The Tribes Beyond Jordan: 1 Chronicles 5

1 Chronicles 5  •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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1 Chronicles 5
Here we find the genealogy of the two and a half tribes which had chosen their portion beyond Jordan: Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. But these tribes are not joined together on account of this circumstance alone; Reuben's place in the genealogy, as we have already seen, is determined by his sin. The birthright was his by right of birth, but it was taken from him (1 Chron. 5:11Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. (1 Chronicles 5:1)) and given to Joseph and his sons. As in all the rest of Scripture, Joseph is here a type of the Messiah rejected by his brethren, and subsequently receiving dominion over the nations. But our passage (1 Chron. 5:1-21Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, 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 chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:) (1 Chronicles 5:1‑2)) explains why he does not come first here. His place is given to Judah, the stock of the kingship according to God's counsels: "Of him was the prince." Once again we see here how Chronicles is consistent with its purpose to show the divine counsels as to the kingship. Yet, just as throughout in these chapters, the ways of the flesh are mentioned first (1 Chron. 5:3-63The sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son, 6Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites. (1 Chronicles 5:3‑6)), and they continue until the ten tribes are taken captive by Tilgath-Pilneser (cf. 2 Kings 15:2929In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria. (2 Kings 15:29)). It is true that Reuben's energy to enlarge his borders is emphasized (1 Chron. 5:1010And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead. (1 Chronicles 5:10)); but it is no longer the virtue we have seen in Caleb, springing from faith alone. The display of Reuben's activity has a purely human and earthly motive: "Their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead" (1 Chron. 5:99And eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead. (1 Chronicles 5:9)).
Gad (1 Chron. 5:11-1711And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salchah: 12Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13And their brethren of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven. 14These 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; 15Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers. 16And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, upon 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. (1 Chronicles 5:11‑17)) has greater spiritual distinction than Reuben. Like the latter, he also sought pasture land (1 Chron. 5:1616And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, upon their borders. (1 Chronicles 5:16)), but he had still other interests. It is said of him: "All these were reckoned by genealogy in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel" (1 Chron. 5:1717All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. (1 Chronicles 5:17)). Gad had a true concern about his genealogy. Even though the result of his zeal was annulled by his being carried away captive, at least until Jotham and Jeroboam's day his position in Israel was clear and well established, showing his sincere desire to be part of God's people and, notwithstanding all, not to deny Judah, under Jotham the center of the kingship.
Another matter is mentioned in 1 Chron. 5:18-2218The 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 skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. 19And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. 20And 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 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 an hundred thousand. 22For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity. (1 Chronicles 5:18‑22). These two and a half tribes "made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab; 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" (1 Chron. 5:19-2019And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. 20And 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 entreated of them; because they put their trust in him. (1 Chronicles 5:19‑20)). God granted their prayers just as He had answered the prayer of a single man, Jabez. "They put their trust in Him"; the God of grace owed it to His own character to answer them, however guilty they might be with regard to the unity of the people of God. Thus, in spite of the ruin, grace always responds to faith, and this is one of the distinctive characteristics of the whole of these books of Chronicles. The flesh is condemned; the captivity is the consequence of its independence, but faith is answered, for God is not only a God of government who renders to man according to his responsibility, but also a God of grace who cannot deny His character. In 1 Chron. 5:2222For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity. (1 Chronicles 5:22) we read, "The war was of God." He had incited the difficulty so as to exercise the faith and confidence of His people, in order that He might then be able to answer them.
The half-tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan is next mentioned (1 Chron. 5:23-2623And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon. 24And 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. 25And 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. 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 Gozan, unto this day. (1 Chronicles 5:23‑26)). Its territory, compared to that of the other tribes, was immense. In His grace God had prospered the men of Manasseh: "They were many" (1 Chron. 5:2323And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon. (1 Chronicles 5:23)). But the blessings which God's favor had secured for them turned them aside rather than drawing them closer to Him: "And they transgressed against the God of their fathers" (1 Chron. 5:2525And 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 5:25)), and "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, the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, — unto this day." At the time Chronicles was composed, these tribes were in captivity in the places here mentioned. This passage, just as many others, could well be used to establish the date of our book.