1 Chronicles5
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
2For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph’s),
3the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
6Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites.
7And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
8and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baal-meon:
9and eastward he dwelt even unto the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.
10And in the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.
11And the sons of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salecah:
12Joel the chief, and Shapham the second, and Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
13And their brethren of their fathers’ houses: Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jacan, and Zia, and Eber, seven.
14These were the sons 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;
15Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers’ houses.
16And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, as far as their borders.
17All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
18The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were forty and four thousand seven hundred and threescore, that were able to go forth to war.
19And they made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab.
20And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them, because they put their trust in him.
21And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men a hundred thousand.
22For there fell many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their stead until the captivity.
23And the children of the half-tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir and mount Hermon.
24And these were the heads of their fathers’ houses: even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.
25And they trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, unto this day.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Chronicles 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Genealogies. (1-26).
vv1-26
This chapter gives some account of the two tribes and a half seated on the east side of Jordan. They were made captives by the king of Assyria, because they had forsaken the Lord. Only two things are here recorded concerning these tribes. 1. They all shared in a victory. Happy is that people who live in harmony together, who assist each other against the common enemies of their souls, trusting in the Lord, and calling upon him. 2. They shared in captivity. They would have the best land, not considering that it lay most exposed. The desire of earthly objects draws to a distance from God's ordinances, and prepares men for destruction.
Key Words
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
רְאוּבֵן: Reuben, a son of Jacob
בְּכוֹר: firstborn; hence, chief
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
חָלַל: properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an 'opening wedge'); to play (the flute)
אָב: father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
יָצוּעַ: spread, i.e. a bed; (architecture) an extension, i.e. wing or lean-to (a single story or collectively)
בְּכוֹרָה: the firstling of man or beast; abstractly primogeniture
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
יוֹסֵף: Joseph, the name of seven Israelites
Cross References
1 Chronicles 5Jacob foretells Reuben losing his birthright pre-eminence because he defiled his father's bed.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jacob adopts Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh, granting them the double-portion birthright.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophecy that the sceptre/ruler would arise from Judah, explaining Judah's genealogical priority.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
New Testament confirmation that the chief Ruler, our Lord Jesus Christ, sprang out of Judah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Historical account of Tilgath-pilneser invading and carrying the Transjordan tribes into Assyrian captivity.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Defines the legal right of the firstborn as receiving a double portion of all inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The historical record of Reuben's sin in defiling his father's bed with Bilhah.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Matches the exact list of the four sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Mentions the wilderness of Kedemoth, the eastern limit of Reuben's grazing territory.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the Hagarites as Hagarenes, grouped among the nomadic enemies of Israel.
Supported by JFB
Identifies Pul, the king of Assyria, who first exacted tribute and threatened the land.
Supported by JFB
The geographical description of Reuben's territorial inheritance, including Aroer and Baal-meon.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Senir and Mount Hermon as northern landmarks of the Transjordan territory.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Detailed indictment of the spiritual apostasy that led to Israel's Assyrian captivity.
Supported by Matthew Henry