Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 5:9
They also settled in the east as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in the land of Gilead.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The chronicler records the eastward territorial expansion of the Reubenite, Gadite, and half-tribe of Manassite clans as their population grew. This geographic description sits within a historical survey of the Transjordanian tribes between genealogical lists and military accounts.
The words — The phrase לַמִּזְרָח (lamizrah) means "to the east," paired with the verb יָשַׁב (yashav) for dwelling or settling. The boundary marker עַד־לְבֹא מִדְבָּרָה לְמִן הַנָּהָר פְּרָת (ad-levo midbarah lemin hanahar perat) literally translates to "till the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates."
The thread — The eastward migration to the Euphrates parallels the tribal inheritance boundaries in Joshua 13:20-28 and the livestock wealth noted in Joshua 22:8. This same corridor reappears in 1 Chronicles 5:10 when the tribes occupy Hagrite dwellings east of Gilead.
Why it lands — The text plainly states that settlement followed livestock increase rather than military conquest. It requires the reader to trace how demographic pressure directly dictated territorial occupation in the biblical narrative.
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 eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.
Cross-references
- Joshua 22:8 saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies.”