1Synové Rúbena, Izraelova prvorozeného; byl prvorozený, když však znesvětil lože svého otce, jeho prvorozenství bylo dáno synům Josefa, synům Izraelovým, a nebyl zapsán do rodokmene jako prvorozený. 2Ačkoliv se Juda rozmohl nad své bratry a vzešel z něho vévoda, prvorozenství dostal Josef. 3Synové Rúbena, Izraelova prvorozeného: Chanók, Palú, Chesrón a Karmí. 4Synové Jóelovi: Jeho syn Šemajáš, jeho syn Góg, jeho syn Šimeí, 5jeho syn Míka, jeho syn Reajáš, jeho syn Baal, 6jeho syn Beera, kterého odvedl asyrský král Tilgat-pilneser; on byl předákem Rúbenovců. 7Jeho bratři podle čeledí, jak byli zapsáni do rodokmenů podle svých rodů: Předák Jeíel, Zekarjáš, 8Bela, syn Azaza, syna Šemy, syna Jóelova; sídlil v Aróeru a až k Nebó a Baal-meónu; 9na východě sídlil až k okraji pustiny táhnoucí se k řece Eufratu, protože jejich stáda se v gileádské zemi rozmnožila. 10Ve dnech Saulových vedli válku s Hagrejci, kteří padli do jejich ruky; potom sídlili v jejich stanech po celém povrchu země na východ od Gileádu. 11Synové Gádovi sídlili naproti nim v bášanské zemi až po Salku. 12Předákem byl Jóel, druhý Šafam, potom Jaenaj a Šafat v Bášanu. 13Jejich bratři podle domu svých otců: Michael, Mešulám, Šeba, Jóraj, Jaekán, Zía a Eber, těchto sedm. 14Toto jsou synové Abíchajila, syna Chúrího, syna Jaróacha, syna Gileáda, syna Michaela, syna Ješíšaje, syna Jachdóa, syna Búzova. 15Achí, syn Abdíela, syna Gúního, byl předákem v domě jejich otců. 16Sídlili v Gileádu, v Bášanu a v jeho vesnicích a na všech pastvinách Šáronu až kam sahaly. 17Všichni byli zapsáni do rodokmene ve dnech judského krále Jótama a ve dnech izraelského krále Jarobeáma. 18Synové Rúbenovi, Gádovi a polovina kmene Manasesova byli bojovníci, muži, kteří nosili štít a meč, napínali luk a byli vycvičeni v boji; čtyřicet čtyři tisíc sedm set šedesát těch, kteří táhli s armádou. 19Vedli válku s Hagrejci, s Jetúrem, Náfišem a Nódabem. 20Dostalo se jim pomoci proti nim a Hagrejci i všichni, kdo byli s nimi, byli vydáni do jejich rukou, neboť volali k Bohu o pomoc v boji a on se dal pohnout jejich prosbami, protože na něj spoléhali. 21Odvedli jejich stáda: Padesát tisíc jejich velbloudů, dvě stě padesát tisíc ovcí, dva tisíce oslů a sto tisíc lidí. 22Pobitých padlo mnoho, neboť ten boj byl od Boha. Pak tam sídlili místo nich až do vyhnanství. 23Potomci poloviny kmene Manasesova sídlili v zemi od Bášanu až po Baal-chermón a Senír, horu Chermón; bylo jich mnoho. 24Toto jsou předáci domu jejich otců: Éfer, Jiší, Elíel, Azríel, Jeremjáš, Hódavjáš a Jachdíel, udatní hrdinové, věhlasní muži, předáci domu svých otců. 25Zpronevěřili se však Bohu svých otců, smilnili s bohy národů země, které před nimi Bůh vyhladil. 26Bůh Izraele vzbudil ducha asyrského krále Púla a ducha asyrského krále Tilgat-pilnesera a odvedl je — Rúbenovce, Gádovce a polovinu kmene Manasesova — a přivedl je do Chalachu, Chabóru, Hary a k řece Gózanu, kde jsou až dodnes. 27Synové Léviho: Geršón, Kehat a Merarí. 28Synové Kehatovi: Amrám, Jishár, Chebrón a Uzíel. 29Synové Amrámovi: Áron a Mojžíš, a Mirjam. Synové Áronovi: Nádab, Abíhú, Eleazar a Ítamar. 30Eleazar zplodil Pinchasa, Pinchas zplodil Abíšúu, 31Abíšúa zplodil Bukího, Bukí zplodil Uzího, 32Uzí zplodil Zerachjáše, Zerachjáš zplodil Merajóta, 33Merajót zplodil Amarjáše, Amarjáš zplodil Achítúba, 34Achítúb zplodil Sádoka, Sádok zplodil Achímaase, 35Achímaas zplodil Azarjáše, Azarjáš zplodil Jóchanana, 36Jóchanan zplodil Azarjáše (toho, který sloužil jako kněz v domě, jenž postavil Šalomoun v Jeruzalémě), 37Azarjáš zplodil Amarjáše, Amarjáš zplodil Achítúba, 38Achítúb zplodil Sádoka, Sádok zplodil Šalúma, 39Šalúm zplodil Chilkijáše, Chilkijáš zplodil Azarjáše, 40Azarjáš zplodil Serajáše, Serajáš zplodil Jósadaka; 41a Jósadak odešel, když Hospodin odvedl Judu a Jeruzalém do zajetí prostřednictvím Nebúkadnesara.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 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,
Hebre 11:21;
Gen 48:15,
Gen 48:22), 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, (1Chr:5:4-6). 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,
1Chr 5:9,
1Chr 5:10. 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,
Exod 23:30.
II. Of the tribe of Gad. Some great families of that tribe are here named (
1Chr 5:12), seven that were the children of Abihail, whose pedigree is carried upwards from the son to the father (
1Chr 5:14,
1Chr 5:15), as that
1Chr 5:4,
1Chr 5:5, 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
2Kgs 15:29,
2Kgs 15:31. 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.
18 The heads of the half-tribe of Manasseh, that were seated on the other side Jordan, are named here,
1Chr 5:23,
1Chr 5:24. 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
1Chr 5:10 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,
1Chr 5:18. 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, 1Chr 5:20. 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
Deut 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,
2Chr 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 (
1Chr 5:22), took 100,000 prisoners, enriched themselves greatly with the spoil, and settled themselves in their country (
1Chr 5:21,
1Chr 5:22), 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, 1Chr 5:25. 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, 1Chr 5:26. 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.