Matthew Henry on 1 Chronicles 5:1-17
We have here an extract out of the genealogies,
I. Of the tribe of Reuben, where we have,
1. The reason why this tribe is thus postponed. It is confessed that Reuben was the first-born of Israel, and, upon that account, might challenge the precedency; but he forfeited his birthright by defiling his father's concubine, and was, for that, sentenced not to excel, Gen 49:4. Sin lessens men, thrusts them down from their excellency. Seventh-commandment sins especially leave an indelible stain upon men's names and families, a reproach which time will not wipe away. Reuben's seed, to the last, bear the disgrace of Reuben's sin. Yet, though that tribe was degraded, it was not discarded or disinherite…
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Beerah his son - After their separation from the house of David the ten tribes continued to have princes of the tribes; and this continued till the time that Tiglath-pileser carried them captives into Assyria. At that time Beerah was their prince or chief; and with him this species of dominion or precedency terminated. According to the Targum, Beerah was the same as Baruch the prophet.
John Gill on 1 Chronicles 5:6
Beerah his son,.... The last of Joel's posterity, who, according to the Targum and other Jewish writers (q) was a prophet, and the father of Hosea, see Hosea 1:1 but neither the name, title, time, nor tribe, agree:
whom Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria carried away captive; the same with Tiglathpileser by a transposition of letters, 2 Kings 15:29 and is read the same here in the Greek, Syriac, and Arabic versions:
he was prince of the Reubenites; at that time; that is, Beerah was.
(q) Aben Ezra in Hos. i. 1. Pesikta apud Abarbinel. in ib.
Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Chronicles 5:6
And his brethren by their families,.... Either the brethren of Beerah, or the rest of the posterity of Reuben:
(when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned;) either in the times of Jotham and Jeroboam, Ch1 5:17 or at the time of their captivity, as in the preceding verse:
were the chief, Jehiel, and Zechariah; these were the principals or heads of their families.
