I Chronicles 5:24-26 · Bible study
1 Chronicles 5:24-26 Commentary: Leaders, Faithlessness, and Exile
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of 1 Chronicles 5:24-26: the famous leaders of Manasseh, their spiritual unfaithfulness, God’s judgment through Assyria, and the warning for
Research Summary
- Meaning: A record of the heads of the half-tribe of Manasseh, their unfaithfulness to God through idolatry, and God’s judgment in using Assyrian kings to deport the Transjordanian tribes into exile.
- Key words: “Trespassed” (ma‘al), acting unfaithfully, especially in sacred matters; “played the prostitute” (zanah), spiritual adultery; “stirred up” (‘ur), to rouse or incite, used of God’s action on human rulers.
- Main debate: Whether the text distinguishes Pul and Tiglath-pileser as two kings or refers to the same king by different names; most modern commentators affirm they are the same person (Tiglath-pileser III).
- Theological theme: Covenant judgment follows persistent unfaithfulness, and God is sovereign over even pagan empires to accomplish His purposes.
- Best use: A cautionary story for believers who rest on past victories or reputation rather than active obedience; also an illustration of divine sovereignty in history.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
24These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel.
25They were mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of their families. But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and they prostituted themselves with the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.
26So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria) to take the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. And he brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.
WEB World English Bible 2000
24These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel—mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.
25They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God destroyed before them.
26So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried away the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.
KJV King James Version 1769
24And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.
25And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath–pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
24And these were the heads of their fathers’ houses: even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.
25And they trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, unto this day.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
24And these are heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, men mighty in valour, men of name, heads to the house of their fathers.
25And they trespass against the God of their fathers, and go a-whoring after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God destroyed from their presence;
26and stir up doth the God of Israel the spirit of Pul king of Asshur, and the spirit of Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur, and he removeth them--even the Reubenite, and the Gadite, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh--and bringeth them in to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and the river of Gozan unto this day.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
24And these were the heads of their fathers' houses: Epher, and Jishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses.
25And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after thegods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.
26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, — unto this day.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
24And these were the heads of the house of their kindred, Epher, and Jesi, and Eliel, and Esriel, and Jeremia, and Odoia, and Jediel, most valiant and powerful men, and famous chiefs in their families.
25But they forsook the God of their fathers, and went astray after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Phul king of the Assyrians. and the spirit of Thelgathphalnasar king of Assur: and he carried away Ruben, and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses, and brought them to Lahela, and to Habor, and to Ara, and to the river of Gozan, unto this day.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Chronicles 5:24
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that these closing verses of the Transjordanian genealogy serve as a tragic conclusion to a hopeful register. The seven named heads of the half-tribe of Manasseh (v. 24) are described as “mighty men of valor, famous men”, language used elsewhere in Chronicles for heroes of faith (e.g., 1 Chr 11). Yet v. 25 pivots sharply: “They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land.” Keil and Delitzsch note that the verb ma‘al (“trespass”) carries a special sense of unfaithfulness in sacred matters, often linked to idolatry. The verb zanah (“played the prostitute”) is the same root used by the prophets for spiritual adultery. The Cambridge Bible observes that the clause “whom God destroyed before them” highlights Israel’s prior knowledge of God’s judgment on the Canaanites, they had no excuse. In v. 26, “the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria.” Multiple commentators (Barnes, JFB, Cambridge) identify Pul and Tiglath-pileser as the same king, Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria (745, 727 BC). The verb ‘ur (“stirred up”) is used elsewhere for God raising up deliverers or foreign powers (2 Chr 21:16; 36:22). The deportation of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-Manasseh to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan is the first stage of Assyrian captivity, predating the fall of Samaria. All sources read this as a clear example of covenant judgment: God’s people, despite their military fame, were not immune to the consequences of idolatry.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Even renowned leaders were not exempt from judgment when they abandoned the God of their fathers, and God used a foreign king to bring about their exile.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Pul and Tiglath-pileser | The two names refer to the same Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser III (reigned 745, 727 BC). Pul was his Babylonian throne name, Tiglath-pileser his Assyrian name. | Some earlier readers (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) treated them as father and son, but archaeological evidence has settled the identification. A few traditions maintain the older view that they are distinct kings, but this is now a minority position. |
