Who were the Hagarites / Hagrites / Hagarenes?

People in Arabia on whom the two and a half tribes made war. The great spoil captured shows that they were a wealthy tribe. 1 Chr. 5:10, 19-22; Ps. 83:6. The origin of the name, and where they abode, is not known. In the above Psalm they are distinguished from the Ishmaelites.

Designation of Jaziz, whom David set over his flocks. 1 Chr. 27:31. Probably the same as Hagarene.

The allied foes are now enumerated, compacted together in covenant against God Himself. They are Israel's immediate neighbors, as far as we know them; and indeed, largely their kindred, with Philistia and Tyre, who were in the borders of their land. One power only beyond these is mentioned, as aiding and abetting, rather than instigating, the attack: and that is Assyria. Israel's foes are thus all round her: Edom, Ishmael, and Moab in the south; Ammon and Amalek on the east; the Philistines and Tyrians on the west coast; and Assyria to the north. There are two not certainly known, — Gebal and the Hagarenes or Hagarites. The last stand, in the second member of the sixth verse, over against Ishmael in the first place, and in the same connection with Moab as Ishmael with Edom. Were they, perhaps, as their name might intimate, but a branch of the Ishmaelites themselves, which had attained a similar independence of the original tribe to that which the Amalekites held in regard to Edom? This, which is easily conceivable of these wandering peoples, seems the most probable conjecture, though it is but that. Gebal is only mentioned here, if that in Ezek. 27:9 (and which was the seat of the Giblites of Joshua 13:5.) is different.

The names, as a whole, are difficult to connect, as is generally sought, with any event in Israel's past history, which (if it could be established) would not, of course, prevent an application to that prophetic future with which these psalms are so evidently connected. It is, as we know, the commonest thing, if not the rule, to make some impending historical event the text of a prediction as to the latter days. But it is also difficult in many ways to connect an irruption of these peoples, most of whom have disappeared long since, with Israel's prophetic history, as far as we have yet come to an understanding of it. That there is a revival of many of the old nations in the last days, and a replacement of them in the positions they occupied of old, is clear, and has begun even to be fulfilled before our eyes, as in the case of the Greek and the Italian kingdoms. Many of the scattered tribes which are classed in general under the common name of Arabs, may be Moabites, Ammonites, and such like. In all this there is no very great difficulty. On the other hand, while the Assyrian is prominent in Isaiah in connection with Israel's troubles in the latter day, the list of the nations that come with Gog against her (as given in Ezek. 38, 39) is plainly different, and they are much further off than what are enumerated here. We must leave the precise application of what is here, therefore, in uncertainty. The day will declare it; for of its being a prophecy of the last times there can be no reasonable doubt. Rather than an attack of distant enemies, however, it is an attempted settlement of old scores with Israel on the part of neighboring and kindred races. With the exception of Assyria, Israel is to possess herself of all this territory and such an attack on their part may naturally lead to this.

As to the numerical structure, it is not strange that (with so much else uncertain) there should be room for much uncertainty as to the meaning of it. If the Hagarenes are really but an independent section of Ishmael, then those named in the second verse are all of Israelitish kin. The third verse is much more doubtful, as Ammon had her land expressly preserved for her, along with Moab and Edom. This is the main difficulty; for Gebal may after all be the Phoenician Gebal of Ezekiel and Joshua, and would then be within the limits of Israel's original inheritance; and Amalek, being condemned to utter extinction, would forfeit her land to Israel, and so be within her limits. As to Philistia and Tyre, there can be no question. Finally, the fourth verse seems to have no difficulty in relation to Asshur.

Descendants of Ishmael the son of Abraham. Gen. 37:25-28; Gen. 39:1; Judges 8:24; 1 Chr. 2:17; 1 Chr. 27:80; Ps. 83:6. See ISHMAEL.

Son of Ishmael. Gen. 25:15; 1 Chr. 1:31; 1 Chr. 5:19. His descendants were defeated by the tribes who dwelt on the east of the Jordan. See ITURAEA.

A tribe on the east of the Jordan conquered by the two and a half tribes. 1 Chr. 5:19.

Another matter is mentioned in verses 18-22. These two and a half tribes “made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab; and they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and He was intreated of them, because they put their trust in Him” (vv. 19-20). God granted their prayers just as He had answered the prayer of a single man, Jabez. “They put their trust in Him”; the God of grace owed it to His own character to answer them, however guilty they might be with regard to the unity of the people of God. Thus, in spite of the ruin, grace always responds to faith, and this is one of the distinctive characteristics of the whole of these books of Chronicles. The flesh is condemned; the captivity is the consequence of its independence, but faith is answered, for God is not only a God of government who renders to man according to his responsibility, but also a God of grace who cannot deny His character. In verse 22 we read, “The war was of God.” He had incited the difficulty so as to exercise the faith and confidence of His people, in order that He might then be able to answer them.

On the other hand, it is sweet and edifying to the soul to trace out the brief notices (which, if this were but a human book, would seem so out of place in the midst of long lists of names) of what divine grace had wrought in one and another as they trod their oftentimes lowly ways, with faith in exercise and the conscience active. Of this character is the lovely passage as to Jabez, who was more honorable than his brethren because he set the Lord before him. His prayer, "Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thy hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!" tells of the longings of his soul; and we do not wonder when we read that "God granted him that which he requested" (1 Chron. 4:9-10). The sons of Reuben, too, with their allies who overcame the Hagarites when "they cried to God in the battle, and He was entreated of them, because they put their trust in Him," are cited as another instance of the power of faith (chap. 5:18-20). Nor does God forget Zelophehad, the man who had no sons to inherit after him, but who claimed a portion for his daughters, and learned that the strength of the Lord is made perfect in weakness (chap. 7:15).

Psalm 83 — His people being purged (God being Judge in their midst, as well as rightful possessor of all nations), the final scene is presented. After the return to their land of the Jews and Israel, judicial wrath falls upon their oppressors and confederated enemies. 'El' is again appealed to, for it is in this character that Elohim is invoked (v. 1), and here is the scene in which He is specially thus displayed. He is supreme in holiness, above the evil, but His name is Jehovah, and His power is exercised that His enemies may seek Him thus, and know that He is 'Elion,' the Most High, supreme in government and blessing over all the earth. (v. 18.) The action of the psalm centres wholly around Him, the people being merely the occasion of it. The enemies are His, and He is the Object of their hatred. (vv. 1, 2.) The people are also His — His hidden ones (v. 3), and the confederacy against them is against Him, to take possession of His dwelling-places. Edom and the Ishmaelites on the south appear to be prominent. The alliance spreads in a northerly direction to Moab and the Hagarites on the east, and to Gebal, near Lebanon, on the north. Ammon is then introduced on the east, Amalek joining on the south-west. The whole sea-board follows — Philistia, with the inhabitants of Tyre. These are parallel to the nations first mentioned, and the whole nation of Israel is thus surrounded by enemies that have a footing in the land. Outside of it Asshur adds her help to Moab and Ammon. The situation is similar to that in the days of Deborah and of Gideon. The same lust of possession was the motive of their oppressors. For His own name's sake Jehovah is called upon to put them to shame, that they may be confounded and perish. Elohim, 3; El, 1; Jehovah, 2; Elion, 1.