1 Chronicles 5:26

1Ch 5:26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

Ver. 26. And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul.] "Howbeit he meant not so, neither was it in his heart to think so," - viz., that God set him on, - "but it was in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few." {Isa 10:7}

King of Assyria.] Though the Assyrians took their names from Ashur, son of Shem, {Gen 10:22 1Ch 1:17} yet the kingdom seemeth, saith one, to be raised amongst them by the prosperity of Cush, the son of Ham. {Gen 10:6-11}

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 5:26. The God of Israel — Who had been a husband to Israel, and whose jealousy burned like fire, when Israel went a whoring after other gods. Stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, &c. — That is, so governed his counsels and affections, that he brought his forces against this people rather than others. God served his own purposes by the designs of those ambitious monarchs, employed them first to chastise those revolters, and when that did not reduce them, wholly to root them out. These tribes were first placed, and they were first displaced. They would have the best land, not considering that it lay most exposed. They who are governed more by sense than by reason or faith in their inclinations and choices, may expect to fare accordingly.

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

Thus God stirred up the wicked, and used them as instruments to execute his just judgment against sinners, although they were led with malice and ambition.

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

the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul--the Phalluka of the Ninevite monuments (see on Kg2 15:19).

and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser--the son of the former. By them the trans-jordanic tribes, including the other half of Manasseh, settled in Galilee, were removed to Upper Media. This was the first captivity (Kg2 15:29).

Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 6

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 26. Tilgath-pilneser] Many MSS. have תגלת Tiglath instead of תלגת Tilgath. The Syriac, the Septuagint, and the Chaldee, have the same reading as in 2Kg 15:29, &c.

Brought them unto Halah] See the notes on the parallel places marked in the margin [2Kg 17:6 (note), and 2Kg 18:11 (note)], for many particulars of these wars, and consequent captivity. It is a pity that some method were not found out to harmonize the books of Kings with the books of Chronicles, that the variations might be seen at one view.

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

(26) Stirred up (or woke) the spirit.—So 2Ch_21:16, and Ezr_1:1; Ezr_1:5. For the thought, Isa_44:28; Isa_45:1-13.

Pul king of Assyria, and . . . Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria.—No trace of Pûl as distinct from Tiglath-pileser has been found in the Assyrian monuments, which, it must be remembered, are contemporary. In 2Ki_15:19 we read that, “Pul king of Assyria came against the land,” in the reign of Menahem, who recognised the Assyrian monarch as his suzerain, and paid a tribute of 1,000 talents of silver. Now Tiglath-pileser II. actually claims to have received tribute of Menahem (Menahimmu). Pûl appears to have been the original name of Tiglath-pileser, which, upon his accession to the throne of Assyria (745 B.C.), he discarded for that of the great king who had ruled the country four centuries before his time. The name Pûl has been identified by Dr. Schrader with the Porus of Ptolemy’s Canon, Pôr being the Persian pronunciation of Pûl. The Syriac here omits “Pûl king of Assyria.” The LXX. (Vat.) has Χαλαχ, and the Arabic Bãlaq. Perhaps the chronicler meant to indicate the identity of Pûl and Tiglath: “The spirit of Pul and (= that is) the spirit of Tiglath, and he carried them away.”

And he carried them away.—Tiglath-pileser is meant. (See 2Ki_15:29 : “In the days of Pekah king of Israel, came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah . . . and Gilead, and Galilee . . . and carried them captive to Assyria.”) From the Assyrian records we learn that (circ. 734–732 B.C.) Tiglath-pileser received the homage of Ahaz (Yahu-haçi, Jeho-ahaz), king of Judah, slew Rezin (Raçunni) of Damascus, and reduced Pekah (Paqahú), king of Samaria, to vassalage. This supplements the Biblical account. Gilead, in 2Ki_15:29, represents the trans-Jordanic tribes. (See 1Ch_5:10; 1Ch_5:16 above.) The transportation of entire populations was a common practice with the Assyrian kings. Assurbanipal (Sardanapalus) removed the men of Karbit from the mountains east of Assyria, and settled them in Egypt.

Brought them unto Halah, and Habor . . .—The same localities are mentioned (2Ki_17:6) as those to which Shalmaneser IV., or rather his successor Sargon, transported the other tribes of the northern kingdom (circ. 721 B.C.). There is nothing unlikely in the statement of either text. Sargon might have thought fit to strengthen the Israelite settlements in Northern Assyria by sending thither the new bodies of compulsory colonists. It is arbitrary to suppose that two different events have been confounded by the sacred annalists.

Halah.—See Note on 2Ki_17:6.

Habor.—Probably a district of North Assyria, not far from Halah, named after the river Habûr which rises near the upper Zab and falls into the Tigris.

Hara.—Kings, l.c., “cities of Media.” Hara here is perhaps an Aramaic name for the Median high lands, but more probably the reading is a relic of “the mountains of Media” [hârê Mâdai); comp.the LXX. at 2Ki_17:6. The Syriac here has “cities of Media;” the LXX. omits the word.

The river Gozan.—Rather, the river of Gozan. Shalmaneser mentions the country Guzana in Mesopotamia, the Greek Gauzanitis. An Assyrian list connects it with Naçibina (Nisibis). The “river of Gozan” is the Habur.

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

26. stirred up the spirit] Cp. 2Ch_21:16; 2Ch_36:22.

