--- title: "Clarke" description: "Verse 1 Chronicles 5:1. The sons of Reuben the first-born — As Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob, why was not his genealogy reviewed first? This verse an" image: "/images/missing.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-chronicles/5" --- Verse [1 Chronicles 5:1](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/1). ***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 [Genesis 35:22](../../../kjv/genesis/35/22); [Genesis 49:4](../../../kjv/genesis/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. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:2](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/2). ***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*. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:6](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/6). ***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. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:8](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/8). ***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. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:10](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/10). ***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. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:12](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/12). ***Joel the chief*** — "Joel, prince of the Sanhedrin; and Shapham, master of the college; and Jaanai and Shaphat, judges in Mathnan." - *T*. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:13](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/13). ***And their brethren*** — This verse is wanting both in the *Syriac* and in the *Arabic*. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:16](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/16). ***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 [Joshua 12:18](../../../kjv/joshua/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*. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:19](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/19). ***They made war with the Hagarites*** — This is probably the same war that is mentioned [1 Chronicles 5:10](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/10). Those called *Hagarites* in the text are everywhere denominated by the Targum הונגראיי *Hongaraai*, Hongarites. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:20](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/20). ***They put their trust in him.*** — Or, as the Targum says, "Because they trusted במימריה *bemeymriah, in his WORD*." Verse [1 Chronicles 5:21](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/21). ***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 [1 Chronicles 5:25](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/25). Verse [1 Chronicles 5:22](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/22). ***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." Verse [1 Chronicles 5:25](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/25). ***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. Verse [1 Chronicles 5:26](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/26). ***Tilgath-pilneser*** — Many MSS. have תגלת *Tiglath* instead of תלגת *Tilgath*. The *Syriac*, the *Septuagint*, and the *Chaldee*, have the same reading as in [2 Kings 15:29](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/29), &c. ***Brought them unto Halah*** — See the *notes* on the parallel places marked in the margin [[2 Kings 17:6](../../../kjv/2-kings/17/6) ([note](#c12.17.6)), and [2 Kings 18:11](../../../kjv/2-kings/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. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-chronicles/5#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Clarke's Commentary - 1 Chronicles 5"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-chronicles/5#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-chronicles/5","name":"Clarke's Commentary - 1 Chronicles 5","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/1-chronicles/5#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Verse 1 Chronicles 5:1. The sons of Reuben the first-born — As Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob, why was not his genealogy reviewed first? 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