1 Chronicles 5:20

20 gave help to them; and Hagarites, and all men that were with them, were betaken into the hands of Reuben, and Gad, and Manasseh; for they called inwardly the Lord, while they fought, and the Lord heard them, for they believed in to him. (gave them help; and the Hagarites, and all the men who were with them, were delivered into the hands of Reuben, and Gad, and eastern Manasseh; for they inwardly called on the Lord, while they fought, and the Lord heard them, for they believed in him.)

1 Chronicles 5:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 5:20

And they were helped against them
The Israelites were helped against the Ishmaelites, to fight with them, and overcome them; either by their brethren of the house of Israel, as the Targum, those on this side Jordan; or rather by the Lord, to whom they cried, and who was entreated by them as follows:

and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that [were]
with them;
they and their confederates and auxiliaries, the Ituraeans, &c.

for they cried to God in the battle;
which at first seems to have gone against them; and they prayed to God, as the Targum, while they were fighting, that he would appear for them, and give them victory:

and he was entreated of them;
he received their prayer, as the same paraphrase; he heard them, and answered them:

because they put their trust in him;
in his power and providence, and not in their own strength, courage, and military skill; the Targum is,

``because they trusted in his word.''

1 Chronicles 5:20 In-Context

18 The sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of half the lineage of Manasseh, were men warriors, bearing shields and swords, and bending bow, and taught in battles, four and forty thousand seven hundred and sixty, and they went forth to battle, (The sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh, were men of war, bearing shields and swords, and bending bow, and taught in battles, forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, and they went forth to battle,)
19 and fought against Hagarites. Forsooth Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab,
20 gave help to them; and Hagarites, and all men that were with them, were betaken into the hands of Reuben, and Gad, and Manasseh; for they called inwardly the Lord, while they fought, and the Lord heard them, for they believed in to him. (gave them help; and the Hagarites, and all the men who were with them, were delivered into the hands of Reuben, and Gad, and eastern Manasseh; for they inwardly called on the Lord, while they fought, and the Lord heard them, for they believed in him.)
21 And they took (away) all things which (the) Hagarites had in possession, fifty thousand of camels, and two hundred and fifty thousand of sheep, two thousand of asses (two thousand donkeys), and an hundred thousand persons of men;
22 for many men were wounded and felled down; for it was the battle of the Lord. And they dwelled (there) for (the) Hagarites till to the conquest. (for many men were killed and fell down; for the battle was the Lord's making. And they lived there in place of the Hagarites until the captivity.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.