generations are enumerated, could be reconciled with this supposition. The spread of Bela's family over the whole of the Reubenite Gilead, which has just been narrated, proves decisively that they were not contemporaries. If Bela lived at the time of the invasion of Gilead by Tiglath-pileser, when the prince Beerah was carried away into exile, it is certainly possible that he might have escaped the Assyrians; but he could neither have had at that time a family “which inhabited all the east land,” nor could he himself have extended his domain from “Aroer and Nebo towards the wilderness,” as the words יושׁב הוּא, 1Ch 5:8, distinctly state. We therefore hold that Bela was much older than Beerah, for he is introduced as a great-grandson of Joel, so that his family might have been as widely distributed as 1Ch 5:8, 1Ch 5:9 state, and have undertaken and carried out the war of conquest against the Hagarites, referred to in 1Ch 5:10, as early as the time of Saul. Thus, too, we can most easily explain the fact that Bela and his brothers Jeiel and Zechariah are not mentioned. As to הגרעים, cf. on 1Ch 5:19.
Verse 11
1Ch 5:11 The families of the tribe of Gad, and their dwelling-places. - 1Ch 5:11. In connection with the preceding statement as to the dwelling-places of the Reubenites, the enumeration of the families of Gad begins with a statement as to their dwelling-places: “Over against them (the Reubenites) dwelt the Gadites in Bashan unto Salcah.” Bashan is used here in its wider signification of the dominion of King Og, which embraced the northern half of Gilead, i.e., the part of that district which lay on the north side of the Jabbok, and the whole district of Bashan; cf. on Deu 3:10. Salcah formed the boundary towards the east, and is now Szalchad, about six hours eastward from Bosra (see on Deu 3:10).
Verses 12-14
The sons of Gad (Gen 46:16) are not named here, because the enumeration of the families of Gad had been already introduced by 1Ch 5:11, and the genealogical connection of the families enumerated in 1Ch 5:12., with the sons of the tribal ancestor, had not been handed down. In 1Ch 5:12 four names are mentioned, which are clearly those of heads of families or fathers'-houses, with the addition “in Bashan,” i.e., dwelling, for ישׁבוּ is to be repeated or supplied from the preceding verse. - In 1Ch 5:13 seven other names occur, the bearers of which are introduced as brothers of those mentioned (1Ch 5:12), according to their fathers'-houses. They are therefore heads of fathers'-houses, but the district in which they dwelt is not given; whence
