Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
The sons, that is descendants, of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh are listed, who likewise expelled the neighboring Canaanites from their regions under King Jotham; but soon under Hezekiah, on account of idolatry, they were the first to be carried off to Assyria.
Vulgate Text: 1 Paralipomenon 5:1-26
1. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was his firstborn, but since he had violated his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, son of Israel, and he was not reckoned as firstborn. 2. Judah, who was the strongest among his brothers, and from his lineage princes came forth; but the birthright was reckoned to Joseph), 3. the sons therefore of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4. The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5. Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, 6. Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive; he was a prince of the tribe of Reuben. 7. His brothers, and all his family, when they were numbered by their clans, had as chiefs Jeiel and Zechariah. 8. Bela the son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, dwelt in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. 9. Eastward also he dwelt as far as the entrance of the desert and the river Euphrates. For they possessed a great number of cattle in the land of Gilead. 10. In the days of Saul they made war against the Hagrites, and killed them, and dwelt in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead. 11. The sons of Gad dwelt opposite them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah: 12. Joel was chief, and Shaphan second; then Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. 13. Their brothers according to the houses of their families: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven. 14. These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. 15. Ahi also, son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was chief of the house of their families. 16. They dwelt in Gilead, in Bashan, in its villages, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon to their borders. 17. All these were numbered in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. 18. The sons of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, men of war, bearing shields and swords, drawing the bow, and skilled in battle, forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty, ready for war. 19. They made war against the Hagrites, and the Itureans, Naphish, and Nodab, 20. gave them help. The Hagrites were delivered into their hands, and all who were with them, because they cried out to God in the battle; and He heard them, because they trusted in Him. 21. They captured all that they possessed: fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand persons. 22. For many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their place until the exile. 23. The sons of the half-tribe of Manasseh possessed the land from the borders of Bashan to Baal-hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon, for they were a great number. 24. 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. 25. But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them, 26. and 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 the river of Gozan, to this day.
Verse 1: Reuben's Birthright
1. HIS (Reuben's) BIRTHRIGHT WAS GIVEN TO THE SONS OF JOSEPH — namely 'Ephraim and Manasseh.' For the firstborn had a double portion of the paternal inheritance (while each of the other brothers had a single one), as is decreed in Deuteronomy chapter XXI, 16, and this Reuben should have had, being the firstborn of Jacob; but because of his incest it was transferred to Joseph, who through his two aforementioned sons obtained a double portion of the Holy Land. Furthermore, the firstborn had the right of the priesthood, and this was transferred from Reuben to Levi: and in addition the right of primacy and kingship, and this was conferred on Judah. See what was said at Genesis XLIX.
Verse 12: Joel at the Head
12. JOEL AT THE HEAD — that is, 'Joel' was the 'head' and prince of the tribe of Gad, as is clear from the Hebrew and Greek; second after Joel was Shaphan, third Janai and Shaphat, who occupied Bashan. These were not sons, but grandsons of Gad, as is clear from Genesis XLVI, 16.
Verse 17: In the Days of Jeroboam
17. IN THE DAYS OF JEROBOAM KING OF ISRAEL. — This 'Jeroboam' was not the first king of Israel who made the schism from Rehoboam, but a much later one, namely the great-great-grandson of Jehu; for he was contemporary with Jotham king of Judah.
Verse 19: War Against the Hagrites
19. THEY FOUGHT AGAINST THE HAGRITES — that is, against the Saracens, who from Hagar, Abraham's handmaid, are called 'Hagrites.' The Itureans, Naphishites, and Nodabites (as the Hebrew and Septuagint have) gave help to the Hagrites against the Reubenites; but they were shamefully defeated by them, since they called upon God, and were stripped of their goods and lands, as follows.