographic site. Thus, Jabez’s prayer gives an overall perspective of the hope Israel, now Judah, had regarding God’s guidance in the ownership of the land as it was in the past and as it should be in the postexilic time. The Chronicler had many examples to motivate the settlement of the land based on the book of Joshua, but he chose the nonviolent one, the prayer of Jabez, from another historical source not available to us. Consequently, God granted Jabez’s petition.
4:11 Chelub should not be confused with Chelubai/Caleb son of Hezron (2:9) or with Caleb the son of Jephunneh (4:15). The family of Chelub is as unknown to us as Jabez’s family is. The only thing we know for sure is that he is part of Judah’s genealogy. Shuhah, Mehir, and Eshton cannot be identified as well. They were included for the sake of the community that knew their descendants at a certain period of time.
4:12 The descendants of Paseah are listed among the temple servants at the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh 7:51; Ezra 2:49). The other names are not identified up to the present with any topographic place. Ir-Nahash might be an inference to a city of craftsmen. Rechah probably settled the geographic area of Beth–Rechab (2:55), forming the descendants of Jonadab son of Rechab, therefore known as Rechabites (2 Kgs 10:15–17, 23; Jer 35:2–19). In Jeremiah, the Rechabites were considered faithful to their ancestor’s command; thus, God promised them that Jonadab would never fail to have a descendant to serve Him (Jer 35:19).
4:13 Kenaz was the youngest brother of Caleb son of Jephunneh. Therefore, Othniel was the nephew of Caleb (Josh 15:17; Judg 1:13; 3:9, 11). Othniel is associated with the city of Kirjath Sepher (Josh 15:16). He conquered the city to obtain his wife Achsah, daughter of Caleb (Josh 15:16). Caleb is associated with Hebron, the city he conquered in Canaan (Josh 15:13). Maon (Meonothai) is mentioned in Joshua 15:55, associated with Carmel and Ziph.
4:14 Notice that Ophrah was a fairly common name. There is an Ophrah in Benjamin (Josh 18:23), another in Manasseh (Judg 6:11), and one person with this name in Judah, here in this verse. This probably indicates a city or village with this name in Judah also. The name Ge Harashim is of a city located in the valley settled by some from the tribe of Benjamin in the postexilic period (Neh 11:35).
4:15 Iru is the term for “city” in Hebrew. This is the only thing known about him. Naam is still unidentified with a topographic site in the archeology of Palestine, and Elah might be related to the valley of Elah, where David faced Goliath in a mortal duel (1 Sam 17:2, 19; 21:9).
4:16 Even though Jehallelel seems to be related to Judah since he is listed here, there is no genealogical connection between both in this verse. Ziph is a known site close to Carmel, located in the southern part of Hebron (1 Sam 23:14). It was the fortress of Rehoboam (2 Chr 11:8). Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel are not identified yet in the Palestinian topographical sites up to this date. A probability exists that Asarel is related to Asriel from Manasseh (Num 26:31; Josh 17:2; 1 Chr 7:14).
4:17 The sons of Ezrah are not identified by any text outside Chronicles. They may have not had enough descendants. Therefore, there is no village or any city with their names, or these sites simply have not yet been found in Palestine. Ezrah himself is not connected directly to the tribe of Judah through a linear genealogy, except as he is in the list of descendants. His parents are not mentioned in the text. Eshtemoa seems to be the same city mentioned in Joshua 15:50 (see also 1 Sam 30:28). Ezrah may have been a Calebite.
4:18 Jered had a wife from the tribe of Judah. To him, she bore three sons. Some of these names can be identified with topographical sites in Palestine. For instance, Sochoh is a town mentioned in Joshua 15:48 and located in the region of Hebron. Zanoah was a city noted in Joshua 15:34 (see also Josh 15:56) and settled after the exile (Neh 11:30), and its population participated in the building of the wall during Nehemiah’s administration.
Mered, son of Ezrah, married a daughter of Pharaoh. This could have been a political move made by Pharaoh regarding his influence in Palestine. Mered, though an insignificant character in Judah’s genealogy, was in a geostrategic location of trade and diplomatic connection with the Middle East. Thus, Pharaoh could obtain some benefit through a political alliance by marrying his daughter with a possibly influential man like Mered and his family. It happened with Solomon, and even though the case was different, the purpose seems to have been the same—a simple political convenience for Pharaoh (1 Kgs 3:1; 7:8; 9:16; 11:1; 2 Chr 8:11). Bithiah may have become a name of a town also.
4:19 Naham was the father of Keilah and probably the founder of a city with this name. In the time of Nehemiah, a group from the town helped in the construction of the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 3:17–18).
4:20 The list of names provided here is so far unknown. No topographical place has been found with any of these names, neither are they found in any other book of the Bible. They were important for the sake of completing the Chronicler’s community; thus, no further information was given.
4:21 Shelah was the son of Judah with the daughter of Shua (see 2:3). The Er mentioned here is not the son of Shelah with Tamar. Notice that in Genesis 38:11, Shelah was promised by Judah to Tamar for the purpose of fulfilling the levirate law to his brother Er, who was killed by God for being wicked. In the narrative of Genesis, it is Judah, however, who fulfills the levirate with Tamar, Er’s wife—and not Shelah. Thus, the indications here are that Shelah probably had a son with another woman who was not Tamar, and he chose to name him by his oldest brother’s name, Er.
Centuries later, Rehoboam built a fortress in Mareshah, a town in the land of Judah (2 Chr 11:8). The reference to the clan of linen workers at Ashbea indicates a community that had the technology and skills to produce linen, much as the ones mentioned in 4:23 manufactured clay pots, probably close to Mareshah.
4:22 Shelah’s descendants continue here. Joash and Saraph seem to have intermarried with Moabite women, like the case of Mahlon and Chilion in the book of Ruth (Ruth 1:2–3). Notice that the construction weyashubi-lahem (qal imperfect third masc. pl. with waw consecutive plus a noun, “they returned to [Beth]–Lehem”) should be understood as a verb plus a noun and not a proper name—“Jashubi-lehem”—as some English version do, for instance, the NKJV. Thus, this would indicate that Joash and Saraph were in Moab. Later, they returned to (Beth) Lehem. Chozeba may come from the place his mother bore him, Chezib (Gen 38:5). The last part, the records are ancient, refers to the source where the Chronicler found this information—either a written source or an oral tradition. Whatever it was, it was from ancient times.
4:23 The people of Cozeba and the descendants of Joash and Saraph were the potters working for the king. They were working from (Beth) Lehem and its neighboring towns, Netaim and Gederah, as the verse before indicates.
As the genealogies are read, it is impossible not to perceive that God keeps His promises to His people throughout history (David’s eternal promise). Despite human failure, God maintains His watching care over His children. In the genealogy of Judah, in general, and in the genealogy of David, in particular, one can see the hand of God guiding His people as individuals, as families, and as a nation.
(Fig. 20) 4:21–23 Genealogy of Shelah

