CHAPTER 5
. THE LINE
OF REUBEN.
1. Now the sons of Reuben—In
proceeding to give this genealogy, the sacred historian states, in a
parenthesis (1 Chronicles 5:1; 1 Chronicles 5:2),
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 (1 Chronicles 5:2); and both of these were transferred to Joseph, whose two
sons having been adopted as the children of Jacob (1 Chronicles 5:2), 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 (1 Chronicles 5:2). 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 (Deuteronomy 2:26) and the
Euphrates being a security against their enemies.
Deuteronomy 2:26. 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 (1 Chronicles 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 ).
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
).
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 (2 Kings 15:29).
CHAPTER 5
. THE LINE OF REUBEN.
1. Now the sons of Reuben—In proceeding to give this genealogy, the sacred historian states, in a parenthesis (1 Chronicles 5:1; 1 Chronicles 5:2), 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 (1 Chronicles 5:2); and both of these were transferred to Joseph, whose two sons having been adopted as the children of Jacob (1 Chronicles 5:2), 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 (1 Chronicles 5:2). 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 (Deuteronomy 2:26) and the Euphrates being a security against their enemies.
Deuteronomy 2:26. 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 (1 Chronicles 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 ).
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 ).
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 (2 Kings 15:29).