Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Chronicles · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Verſ. 1. HE was the firſt born, but foraſmuch as he defiled his fathers bed, his birth-right was given unto the ſonnes of Joſeph, &c.] Becauſe it might be queſtioned why the genealogy of Reuben was not firſt ſet down, who was Jacobs firſt-born ſonne, this clauſe is inſerted, wherein two reaſons are given why Judahs genealogy was firſt ſet down, and not Reubens; the firſt, becauſe though Reuben was Jacobs firſt-born, yet for his inceſt with his fathers concubine, he loſt his birth-right, and it was given to the ſonnes of Joſeph▪ Gen. 48.5. who was the eldeſt ſonne of Rachel, that ſhould have been his firſt wife, concerning which ſee the note there: the other, becauſe the genealogie was not to be reckoned after the birth right; that is, either as it was Reubens by nature, or as it was the ſonnes of Joſeph by Jacobs gift (to wit, in regard of a double portion of inheritance) but Judahs genealogy was to have the preheminence, becauſe the tribe of Judah had alwayes the honour of being eſteemed the chief of the tribes, Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler, to wit, David and his ſucceſſours kings of Judah; yea, at laſt Chriſt alſo the promiſed Meſsiah, of whom David was a type.
Verſ. 4. The ſonnes of Joel; Shemaiah his ſonne, &c.] Amongſt the poſterity of Reuben Joel is here particularly mentioned, becauſe of him Beerah deſcended, v. 6. who was the prince of the Reubenites at the time of the captivity, and then amongſt others carried away captive. Whoſe ſonne Joel was it is not expreſſed, onelyonly it is thought moſt probable, that he was of the ſtock of Hanoch Reubens eldeſt ſonne; becauſe Beerah who deſcended from him, was Prince of the Reubenites at the time of the captivity.
Verſ. 7. And his brethren by their families, (when the genealogie of their generations was reckoned) were the chief, Ieiel, and Zechariah, &c.] That is, the chief of the reſt of the Reubenites his brethren (when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, to wit, either in the dayes of Jotham, verſ. 17. or rather at the captivity) were Jeiel, and Zechariah, and Bela, the three heads happely then living of the other three families of the Reubenites, deſcended of Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
Verſ. 8. Who dwelt in Aroer, &c.] That is, the Reubenites before mentioned.
Verſ. 10. And in the dayes of Saul they made warre with the Hagarites, &c.] That is, the Iſhmaelites, the poſterity of Abraham by Hagar: and the Gadites and half tribe of Manaſſeh, joyned with them in this warre, verſ. 18, 19. The ſonnes 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 skilfull in warre, were foure and fourty thouſand ſeven hundred and threeſcore that went out to the warre. And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephiſh, and Nodab.
Verſ. 12. Joel the chief, and Shaphan the next, &c.] Theſe were heads either of ſeverall families or houſes in the tribe of Gad, either at the time of the captivity, or in the dayes of Jotham, ver. 17. when they were reckoned by their genealogies.
Verſ. 14. Theſe are the children of Abihail the ſonne of Huri, &c.] That is, the ſeven before mentioned were of the ſtock of Abihail, who was the ſonne of Huri, &c.
Verſ. 16. And they dwelt in Gilead in Baſhan, &c.] But how then was all Baſhan given unto the half tribe of Manaſſeh, Deut. 3.13. And the reſt of Gilead and all Baſhan being the kingdome of Og gave I unto the half tribe of Manaſſeh: all the region of Argob, with all Baſhan, which was called the land of giants. I anſwer, that it was all that Baſhan that was the kingdome of Og that was given to them; but it ſeems ſome other part of the countrey adjoyning, which was not of Ogs kingdome, was alſo called Baſhan, wherein the Gadites dwelt; or, the Manaſſites had all Baſhan, that is, all in a manner.
Verſ. 17. All theſe were reckoned by genealogies in the dayes of Jotham king of Judah, and in the dayes of Jeroboam king of Iſrael.] That is, towards the latter end of the reigne of Jeroboam the ſecond, when Jotham the ſonne of Uzziah governed the kingdome, becauſe his father was ſtricken with leproſie, 2. Kings 15.1, 5. or elſe the words may be meant of two ſeverall times when the genealogies of the Iſraelites were taken and reckoned, one in the dayes of Jeroboam, the other in the dayes of Jotham.
Verſ. 19. And they made warre with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephiſh, and Nodab.] Which were ſeverall families or plantations of the Iſhmaelites or Hagarites, as is evident Gen. 25.15.
Verſ. 24. And theſe were the heads of the houſe of their fathers, even Epher, &c.] See the note above, ver. 12.