SECONDARY TRIBES (4:24–5:26)
The goal of these verses is to make the reader aware that these tribes, Simeon, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, had a legitimate ownership of their specific territory. God blessed them as an important part of Israel as a whole. Even though Judah and Levi were the central tribes, pertaining to authority and spiritual leadership, the other tribes also had the right to be part of God’s people. They were taken captive centuries before Chronicles was written (5:26), with the exception of some people of these tribes who migrated to Judah during King Hezekiah’s reform (2 Chr 30:1, 11, 18).

4:24–43. TRIBE OF SIMEON
1 CHR 4:24–43 NKJV
24 The sons of Simeon were Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul,
25 Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, and Mishma his son.
26 And the sons of Mishma were Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, and Shimei his son. 27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many children, nor did any of their families multiply as much as the children of Judah.
28 They dwelt at Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual,
29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,
30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,
31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David.
32 And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five cities—
33 and all the villages that were around these cities as far as Baal. These were their dwelling places, and they maintained their genealogy:
34 Meshobab, Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah;
35 Joel, and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel;
36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, and Benaiah;
37 Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah—
38 these mentioned by name were leaders in their families, and their father’s house increased greatly.
39 So they went to the entrance of Gedor, as far as the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
40 And they found rich, good pasture, and the land was broad, quiet, and peaceful; for some Hamites formerly lived there.
41 These recorded by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and they attacked their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and utterly destroyed them, as it is to this day. So they dwelt in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks there.
42 Now some of them, five hundred men of the sons of Simeon, went to Mount Seir, having as their captains Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.
43 And they defeated the rest of the Amalekites who had escaped. They have dwelt there to this day.

