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1 Chronicles 5:11-25 King James Version (KJV)

11 And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salcah:

12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

13 And their brethren of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.

14 These are 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, chief of the house of their fathers.

16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, upon their borders.

17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.

19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.

20 And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.

21 And 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 an hundred thousand.

22 For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.

23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.

24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.

25 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.


1 Chronicles 5:11-25 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

11 And the children H1121 of Gad H1410 dwelt H3427 over against them, in the land H776 of Bashan H1316 unto Salchah: H5548

12 Joel H3100 the chief, H7218 and Shapham H8223 the next, H4932 and Jaanai, H3285 and Shaphat H8202 in Bashan. H1316

13 And their brethren H251 of the house H1004 of their fathers H1 were, Michael, H4317 and Meshullam, H4918 and Sheba, H7652 and Jorai, H3140 and Jachan, H3275 and Zia, H2127 and Heber, H5677 seven. H7651

14 These are the children H1121 of Abihail H32 the son H1121 of Huri, H2359 the son H1121 of Jaroah, H3386 the son H1121 of Gilead, H1568 the son H1121 of Michael, H4317 the son H1121 of Jeshishai, H3454 the son H1121 of Jahdo, H3163 the son H1121 of Buz; H938

15 Ahi H277 the son H1121 of Abdiel, H5661 the son H1121 of Guni, H1476 chief H7218 of the house H1004 of their fathers. H1

16 And they dwelt H3427 in Gilead H1568 in Bashan, H1316 and in her towns, H1323 and in all the suburbs H4054 of Sharon, H8289 upon their borders. H8444

17 All these were reckoned by genealogies H3187 in the days H3117 of Jotham H3147 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and in the days H3117 of Jeroboam H3379 king H4428 of Israel. H3478

18 The sons H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and the Gadites, H1425 and half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 of valiant men, H2428 men H582 able to bear H5375 buckler H4043 and sword, H2719 and to shoot H1869 with bow, H7198 and skilful H3925 in war, H4421 were four H702 and forty H705 thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and threescore, H8346 that went out H3318 to the war. H6635

19 And they made H6213 war H4421 with the Hagarites, H1905 with Jetur, H3195 and Nephish, H5305 and Nodab. H5114

20 And they were helped H5826 against them, and the Hagarites H1905 were delivered H5414 into their hand, H3027 and all that were with them: for they cried H2199 to God H430 in the battle, H4421 and he was intreated H6279 of them; because they put their trust H982 in him.

21 And they took away H7617 their cattle; H4735 of their camels H1581 fifty H2572 thousand, H505 and of sheep H6629 two hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 thousand, H505 and of asses H2543 two thousand, H505 and of men H120 H5315 an hundred H3967 thousand. H505

22 For there fell H5307 down many H7227 slain, H2491 because the war H4421 was of God. H430 And they dwelt H3427 in their steads until the captivity. H1473

23 And the children H1121 of the half H2677 tribe H7626 of Manasseh H4519 dwelt H3427 in the land: H776 they increased H7235 from Bashan H1316 unto Baalhermon H1179 and Senir, H8149 and unto mount H2022 Hermon. H2768

24 And these were the heads H7218 of the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 even Epher, H6081 and Ishi, H3469 and Eliel, H447 and Azriel, H5837 and Jeremiah, H3414 and Hodaviah, H1938 and Jahdiel, H3164 mighty H1368 men H582 of valour, H2428 famous H8034 men, H582 and heads H7218 of the house H1004 of their fathers. H1

25 And they transgressed H4603 against the God H430 of their fathers, H1 and went a whoring H2181 after H310 the gods H430 of the people H5971 of the land, H776 whom God H430 destroyed H8045 before H6440 them.


1 Chronicles 5:11-25 American Standard (ASV)

11 And the sons of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salecah:

12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the second, and Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

13 And their brethren of their fathers' houses: Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jacan, and Zia, and Eber, seven.

14 These 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;

15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers' houses.

16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, as far as their borders.

