Bible Strands
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Chronicler records a military census of the Transjordanian tribes during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel. This count immediately precedes their campaign against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.
The words — The Hebrew text specifies בְּנֵֽי\־רְאוּבֵ֨ן (benei-Reuben, descendants of Reuben) and וַ/חֲצִ֥י שֵֽׁבֶט\־מְנַשֶּׁה (va/cha.Tzi she.vet-Menasheh, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh) to delineate the exact tribal units being enumerated.
The thread — This specific armed grouping is noted again in Joshua 4:12 as the vanguard crossing the Jordan, while the broader command to number every twenty-year-old male for service appears in Numbers 1:3.
Why it lands — The text plainly states that tribal lineage determined military organization and combat readiness. It requires the reader to observe how recorded genealogies directly translate into structured, trained action.
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
The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.
Cross-references
- Numbers 1:3 You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.
- Joshua 4:12 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over before the Israelites, armed for battle as Moses had instructed them.