| The meaning of 'stirred up the spirit' | God actively moved the Assyrian king to act against Israel. This demonstrates divine sovereignty over human rulers. | Some emphasize the compatibilist aspect: God works through the king’s own ambitions and choices. Others argue for a direct supernatural influence, similar to how God ‘stirred up’ the spirit of Cyrus (2 Chr 36:22). The text does not resolve the precise mechanism. |
| Location of the exile places | Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan are in northern Mesopotamia, associated with Assyrian deportation policies. They lie near the Khabur River region. | Exact identification of Hara is uncertain; some equate it with Haran (Barnes, following an older view), while others see it as a region or mountain district. Cambridge suggests Halah may be a district in Cilicia or near the Tigris. The precise geography is not essential to the passage’s meaning. |
| The theological reason for the listing of leaders in v. 24 | The list emphasizes that even the most capable and respected leaders were not exempt from judgment. It sets up a contrast for the fall recorded in vv. 25, 26. | Some interpreters see it as a straightforward historical record; others view the placement as deliberately ironic, the men’s fame makes their failure more striking. Both readings are compatible with the text. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Transjordanian tribes, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, occupied territory east of the Jordan River, from the Arnon Valley north to Bashan and Mount Hermon (1 Chr 5:23). Their position placed them on the frontier of the expanding Assyrian Empire during the 8th century BC. The “peoples of the land” in v. 25 are likely the Amorite and Canaanite inhabitants whom God had dispossessed when Israel entered Canaan (Deut 7:1, 2). By adopting the gods of those peoples, the eastern tribes repeated the cycle of apostasy described throughout Judges and Kings.
Pul and Tilgath-pilneser (Tiglath-pileser III) are the same king, as most scholars agree; his Babylonian name was Pul, and his Assyrian throne name was Tiglath-pileser. The phrase “stirred up the spirit” reflects an ancient Near Eastern understanding that kings’ decisions were ultimately directed by divine will. Tiglath-pileser III conducted campaigns into Syria-Palestine in 734, 732 BC, deporting populations and incorporating them into the Assyrian provincial system. The places named, Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, are located in northern Mesopotamia, near the Khabur River region, a common destination for deported peoples. The note “to this day” (v. 26) dates the text to the writer’s own time, likely the postexilic period, when the northern tribes remained scattered. This historical note functions both as a record of punishment and as a warning: even a people with glorious leaders and a history of divine help could be undone by covenant breaking.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants that affect the meaning of the passage. The name Tilgath-pilneser in the Hebrew (תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנֶסֶר) is a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser, attested in other Old Testament passages (2 Kgs 15:29; 16:10). Some manuscripts of the Septuagint and Syriac harmonize the spelling to the more common form. The phrase “to this day” (v. 26) is a standard editorial note in Chronicles, indicating the writer’s own postexilic perspective, and does not reflect a textual discrepancy.
Reception History
This passage has been read across Christian tradition as a sobering example of the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. Early church fathers like John Chrysostom used it to warn against spiritual complacency, famous leaders of God’s people could still fall. In Reformation-era commentaries, the Geneva Bible’s marginal notes highlight the sexual metaphor for idolatry, urging readers to see God’s jealousy over His people. Matthew Henry’s exposition (1710) emphasizes that “if they that excel in gifts and graces, and are famous in the church, should yet be left to fall into scandalous sin, it is but what has been.” Modern preaching often cites this passage to speak about the reality of divine judgment upon believers’ sin, while also pointing to God’s sovereignty over the nations. The mention of Pul/Tiglath-pileser is frequently used as an example of God working through secular rulers, a theme that reappears in studies of Cyrus in Ezra and the kings of Babylon in Jeremiah. Overall, the text serves as a warning that past victories and public reputation cannot substitute for ongoing fidelity to God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Honor does not protect from sin. These men were mighty, valorous, and famous, yet they still turned from God. Human accomplishment offers no immunity to spiritual failure.
- Idolatry is spiritual adultery. The language of “playing the prostitute” is not incidental. God treats covenant loyalty like a marriage bond; straying after other gods is betrayal.
- God can use anyone to judge His people. Assyrian kings had no loyalty to Israel’s God, yet He “stirred up” their spirit. God is sovereign even over those who do not acknowledge Him.
Five-point outline
- Famous men, forgotten loyalty. The leaders of Manasseh had reputation, but not fidelity.
- The same old sin. They repeated the pattern of the Canaanites whom God destroyed, proving that knowledge of judgment is no guarantee of obedience.