1 CHR 4:24–43 ESV
24 The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul;
25 Shallum was his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.
26 The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son.
27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many children, nor did all their clan multiply like the men of Judah.
28 They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar–shual,
29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,
30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,
31 Beth–marcaboth, Hazar–susim, Beth–biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David reigned.
32 And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities,
33 along with all their villages that were around these cities as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record.
34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah the son of Amaziah,
35 Joel, Jehu the son of Joshibiah, son of Seraiah, son of Asiel,
36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah,
37 Ziza the son of Shiphi, son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah— 38 these mentioned by name were princes in their clans, and their fathers’ houses increased greatly.
39 They journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks,
40 where they found rich, good pasture, and the land was very broad, quiet, and peaceful, for the former inhabitants there belonged to Ham.
41 These, registered by name, came in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and destroyed their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and marked them for destruction to this day, and settled in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks.
42 And some of them, five hundred men of the Simeonites, went to Mount Seir, having as their leaders Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.
43 And they defeated the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.

4:24–26 Five sons of Simeon are listed, based on Numbers 26:12–14. Two other sources for this list are available: Genesis 46:10 and Exodus 6:15. Notice, however, that they differ in the spelling of some of the names. Ohad is mentioned only in Genesis and Exodus. Perhaps he died and did not leave any descendants at the time of the Chronicler. Observe that Jachin is named Jarib in Chronicles, and Jemuel is named Nemuel. These changes may simply imply the custom of changing the name based on a specific event in the life of the person, as in the case of Jacob and Abram. The name Simeon suggests the meaning, “Yahweh hears,” based on Genesis 29:33 and on Deuteronomy 33:7.
A genealogy is presented listing the names of the descendants of Simeon until Shimei in 4:27. All of these names are sons of Shaul, the last son of Simeon.
4:27 Emphasis is given to the large number of children engendered by Shimei. It seems an appeal to continue this effort, and a blessing in occupying the land God gave them, especially in the postexilic time when the population of Judah was not large, thus echoing Genesis 1:28. The Chronicler continues to mention that Shimei’s brothers did not have many descendants, the cause for the Simeonites being lesser in number than the Judahites. Thus, Simeon was absorbed by the tribe of Judah for three reasons: first, for being small in number; second, due to the words of Jacob pronounced upon them (in Gen 45:7); and third, for having their territory inside Judah’s inheritance (Josh 19:9).
4:28 Beersheba: The most probable meaning of Beersheba is “the well of seven” or “the well of oath.” In Genesis 21:31, Abraham and Abimelech took an oath, and seven ewe lambs were offered in sacrifice at that place. Another account is given (Gen 26:23–33), where Isaac takes an oath giving Beersheba its name. Geographically, Beersheba is the city that marked the southern limit of Judah, being the “river of Egypt”—the topographical border with Egypt (Gen 15:18).
Moladah was located in the far southern region of the Negev, toward Edom (Josh 15:26). It was reckoned as an inheritance given to Simeon (Josh 19:2; 1 Chr 4:28) and remained until after the captivity (Neh 11:26). It was located in proximity to Beersheba. Hazar Shual: A place located in the south of Negev (Josh 15:28) and assigned to Simeon (Josh 19:3; 1 Chr 4:28). This city was reoccupied in the postexilic time (Neh 11:27).
4:29 Bilhah: A city in the territory of Simeon spelled Balah in Joshua 19:3 and Baalath in Joshua 19:44. Ezem: A settlement in the territory of Simeon (Josh 15:29). Ezem appears in Joshua (15:29) listed as part of the tribe of Judah and in 19:3 as part of a Simeonite settlement. It is also listed in 4:29 as a town in Simeon. Ezem is most probably located in the southernmost district of Judah, the Negev. Its exact location, however, is difficult to know precisely. Tolad: This might be a reference to a productive town, in the sense of agriculture. Its meaning is “fecund” or “productive,” which is significant for a town in the desert of Negev. Tolad was located in the south of Judah and is mentioned in Joshua 19:4.
4:30 Bethuel. Its possible meanings are “the one who abides in God,” “man of God,” “virgin of God,” or “house of God.” A common name in the OT (see Gen 22:23; 24:15, 24, 47, 50; 25:20; 28:2, 5), Bethuel is a town of Simeon, the same as Bethul (in Josh 19:4) and, probably, as the Bethel of 1 Samuel 30:27.
