1 Chronicles 5:2

1Ch 5:2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him [came] the chief ruler; but the birthright [was] Joseph’s:)

Ver. 2. For Judah prevailed above his brethren.] As was foretold. {Gen 49:8-10} {See Trapp on "Gen 49:8"} {See Trapp on "Gen 49:9"} {See Trapp on "Gen 49:10"}

And of him came the chief ruler.] Jesus Christ especially. {Heb 7:14}

But the birthright was Joseph’s.] Quod ad fructum attinet.

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.

1Ch_5:2

And of him came the Chief Ruler.

The Chief Ruler

I read of the rulers of the darkness of this world; the rulers of synagogues; the rulers that set themselves against the Lord and against His Anointed; but none of them are Chief. Christ is the Chief Ruler.

I. His appointment to office (Pro_8:22-31; Psa_2:6-9).

1. He rules in the Church.

2. He rules in the hearts of His people.

II. His essential qualifications for that office.

1. Infinite wisdom.

2. Invincible power.

3. Order.

III. The mercies unfolded in it.

1. By it is maintained the truth of God.

2. His empire is secured through it. He must rule until every enemy submits (Psa_72:11; Isa_11:7).

3. Triumphs are secured to us and repeatedly realised by our Chief Ruler.

(1) Over temptations (1Co_10:13).

(2) Over every difficulty in providence (Isa_13:16). (Joseph Irons.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 5:2. For Judah — Not the person, (for in person Joseph prevailed,) but the tribe of Judah. Prevailed — Excelled the other tribes, especially in the following privilege. And of him — Rather, For of him, as the Hebrew ו, vau, is often used: this being a reason of the foregoing assertion, or declaration, showing wherein he did prevail. Came the chief ruler — The government was, by God’s promise and appointment, to be seated chiefly and most durably in that tribe, first in David and his successors, and then in the Messiah, who sprang out of Judah, (Heb 7:14,) which was a far greater privilege than the birthright. But, or although, the birthright was Joseph’s — So this prevents or removes an objection to Judah’s precedency taken from the birthright.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, he was the chiefest of all the tribes according to Jacob’s prophecy, Gen. 49:8, and because Christ should come of him.

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

Verse 2. And of him came the chief ruler] This is, by both the Syriac and Arabic, understood of Christ: "From Judah the King Messiah shall proceed." The Chaldee paraphrases the verse thus: "Seeing Judah prevailed over his brethren, so the kingdom was taken from Reuben and given to Judah; and because he was strong, so was his kingdom. Levi also was godly, and did not transgress in the matter of the golden calf; therefore the high priesthood was taken away from the children of Reuben, and on their account from all the first-born, and given to Aaron and his sons. The custody of the sanctuary belonged to the Levites, but the birthright to Joseph." - T.

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

(2) For Judah prevailed above his brethren.—Literally, was mighty among his brethren. Comp. Jacob’s blessing (Gen_49:8-10): “Judah, thou—thy brethren shall praise thee, Thy hand shall be on the neck of thy foes, Thy father’s sons shall bow before thee. Sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor doom-staff from between his feet,” &c. (See also Jdg_1:1-2, where Judah is divinely commissioned to lead the attack upon the Canaanites.) At the census of Moses, Judah greatly outnumbered any other single tribe (Num_1:27).

And of him came the chief ruler.—“And from him (one was to become) prince.” Literally, and for a prince—out of him. (Comp. Mic_5:1.) LXX., εἰς ἡγούμενον ἐξ αὐτοῦ. David is meant, as in 1Sa_13:14. We may also remember the word of the apostolic writer: “It is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah” (Heb_7:4). The prophecy concerning the royal dignity of Judah is only thus exhausted of its meaning.

But the birthright was Joseph’s, who actually received the “double portion” in the two tribal domains of Ephraim and Manasseh.

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

2. Judah prevailed above his brethren] Cp. Gen_49:8 (Jacob to Judah) “Thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.”

the chief ruler] R.V. the prince. The Heb. word is nâgîd, translated “captain” (1Sa_13:14, A.V.) and “ruler” (2Sa_7:8, A.V.). The prophets seem to prefer this word to melech, “king” as the title of the head of the Israelite state. The immediate reference is to David (Saul being virtually ignored by the Chronicler), but (since David is a typical character) a further reference in the words is possible. The Peshitta (a Judaeo-Christian work) translates, From him shall come forth (acc. to another reading, hath come forth) King Messiah.

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.

For Judah prevailed above his brethren,.... That is, the tribe of Judah prevailed above the rest in number, in valour, and courage, and in dignity; wherefore the genealogy is not reckoned according to birthright, but dignity and dominion; hence this genealogical account began with Judah:

because of him came the chief ruler; David and the kings of Judah, his successors; and above all, from him the Prince Messiah was to spring, and did, according to Gen 49:10 so both the Syriac and Arabic versions read,"out of Judah should go forth the King Messiah:"

but the birthright was Joseph's or "though" (p) it was; yet Judah having the dominion and dignity, that tribe is first genealogized.

(p) Licet, ibid. (Tigurine version)

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

Accounted to Joseph, viz., as to the double portion, which belonged to the first-born: but the princely dignity was given to Juda, and the priesthood to Levi. (Challoner) --- Yet it is not certain that the latter dignity formed a part of the birth-right, (Genesis xxv. 31.) and the author takes no notice of it. (Calmet) --- The double portion seems to have been all the privilege, Deuteronomy xxi. 17. Septuagint, "the blessing or gift was Joseph’s." Hebrew also does not specify princes, but "the leader," (Haydock) the Messias, (Syriac, &c.) and kings, from David till the captivity. (Calmet) (Genesis xlix. 4.) (Worthington)

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).

