1 Chronicles 4:39

4:39 Gerar: The actual territory is not certain, since Gedor (as in Hebrew) is a common name; the Greek variant Gerar would refer to a city in Philistia, to the west of Judah (Gen 10:19).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For the tribe of Simeon was so great in number, that in the time of Hezekiah they sought new dwellings unto Gedor, which is in the tribe of Dan.

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

39. the entrance of Gedor] R.V. the entering in of Gedor. The Gedor of Jos_15:58 is identified with Jedur, Ijdur (north of Hebron, Bädeker, p. 135), the neighbourhood of which seems an unlikely scene in the days of Hezekiah for the exploit described in 1Ch_4:41. LXX. has Gerar (cp. Gen_20:1; Gen_26:1), perhaps rightly.

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.

And these written by name,.... Before in Ch1 4:34,

came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; as Dr. Lightfoot (m) thinks, not within the first fourteen years of his reign, when the Syrian army was abroad, and none dost peep out, but in his last fifteen years, when the army was destroyed and gone:

and smote their tents; the tents of those who dwelt there for the sake of feeding their flocks, and whose pasturage the Simeonites wanted:

and the habitations that were found there; or the Meunaim or Maonites, which the Septuagint Version here calls Mineans, a people sometimes mentioned along with the Philistines, and others: see Jdg 10:11.

and destroyed them utterly unto this day: to the writing of this book; they had not then recovered their possessions:

and dwelt in their room, because there was pasture there for their flocks; which was the thing they were in search of.

(m) Works, vol. 1. p. 111.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Gedor - Rather read, “Gerar” (Septuagint) a fertile district Gen 26:6-12; 2Ch 14:14-15 in Philistine country.

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

To the entrance of Gedor, to that country that belongs to Gedor, or borders upon it; either that Gedor, Jos 15:58, or that called Gederah, Jos 15:36.

Unto the east side of the valley; of which See Poole "1Sa 17:2,52".

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

39. They went to… Gedor — So the Simeonites, like the Danites, (Judges xviii,) enlarged their possessions by conquest. Whether this Gedor is the same as that in the mountains of Judah, (Jos_15:58,) which Dr. Robinson identifies with Jedur north of Hebron, is uncertain. Ewald proposes to amend by reading, with the Septuagint, Gerar, the city where Abraham and Isaac dwelt. Gen_20:1; Gen_26:1. But wherever the place, the Simeonites found there the rich pastures they desired, and did not hesitate to destroy the tents of the peaceful occupants, and to take forcible possession of their fields, as the Danites did in the case of the inhabitants of Laish.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The place Gedor cannot be identified in this connection. There is a town of the name situated in the mountainous district of Judah between Halhul and Beth-zur, to the north of Hebron. (Jos_15:58) It is evident that this cannot be the place we require here. There is another town of the name, (1Ch_12:7) probably belonging to Benjamin, and which as little admits of being fitted in here. Both the Alexandrine and the Vatican Codex of the Septuagint, however, evidently read rdG for rdoG.

Now, Gerar of the Philistines would suit well for position and description, and also (Gen_10:14) for the allusion found here (ver. 40) to the dwelling there "of old" of the people of Ham. The Hebrew word, however, generally applied to the valley of Gerar (lj"n," wady) is not the word used here of Gedor (ayg; h," ravine). See Stanley"s "Syria and Palestine," p. 159, and note. Not only are references frequent to the fertility of Gerar, but the significance of that in 2Ch_14:14 speaks for itself. This alteration of reading, however, with acceptance of the Septuagint manuscripts, cannot be regarded as altogether satisfactory, and Keil ("Comm.," in loc.) offers some suggestions of weight against those of Ewald, Bertheau, and others.

Vers. 39-41.

Might and right.

