11 The family of Gad were their neighbors in Bashan, as far as Salecah: 12 Joel was the chief, Shapham the second-in-command, and then Janai, the judge in Bashan. 13 Their brothers, by families, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber - seven in all. 14 These were the sons of Abihail 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 son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family. 16 The family of Gad lived in Gilead and Bashan, including the outlying villages and extending as far as the pastures of Sharon. 17 They were all written into the official family tree during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 The families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men trained for war - physically fit and skilled in handling shield, sword, and bow. 19 They fought against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 God helped them as they fought. God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. God answered their prayers because they trusted him. 21 They plundered the Hagrite herds and flocks: 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also captured 100,000 people. 22 Many were killed, because the battle was God's. They lived in that country until the exile. 23 The half-tribe of Manasseh had a large population. They occupied the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon). 24 The heads of their families were Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel - brave warriors, famous, and heads of their families. 25 But they were not faithful to the God of their ancestors. They took up with the ungodly gods of the peoples of the land whom God had gotten rid of before they arrived. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria) to take the families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He deported them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan. They've been there ever since.
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.