I Chronicles 5:20

They put their trust in him - Or, as the Targum says, "Because they trusted במימריה bemeymriah, in his Word."

THE LINE OF REUBEN. (Ch1 5:1-10) Now the sons of Reuben--In proceeding to give this genealogy, the sacred historian states, in a parenthesis (Ch1 5:1-2), the reason why it was not placed first, as Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob. The birthright, which by a foul crime he had forfeited, implied not only dominion, but a double portion (Deu 21:17); and both of these were transferred to Joseph, whose two sons having been adopted as the children of Jacob (Gen 48:5), received each an allotted portion, as forming two distinct tribes in Israel. Joseph then was entitled to the precedency; and yet, as his posterity was not mentioned first, the sacred historian judged it necessary to explain that "the genealogy was not to be reckoned after the birthright," but with a reference to a superior honor and privilege that had been conferred on Judah--not the man, but the tribe, whereby it was invested with the pre-eminence over all the other tribes, and out of it was to spring David with his royal lineage, and especially the great Messiah (Heb 7:14). These were the two reasons why, in the order of enumeration, the genealogy of Judah is introduced before that of Reuben.

For there fell down many slain,.... Many were killed in the battle, besides the great number of prisoners made, so that the army the Ishmaelites brought into the field was very great: because the war was of God; or from the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; he stirred up the Israelites to it, directed, assisted, and succeeded them, that vengeance might be taken on this wicked and idolatrous people: and they dwelt in their stead until the captivity; the Targum adds, of Sennacherib king of Assyria; but this captivity of the tribes referred to was not by him, but by Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, Ch1 5:26 and they dwelt not in the country of the Arab-hagarites, or Ishmaelites in their stead there, but in Gilead, as in Ch1 5:10 which belonged to the Gadites and Reubenites originally, but had been dispossessed of it, or however distressed in it by these Hagarites, which they now drove out, and dwelt in their stead; for as for the Scenite-arabs or Ishmaelites, they never were conquered and brought into subjection by any people, but always maintained their independency (d); and lived upon the plunder of their neighbours, pitching their tents here and there for their convenience, which in these parts were at this time spoiled. (d) See the notes on Gen. xvi. 12. and Dan. xi. 41. and a dissertation upon the independency of the Arabs, at the end of the Universal History, vol. 20. See Gill on Gen 16:12. See Gill on Dan 11:41.

For there fell down many slain,.... Many were killed in the battle, besides the great number of prisoners made, so that the army the Ishmaelites brought into the field was very great: because the war was of God; or from the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; he stirred up the Israelites to it, directed, assisted, and succeeded them, that vengeance might be taken on this wicked and idolatrous people: and they dwelt in their stead until the captivity; the Targum adds, of Sennacherib king of Assyria; but this captivity of the tribes referred to was not by him, but by Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, Ch1 5:26 and they dwelt not in the country of the Arab-hagarites, or Ishmaelites in their stead there, but in Gilead, as in Ch1 5:10 which belonged to the Gadites and Reubenites originally, but had been dispossessed of it, or however distressed in it by these Hagarites, which they now drove out, and dwelt in their stead; for as for the Scenite-arabs or Ishmaelites, they never were conquered and brought into subjection by any people, but always maintained their independency (d); and lived upon the plunder of their neighbours, pitching their tents here and there for their convenience, which in these parts were at this time spoiled. (d) See the notes on Gen. xvi. 12. and Dan. xi. 41. and a dissertation upon the independency of the Arabs, at the end of the Universal History, vol. 20. See Gill on Gen 16:12. See Gill on Dan 11:41.

This chapter gives us some account of the two tribes and a half that were seated on the other side Jordan. I. Of Reuben (Ch1 5:1-10). II. Of Gad (Ch1 5:11-17). III. Of the half-tribe of Manasseh (Ch1 5:23, Ch1 5:24). IV. Concerning all three acting in conjunction we are told, 1. How they conquered the Hagarites (Ch1 5:18-22). 2. How they were, at length, themselves conquered, and made captives, by the king of Assyria, because they had forsaken God (Ch1 5:25, Ch1 5:26).