Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 5:21
And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men a hundred thousand.
Verse 21. They took away their cattle] This was a war of extermination as to the political state of the people, which nothing could justify but an especial direction of God; and this he could never give against any, unless the cup of their iniquity had been full. The Hagarites were full of idolatry: see 1Ch 5:25.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Of their camels fifty thousand; for camels were very numerous in Arabia, being used in war, and for burdens, &c., and being very patient of thirst, and therefore most fit for those hot and dry countries.
Of men an hundred thousand; whom they took prisoners, and either used as slaves, or sold them for such.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they took away their cattle,…. Which they brought with them, and they found in their camp when they fled, or in their fields:
of their camels fifty thousand; with which Arabia abounded, and were fit to travel with in those hot and desert countries, being strong to carry burdens, and able to bear much thirst. The Arabians, as Diodorus Siculus a reports, brought up camels, for almost all the uses of life; as for the sake of their milk and flesh to feed upon, as well as for carrying burdens in common; and which in time of war they loaded with provisions for the army, and fought upon, one of them carrying two archers with their backs to each other, the one to meet the enemy in front, the other to annoy those that pursued them; and so the Parthians made use of camels both to fight on, and to carry provisions for their soldiers b:
and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand; which these Hagarites kept both for food and clothing, and some of them might be now taken with them to supply their army; the Spartans carried sheep with them in their expeditions, as sacrifices to their gods c; but it need not be supposed that these creatures, and those that follow, were in such large numbers with the Hagarites in the battle, but were afterwards found, partly in their camp, and partly in the places inhabited by them:
and of asses two thousand; used to ride on, and carry loads, and also to plough with; and in all these lay the wealth of men in those times and countries, see Job 1:1
and of men one hundred thousand; so that they took captive above as many more as their army consisted of.
a Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 137. & l. 3. p. 178. Vid. Plin. l. 8. c. l8. b Tacit. Annal. l. 15. c. 12. Herodian. l. 4. c. 28, 30. c Pausan. Boeotica, sive, l. 9. p. 561.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
21. Camels fifty thousand The booty taken in this war seems almost incredible; but when we compare the immense wealth in flocks and herds of a single Bedouin chief like Job, (Job 1:3,) or Mesha, (2Ki 3:4,) we have reason to believe that the numbers here given are not erroneous.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ch 5:21 And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.
Ver. 21. Of their camels, fifty thousand. ] These creatures were much set by in those eastern parts; as for their usefulness to bear great burdens, so for their unthirstiness, for they will travel three or four days together and not care to drink. Implentur cameli, cum bibendi est occasio, et in praeteritum, et in futurum, saith Pliny a They drink when they do, both for the time past and for the time to come.
And of sheep.
And of asses two thousand.
a Lib. viii. cap. 18.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
men. Hebrew “souls (nephesh) of men (adam)”. App-13and App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
took away: Heb. led captive
camels: The camel, in Hebrew gamal, retained with little variation in all languages, is, according to the Linnean system, a genus of quadrapeds of the order pecora; comprehending the camel, properly so called, with two prominences; the dromedary, with a single one; the lama, or Peruvian camel, with the back even and the breast gibbose, and the pacos, or camel without any gibbosity. The camel, properly so called, is about 6+ feet in height: its head is small; ears short; neck long, slender, and bending; legs long and slender, having four callosities on the fore legs and two on the hinder, on which it rests; feet soft, parted, but not thoroughly divided; bottom of the foot tough and pliant; tail about two feet in length, terminating in a tuft; and hair fine, soft, of considerable length, and of a dusky reddish colour. Besides the same internal structure as other ruminating animals, it is furnished with an additional bag for containing a quantity of water till wanted.
men: Heb. souls of men, Num 31:35, Eze 27:13, Rev 18:13, souls, Heb. nephesh, Gen 12:5
Reciprocal: 2Ch 14:15 – carried away Jer 49:29 – camels
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ch 5:21. Of their camels fifty thousand For camels were very numerous in Arabia, being used in war and for burdens, &c., and being very patient of thirst, and therefore most fit for those hot and dry countries. Of men a hundred thousand Whom they took prisoners, and either used as slaves, or sold them for such.