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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; and the genealogy is not to be listed according to the birthright.
Verse 1. First-born. Genesis 49:4. Worthington.—He gives this reason for not beginning with him. Calmet.—And he. Prot. “and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birth-right.” Bible.
For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and from him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph’s)—
Verse 2. Accounted to Joseph, that is as to the double portion, which belonged to the first-born: but the princely dignity was given to Juda, and the priesthood to Levi. Challoner.—Yet it is not certain that the latter dignity formed a part of the birth-right, (Genesis 25:31) and the author takes no notice of it. Calmet.—The double portion seems to have been all the privilege. Deuteronomy 21:17. Septuagint “the blessing or gift was Joseph’s.” Hebrew also does not specify princes, but “the leader,” ( Bible.) the Messias, (Syr. and so forth) and kings, from David till the captivity. Calmet. Genesis 49:4. Worthington.
the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
Verse 4. Joel. It does not appear whether he was the son of the last, or of Henoch.
Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
and Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive. He was prince of the Reubenites.
Verse 6. Beera, This tribe continued to have princes of their own, after the division of the kingdom. Beera was in power when Thelgathphalnasar, or Theglathphalasar, took five tribes into captivity. 4 Kennicott. 15:29. Only twelve generations are mentioned to fill up about 750 years, from the leaving of Egypt. Calmet.—But Enoch must have lived much sooner, as the Israelites continued in that country at least 215 years. The princes are probably not all specified, as on other occasions. Bible.
His brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was listed: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
Verse 7. Families, when they were led captive into Assyria; ( Menochius.) or before, when the tribe was in a most flourishing condition.—Princes. Hebrew and Septuagint “prince.”—Jehiel. Septuagint “Joel,” verse 4.
and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon;
Verse 8. And. So Hebrew and so forth as f he was one of the princes. But the Vulg. seems to begin a new sentence, Porro, “now Bala.” The possessions of this man must have been very extensive, from the Euphrates till ( Bible.) Baal-meon, within nine miles of Hesebon, (Eus.) almost ( Calmet.) as far as the Jordan. Tirinus.—Bala, or his descendants, extended their conquests as far as the Euphrates, which had been promised to Israel; and, under Saul, conquered the Agarites, who sprung from Agar. Syr. and so forth “the Arabs of Sacca,” or the Scenites, “dwelling under tents,” and inhabiting the Desert Arabia. The details of this war are probably given, verse 19, and so forth Calmet.
and he lived eastward even to the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock were multiplied in the land of Gilead.
Verse 9. Cattle, for which reason they desired to have this country. Numbers 32:4. Menochius.
In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.
The sons of Gad lived beside them in the land of Bashan to Salecah:
Verse 11. Selcha, not far from Jabok. Deuteronomy 3:10. Calmet.
Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
Verse 12. Chief, (in capite.) Septuagint “first-born.” Bible.—This list was made under Joathan, king of Juda, when Joel was at the head of the tribe of Gad. Calmet.—Basan, the capital city, verse 16. Sa. Menochius.
Their brothers of their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven.
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;
Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers’ houses.
Verse 15. And, and so forth Hebrew also, “Achi, son of Abdiel.”—Chief, like the preceding, each in their respective families. Calmet.—They were relations ( Bible.) of the same tribe. Menochius.
They lived in Gilead in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon as far as their borders.
Verse 16. Saron, in Basan; (Joshua 12:18) different from those vallies near Joppe, ( Calmet.) and between Thabor and Tiberias. Euseb.
All these were listed by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
Verse 17. Israel. Jeroboam II. had been dead two years before Joathan was born: unless some of the numbers be incorrect; which seem very probable. 4 Kennicott. 15:5. Yet these registers might be made at different times, and one, perhaps, under Jeroboam I. as when any war seemed to threaten, the number of soldiers was to be known. Calmet.—It does not appear why the king of Juda is mentioned, as the people were not under his dominion, unless ( Bible.) he was contemporary with Jeroboam II. as some assert. Menochius.—Yet the following expedition seems to have taken place while Israel was still faithful to God. Bible. By faith they overcame kingdoms. Hebrews 11. Worthington.
The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, able to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty that were able to go out to war.
They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab.
Verse 19. But, and so forth Hebrew “and Jetur, and so forth (20) and they were helped by God against them.” Bible.—Septuagint “they prevailed over them, and the Agarites,” and so forth The ancient, or higher Iturea, lay between Hermon and Manasses; but the lower, which Josephus includes under this name, took in the deserted possessions of that half tribe. Calmet.—The former ( Bible.) extended from Jordan by Libanus, to the mountains of Tyre. Menochius.—And Naphis, sons of Ismael. Genesis 25:13. Bible.
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 answered them because they put their trust in him.
They took away their livestock: of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand.
For many fell slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity.
Verse 22. Lord. Very dreadful, and in obedience to God’s orders.—Captivity, verse 6. Calmet.
The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.
Verse 23. Basan, which belonged to Gad. Bible.—In Josue (17:5.) Basan and Galaad seem to be given to Manasses; but the former there denotes all the level country, from the Jabok to the Jordan, as Galaad is put for the mountains on the East. Calmet.—Great. It would take thirty hours to travel from the torrent Jabok to Baal Hermon. Adric. Menochius.
These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel—mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.
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.
So 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 away the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.
Verse 26. Assur. These princes were scourges in the hand of God, to punish the guilty. Bible.—The former forced Israel to pay tribute; the latter carried many into captivity, 4 Kennicott. 15:19, 29 and 16:7. Calmet.—Lahela, or Hala and Haber, cities watered by the river Gozan.—Ara; perhaps Rages. Tobit 1:16, and so forth D.