The place named Gedor is not otherwise mentioned in Scripture. Ewald and Bertheau think Gerar is the true reading; and this is given in the Septuagint Version. Reference, then, is to a portion of the Philistine country, which was remarkable for its fertility (Gen_26:6-12; 2Ch_14:14, 2Ch_14:15) We cannot tell whether these princes had any justifiable ground for their aggression. But we may dwell on this as an instance of "might" overmastering "right;" for the earlier occupiers may be fairly considered to have had the right," and the point of the story is that these princes grew strong, and when they had "might" they used it to drive out, and possess the lands of, those who had only right. " The Eastern mode of keeping flocks by moving them to different parts of wide pasture-grounds should be explained, and the rivalry and the quarrelling which this too often entails may be illustrated in the relations of Abraham and Lot. And the way in which weakening and decaying tribes have to yield before strong and rising tribes and nations, may illustrate the modern doctrine of the "survival of the fittest;" and instances may be found in the story of the great nations, such as Persia, Greece, Rome, etc.

I MAN"S MIGHT IS OFTEN THOUGHT RIGHT. The two things are perfectly distinct. What we can do is not necessarily what we ought to do. And man"s power must ever be held down under the mastery of a will guided by good judgment, right principles, sweet charity, and tender consideration for the claims and rights of others. The Nasmyth steam-hammer affords a good illustration of splendid power held in full control. Yet in the commoner spheres of life, as well as by kings and great men, might is often mistaken for right. It is often one of the easiest pieces of self-deception. One of the master principles swaying men is the love of power. Therefore do men get large numbers of servants, retainers, and workmen; they increase wealth and possessions; push into places of position and influence; and in every possible way seek to gain sway over their fellow-men. And this becomes a peril, and, for many men, the severest test of virtue and charity. Every true-hearted man will feel the peril of confusing might with right; and will accept the fact that these two will often be in conflict, and that, for such conflict, the issue must always be the triumph of the right. Man"s might is a fatal force for the liberty of his fellow-man, unless it not only seems to be to him, but it actually is, the same as the right. So the practical question ever and again recurring in life is this: "I can, but may I? Will it be right?" Man"s nobility is full loyalty to the right.

II GOD"S RIGHT ALWAYS PROVES TO BE MIGHT. Always in the long run," We make many mistakes by only seeing pieces and parts of things; so we sometimes say, "The way of the Lord is not equal. " Yet right does always triumph, if we can properly discern the "right," and properly appraise "triumph," Right is invincible. Nature, all the good there is in the earth, all the long ages, and God himself, are on the side of the right. This is true for the individual man when, in all simplicity and loyalty, he does God"s right, whatever of seeming disabilities it may involve. He may have the most perfect confidence that God will make it might, and in the due time "bring forth his righteousness as the light, and his judgment as the noonday." It may be practically enforced that man"s violence overreaches itself, as did Hamans.

And that all forcings of his way and will by man imply a failing of trust in God"s living love and lead. It is a spirit in striking contrast with that expressed in Jabez"s prayer. R.T. (1Ch_4:10)

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

And these written by name,.... Before in Ch1 4:34,

came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; as Dr. Lightfoot (m) thinks, not within the first fourteen years of his reign, when the Syrian army was abroad, and none dost peep out, but in his last fifteen years, when the army was destroyed and gone:

and smote their tents; the tents of those who dwelt there for the sake of feeding their flocks, and whose pasturage the Simeonites wanted:

and the habitations that were found there; or the Meunaim or Maonites, which the Septuagint Version here calls Mineans, a people sometimes mentioned along with the Philistines, and others: see Jdg 10:11.

and destroyed them utterly unto this day: to the writing of this book; they had not then recovered their possessions:

and dwelt in their room, because there was pasture there for their flocks; which was the thing they were in search of.

(m) Works, vol. 1. p. 111.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Gedor

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

pasture for their flocks

an area of land where their flocks could feed on the grass

abundant and good pasture

"pastures with much good food for their animals"

Hamites

a people group, descendants of Ham

Meunites

a people group. AT: "descendants of Meun" (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

flocks

life

Hezekiah

king

Judah

Ham

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

And they went therefore to the approach to Gedor, etc. to seek pasture for their flocks.

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.