1 Chronicles 5:20

20 The men from the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad prayed to God during the war, asking him to help them. So he help-ed them because they trusted him. He handed over to them the Hagrites and all those who were with them.

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 There were forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty soldiers from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and East Manasseh who carried shields and swords and bows. They were skilled in war.
19 They started a war against the Hagrites and the people of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.
20 The men from the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad prayed to God during the war, asking him to help them. So he help-ed them because they trusted him. He handed over to them the Hagrites and all those who were with them.
21 They took the animals that belonged to the Hagrites: fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand donkeys. They also captured one hundred thousand people.
22 Many Hagrites were killed because God helped the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. Then they lived there until Babylon captured them and took them away.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.