What happened to the three Israeli tribes east of the Jordan when everything was falling apart and Israel was going into exile? In this chapter we see exactly what was happening to Gad, Reuben and the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh.
Reuben Ruins it for the Reubenites
Reuben was the first-born and in the Middle-Eastern culture that meant something (and still does). The firstborn had more responsibility but because of it was given the blessing and birthright of that firstborn. Except Reuben ruined it.
Reuben’s father Jacob/Israel had two wives, two concubines and a total of twelve sons. Reuben was the son of Leah, his father’s first wife by his grandfather’s trickery and deceit (Gen 29). Jacob then married Rachel and also was given two concubines to sleep with. Reuben was evil and one night had sexual relations with his father’s concubine Bilhah which is detestable. Because of it Reuben lost his birthright (1 Chr 5:1).
Instead of giving it to the most powerful, populated, and popular son Judah, the birthright was transferred to Joseph (1 Chr 5:2). Judah was a ruler but still, the birthright went to Joseph and the blessing that came with that.
The Reubenites were living east of the Jordan near the edge all the way to the Eurphrates because their herds had increased in the land (1 Chr 5:9). But when the Assyrians came for deportation, they took the king of the Reubenites, Beerah into exile along with the people of Reuben.
The Gadites and Guesses
We don’t know much about the Gadites as they don’t seem to be as populated and as powerful. But even then they had warriors among the people.
Together with the sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, they had 44,760 warriors. They did wage were and were helped because they cried out to God in battle, not depending on their own strength but the strength of God. God granted their request and helped them capture much people and livestock. It was said they defeated their enemies “because it was God’s battle” (1 Chr 5:22).
The Brave Warriors, the Famous Men – Manasseh
The people of the half tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan “were numerous” (1 Chr 5:23). Additionally they were known as “brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their ancestral houses” (1 Chr 5:24). It would seem like these were the kind of men that the other Israelites and the world would admire, but it ended there.
“But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They prostituted themselves with the gods of the nations God had destroyed before them” (1 Chr 5:25).
They were unfaithful. For all their bravery, courage, fame, and leadership, they still worshiped and prostituted themselves with other gods. Faithfulness was a problem on multiple levels. And God had warned them that if they did the same things as the peoples before them, he would do the same to them–drive them out.
When God Brings Judgment
God drove out the peoples before the Israelites as an act of judgment, and here they were doing the same things. So now God had to drive them out. Look at what it says:
“So the God of Israel put it into the mind of Pul (that is Tiglath-pileser) king of Assyria to take the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh into exile” (1 Chr 5:26).
It wasn’t Tiglath-pilesar’s idea to conquer Israel, but God put it into his mind. It was the necessary judgment after centuries of Israel refusing to repent.
That is a very interesting thought. Sometimes kings and rulers and moved by evil desires to go to war. But this indicates that at least at this one point in history, it was put into the King of Assyria’s mind as a way for God to bring his righteous justice to Israel.
Man has freewill to do good and to do evil. But God is always and still the ruler of all the nations of the earth.
