1 Chronicles 5: Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh, and their exile
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What happens?
The chapter lists the sons of Reuben, who lost the birthright to the sons of Joseph, and says that Judah prevailed and a leader came from him. It lists the Gadites in Bashan, and tells how Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh made war on the Hagrites, cried to God in the battle, and were helped because they trusted him. It ends with the heads of Manasseh's families, who were unfaithful to the God of their fathers. The God of Israel then stirred up the spirit of Pul and of Tilgath Pilneser, each called king of Assyria (two names for one king, or two kings), and the three tribes were carried into exile.
Who is speaking?
The narrator lists the names and tells the stories. No one speaks in this chapter, and no verse is in gold. Verse 20 says the tribes cried to God in the battle and that he answered them, but no words are given, and verse 26 says the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of the king of Assyria, again with no words given. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The 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.
In plain English: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed (or: couch), his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, and the family record is not to be listed according to the birthright.
The Hebrew words: "Firstborn" is bekhor, which the dictionary gives as "firstborn; hence, chief". "Birthright" is bekhorah, which the dictionary gives as "the firstling of man or beast; abstractly primogeniture". The two words come from the same root, and this verse uses them in one sentence: Reuben was the bekhor, but his bekhorah was given to the sons of Joseph. The reason the text gives is that he defiled his father's bed. says Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine; this verse does not name her or say that this is the event meant.
Good to know: Verse 2 says Judah prevailed and a leader came from him, but the birthright belonged to Joseph. The text does not say what the birthright included beyond this, and it does not say how the leader and the birthright are divided between Judah and Joseph.
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2For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and from him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph’s)—
In plain English: For Judah prevailed (or: was strong) among his brothers, and a leader (or: prince) came from him, but the birthright belonged to Joseph.
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3the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
In plain English: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
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4The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
In plain English: The sons of Joel were Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
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5Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
In plain English: Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
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6and Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive. He was prince of the Reubenites.
In plain English: and Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away into exile. He was a leader (or: prince) of the Reubenites.
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7His brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was listed: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
In plain English: His brothers by their families, as the record of their generations was listed, were the chief Jeiel, and Zechariah,
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8and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon;
In plain English: and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. He lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal Meon;
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9and he lived eastward even to the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock were multiplied in the land of Gilead.
In plain English: and to the east he lived as far as the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock had increased in the land of Gilead.
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10In 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.
In plain English: In the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand, and they lived in their tents all through the land east of Gilead.
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11The sons of Gad lived beside them in the land of Bashan to Salecah:
In plain English: The sons of Gad lived beside them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah:
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12Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
In plain English: Joel the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat in Bashan.
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13Their brothers of their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven.
In plain English: Their brothers by their fathers' houses were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber: seven.
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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;
In plain English: 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;
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15Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers’ houses.
In plain English: and Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was chief of their fathers' houses.
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16They lived in Gilead in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon as far as their borders.
In plain English: They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon as far as their borders.
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17All these were listed by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
In plain English: All these were listed in the family records in the days of Jotham king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
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18The 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.
In plain English: The sons of Reuben, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men, men who could carry shield and sword, shoot the bow, and were skilled in war. There were forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty who could go out to war.
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19They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab.
In plain English: They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, Naphish and Nodab.
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20They 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.
In plain English: They were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand, for they cried out to God in the battle. He answered their prayer (literally: was entreated by them) because they trusted in him.
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21They 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.
In plain English: They took away their livestock: fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand people.
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22For many fell slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity.
In plain English: Many fell slain, because the war was from God. They lived in their place until the exile.
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23The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.
In plain English: The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir and Mount Hermon.
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24These 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.
In plain English: 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.
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25They 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.
In plain English: They were unfaithful to the God of their fathers. They went after (literally: played the prostitute after) the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.
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26So 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.
In plain English: So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria (these may be two names for one king, or two kings), and he carried the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, to this day.
The Hebrew words: "Stirred up" is ur, which the dictionary gives as "to wake (literally or figuratively)". "Spirit" is ruach, which the dictionary gives as "wind; by resemblance breath ... spirit". The verse says the God of Israel woke up the spirit of the Assyrian king. The text does not say how.
What changes: The Hebrew has "the spirit of Pul king of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria", and then one verb, "he took them into exile". Read as two names for one king, one man carried them away. Read as two kings, the one verb does not say which of them carried them away. The text does not say which reading is meant.
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