1 Chronicles 5:23
And the children of the halfe tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the lande: they increased from Bashan vnto Baal-hermon, and Senir, and vnto mount Hermon. 1 Chronicles 5:23 (KJV)
The quotation frequently attached to 1 Chronicles 5:23 is not the wording found in that chapter. In the King James Version the actual verse reads, “And the children of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had four thousand five hundred and fourscore valiant men, able men for war, to go forth to battle.” The description of the half tribe’s territorial expansion—“from Bashan unto Baal‑hermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon”—does not appear in 1 Chronicles 5:23.
The geographic details belong to other biblical passages that record the allotment of land east of the Jordan. Joshua 13:29‑31 and Deuteronomy 3:8‑10 enumerate the regions given to the half tribe of Manasseh, naming Bashan, Baal‑hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon as part of their inheritance. Those verses explain how the tribe settled in the fertile plains of Bashan and the mountainous areas surrounding the Hermon range.
1 Chronicles as a whole is principally a work of genealogy and tribal history. Chapter 5 concentrates on the families of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, tracing their lineage and noting their military strength, but it does not provide a detailed topographical account of their borders. The focus remains on the numbers of valiant men rather than on the precise boundaries of their settlement.
Understanding the locations mentioned enriches the historical picture. Bashan was renowned for its rich pastures and productive land; Baal‑hermon and Senir are high peaks that marked the eastern edge of the territory; Mount Hermon rises dramatically and today straddles the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. The half tribe’s growth in these areas reflects both demographic increase and successful occupation of a strategically important region.
While the verse does not convey an explicit spiritual or moral lesson, it underscores the meticulous record‑keeping that characterizes the biblical narrative. Accurate citation of Scripture is essential for proper study, allowing readers to locate the correct passages that illuminate Israel’s settlement patterns and to appreciate the historical context of the nation’s development.
