Reuben’s Descendants

These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. He was the firstborn,(A) but his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph(B) son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed.(C) He is not listed in the genealogy according to birthright. Although Judah became strong among his brothers(D) and a ruler came from him,(E) the birthright was given to Joseph.

The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn:(F)

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

Joel’s sons: his son Shemaiah,

his son Gog, his son Shimei,

his son Micah, his son Reaiah,

his son Baal, and his son Beerah.

Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites, and King Tiglath-pileser[a] of Assyria took him into exile. His relatives by their families as they are recorded in their family records:(G)

Jeiel the chief, Zechariah,

and Bela son of Azaz,

son of Shema, son of Joel.

They settled in Aroer(H) as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. They also settled in the east as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their herds had increased in the land of Gilead.(I) 10 During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites,(J) who were defeated by their power. And they lived in their tents throughout the region east of Gilead.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:6 LXX; MT reads Tilgath-pilneser

Descendants of Reuben

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. (He was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright;(A) though Judah became prominent among his brothers and a ruler came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph.)(B) The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.(C) The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, Beerah his son, whom King Tiglath-pileser[a] of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chieftain of the Reubenites. And his kindred by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,(D) and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.(E) He also lived to the east as far as the beginning of the desert this side of the Euphrates, because their cattle had multiplied in the land of Gilead.(F) 10 And in the days of Saul they made war on the Hagrites, who fell by their hand, and they lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 5.6 Heb Tilgath-pilneser