Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 1. HE was the first born, but forasmuch as he defiled his fathers bed, his birth-right was given unto the sonnes of Joseph, &c.] Because it might be questioned why the genealogy of Reuben was not first set down, who was Jacobs first-born sonne, this clause is inserted, wherein two reasons are given why Judahs genealogy was first set down, and not Reubens; the first, because though Reuben was Jacobs first-born, yet for his incest with his fathers concubine, he lost his birth-right, and it was given to the sonnes of Joseph▪ Gen. 48.5. who was the eldest sonne of Rachel, that should have been his first wife, concerning which see the note there: the other, because the genealogie was not to be reckoned after the birth right; that is, either as it was Reubens by nature, or as it was the sonnes of Joseph by Jacobs gift (to wit, in regard of a double portion of inheritance) but Judahs genealogy was to have the preheminence, because the tribe of Judah had alwayes the honour of being

esteemed the chief of the tribes, Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler, to wit, David and his successours kings of Judah; yea, at last Christ also the promised Messiah, of whom David was a type.

Vers. 4. The sonnes of Joel; Shemaiah his sonne, &c.] Amongst the posterity of Reuben Joel is here particularly mentioned, because of him Beerah descended, v. 6. who was the prince of the Reubenites at the time of the captivity, and then amongst others carried away captive. Whose sonne Joel was it is not expressed, onely it is thought most probable, that he was of the stock of Hanoch Reubens eldest sonne; because Beerah who descended from him, was Prince of the Reubenites at the time of the captivity.

Vers. 7. And his brethren by their families, (when the genealogie of their gene∣rations was reckoned) were the chief, Ieiel, and Zechariah, &c.] That is, the chief of the rest of the Reubenites his brethren (when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, to wit, either in the dayes of Jotham, vers. 17. or rather at the capti∣vity) were Jeiel, and Zechariah, and Bela, the three heads happely then living of the other three families of the Reubenites, descended of Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

Vers. 8. Who dwelt in Aroer, &c.] That is, the Reubenites before mentioned.

Vers. 10. And in the dayes of Saul they made warre with the Hagarites, &c.] That is, the Ishmaelites, the posterity of Abraham by Hagar: and the Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh, joyned with them in this warre, vers. 18, 19. The sonnes of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilfull in warre, were foure and fourty thousand seven hundred and threescore that went out to the warre. And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.

Vers. 12. Joel the chief, and Shaphan the next, &c.] These were heads either of severall families or houses in the tribe of Gad, either at the time of the captivity, or in the dayes of Jotham, ver. 17. when they were reckoned by their genealogies.

Vers. 14. These are the children of Abihail the sonne of Huri, &c.] That is, the seven before mentioned were of the stock of Abihail, who was the sonne of Huri, &c.

Vers. 16. And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, &c.] But how then was all Bashan given unto the half tribe of Manasseh, Deut. 3.13. And the rest of Gilead and all Bashan being the kingdome of Og gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh: all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants. I an∣swer, that it was all that Bashan that was the kingdome of Og that was given to them; but it seems some other part of the countrey adjoyning, which was not of Ogs kingdome, was also called Bashan, wherein the Gadites dwelt; or, the Manassites had all Bashan, that is, all in a manner.

Vers. 17. All these were reckoned by genealogies in the dayes of Jotham king of Judah, and in the dayes of Jeroboam king of Israel.] That is, towards the latter end of the reigne of Jeroboam the second, when Jotham the sonne of Uzziah go∣verned the kingdome, because his father was stricken with leprosie, 2. Kings 15.1, 5. or else the words may be meant of two severall times when the genealogies of the Israelites were taken and reckoned, one in the dayes of Jeroboam, the other in the dayes of Jotham.

Vers. 19. And they made warre with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish,

and Nodab.] Which were severall families or plantations of the Ishmaelites or Ha∣garites, as is evident Gen. 25.15.

Vers. 24. And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, &c.] See the note above, ver. 12.