Hormah appears in the episode of the frustrated invasion of Canaan by the Israelites. When the Amorites resisted their invasion, the Israelites were pursued as far as Hormah (Num 14:45; Deut 1:44). Later, another text mentions the destruction of Arad by the Israelites (Num 21:1–3). The town was afterward renamed Hormah, meaning “destruction.” A third reference indicates that the name Hormah was applied to the ruins of a city called Zephthah, taken after the conquest by Simeon and Judah (Judg 1:17). Hormah is in the list of conquered cities in Joshua 12:14 and was given to the tribe of Judah (Josh 15:30), though it was in principle part of Simeon’s territory (Josh 19:4; 1 Chr 4:30). Hormah is listed also as one of the towns to which David sent booty after his victory over the Amalekites at Ziklag (1 Sam 30:30).
Ziklag was a city in southern Judah close to Chesil and Hormah (Josh 15:31; 19:5; 1 Chr 4:30). Simeon possessed it as his territory, and later it was assigned to David by Achish, king of Gath, for the Philistines had taken it. From there, David went up against the Geshurites, Gezrites, and Amalekites (1 Sam 27:8–9; 30:14, 26). He dwelt there a year and four months; it was there he received daily news of Israel’s political situation (12:1, 20) and heard of Saul’s death (2 Sam 1:1; 4:10); from there, he went to Hebron (2 Sam 2:1).
4:31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim belonged to Simeon’s descendants, but David took these towns for himself when he became king. Thus, David brought some modifications to the original distribution of the land. Perhaps, based on 1 Samuel 27:6 (“So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.”), the Chronicler was aware that David received Ziklag from Achish, and other cities were probably added to that as David’s territory (likely Hormah, Chorashan, and Athach; 1 Sam 30:26–30).
4:32 The text mentions the pronoun “their,” the antecedent of which were the Simeonites. They had five villages (Josh 19:6–7); namely, Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan.
4:33 Several villages were in their possession as far distant as a place named Baal. In Joshua 19:8 the name is Baalath Beer instead of Baal. This city is mentioned together with Ramah in the Negev desert. As a matter of fact, the Chronicler does not show any interest in indicating any geographic places outside the promised land—those he deemed irrelevant to his audience. Dwelling places implies that these places were their permanent inhabitation, as demarcated since Joshua’s time, when the word “inheritance” was used instead (Josh 19:8). The statement that they maintained their genealogy goes with the following list of thirteen leaders in 4:34–37.
4:34–37 Here, a list without much explanation is introduced. These are the antecedents of the personal pronoun “they” in 4:38–43. They are probably related to the thirteen cities of the Simeonites mentioned in Joshua 19:2–8. This is not a genealogical list; rather, it is simply a list of names with a short genealogy of Amaziah, Asiel, and Shemaiah:
Meshobab
Jamlech
Amaziah–Joshah
Joel
Asiel—Seraiah—Joshibiah—Jehu
Elioenai
Jaakobah
Jeshohaiah
Asaiah
Adiel
Jesimiel
Benaiah
Shemaiah—Shimri—Jedaiah—Allon—Shiphi—Ziza
4:38 This verse makes reference to the preceding list of “princes” (nesi’im). The words increased greatly are an indication that they spread across their inheritance and had many children. The verb “to increase” in Hebrew (parats) also means “to break through,” implying an increase in birthrate. This increase in number should not be considered an exaggeration in quantity, for 4:27 mentions that they were few in number. Verse 27 is a comparison with the tribe of Judah, which was great in number.
4:39 As they multiplied, though they were not as numerous as the tribe of Judah, the need for more land and food for their flocks increased. Therefore, the Simeonites moved to the west looking for good pasture. They drew closer to Gerar, which is located near Ziklag.
4:40 The group of princes found a spacious land here, probably rolling meadows with good pasture—a peaceful place without any fortified cities or warlike tribes. The descendants of Ham lived there. The area refers to the Canaanite inhabitants of the land before Joshua’s conquest.
4:41 It seems that in the days of Hezekiah a list was made of the descendants of Simeon, mentioning these princes and their territory. Notice that Hezekiah attacked Gaza in one of his campaigns (2 Kgs 18:8). Thus, he could have made a redistribution of the land to the Simeonites who had conquered part of this territory decades before. The Meunites were nomadic tribes living in tents who did not build cities or villages. They were driven out of this land, and the Simeonites dwelled there.
4:42 Five hundred men, with their leaders Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel—all brothers and sons of Ishi—moved to the east, conquering some territory from the Edomites in their mountain, Seir.
4:43 The purpose of their move to the east is delineated here. They destroyed the portion of the Amalekites living in that geographical area, who had probably escaped from Joshua’s army and dwelled there until the postexilic time. Some Simeonites probably remained in that land during the Babylonian exile as well.

