1 Chronicles 5:8

(8) Bela.—His descent is traced, like that of Beerah. but through fewer names. This does not necessarily imply that Bela and Beerah were not contemporaries. Intermediate names are often omitted in genealogies. (See Jos_7:18 : “Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah,” and 1Ch_5:24, “Achan son of Zerah,” and the different lengths of the pedigrees of Heman, Asaph, and Ethan in 1Ch_6:33-47.) It is not likely that the Joel of 1Ch_5:8 is the same as the Joel of 1Ch_5:4, in spite of the further coincidence of Shema-Shemiah.

Who dwelt.—He was dwelling, that is, he and his clan.

Aroer.—Now Arâ’ir, on the north bank of the Arnon (Jos_12:2).

Nebo, a place on the famous mount Nebo, in the region east of the Dead Sea (now Jebel Neba, Deu_34:1), over against Jericho (Num_32:38).

Baal-meon.—Or, Beth-bqal-meon, now Ma’in, about two miles south-east of Heshbon. Aroer gives the southern Nebo, and Baalmeon the northern, limits of the tribe. All three places are mentioned on the Stone of Mesha, kings of Moab (2Ki_3:4-27).

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

These places were beyond Jordan toward the East in the land given to the Reubenites.

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

Verse 8. Who dwelt in Aroer] This town was situated on the river Arnon; and Nebo was both a city and a mountain in the same country. They both lay on the other side of Jordan.

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

8. Aroer] now ‘Ar‘âir, a heap of ruins near the wâdy Mojib, i.e. the Arnon (Jos_12:2). It passed from Sihon king of the Amorites into the hands of the Reubenites at the Conquest (ib. Jos_13:16). See Bädeker, p. 191.

Nebo and Baal-meon] A line drawn due N. from Aroer (see last note), passes close first to Ma‘in (which may be Baal-meon) and then to Jebel Nebâ, which evidently preserves the name of Mount Nebo.

Baal-meon] called more correctly Beth-baal-meon Jos_13:17.

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 eastward he inhabited,.... Either Bela, or the tribe of Reuben:

unto the entering in of the wilderness; the wilderness of Kedemoth, which was near to Sihon king of Heshbon, whose land the Reubenites inhabited, Deu 2:26.

from the river Euphrates; a learned man (r) thinks that this river Phrat was different from the Euphrates near Babylon, which was northward, since this was to the east or southeast:

because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead; therefore their habitation was extended further, even to the river Euphrates, as in the days of David and Solomon, Sa2 8:3.

(r) Texelii Phoenix, l. 3. c. 7. p. 272.

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

And. So Hebrew, &c., as f he was one of the princes. But the Vulgate seems to begin a new sentence, Porro, "now Bala." The possessions of this man must have been very extensive, from the Euphrates till (Haydock) Baal-meon, within nine miles of Hesebon, (Eusebius) almost (Calmet) as far as the Jordan. (Tirinus) --- Bala, or his descendants, extended their conquests as far as the Euphrates, which had been promised to Israel; and, under Saul, conquered the Agarites, who sprung from Agar. Syriac, &c., "the Arabs of Sacca," or the Scenites, "dwelling under tents," and inhabiting the Desert Arabia. The details of this war are probably given, ver. 19., &c. (Calmet)

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).

Who dwelt, to wit, the Reubenites, all these here before mentioned, as appears both by the following verses, which relate to the whole tribe; and by the agreement of this description of their inheritance with that, Jos 13:15,16.

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

And eastward he inhabited,.... Either Bela, or the tribe of Reuben:

unto the entering in of the wilderness; the wilderness of Kedemoth, which was near to Sihon king of Heshbon, whose land the Reubenites inhabited, Deu 2:26.

from the river Euphrates; a learned man (r) thinks that this river Phrat was different from the Euphrates near Babylon, which was northward, since this was to the east or southeast:

because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead; therefore their habitation was extended further, even to the river Euphrates, as in the days of David and Solomon, Sa2 8:3.

(r) Texelii Phoenix, l. 3. c. 7. p. 272.

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.)

and until Nebo and Baal Meon For in the ancient days, before they came into Israel’s hands, they were called Nebo and Baal Meon after their pagan deities, (lit. their abominations), for it was the custom of the heathens to call their pagan deities after their cities until that day. But when they came into Israel’s hands, they changed their names, as it is written (Num. 32:38): “Nebo and Baal Meon their names being changed,” i.e., Israel changed their names, but Sibmah, since it was not named for their pagan deities, they did not change its name. In Megillah (unknown) it is explained that Nebo and Baal Meon are names of pagan deities.

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.