17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

18 The 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.

19 And they made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab.

20 And 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.

21 And 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.

22 For there fell many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their stead until the captivity.

23 And the children of the half-tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir and mount Hermon.

24 And 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.

25 And 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.


1 Chronicles 5:11-25 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

11 And the sons of Gad, over-against them have dwelt in the land of Bashan unto Salcah,

12 Joel the head, and Shapham the second, and Jaanai and Shaphat in Bashan;

13 and their brethren of the house of their fathers `are' Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.

14 These `are' sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz;

15 Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, `is' head of the house of their fathers;

16 and they dwell in Gilead in Bashan, and in her small towns, and in all suburbs of Sharon, upon their outskirts;

17 all of them reckoned themselves by genealogy in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

18 Sons of Reuben, and the Gadite, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, of sons of valour, men bearing shield and sword, and treading bow, and taught in battle, `are' forty and four thousand and seven hundred and sixty, going out to the host.

19 And they make war with the Hagarites, and Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab,

20 and they are helped against them, and the Hagarites are given into their hand, and all who `are' with them, for they cried to God in battle, and He was entreated of them, because they trusted in Him.

21 And they take captive their cattle, of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of human beings a hundred thousand;

22 for many have fallen pierced, for of God `is' the battle; and they dwell in their stead till the removal.

23 And the sons of the half of the tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land, from Bashan unto Baal-Hermon, and Senir, and mount Hermon, they have multiplied.

24 And these `are' heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, men mighty in valour, men of name, heads to the house of their fathers.

25 And they trespass against the God of their fathers, and go a-whoring after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God destroyed from their presence;


1 Chronicles 5:11-25 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

11 And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan, as far as Salcah:

12 Joel was the chief and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

13 And their brethren according to their fathers' houses were Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jaachan, and Zia, and Eber, seven.

14 -- These 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:

15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was chief of their fathers' house.

16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the pasture-grounds of Sharon, as far as their limits.

17 All these were registered by genealogy in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

18 The children of Reuben and the Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men who carried shield and sword, drawing the bow and skilful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, able to go forth to war.

19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab;

20 and they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them, because they put their trust in him.

21 And they took away their cattle: their camels fifty thousand, and two hundred and fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand asses, and a hundred thousand human souls.

22 For there fell down many slain, for the war was of God. And they dwelt in their stead until the captivity.

23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land, from Bashan as far as Baal-Hermon and Senir, and mount Hermon; they were many.

24 And these were the heads of their fathers' houses: Epher, and Jishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses.

25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.


1 Chronicles 5:11-25 World English Bible (WEB)

11 The sons of Gad lived over against them, in the land of Bashan to Salecah:

12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the second, and Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

13 Their brothers of their fathers' houses: Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jacan, and Zia, and Eber, seven.

14 These 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;

15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers' houses.

16 They lived in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, as far as their borders.

17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

18 The 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 skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, that were able to go forth to war.

19 They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab.

20 They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them, because they put their trust in him.

21 They took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand.

22 For there fell many slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity.

23 The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon.

24 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.

25 They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them.


1 Chronicles 5:11-25 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

11 And the sons of Gad were living opposite to them, in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah:

12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the second, and Janai and Shaphat in Bashan;

13 And their brothers, the men of their family: Michael and Meshullam and Sheba and Jorai and Jacan and Zia and Eber, seven of them.

14 These 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;

15 Ahi, the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, head of their families.

16 And they were living in Gilead in Bashan, in its small towns and in all the grass-land of Sirion as far as its limits.

17 All these were listed under the names of their families, in the time of Jotham, king of Judah, and in the time of Jeroboam, king of Israel.

18 There were forty-four thousand, seven hundred and sixty of the sons of Reuben and of the Gadites and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, all strong men, expert in the use of the body-cover, the sword, and the bow, and in the art of war, all able to take up arms.