5:1–10. THE TRIBE OF REUBEN
1 CHR 5:1–10 NKJV
1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright;
2 yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s—
3 the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 The sons of Joel were Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5 Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
6 and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria carried into captivity. He was leader of the Reubenites.
7 And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was registered: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
8 and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal Meon.
9 Eastward they settled as far as the entrance of the wilderness this side of the River Euphrates, because their cattle had multiplied in the land of Gilead.
10 Now in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they dwelt in their tents throughout the entire area east of Gilead.

1 CHR 5:1–10 ESV
1 The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son;
2 though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),
3 the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5 Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
6 Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chief of the Reubenites.
7 And his kinsmen by their clans, when the genealogy of their generations was recorded: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
8 and Bela the son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.
9 He also lived to the east as far as the entrance of the desert this side of the Euphrates, because their livestock had multiplied in the land of Gilead.
10 And in the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who fell into their hand. And they lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead.

5:1 Reuben was the firstborn child of Jacob—the son of Leah (Gen 29:32). Notice carefully that Jacob’s family had several problems. This was the fruit of an undesired marriage with Leah and a polygamous circumstance with Rachel. Thus, Jacob might have treated Reuben as the son of the least-loved wife, Leah. Therefore, Reuben grew up in an environment where respect for the father was based more on political calculations rather than rooted in genuine love. Thus, it is easier to see why he ended up defiling his father’s bed.
According to Leviticus 20:11, a later Levitical law, both Reuben and Bilhah should have been disciplined. Of course, Jacob lived centuries before Leviticus, but this was already a grievous transgression in the ANE moral context. The Chronicler explains the decline of Reuben as a tribe as being the direct consequence of his incestuous sin against his father (Gen 35:22). Thus, Reuben lost his firstborn rights, which passed to his brother Joseph, son of Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob. Ephraim, then, became the firstborn. For the Chronicler, both sons of Joseph were blessed (Gen 48:17–20).
The postexilic community accepted Manasseh and Ephraim, the two sons of Joseph, even after their apostasy in the preexilic period. Thus, their territory belonged to them and not to the Samaritans. Notice that in 9:3 some from Ephraim and Manasseh were the first inhabitants of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, so they could claim their former lands under the Samaritan occupation. Thus, the firstborn right was not given based on genealogical right but because of the special circumstances mentioned above.
5:2 Notice that neither Reuben nor the sons of Joseph occupied the position of preeminence in the genealogy. This privilege is given to Judah. The reason is that from him a ruler was to come. A direct reference to David and his descendants is made—and an implied messianic expectation (Gen 49:10; 1 Chr 2:10–17; 3:1–24). Though the coming of King David honors Judah, Joseph continues to have the right of the firstborn son among the tribes.

