1 Chronicles 5

New International Reader’s Version

1 Reuben was the eldest 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 eldest 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 eldest son.2 Judah also did not have the rights of the eldest son. Judah didn’t let them even though he was the leader among his brothers. And a ruler came from his family line. But the rights of the eldest son belonged to Joseph.3 Reuben was the eldest son of Israel. Reuben’s sons were Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.4 The family line of Joel includes his son Shemaiah. Gog was the son of Shemaiah. Shimei was the son of Gog.5 Micah was the son of Shimei. Reaiah was the son of Micah. Baal was the son of Reaiah.6 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.7 Here are the relatives of the family groups of Reuben. They are listed in their family history. They include Chief Jeiel, Zechariah8 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.9 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 River Euphrates. 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.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.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 worshipped 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.

1 Chronicles 5

English Standard Version

1 The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son; (Ge 29:32; Ge 35:22; Ge 48:15; Ge 49:3; Ge 49:4)2 though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), (Ge 49:8; Mic 5:2; Mt 2:6)3 the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. (Ge 46:9; Ex 6:14; Nu 26:5)4 The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,5 Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,6 Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser[1] king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chief of the Reubenites. (2Ch 28:20)7 And his kinsmen by their clans, when the genealogy of their generations was recorded: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, (1Ch 5:17)8 and Bela the son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. (Nu 32:3; Nu 32:38; De 2:36; Jos 13:16; 1Ch 5:4)9 He also lived to the east as far as the entrance of the desert this side of the Euphrates, because their livestock had multiplied in the land of Gilead. (Jos 22:9)10 And in the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who fell into their hand. And they lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead. (1Ch 5:19; 1Ch 11:38; 1Ch 27:30)11 The sons of Gad lived over against them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah: (Jos 12:5; Jos 13:11)12 Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.13 And their kinsmen according to their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber, seven.14 These were the sons of Abihail the son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz.15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was chief in their fathers’ houses,16 and they lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon to their limits. (1Ch 27:29)17 All of these were recorded in genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. (2Ki 14:16; 2Ki 14:28; 2Ki 15:5; 2Ki 15:32)18 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. (Nu 1:3)19 They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. (Ge 25:15; 1Ch 1:31; 1Ch 5:10)20 And when they prevailed[2] over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him. (2Ch 14:11; 2Ch 18:31; Ps 22:4)21 They carried off their livestock: 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 men alive.22 For many fell, because the war was of God. And they lived in their place until the exile. (2Ki 15:29; 2Ki 17:6; 1Ch 4:41; 1Ch 5:6)23 The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They were very numerous from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. (De 3:9; Eze 27:5)24 These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher,[3] Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.25 But they broke faith with the God of their fathers, and whored after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. (Ex 34:15; 2Ki 17:7)26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and he took them into exile, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day. (2Ki 15:19; 2Ki 17:6; 2Ki 18:11; 1Ch 5:6)