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Reuben’s Children

Reuben was Israel’s [C Jacob’s] ·first son [firstborn]. Reuben ·should have received the special privileges of the oldest son [was the firstborn], but he ·had sexual relations with his father’s slave woman [L defiled his father’s bed; Gen. 35:22]. So ·those special privileges [that birthright] were given to Joseph’s sons. (Joseph was a son of Israel [C Jacob].) In the ·family history Reuben’s name [genealogical record he] is not listed as ·the first son [having the right of the firstborn]. Judah became ·stronger than [predominant/prominent over] his brothers, and a leader came from his family [C likely referring to David]. But ·Joseph’s family received the privileges that belonged to the oldest son [the birthright belonged to Joseph]. Reuben was Israel’s ·first son [firstborn]. Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

These were the children of Joel: Shemaiah was Joel’s son. Gog was Shemaiah’s son. Shimei was Gog’s son. Micah was Shimei’s son. Reaiah was Micah’s son. Baal was Reaiah’s son. Beerah was Baal’s son. Beerah was a leader of the tribe of Reuben. Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria captured him and took him ·away [L into exile/captivity].

Joel’s ·brothers [relatives; kinsmen] and all his ·family groups [clans] are listed ·just as they are written in their family histories [according to their genealogical records]: Jeiel was the ·first [leader; chief], then Zechariah, and Bela. (Bela was the son of Azaz. Azaz was the son of Shema, and Shema was the son of Joel.) They lived in the area ·of [that stretches from] Aroer all the way to Nebo and Baal Meon. Bela’s people lived to the east—as far as the edge of the ·desert [wilderness], ·which is beside [that stretches to] the Euphrates River—because they had ·too [so] many cattle ·for [in] the land of Gilead.

10 When Saul was king, Bela’s people fought a war against the Hagrite people ·and defeated them [L who fell by their hand]. Then Bela’s people lived in the ·tents [settlements] that had belonged to the Hagrites in all the area east of Gilead.

Gad’s Children

11 The ·people from the tribe [L sons] of Gad lived ·near [beside] the Reubenites. The Gadites lived in the area of Bashan all the way to Salecah. 12 Joel was the ·main leader [chief], Shapham was second, and then Janai and Shaphat were leaders in Bashan.

13 The seven ·relatives [brothers] in their ·families [clans] were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. 14 They were the descendants of Abihail. Abihail was Huri’s son. Huri was Jaroah’s son. Jaroah was Gilead’s son. Gilead was Michael’s son. Michael was Jeshishai’s son. Jeshishai was Jahdo’s son, and Jahdo was the son of Buz. 15 Ahi was Abdiel’s son, and Abdiel was Guni’s son. Ahi was the leader of their ·family [clans].

16 The Gadites lived in Gilead, Bashan and the small towns around it, and on all the pasturelands in the Plain of Sharon all the way to the borders.

17 All these names were written in the ·family history [genealogical records] of Gad during the time Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.

Soldiers Skilled in War

18 There were forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty ·soldiers [able-bodied/valiant men] from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh who carried shields and swords and bows. They were ·skilled in war [trained for battle]. 19 They ·started [waged] a war against the Hagrites and the people of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 The men from the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad ·prayed [cried out] to God during the ·war [battle], asking him to help them. So he helped them because they trusted him. He handed over to them the Hagrites and all those who were with them. 21 They took the animals that belonged to the Hagrites: fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand donkeys. They also captured one hundred thousand people. 22 Many Hagrites were killed because God helped the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. Then they ·lived there [occupied their land/territory] until ·Babylon captured them and took them away [L the exile/captivity; 2 Chr. 36:17–21].

East Manasseh

23 The many people of ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh lived in the area of Bashan all the way to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.

24 These were the ·family [clan] leaders: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were ·all strong, brave [mighty warriors/men of valor], and ·famous men [men of reputation], and ·leaders in their families [head of their clans]. 25 But they ·sinned against [were unfaithful to] the God ·that their ancestors had worshiped [L of their fathers]. They ·began worshiping [L prostituted themselves to] the gods of the people in that land, ·and those were the people God was destroying [whom God had destroyed before them]. 26 So the God of Israel ·made Pul king of Assyria want to go to war [L stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria]. (Pul was also called Tiglath-pileser [C ruled 744–727 bc].) He ·captured [carried into exile] the people of Reuben, Gad, and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh, and he took them away to Halah, Habor, Hara, and near the Gozan River. They have lived there from that time until this day.

As to sons of Reuben, first-born of Israel -- for he [is] the first-born, and on account of his profaning the couch of his father hath his birthright been given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, and [he is] not to be reckoned by genealogy for the birthright,

for Judah hath been mighty over his brother, and for leader above him, and the birthright [is] to Joseph.

Sons of Reuben, first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

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 Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur removed; he [is] prince of the Reubenite.

And his brethren, by their families, in the genealogy of their generations, [are] heads: Jeiel, and Zechariah,

and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel -- he is dwelling in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baal-Meon;

and at the east he dwelt even unto the entering in of the wilderness, even from the river Phrat, for their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.

10 And in the days of Saul they have made war with the Hagarites, who fall by their hand, and they dwell in their tents over all the face of the east of Gilead.

11 And the sons of Gad, over-against them have dwelt in the land of Bashan unto Salcah,

12 Joel the head, and Shapham the second, and Jaanai and Shaphat in Bashan;

13 and their brethren of the house of their fathers [are] Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.

14 These [are] sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz;

15 Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, [is] head of the house of their fathers;

16 and they dwell in Gilead in Bashan, and in her small towns, and in all suburbs of Sharon, upon their outskirts;

17 all of them reckoned themselves by genealogy in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

18 Sons of Reuben, and the Gadite, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, of sons of valour, men bearing shield and sword, and treading bow, and taught in battle, [are] forty and four thousand and seven hundred and sixty, going out to the host.

19 And they make war with the Hagarites, and Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab,

20 and they are helped against them, and the Hagarites are given into their hand, and all who [are] with them, for they cried to God in battle, and He was entreated of them, because they trusted in Him.

21 And they take captive their cattle, of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of human beings a hundred thousand;

22 for many have fallen pierced, for of God [is] the battle; and they dwell in their stead till the removal.

23 And the sons of the half of the tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land, from Bashan unto Baal-Hermon, and Senir, and mount Hermon, they have multiplied.

24 And these [are] heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, men mighty in valour, men of name, heads to the house of their fathers.

25 And they trespass against the God of their fathers, and go a-whoring after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God destroyed from their presence;

26 and stir up doth the God of Israel the spirit of Pul king of Asshur, and the spirit of Tilgath-Pilneser king of Asshur, and he removeth them -- even the Reubenite, and the Gadite, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh -- and bringeth them in to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and the river of Gozan unto this day.