1 Chronicles 5:23 MEANING

(23, 24) The sons of half-Manasseh "in the land" east of Jordan. The translation should be: "And the children . . . dwelt in the land, from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir and mount Hermon. These were many." Their territory extended from "Bashan," the domain of Gad, in the south, to the mountains of Hermon, or Antilibanus, in the north.

(23) Baal-hermon.--Perhaps the same as Baal-gad (Joshua 12:7; Joshua 13:5), the modern town of Banias.

Senir.--The Amorite name of the range of Hermon (Deuteronomy 3:9). The principal summit is now called Jebel esh-Sheikh, "hill of the chief," and Jebel eth-Thelj, "Snow Hill."

Verses 23, 24. - "The half-tribe of Manasseh" is here very briefly treated cf. 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 (Septuagint, Genesis 46:20; Genesis 1:23; Numbers 26:28-34; Joshua 17:1-3; 1 Chronicles 7:14, 15). Machir evidently was spes gregis (though apparently not the only son, for see Asriel, or Ashriel, in above references), and is repeatedly mentioned with his sou Gilead. It is probable that the division of the tribe was determined partly according to the energy of those who composed it at the time of division - the more warlike being more adapted to the east of Jordan. Nevertheless Machir is distinctly mentioned westward, as well as with Gilead eastward (comp. Judges 5:14-17; Joshua 13:29-31). (For the further prosecution of this part of the subject, see Exposition, 1 Chronicles 7:14-19.) Verse 23. - 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 Psalm 43:6, "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, exactly the same word in the Hebrew text in all the four places of its occurrence - Song of Solomon 4:8; Ezekiel 27:5), by the Amorites. And the suggestion of Grove is likely enough, that Baal-hermon was the Phoenician cast of the name. If any point were to be gained by reading the names, however, as intended to cover exactly the same tract, it may be noted

(1) that the Hebrew conjunction will perfectly admit of being translated "even;" and

(2) that the order of the names, going from the foreign to the native Hermon itself, would so far favour it.

5:1-26 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.And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land,.... Not in the land of the Hagarites, but in the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond Jordan, given them by Moses. The writer, having reckoned the genealogies of some of the principal men of Reuben and Gad, proceeds to give a short account of some principal men in this half tribe:

they increased from Bashan; where they first settled, and extended their possessions:

unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto Mount Hermon; mountains which lay to the north of the land of Canaan, and are what geographers call Antilibanus.