Chiastic Structure of 5:1–3a
A “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel––he was indeed the firstborn,
B but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright;
C yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler,
B1 although the birthright was Joseph’s—
A1 the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel.”

5:3 The Chronicler does not ******* all the sons of Reuben given in Numbers 26:8–11, namely, Dathan, Abiram, and Nemuel—sons of Eliab, son of Pallu. This is because of their rebellion in the wilderness against God (Num 16).
5:4–6 None of these sons of Joel are known elsewhere. The name Baal may be an indication of apostasy among the Reubenites. The name of the Assyrian king is spelled “Tillegath-pilneser,” which is Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727 BC). Tiglath-Pileser took Beerah into captivity. He was an important figure in the tribe of Reuben. Thus, seven generations are given for his genealogy. The exile of the two and a half tribes by the Assyrians is documented in 5:22, 26.
5:7–8 Joel seems to be the same as in 5:4 but through a different descendant, namely, Shema. Bela had two brothers, Jeiel and Zechariah. Both were sons of Azaz. This one was the son of Shema, and Shema was the son of Joel, from 5:4. The only information about these names is found in this verse. Aroer, where they settled, was located near the Arnon River close to the Dead Sea. This city belonged initially to the tribe of Gad (Num 32:34) and was located right on the border between Reuben and Gad (Josh 13:16, 25). Both Nebo and Baal Meon were inside the territory of Reuben (Num 32:38). This territory was contested by Aram and Ahab (1 Kgs 22). Hazael made raids on this area (2 Kgs 10:32–33; 13:3).
5:9 The Reubenites and Gadites had a large number of cattle. Therefore, they had to look for pasture to sustain these animals. One way was to expand to the east toward the Euphrates River at the edge of the desert (Num 32:1; Judg 5:16). Both tribes had an overlapping portion of the land (Num 32:29, 33; Deut 3:12, 16). Gilead belonged to both tribes; this might be one of the reasons why their cattle multiplied: Gilead was a fertile land with abundant pastureland.
5:10 This is the first reference to Saul in Chronicles. The battle against the Hagrites is not attested elsewhere; thus, one may conclude that this was a battle between Reuben and the Hagrites without Saul’s interference. Remember, Saul was so busy chasing David that he had no time for the nation’s interest. Though Psalm 83:6 lists the Hagrites among the enemies of Israel, David probably had an officer from this ethnic group (2 Sam 23:36; see also 1 Chr 11:38) and another in charge of his sheep (27:31). This again is evidence that the invitation to be part of the remnant people was open to all without exception.

5:11–17. THE TRIBE OF GAD
1 CHR 5:11–17 NKJV
11 And the children of Gad dwelt next to them in the land of Bashan as far as Salcah:
12 Joel was the chief, Shapham the next, then Jaanai and Shaphat in Bashan,
13 and their brethren of their father’s house: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jachan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.
14 These were 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, was chief of their father’s house.
16 And the Gadites dwelt in Gilead, in Bashan and in its villages, and in all the common-lands of Sharon within their borders.
17 All these were registered by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

1 CHR 5:11–17 ESV
11 The sons of Gad lived over against them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah:
12 Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
13 And their kinsmen according to their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber, seven.
14 These were the sons of Abihail the son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz.
15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was chief in their fathers’ houses,
16 and they lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon to their limits.
17 All of these were recorded in genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

5:11 The children of Gad received Bashan as their inheritance (Num 32:33). This area extended from Mount Hermon to the Yarmuk River. Gad was the son of Zilpah, Leah’s servant (Gen 30:10–11). Salcah is mentioned in Deuteronomy 3:10; Joshua 12:5; 13:11 as a city taken from Sihon, an Amorite king, and Og, king of Bashan.
5:12–13 These four leaders—Joel, Shapham, Janai, and Shaphat—dwelt in Bashan, but little is known about them, except as mentioned in this verse. They seem to be brothers. Verse 13 lists the names of seven relatives of theirs from their father’s house—all are unknown elsewhere.
5:14–15 A list of Abihail’s descendants is introduced here without any connection to a previous genealogy. The main figure was Ahi, mentioned as the son of Abdiel and chief in his father’s house.
5:16 The Gadites inhabited Gilead, as seen above in 5:9. Also, they took possession of Bashan and all the pasturelands of Sharon. This Sharon was not the one from the Mediterranean coast. It is probably a different spelling for Sirion, another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9–10; Ps 29:6).
5:17 King Jotham (758–742 BC) of Judah and King Jeroboam (790–750 BC) of Israel were in power in the same period, for at least seven years. This could be the time Jeroboam made the genealogical registration.

