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The Family Line of Reuben

Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. But he slept with his father’s concubine. By doing that, he made his father’s bed “unclean.” That’s why his rights as the oldest son were given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel. So Reuben isn’t listed in the family history as the one who had the rights of the oldest son. Judah also did not have the rights of the oldest son. Judah didn’t have them even though he was the leader among his brothers. And a ruler came from his family line. But the rights of the oldest son belonged to Joseph. Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. Reuben’s sons were

Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

The family line of Joel includes

his son Shemaiah. Gog was the son of Shemaiah.

Shimei was the son of Gog. Micah was the son of Shimei.

Reaiah was the son of Micah. Baal was the son of Reaiah.

And Beerah was the son of Baal. Beerah was a leader of the people of Reuben. Tiglath-Pileser took Beerah as a prisoner to another country. Tiglath-Pileser was the king of Assyria.

Here are the relatives of the family groups of Reuben. They are listed in their family history.

They include Chief Jeiel, Zechariah and Bela. Bela was the son of Azaz. Azaz was the son of Shema. Shema was the son of Joel.

All of them made their homes in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. To the east they made their homes in the land up to the edge of the desert. That desert reaches all the way to the Euphrates River. They made their homes there because their livestock had increased in Gilead.

10 While Saul was king, the people of Reuben went to war against the Hagrites. They won the battle over them. Then they lived in the houses of the Hagrites. The people of Reuben lived in the entire area east of Gilead.

The Family Line of Gad

11 The people of Gad lived next to the people of Reuben in Bashan. They spread out all the way to Salekah.

12 Joel was their chief. Shapham was next. Then came Janai and Shaphat in Bashan.

13 Here are their relatives family by family. They included

Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber. The total number of them was seven.

14 These were the sons of Abihail. Abihail was the son of Huri. Huri was the son of Jaroah. Jaroah was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael. Michael was the son of Jeshishai. Jeshishai was the son of Jahdo. And Jahdo was the son of Buz.

15 Ahi was the leader of some of the families of Gad. Ahi was the son of Abdiel. Abdiel was the son of Guni.

16 The people of Gad lived in the land of Gilead. They lived in the villages of Bashan. They also lived on all the grasslands of Sharon as far as they reached.

17 All these names were written down in the family history. They were written during the time when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.

18 The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men able to serve in the army. Each one was able to handle a shield and sword. Each was also able to use a bow. Each was trained for battle. 19 They went to war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 God helped his people fight against the Hagrites and all who were helping them. He handed over all those enemies to his people. That’s because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 21 They captured the livestock of the Hagrites. They captured 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys. They also took 100,000 people as prisoners. 22 Many others were killed, because God won the battle over them. His people lived in the land until they themselves were taken as prisoners to other countries.

The Family Line of Half of the Tribe of Manasseh

23 The people in half of the tribe of Manasseh became a very large group. They made their homes in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon. Baal Hermon is also called Senir. Another name for it is Mount Hermon.

24 Here are the leaders of their families. They included Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave fighting men. They were also famous and were leaders of their families. 25 But they weren’t faithful to the God of their people. They joined themselves to the gods of the nations of the land and worshiped them. God had destroyed those nations to make room for his people. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul. He was king of Assyria. He was also called Tiglath-Pileser. He took the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh to other countries as his prisoners. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan. And that’s where they still are to this day.

Reuben

The sons of Reuben(A) the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed,(B) his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph(C) son of Israel;(D) so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright,(E) and though Judah(F) was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler(G) came from him, the rights of the firstborn(H) belonged to Joseph)— the sons of Reuben(I) the firstborn of Israel:

Hanok, Pallu,(J) Hezron(K) and Karmi.

The descendants of Joel:

Shemaiah his son, Gog his son,

Shimei his son, Micah his son,

Reaiah his son, Baal his son,

and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser[a](L) king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

Their relatives by clans,(M) listed according to their genealogical records:

Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer(N) to Nebo(O) and Baal Meon.(P) To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates(Q) River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.(R)

10 During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites(S), who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead.

Gad

11 The Gadites(T) lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salekah:(U)

12 Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.

13 Their relatives, by families, were:

Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber—seven in all.

14 These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.

15 Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.

16 The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended.

17 All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham(V) king of Judah and Jeroboam(W) king of Israel.

18 The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service(X)—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19 They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur,(Y) Naphish and Nodab. 20 They were helped(Z) in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried(AA) out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted(AB) in him. 21 They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22 and many others fell slain, because the battle(AC) was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.(AD)

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

23 The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh(AE) were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon).(AF)

24 These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. 25 But they were unfaithful(AG) to the God of their ancestors and prostituted(AH) themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit(AI) of Pul(AJ) king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser(AK) king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah,(AL) Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 5:6 Hebrew Tilgath-Pilneser, a variant of Tiglath-Pileser; also in verse 26