Judah; not the person, (for so Joseph prevailed,) but the tribe of Judah.

Prevailed above his brethren; excelled the other tribes in number and power, and especially in the following privilege.

And of him, or for of him, as the Hebrew vau is oft used; this being a reason of the foregoing assertion, or a declaration wherein he did prevail.

Came the chief ruler; the government was by God’s promise and appointment to be seated chiefly and most durably in that tribe, first in David and his successors, and then in the Messiah, who sprang out of Judah, Heb 7:14, which was a far greater privilege than the birthright. Or, as to the ruler, (i.e. as to the point of dominion,) he was more than he, or preferred before him, i.e. before Joseph, who is named in the very next clause, the pronoun being referred unto the following noun, which is frequent among the Hebrews, as Psa 87:1; 105:19.

But the birthright; or,

although, as vau is oft used; so this prevents or removes an objection against Judah’s precedency taken from his birthright.

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

Birthrights and supremacies.

A significant fact of the early history of the patriarchs is here brought to remembrance. It is one so curious as to carry suggestions and lessons for all the ages, and so is recorded for our instruction. By providential arrangement the tribal birthright was Reuben"s; he, however, lost it through his wrongdoing, and his father shifted it from the eldest son of his first with to the eldest son of his second but really his own chosen wife from Reuben to Joseph. Man"s adjustments of the Divine order are not always sealed by God. Jacob"s were not in this case. As the years passed on, Judah came to the front, ultimately gained the sovereignty, and from this tribe came the permanent Davidic dynasty. Joseph, represented by the tribe of Ephraim, struggled, age after age, to keep the birthright place, but in vain; and in the conflict of the two tribes we may find illustration of the hopelessness of pressing mere human adjustments against the providential order. Neither the individual nor the community may ever hope to "resist God and prosper." It is ever ill work "running upon the bosses of Jehovah"s buckler.

I MAN CANNOT READJUST THE DIVINE ORDER. Yet that is exactly what we, in our self-will, are ever striving to do. Even when we know what is God"s will, we try to get it twisted about so that it may at least seem to conform to our will. This is a very common but very subtle form of Christian error and sin. We know what we wish or want, so we deceive ourselves into the idea that this is what God wishes or wants for us, and fail in that simple openness to Divine lead which is the right spirit to cherish. Scripture illustrations may be found in Rebekah, whose will was to gain the birthright and blessing for her favourite son, so she took the Divine order into her own adjustment, and won those things for him by deceptions which, very properly, brought heavy penalties on her and on him. Or in Balaam, who professed to do exactly what God wished him to do, and yet evidently did what he himself planned to do, forcing from God that fatal "Go." Or in Saul, who could not simply wait God"s time and the arrival of his prophet, but, arranging the Divine order according to his own self-will, must himself offer the sacrifice. The forms in which nowadays men take the ordering of their lives into their own hands may be illustrated, and, as a contrast, mention may be made of David, who, though tempted to slay King Saul, would not interfere with the Divine order, though he might easily have seemed to himself to have been only fulfilling the Divine promise. We must wait for God as well as on him.

II MAN FINDS HIS TRUE GOOD IN FOLLOWING THE DIVINE ORDER. Not in the helplessly passive way of poor aged Eli, but in an active and loyal way, we may say, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." Keble expresses the right state of mind for the child of God, in his picture of the man sanctified by affliction, "wishing, no longer struggling, to be free." The Divine order for our life may differ wholly from the order of our own plannings. It may even seem to flesh and blood painful and humiliating. Still let life unfold, and it proves the way of best blessing for us and for others through us. Let eternity unfold, and we sing through all the ages of the "good way wherein the Lord our God led us." David shows us the attitude to which the Divine order is revealed. "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.

III FOLLOWING THE DIVINE ORDER MAY LEAD A MAN TO HIGHER THINGS THAN HIS BIRTH PROMISED. Illustrate from Judah, and from cases of men born in the disabilities of poverty, or of the weakness of hereditary disease, who have been led in God"s providence to high place, powers, and usefulness. Let us find our faculty and endowment. It is the key to God"s purpose in our life; let us develop it. Life will then bring to us its best. Let us but follow on along the line of our Divine endowment, and even the "least may become the first. 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.

Judah - Not the person, but the tribe of Judah. Prevailed - Excelled the other tribes, especially in the following privilege.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

For Judah prevailed above his brethren,.... That is, the tribe of Judah prevailed above the rest in number, in valour, and courage, and in dignity; wherefore the genealogy is not reckoned according to birthright, but dignity and dominion; hence this genealogical account began with Judah:

because of him came the chief ruler; David and the kings of Judah, his successors; and above all, from him the Prince Messiah was to spring, and did, according to Gen 49:10 so both the Syriac and Arabic versions read,"out of Judah should go forth the King Messiah:"

but the birthright was Joseph's or "though" (p) it was; yet Judah having the dominion and dignity, that tribe is first genealogized.

(p) Licet, ibid. (Tigurine version)

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.)

Because Judah prevailed over his brothers as it says (Gen. 49:9): “Judah is a lion’s cub.”

and the one appointed as prince was to be from him the kingship emanated from him, and for this reason the king was called נָגִיד, since he is the one who leads [the people] out and brings them in [the Aramaic root נגד means to pull or lead.] And the birthright and the throne were taken from Reuben, and the throne was given to Judah, as it is written: “Because Judah prevailed over his brothers”; but the share of the birthright was given to Joseph, to his two sons.

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.