19 And they went to war against the Hagarites, with Jetur and Naphish and Nodab.

20 And they were helped against them, so that the Hagarites, and those with them, were given into their power. For they sent up prayers to God in the fight, and he gave ear to them, because they put their faith in him.

21 And they took away their cattle: fifty thousand camels, two hundred and fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand asses, and a hundred thousand men.

22 And a very great number went to their death, because the war was God's purpose. And they went on living in their place till they were taken away as prisoners.

23 And the men of the half-tribe of Manasseh were living in the land: and their numbers were increased till all the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon and Senir and the mountain Hermon was theirs.

24 And these were the heads of their families: Epher and Ishi and Eliel and Azriel and Jeremiah and Hodaviah and Jahdiel, men of war, of great name, heads of families.

25 And they did evil against the God of their fathers, worshipping the gods of the people of the land, whom God had put to destruction before them.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 5

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 5 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 5

This chapter gives us some account of the two tribes and a half that were seated on the other side Jordan.

  • I. Of Reuben (v. 1-10).
  • II. Of Gad (v. 11-17).
  • III. Of the half-tribe of Manasseh (v. 23, 24).
  • IV. Concerning all three acting in conjunction we are told,
    • 1. How they conquered the Hagarites (v. 18-22).
    • 2. How they were, at length, themselves conquered, and made captives, by the king of Assyria, because they had forsaken God (v. 25, 26).

1Ch 5:1-17

We have here an extract out of the genealogies,

  • I. Of the tribe of Reuben, where we have,
    • 1. The reason why this tribe is thus postponed. It is confessed that Reuben was the first-born of Israel, and, upon that account, might challenge the precedency; but he forfeited his birthright by defiling his father's concubine, and was, for that, sentenced not to excel, Gen. 49:4. Sin lessens men, thrusts them down from their excellency. Seventh-commandment sins especially leave an indelible stain upon men's names and families, a reproach which time will not wipe away. Reuben's seed, to the last, bear the disgrace of Reuben's sin. Yet, though that tribe was degraded, it was not discarded or disinherited. The sullying of the honour of an Israelite is not the losing of his happiness. Reuben loses his birthright, yet it does not devolve upon Simeon the next in order; for it was typical, and therefore must attend, not the course of nature, but the choice of grace. The advantages of the birthright were dominion and a double portion. Reuben having forfeited these, it was thought too much that both should be transferred to any one, and therefore they were divided.
      • (1.) Joseph had the double portion; for two tribes descended from him, Ephraim and Manasseh, each of whom had a child's part (for so Jacob by faith blessed them, Heb. 11:21; Gen. 48:15, 22), and each of those tribes was as considerable, and made as good a figure, as any one of the twelve, except Judah. But,
      • (2.) Judah had the dominion; on him the dying patriarch entailed the sceptre, Gen. 49:10 Of him came the chief ruler, David first, and, in the fulness of time, Messiah the Prince, Mic. 5:2. This honour was secured to Judah, though the birthright was Joseph's; and, having this, he needed not envy Joseph the double portion.
    • 2. The genealogy of the princes of this tribe, the chief family of it (many, no doubt, being omitted), to Beerah, who was head of this clan when the king of Assyria carried them captive, v. 4-6. Perhaps he is mentioned as prince of the Reubenites at that time because he did not do his part to prevent the captivity.
    • 3. The enlargement of the coasts of this tribe. They increasing, and their cattle being multiplied, they crowded out their neighbours the Hagarites, and extended their conquests, though not to the river Euphrates, yet to the wilderness which abutted upon that river, v. 9, 10. Thus God did for his people as he promised them: he cast out the enemy from before them by little and little, and gave them their land as they had occasion for it, Ex. 23:30.
  • II. Of the tribe of Gad. Some great families of that tribe are here named (v. 12), seven that were the children of Abihail, whose pedigree is carried upwards from the son to the father (v. 14, 15), as that v. 4, 5, is brought downwards from father to son. These genealogies were perfected in the days of Jotham king of Judah, but were begun some years before, in the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel. What particular reason there was for taking these accounts then does not appear; but it was just before they were carried away captive by the Assyrians, as appears 2 Ki. 15:29, 31. When the judgments of God were ready to break out against them for their wretched degeneracy and apostasy then were they priding themselves in their genealogies, that they were the children of the covenant; as the Jews, in our Saviour's time, who, when they were ripe for ruin, boasted, We have Abraham to our father. Or there might be a special providence in it, and a favourable intimation that though they were, for the present, cast out, they were not cast off for ever. What we design to call for hereafter we keep an inventory of.

