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New Defender's Study Bible Notes
5:2 above his brethren. It had been customary (though never commanded by God) for fathers to leave a double portion of their estate to the eldest son, but Jacob chose to give this “birthright” to Joseph instead of Reuben, because of Reuben’s act of incest and because of Joseph’s faithfulness. However, God inspired Jacob to predict that the “sceptre” of the family would go to Judah, probably because of his willingness to die for his younger brother. See notes on Genesis 49:3, 4, 10.
5:17 the days of Jotham. As in I Chronicles 4:22, the Chronicler notes that his accounts were based on records obtained from at least three hundred years earlier in the days of Jotham and Jeroboam.
5:22 war was of God. This campaign, carried on by the tribes east of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad, half-tribe of Manasseh) was part of the wars of the conquest commanded by God. It was carried out in that light, and therefore God blessed and gave the victory. Although it is not mentioned elsewhere, it evidently occurred during the time of Saul (I Chronicles 5:10), when Saul was mainly occupied with the Philistines and other peoples on the west.
5:26 Tilgath-pilneser. Pul is the same king as Tilgath-pilneser, with the “and” connecting the two names in this verse being understood in the sense of “even.” Because of their later apostasy, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh seem to have been the first of the ten northern tribes to be taken into the Assyrian captivity. This invasion is found depicted on a sculpture found in the Assyrian palace at Nimrud.