Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 5:10
During the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands, and they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the region east of Gilead.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The chronicler records the territorial expansion and military actions of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh during the reign of Saul. This account follows their initial settlement east of the Jordan and precedes a census of their warrior strength.
The words — The Hebrew phrase עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה ('asu milchamah) literally renders "they made war," combining the verb "to do/make" with the noun "war." The clause וַיִּפְלוּ בְּיָדָם (va-yippelu be-yadam) states "and they fell by their hand," describing the Hagrites' defeat.
The thread — This military campaign against the Hagrites connects to the broader tribal geography in 1 Chronicles 5:9 and 5:11, while the Hagrites themselves appear later in Psalm 83:6 as part of a coalition against Israel. The text explicitly notes they occupied Hagrite dwellings east of Gilead, linking to the Reubenites and Gadites' eastern settlement.
Why it lands — The passage demands recognition of how tribal territories expanded through conflict and displacement under Saul's era. It requires the reader to track how specific groups, like the Hagrites, are recorded in historical and poetic texts without conflating them with unrelated genealogical mentions.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead.
Cross-references
- Genesis 25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.
- 1 Chronicles 5:18 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors—valiant men who carried the shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for battle.
- Psalms 83:6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,
- Genesis 21:9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,