5:18–22. MILITARY CAMPAIGN OF REUBEN, GAD, AND THE HALF-TRIBE OF MANASSEH
1 CHR 5:18–22 NKJV
18 The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty valiant men, men able to bear shield and sword, to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war, who went to war.
19 They made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.
20 And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him.
21 Then they took away their livestock—fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred and fifty thousand of their sheep, and two thousand of their donkeys—also one hundred thousand of their men;
22 for many fell dead, because the war was God’s. And they dwelt in their place until the captivity.

1 CHR 5:18–22 ESV
18 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half–tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war.
19 They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.
20 And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him.
21 They carried off their livestock: 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 men alive.
22 For many fell, because the war was of God. And they lived in their place until the exile.

5:18 Verse 10 mentions a battle against the Hagrites; this was probably the first military encounter with them. Now, a full-fledged war takes place between the Hagrites and the three tribes from the eastern side of the Jordan. The Chronicler makes the point that while they were faithful, God fought for them, but when they abandoned the covenant, they were left alone in the battle against their enemies.
The tribe of Manasseh itself had 44,760 bney chayil “mighty men” or “brave men” of war. In Numbers 1:35, they had 32,200 men; in Numbers 26:34, they had a total of 52,700 men of war; and in 1 Chronicles 12:37, the total of the three tribes was 120,000 men. Most probably, the difference in the totals is attributable to the number of men available on different occasions, so it should not be considered as an error in the text. The text does not give any explanation why only Manasseh is numbered here.
5:19 Jetur and Naphish are known from the genealogy of Ishmael in Genesis 25:15 and 1 Chronicles 1:31. Nodab is related to a tribe met by Tiglath-Pileser III in 734 BC at the border of Egypt. The date for this war is not mentioned in the text, but based on the context, one may assume a time when the central government of Israel was engaged in another activity, such as pursuing David in the time of Saul. Verse 10 was probably the beginning of this war, when the three tribes became involved.
5:20–21 The Chronicler clearly indicates that the only reason for their victory was their trust in God. He was the source of power against their enemies, thus fulfilling the promise of God to deliver their enemies into their hands (Deut 1:29–31). The booty was extraordinary.
5:22 The victory was solely due to the intervention of God as a response to their faithfulness toward Him. They could not boast of their merits. They dwelt in that area until the Assyrian captivity, when Tiglath-Pileser III took them to exile (5:6). Thus, faithfulness was the condition to obtaining victory over their enemies, as unfaithfulness was for defeat. Verses 25–26 describe the unfaithfulness that caused their captivity.

5:23–24. HALF-TRIBE OF MANASSEH
1 CHR 5:23–24 NKJV
23 So the children of the half–tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land. Their numbers increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir, or Mount Hermon.
24 These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of their fathers’ houses.

1 CHR 5:23–24 ESV
23 The members of the half–tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They were very numerous from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.
24 These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.

5:23 Senir and Baal Hermon probably were the names of different peaks of the same mountain called Hermon. This mount is located on the north border of the land taken from Og king of Bashan (Deut 3:8; Josh 11:17; 12:7)—also called Sirion by the Sidonians and Senir by the Amorites (Deut 3:9; Ezek 27:5). In Song of Songs, however, Senir and Hermon are considered two different mountains (Song 4:8). The territory encompassed by Bashan land extended from Mount Hermon to the Yarmuk River in the south (Deut 3:10). Other than in Chronicles, Baal Hermon occurs only in Judges 3:3.
5:24 The list of mighty men of valor is not specifically related to any descendant of Manasseh, and none of these names are known from other genealogical lists in the Bible. Therefore, their importance is related to the valor they demonstrated in battle—undoubtedly an indication of trust in God in a moment of crisis.

 
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