1 Chronicles 1:43

1Ch 1:43 Now these [are] the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before [any] king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city [was] Dinhabah.

Ver. 43. Now these are the kings.] {See Trapp on "Gen 36:31"} Kings were crowned, dukes were not. Israel had first judges, who were as dukes; after that, kings; and then dukes again, or governors, viz., after the captivity. So had Edom. See 1Ch 1:51-52.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He maketh mention of the Kings that came of Esau according to God’s promise made to Abraham concerning him, that kings should come of him. These eight kings reigned one after another in Idumea unto the time of David, who conquered their country.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 43. Before any king reigned over - Israel] See Ge 36:31, c., where the same verses occur, as I have supposed borrowed from this place and see the notes there.

Bela the son of Beor] "Balaam the impious son of Beor, the same as Laban the Syrian, who formed a confederacy with the sons of Esau, to destroy Jacob and his children; and he studied to destroy them utterly. Afterwards he reigned in Sodom; and the name of his royal city was Dinhabah, because it was undeservedly given to him." - T.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(43) Before any king reigned over the children of Israel.—Comp. Num_20:14-21, the message of Moses to the king of Edom, asking for a free passage for Israel through his domains. As the older people, and as having been earlier established in its permanent home, Edom was naturally a stage beyond Israel in political development. Unhappily brief as it is, this notice is very appropriately inserted here in an introduction to the history of the kings of the house of David.

Bela the son of Beor.—Curiously like “Balaam the son of Beor,” Num_22:5. In Hebrew, Bela and Balaam are essentially similar words, the terminal m of the latter being possibly a mere formative. (Perhaps, however, Balaam—Heb. Bil’am = “Bel is a kinsman”) comp. Eliam. The prophet whose strange story is read in Numbers 22-24 may, like Isaiah, have been of royal extraction.

Dinhabah.—Doom-giving, that is, the place where the king gave judgment (1Sa_8:5).

(43-54) The ancient kings and chiliarchs of Edom, a transcript of Gen_36:31-43, with only such differences as are incidental to transcribing.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

43–51a. The early Kings of Edom. (Cp. Gen_36:31-39.)

43. in the land of Edom] Edom continued to play an important part in the history of Israel till long after the Chronicler’s lifetime. See (e.g.) 1Ma_5:65; 2Ma_10:14-17. Moreover the Herods were of Edomite descent.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The slight differences favor the view, that the writer of Chronicles has here, as elsewhere, abridged from Genesis (see the marginal references).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Israel. The same remark had been made in Genesis xxxvi. 31. It is wonderful that the author of this work gives us no further information, when so many revolutions had since occurred. (Calmet) --- But he might content himself with repeating the words of Moses. (Haydock) --- The eight kings here specified must have reigned each 50 years, which is not impossible. David conquered the country under Adad.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Of this and the following verses, See Poole "Gen 36:31", &c., whence this whole relation is taken.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The relations of Edom and Israel.

The historical and geographical relations of the two nations may be given. Those of Israel are familiar, those of Edom may be thus indicated: Mount Seir, where Esau settled, was a rugged tract, east of the great valley of the Arabah. It consisted of limestone hills, with red and variegated sandstone cliffs and ridges, marked by that peculiar ruddy tinge of colour so consonant with the name of Edom (red). Kings reigned in Edom long before any descendant of Jacob occupied a throne. Eight Edomitish monarchs are enumerated in the early records. The refusal of Edom to allow Israel to march through the country on the route to Canaan both expressed and intensified the family enmity which came as the fruitage of Jacob"s deception. No friendly intercourse could be expected between the nations. The relations between the two peoples, descended from one parent, may be used to illustrate the way in which family and social wrongdoing will work out into practical evil in the succeeding generations. And, so treating the history of these two peoples, we may learn the valuable and impressive lesson that the sinner may be forgiven and personally accepted with God, but the natural and necessary fruitage of his wrong-doing cannot be stopped, and cannot always even be checked. Vindicate the Divine goodness and righteousness in thus permanently attaching penalties of suffering to sin, and letting these come upon others beside the wrong-doer. From the history the following topics may be fully detailed:

I THE ORIGINAL WRONG. It was a double wrong. Esau was meanly defrauded of his birthright by his brother taking unfair advantage of his fatigue and hunger. And he was, by a wicked scheme, dodged out of his paternal blessing. Because he was so manifestly the wronged party, we may fail to appraise aright Esau"s personal character; but we cannot wonder that he went forth to life with the sense of the grievous wrong done to him rankling in his mind. It was a grievous and shameful wrong, which nothing can extenuate or excuse; an utterly selfish and unbrotherly act. Such an act as bears its natural penalty in hatred, and all the mischief that hatred can contrive to do.

II THE DIVINE FORGIVENESS. Give the scene at Mananaim, and show how it bore relation to the sin as against God. Scripture urges that sin seemingly committed against our brother is really committed against God. "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." So Divine forgiveness has ever to be sought first.

III THE BROTHERLY RECONCILIATION. This seems to have been complete and satisfactory, yet it was too much a matter of impulse. Jacob was afraid to presume on it. And too often such reconciliations only prove temporary, and the old enmities come back again; and the "last state is worse than the first.

IV THE NATIONAL ENMITIES AND ENVIES. These had been started before the reconciliation of the brothers, and they could not be stopped. They grew in strength as the years rolled by. They formed a predisposition to judge each other unworthily, and see each other on the bad side only. And as time wore on the evil broke out into open war, and brother races shed each other"s blood (see 1Sa_14:47 2Sa_8:14 1Ki_11:15, 1Ki_11:16, etc.) In some of these wars and sieges such cruelties were practised as can only be explained by the intensity of the national feud and hatred. So the early wrong worked out into misery for both parties. "He that soweth to the flesh ever reaps corruption." Earnestly warn against wrong-doing in family and in social relationships; they are often the secret cause of long feud, war, and woe. We need to "think, not on our own things, but on the things of others;" we should be found jealous of our brother"s rights. In the way of righteousness and. brotherliness and charity ever flow life and peace and fellowship, all human blessedness, and the all-hallowing Divine favour.

R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bela ... Beor ... Jobab ... Zerah ... Husham

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

Dinhabah ... Bozrah

These are the names of places. (See: How to Translate Names)

Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place

"Husham, from the land where Teman's descendants lived, reigned after him"

Temanites

This is the name of a people group. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

king

reign

Edom

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Now these are the kings It is explained (Gen. Rab. 83:2): Rabbi Aibu said: This was before a king reigned in Israel, but since a king reigned in Israel, a governor reigned in Edom. Rabbi Jose the son of Hanina says: When this one [Edom] appoints kings, this one [Israel] appoints judges; when this one appoints chiefs, this one appoints princes. Said Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi: This one [Edom] appointed eight [kings] and this one: [Israel] appointed eight [kings], and I heard [people ask]: Did Edom have only these eight kings, and did Israel have only eight? Were there not more? Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, etc. Rather, the statement that this one appointed eight kings means that when they [Edom] appointed those eight kings of Edom, they [Israel] did not appoint the kings of Israel, because they were before David, and the chiefs of the heads of his fathers’ houses.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.