11 And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan, as far as Salcah: 12 Joel was the chief and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13 And their brethren according to their fathers' houses were Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jaachan, and Zia, and Eber, seven. 14 —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: 15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was chief of their fathers' house. 16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the pasture-grounds of Sharon, as far as their limits. 17 All these were registered by genealogy in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 The children of Reuben and the Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men who carried shield and sword, drawing the bow and skilful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, able to go forth to war. 19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab; 20 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. 21 And they took away their cattle: their camels fifty thousand, and two hundred and fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand asses, and a hundred thousand human souls. 22 For there fell down many slain, for the war was of God. And they dwelt in their stead until the captivity. 23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land, from Bashan as far as Baal-Hermon and Senir, and mount Hermon; they were many. 24 And these were the heads of their fathers' houses: Epher, and Jishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses. 25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26 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.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 5:11-26
Chapter Contents
Genealogies.
This chapter gives some account of the two tribes and a half seated on the east side of Jordan. They were made captives by the king of Assyria, because they had forsaken the Lord. Only two things are here recorded concerning these tribes. 1. They all shared in a victory. Happy is that people who live in harmony together, who assist each other against the common enemies of their souls, trusting in the Lord, and calling upon him. 2. They shared in captivity. They would have the best land, not considering that it lay most exposed. The desire of earthly objects draws to a distance from God's ordinances, and prepares men for destruction.