1 chronicles 5 and 6

Read 1 Chronicles 5 and 6 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

1 Chr 5:1-2 {s} Reuben the firstborn, yet the birthright was Joseph’s, and the leadership was Judah’s
1 Chr 5:3-10 {s} The sons of Reuben, their inheritance, and their history
1 Chr 5:11-13 {s} The sons of Gad
1 Chr 5:14-17 {p} Gadite genealogies and their inheritance
1 Chr 5:18-22 {p} Reuben, Gad, and half Manassah’s war with the Hagrites
1 Chr 5:23-26 {p} Half Manassah’s chiefs, inheritance/ Reuben + Gad + half Manassah carried into captivity
1 Chr 6:1-2 {s} The sons of Levi + the sons of Kohath the son of Levi
1 Chr 6:3-15 {p} The children of Amran, son of Kohath + sons of Aaron, son of Amran, high priests until the captivity
1 Chr 6:16-18 {s} The sons of Levi + the sons of Gershon and Kohath
1 Chr 6:19-28 {s} The sons of Merari + Gershon + Kohath, to the prophet Samuel, and his sons
1 Chr 6:29-30 {p} The sons of Merari
1 Chr 6:31-38 {s} Heman the Kohathite whom David appointed over the service of song
1 Chr 6:39-43 {s} Asaph the Gershonite whom David appointed over the service of song
1 Chr 6:44-47 {s} Ethan the Merarite whom David appointed over the service of song
1 Chr 6:48-49 {p} Levites over the work of the tabernacle/ Aaron over the sacrifices + Most Holy Place
1 Chr 6:50-53 {s} The sons of Aaron (who served as high priest)
1 Chr 6:54-56 {s} From Judah, the city of Hebron given to Aaron (but its fields + villages to Caleb)
1 Chr 6:57-59 {s} From Judah, the city of refuge (Hebron) given to Aaron + also these cities
1 Chr 6:60 {s} From Benjamin: their cities given to Aaron (13 total given to Aaron)
1 Chr 6:61 {p} From half Manasseh: 10 cities given to Kohath
1 Chr 6:62 {s} From Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, half Manasseh (in Bashan): 13 cities to Gershon
1 Chr 6:63 {s} 63 From Reuben, Gad, Zebulun: 12 cities to Merari
1 Chr 6:64-65 {s} These are the cities which Israel gave to the Levites
1 Chr 6:66-70 {p} From Ephraim + half Manasseh: named cities given to Kohath
1 Chr 6:71-73 {s} From half Manasseh in Bashan + Issachar: named cities given to Gershon
1 Chr 6:74-75 {s} From Asher: named cities given to Gershon
1 Chr 6:76 {s} From Naphtali: named cities given to Gershon
1 Chr 6:77-81 {s} From Zebulun + Reuben + Gad: named cities given to Merari

The strong themes:

1 Chr 5:1-17 {sx3+p} Genealogies + inheritance of Reuben and Gad
1 Chr 5:18-22 {p} Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh’s war with the Hagrites
1 Chr 5:23-26 {p} Half Manasseh’s chiefs, inheritance/ Reuben + Gad + half Manasseh carried into captivity
1 Chr 6:1-15 {s+p} Genealogy from Levi of the sons of Aaron who served as high priest until the captivity
1 Chr 6:16-30 {s+s+p} Genealogy from Levi through Kohath of Samuel/ sons of Gershon, Kohath, Merari
1 Chr 6:31-49 {sx3+p} The Levites appointed over the service of song + work of Levites + Aaron
1 Chr 6:50-61 {sx4+p} Cities given to Aaron + Kohath from Judah, Benjamin, half Manasseh
1 Chr 6:62-70 {sx3+p} Cities given to Levi from the tribes of Israel + named cities given to Kohath

1 Chr 5:1-26 chiastic structure:

1a) 1 Chr 5:1-3a, Reuben, who defiled his father’s bed;

1b) 1 Chr 5:3-8, The chiefs of Reuben according to their genealogies;

1c) 1 Chr 5:9, Reuben settled as far as the wilderness toward the Euphrates, because they multiplied;

1d) 1 Chr 5:10, They made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand + dwelt in their tents east of Gilead;

central axis) 1 Chr 5:11-17, The chiefs of Gad and their inheritance;

2d) 1 Chr 5:18-22, They made war against the Hagrites + dwelt in their place until the captivity;

1a) 1 Chr 5:18-19, The sons of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh went to war against the Hagrites;
1b) 1 Chr 5:20a, And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand;
1c) 1 Chr 5:20b, And all who were with them;
central axis) 1 Chr 5:20d, They cried out to God + He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him;
2c) 1 Chr 5:21, They took away their livestock and men;
2b) 1 Chr 5:22a, For many fell dead;
2a) 1 Chr 5:22b, Because the war was God’s + they dwelt in their place until the captivity.

2c) 1 Chr 5:23, Half Manasseh dwelt in the land + their numbers increased;

2b) 1 Chr 5:24, The chiefs of half Manasseh according to their genealogies (mighty men of valor);

2a) 1 Chr 5:25-26, They were unfaithful to God + played the harlot after other gods + they were taken captive.

The chiastic structure reveals that the sin of their forefather Reuben, his unfaithfulness against his father Jacob, in playing the harlot with his father’s concubine, was the sin recorded of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, in their unfaithfulness to God. But the war with the Hagrites reveals that this was not always the case: God helped them, because they cried out to Him, putting their trust in Him.

Is the generational curse of the forefathers the unavoidable destiny of the children? I don’t believe so, as the history of Jabez reveals in the previous chapter:

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested. 1 Chr 4:9-10

The name “Jabez” is Strong’s H3258, meaning “sorrow,” a close play on the phrase “he causes pain.” This was his destiny determined by his parents, before he had done anything, good or bad. But he cried out to the LORD, that he not fulfill the negative identity given to him by his parents, but that he would fulfill his identity in God, “he who is far from evil, who does not cause pain.” And God granted him what he requested. Our identity and destiny in God triumphs over all (if we pursue it and establish it as Jabez did)!