For there fell down many slain - The hundred thousand men mentioned above were probably made slaves, and were not slain. The Targum says, one hundred thousand souls of men. The war was of God - The Targum says, the war was דיי מימרא מן min meymera dayai , "from the Word of the Lord." read more
These verses appear to be the fuller development of the war in Saul's time, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 5:10 —the account apparently there delayed till the genealogy of the tribe of Gad had been given, and which still seems premature till the contents of 1 Chronicles 5:23 and 1 Chronicles 5:24 should have been given. read more
The name of Nodab we have not elsewhere; but those of Jetur and Nephish are names from the very origin of the tribe of Ishmael ( Genesis 25:13-16 ; 1 Chronicles 1:29-31 ). It would be possible to consider them here as in apposition with the description, the Hagarites (respecting whom see note on 1 Chronicles 5:10 ); but they may more probably be regarded as favourite names, still repeated in the descendants of the tribe. The people of Nephish have not made their mark deep on... read more
Of men ; literally, of the soul , i.e. life of men . read more
Baal-hermon , etc. These three names need scarcely be read as different names for exactly the same region, but as designating different sides or heights of what was essentially one and the same well-known mountain district, with which would agree Psalms 43:1-5 :6, "Therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites , from the hill Mizar.' So Deuteronomy 3:8-10 tells us that Hermon was called Sirion by the Sidonians; Shenir, i.q. Senir ( שְׂנִיר ,... read more
"The half-tribe of Manasseh" is here very briefly treated of. Manasseh and his brother Ephraim stand in the place of Joseph, both the children of Joseph's Egyptian wife, Asenath, and born before the famine. Though Manasseh was the elder, Jacob gave the chief blessing ( Genesis 48:10-22 ) to Ephraim. The Manassites were descended from Manasseh through his son Machir, born of a Syrian concubine. Machir evidently was spes gregis (though apparently not the only son, for see Asriel , or ... read more
Epher ; same root with Ophrah ( 6:11 , 6:15 ). Of the seven heads of this half-tribe here quoted, no individual mention is made elsewhere. 1 Chronicles 12:19-22 confirms their renown for valour. read more
Jetur no doubt gave his name to the important tribe of the Ituraeans who inhabited the region southwest of the Damascene plain, between Gaulonitis (Jaulan) and the Ledjah. This tribe was noted for its thievish habits, and was regarded as savage and warlike. read more
“Baal-Hermon,” “Senir” Deuteronomy 3:9, and “Mount Hermon,” are here not so much three names of the one great snow-clad eminence in which the Anti-Lebanon terminates toward the south, as three parts of the mountain - perhaps the “three summits” in which it terminates. read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 5:21
They took away their cattle - This was a war of extermination as to the political state of the people, which nothing could justify but an especial direction of God; and this he could never give against any, unless the cup of their iniquity had been full. The Hagarites were full of idolatry: see 1 Chronicles 5:25 . read more