1Ch 5:18-26

The heads of the half-tribe of Manasseh, that were seated on the other side Jordan, are named here, v. 23, 24. Their lot, at first, was Bashan only; but afterwards they increased so much in wealth and power that they spread far north, even unto Hermon. Two things only are here recorded concerning these tribes on the other side Jordan, in which they were all concerned. They all shared,

  • I. In a glorious victory over the Hagarites, so the Ishmaelites were now called, to remind them that they were the sons of the bond-woman, that was cast out. We are not told when this victory was obtained: whether it be the same with that of the Reubenites (which is said v. 10 to be in the days of Saul), or whether that success of one of these tribes animated and excited the other two to join with them in another expedition, is not certain. It seems, though in Saul's time the common interests of the kingdom were weak and low, some of the tribes that acted separately did well for themselves. We are here told,
    • 1. What a brave army these frontier-tribes brought into the field against the Hagarites, 44,000 men and upwards, all strong, and brave, and skilful in war, so many effective men, that knew how to manage their weapons, v. 18. How much more considerable might Israel have been than they were in the time of the judges if all the tribes had acted in conjunction!
    • 2. What course they took to engage God for them: They cried to God, and put their trust in him, v. 20. Now they acted as Israelites indeed.
      • (1.) As the seed of believing Abraham, they put their trust in God. Though they had a powerful army, they relied not on that, but on the divine power. They depended on the commission they had from God to wage war with their neighbours for the enlarging of their coasts, if there was occasion, even with those that were very far off, besides the devoted nations. See Deu. 20:15. They depended on God's providence to give them success.
      • (2.) As the seed of praying Jacob, they cried unto God, especially in the battle, when perhaps, at first, they were in danger of being overpowered. See the like done, 2 Chr. 13:14. In distress, God expects we should cry to him; he distrains upon us for this tribute, this rent. In our spiritual conflicts, we must look up to heaven for strength; and it is the believing prayer that will be the prevailing prayer.
    • 3. We are told what success they had: God was entreated of them, though need drove them to him; so ready is he to hear and answer prayer. They were helped against their enemies; for God never yet failed any that trusted in him. And then they routed the enemy's army, though far superior in number to theirs, slew many (v. 22), took 100,000 prisoners, enriched themselves greatly with the spoil, and settled themselves in their country (v. 21, 22), and all this because the war was of God, undertaken in his fear and carried on in a dependence upon him. If the battle be the Lord's, there is reason to hope it will be successful. Then we may expect to prosper in any enterprise, and then only, when we take God along with us.
  • II. They shared, at length, in an inglorious captivity. Had they kept close to God and their duty, they would have continued to enjoy both their ancient lot and their new conquests; but they transgressed against the God of their fathers, v. 25. They lay upon the borders, and conversed most with the neighbouring nations, by which means they learned their idolatrous usages and transmitted the infection to the other tribes; for this God had a controversy with them. He was a husband to them, and no marvel that his jealousy burnt like fire when they went a whoring after other gods. Justly is a bill of divorce given to the adulteress. God stirred up the spirit of the kings of Assyria, first one and then another, against them, served his own purposes by the designs of those ambitious monarchs, employed them to chastise these revolters first, and, when that humbled them not, then wholly to root them out, v. 26. These tribes were first placed, and they were first displaced. They would have the best land, not considering that it lay most exposed. But those who are governed more by sense than by reason or faith in their choices may expect to fare accordingly.