1 Chronicles 4:39-43

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:24-43

We have here some of the genealogies of the tribe of Simeon (though it was not a tribe of great note), especially the princes of that tribe, 1 Chron. 4:38. Of this tribe it is said that they increased greatly, but not like the children of Judah, 1 Chron. 4:27. Those whom God increases ought to be thankful, though they see others that are more increased. Here observe, 1. The cities allotted them (1 Chron. 4:28), of which see Josh. 19:1-9 When it is said that they were theirs unto the reign of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:39

And they went to the entrance of Gedor ,.... There was a city of this name in the tribe of Judah, 1 Chronicles 4:18 but this seems to be further off, and perhaps is the same with Gedaris, mentioned by Strabo F12 Geograph. l. 16. p. 522. along with Azotus and Askelon, cities that belonged to the Philistines; since it was inhabited by the posterity of Ham, of whom the Philistines were, as in the following verse: even unto the east side of the valley ; which was near to Gedor, and a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:40

And they found fat pasture and good ,.... In or near the valley of Gedor: and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable ; there was room enough for them and their flocks, and they had no enemies on either side to disturb them: for they of Ham had dwelt there of old ; either the Canaanites who descended from Canaan the son of Ham, and had never been expelled from thence; or the Philistines, who were a colony of the Egyptians, the posterity of Ham; and these inhabitants being of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:41

And these written by name ,.... Before in 1 Chronicles 4:34 , came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah ; as Dr. Lightfoot F13 Works, vol. 1. p. 111. thinks, not within the first fourteen years of his reign, when the Syrian army was abroad, and none dost peep out, but in his last fifteen years, when the army was destroyed and gone: and smote their tents ; the tents of those who dwelt there for the sake of feeding their flocks, and whose pasturage the Simeonites wanted: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:42

And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men went to Mount Seir ,.... In the land of Edom: having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi ; these four captains are said, by the ancient Rabbins, to be of the tribe of Manasseh, as Kimchi observes; see 1 Chronicles 5:24 but as the five hundred they were at the head of were of the sons of Simeon, the captains, no doubt, were of the same race. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:43

And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped ,.... That escaped the sword of Saul; though, according to the Jews F14 Midrash Esther, fol. 93. 4. , 100,000 of them were slain by him in one day; and of the sword of David, though he is said not to leave man or woman alive, 1 Samuel 27:8 . and dwelt there unto this day ; in the cities of the Amalekites, even of the posterity of the above; who were some of the remnant of Israel, that were not carried away by the king of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 4:40

They of Ham had dwelt there of old - These were probably either Philistines or Egyptians, who dwelt at Gedor, which was situated in the environs of Joppa and Samnia. Those whom the five hundred Simeonites expelled from Seir were Amalekites, 1 Chronicles 4:43 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 4:43

They smote the rest of the Amalekites - Those who had escaped in the war which Saul made against them, (see 1 Samuel 14:48 ;), and from David, who had attacked them afterwards, 2 Samuel 8:12 . The expedition of the Simeonites mentioned here, against Gedor and Seir, was in the days of Hezekiah; and, as Calmet conjectures, near about the time of the captivity of the ten tribes, when the remnant of Simeon would feel themselves obliged to retire more southward, into Arabia... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:34-41

These verses record an organized and determined movement in quest of new and rich territory on the part of some of the tribe of Simeon. They were thirteen princes of the tribe of Simeon who led the movement, possibly representing respectively the "thirteen cities" given above. The movement took place in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. That the house of their fathers had increased greatly is probably mentioned as some explanation of the cause of the movement. Though in one name out of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 4:39

The place Gedor cannot be identified in this connection. There is a town of the name situated in the mountainous district of Judah between Halhul and Beth-zur, to the north of Hebron ( Joshua 15:58 ). It is evident that this cannot be the place we require here. There is another town of the name ( 1 Chronicles 12:7 ), probably belonging to Benjamin, and which as little admits of being fitted in here. Both the Alexandrine and the Vatican Codex of the Septuagint, however, evidently read ... read more

Group of Brands