Pul … and … Tilgath-pilneser] Both here and in 2Ki_15:19; 2Ki_15:29 (Pul … Tiglath-pileser) the two names are used as though two different persons were meant, but there is no doubt that Pul is the earlier and Tiglath-pileser the royal name of the same king. See note on 1Ch_5:6.

unto Halah, etc.] In 2Ki_15:29 it is said only, to Assyria; in 2Ki_17:6 it is said that the Western tribes (“Samaria”) were carried away and placed in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan and in the cities of the Medes.

Halah] probably a district of Mesopotamia, but it has been proposed to identify it with Cilicia which was known to the Assyrians and was under their influence in the later days of their empire.

Habor] a river flowing into the Euphrates from the E., known to the Greeks as Χαβώρας or Ἀβόρρας.

and Hara] No place of this name is known; the reading may be corrupt for and in the cities of the Medes (2Ki_17:6; 2Ki_18:11).

the river Gozan] R.V. the river of Gozan. Gozan was a province of Mesopotamia.

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.

“Habor” here seems to be a city or a district, and not a river, as in marginal reference There is some reason to believe that districts among the Assyrians were occasionally named from streams.

Hara is probably the same as “Haran” Gen 11:31; 2Ki 19:12; Eze 27:23, being a softening down of the rugged original “Kharan.”

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

Assur. These princes were scourges in the hand of God, to punish the guilty. (Haydock) --- The former forced Israel to pay tribute; the latter carried many into captivity, 4 Kings xv. 19, 29., and xvi. 7. (Calmet) --- Lahela, or Hala and Haber, cities watered by the river Gozan. --- Ara; perhaps Rages, Tobias i. 16, &c. (Du Hamel)

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).

Stirred up the spirit; he so governed his counsels and affections, that he should bring his forces against this people rather than others. Of Halah, Habor, &c., see 2Ki 17:6; 18:11.

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

26. Pul — See on 2Ki_15:19-20.

Carried… away — That is, the latter, Tilgath-pilneser, carried them away. According to the account in Kings, Pul was hired by Menahem to withdraw his forces and confirm him in the kingdom, but it is not impossible that on his return through the eastern deserts he also carried off a number of exiles from the exposed eastern tribes. On Halah… Habor… Gozan, see 2Ki_17:6, note. Hara is mentioned only here. Some think it is the same as Haran, mentioned in Genesis 2:31, and 2Ki_19:12. Others regard it as the Aramaic form for הר, mountain, and refer it to some mountainous tract near Gozan.

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

Pul and Tilgath-pilneser. These two were chosen ministers of God"s will, if not ministers of himself. We can identify the date of this punishment which befell the transgressing Israelites east of the Jordan. The visit of the former, in the reign of Menahem, (2Ki_15:15-20) may be interpreted and might have operated as a lesson and a warning. He was bought off with a thousand talents of silver. It seems to be said with significance," So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land." It was in the reign of Pekah, the usurping successor of Menahem"s son Pekahiah, that the completer punishment fell, and Tilgathpilneser effected the captivity spoken of here and in, 2Ki_15:27-29. The name Pul cannot, it would appear, be a pure Assyrian name, and there is reason to think it may be identified with Vul-lush (grandson of the Shalmaneser who warred with Benhadad, etc.) a name found on Assyrian monuments, and belonging to a king who reigned at Calah, B.C. 4750 (see art. "Pul," Smith"s "Bible Dictionary"). Tilqath-pilneser (see notes on ver. 6) was probably the founder of the lower dynasty of Assyria, and first king of the new empire. His first invasion was one chiefly of Israel and Samaria (2Ki_15:29; Isa_9:1) His second was of a much more significant character. Called in to aid Judah under Ahaz against Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria in alliance, he both conquered these latter and brought into vassalage Judah itself (2Ki_15:37 2Ki_16:9, 2Ki_16:10; 2Ch_28:6-8; Isa_9:1) Halah; Habor Hara; Gozan. This enumeration exceeds that of 2Ki_17:6 by the addition of Hara, important as helping with consistent witness to the antiquity of the region described. Halah (not the "Calah" of Gen_10:11) is believed to be identifiable with Chalcitis, its verbal resemblance to which comes out a little more evidently in its Hebrew form (jlj) A trace of it possibly remains in the name of a hill, Gla, on the Khabour, i.q. Habor of this passage, an important tributary of the Euphrates, and not the "Chebar" of Ezekiel. This name Khabour is found in an Assyrian inscription dating upwards of eight centuries before Christ. The mention of Habor in 2Ki_17:6 and 18:11 is, in the Authorized Version, made to convey the impression of a place "by" the "river of Gozan," instead of being, what the Hebrew says, "the river of Gozan." Here, on the other hand, Gozan is, in the Authorized Version, incorrectly translated as a river itself, instead of the region of a river. It is, according to the testimony of Layard ("Nineveh and Babylon," pp. 270-312), a remarkably fertile tract, being the Gauzanitis of Ptolemy, and substantially the Mygdonia of Polybius and Strabo. Hara; hrj with little doubt, the same as rj Haran, or Charran, (Gen_11:31) the ancient adopted home of Abraham, in Padan-aram, in Mesopotamia, on the Belik, a small tributary of the Euphrates. It is the Greek Carrhae of Strabo and Polybius. These four names purport to give us, probably in brief, the information that those of the Captivity here alluded to were divided some to settle at Halab on one river, some in Hara on another, and the rest in the district called Gauzanitis. The region called Halah and that called Gau-zanitis, however, were both watered by the Khabour, and therefore the insertion of the name Haran where it is inserted occasions some difficulty.

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