- From victory to exile. The chapter records God’s help against the Hagrites (vv. 18, 22); now the same tribes are led away. Past grace does not secure present faithfulness.
- The God who stirs up spirits. Human history is not random. Behind geopolitical events stands the active will of God.
- A remnant hope. The phrase “to this day” implies continued exile, but the book of Chronicles was written for a returning community. God’s discipline is not the final word.
Illustration hooks
- A celebrated CEO or athlete whose public success hides private compromise, until scandal breaks. Reputation cannot substitute for character.
- A family with a storied Christian heritage that slowly drifts from its faith, adopting the values of the surrounding culture without noticing.
- A natural disaster or political upheaval that believers recognize as a call to examine their own covenant faithfulness.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is for us, why do bad things happen to people who used to be faithful?
- Does my reputation in church protect me from God’s discipline?
- How can I tell if I’m drifting into spiritual unfaithfulness?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows a people who had everything, military strength, famous leaders, a history of God’s help, yet they fell. It invites us to examine what we rely on, and whether our outward reputation matches our inward devotion. Use the questions below to guide your group discussion.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about how these men are described in verse 24? Why do you think the writer included such a detailed list of names?
- Verse 25 says they “played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land.” What does that language tell us about how God views idolatry? How might we see this kind of unfaithfulness in our own lives today?
- The same God who had just helped them defeat the Hagrites (vv. 18, 22) now stirred up the Assyrians against them. How do you square God’s past deliverance with His later judgment?
- What does the phrase “stirred up the spirit” teach us about God’s involvement in world events? Does this comfort you or trouble you? Why?
- In what ways might a person or a church be “mighty and famous” yet unfaithful to God? Can you think of contemporary examples?
- How does the reality of exile, being removed from the land of promise, function as a warning for Christians today? What might a New Testament equivalent look like?
- If you were part of a community that had fallen away and was facing consequences, what hope would you take from the fact that Chronicles was written after the exile for a returning people?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Chronicles 4:38 | these mentioned by name were princes in their families. Their fathers’ houses increased greatly. |
| Exodus 34:15 | “Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice; |
| Deuteronomy 32:15 | But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked. You have grown fat. You have grown thick. You have become sleek. Then he abandoned God who made him, and rejected the Rock of his salvation. |
| Deuteronomy 32:18 | Of the Rock who became your father, you are unmindful, and have forgotten God who gave you birth. |
| Judges 2:12 | They abandoned Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; and they provoked Yahweh to anger. |
| Judges 2:17 | Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying Yahweh’s commandments. They didn’t do so. |
| Judges 8:33 | As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god. |
| II Kings 17:7 | It was so because the children of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that God destroyed the Hagarites specifically because of their abominable idolatry. He also notes that many manuscripts spell the king's name as Tiglath instead of Tilgath, matching the reading in 2 Kings.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes distinguishes Habor as a city or district rather than a river, noting that Assyrian regions were sometimes named after streams. He also identifies Hara as likely the same place as Haran, with the name softened from the original “Kharan.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that the Hebrew verb for "transgressed" carries a precise force: it refers specifically to unlawful worship or the desecration of something set apart for God. He also clarifies that Pul and Tilgath-pilneser, though treated as separate names, belong to the same Assyrian king.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the stark contrast between these tribes' outward strength and fame as mighty warriors and their spiritual failure. Despite their reputation, they turned from God to idolatry, and neither their numbers nor their valor could prevent His judgment through Assyrian exile.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that the transgression of these eastern tribes brought God's judgment earlier than the other ten tribes. He notes that Pul and Tilgathpilneser carried them into captivity first, and unlike Judah, they never returned to their land, remaining scattered even to the writer's own day.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies Pul with the Assyrian monument figure Phalluka and Tilgath-pilneser as his son. These kings deported the Transjordanic tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh settled in Galilee to Upper Media. This event is noted as the first captivity.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the genealogist deliberately groups Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh by inserting two historical episodes about their shared victories and exile, making this section a unified narrative within the genealogies. He also argues that the war notice in verse 10 likely describes an earlier conquest by Bela's family, not a later event.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry traces a sobering pattern: these tribes won a stunning victory because they cried to God in battle and put their trust in Him, but later they turned to the idols of the very nations God had destroyed before them. That same God then stirred up Assyria to carry them into exile.