1 Chronicles 5
The Message
The Family of Reuben
5 1-2 The family of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Though Reuben was Israel’s firstborn, after he slept with his father’s concubine, a defiling act, his rights as the firstborn were passed on to the sons of Joseph son of Israel. He lost his “firstborn” place in the family tree. And even though Judah became the strongest of his brothers and King David eventually came from that family, the firstborn rights stayed with Joseph.
3 The sons of Reuben, firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4-6 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 king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was the prince of the Reubenites.
7-10 Beerah’s brothers are listed in the family tree by families: first Jeiel, followed by Zechariah: then Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. Joel lived in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. His family occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that goes all the way to the Euphrates River, since their growing herds of livestock spilled out of Gilead. During Saul’s reign they fought and defeated the Hagrites; they then took over their tents and lived in them on the eastern frontier of Gilead.
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11-12 The family of Gad were their neighbors in Bashan, as far as Salecah: Joel was the chief, Shapham the second-in-command, and then Janai, the judge in Bashan.
13-15 Their brothers, by families, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all. 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. Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.
16 The family of Gad lived in Gilead and Bashan, including the outlying villages and extending as far as the pastures of Sharon.
17 They were all written into the official family tree during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.
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18-22 The families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men trained for war—physically fit and skilled in handling shield, sword, and bow. They fought against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. God helped them as they fought. God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. God answered their prayers because they trusted him. They plundered the Hagrite herds and flocks: 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also captured 100,000 people. Many were killed, because the battle was God’s. They lived in that country until the exile.
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23-26 The half-tribe of Manasseh had a large population. They occupied the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon). The heads of their families were Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel—brave warriors, famous, and heads of their families. But they were not faithful to the God of their ancestors. They took up with the ungodly gods of the peoples of the land whom God had gotten rid of before they arrived. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria) to take the families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He deported them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan. They’ve been there ever since.
1 Chronicles 5
English Standard Version
Descendants of Reuben
5 The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel ((A)for he was the firstborn, but because (B)he defiled his father's couch, (C)his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son; 2 (D)though Judah became strong among his brothers and a (E)chief came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), 3 the (F)sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 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 (G)Tiglath-pileser[a] king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chief of the Reubenites. 7 And his kinsmen by their clans, (H)when the genealogy of their generations was recorded: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 8 and Bela the son of Azaz, son of (I)Shema, son of Joel, who lived in (J)Aroer, as far as (K)Nebo and (L)Baal-meon. 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 (M)in the land of Gilead. 10 And in the days of Saul they waged war against the (N)Hagrites, who fell into their hand. And they lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead.
Descendants of Gad
11 The sons of Gad lived over against them in the land of Bashan as far as (O)Salecah: 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 (P)Sharon to their limits. 17 All of these were recorded in genealogies in the days of (Q)Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of (R)Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, (S)expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. 19 They waged war against the (T)Hagrites, (U)Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 And when they prevailed[b] over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, (V)for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea (W)because they trusted in him. 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 (X)in their place until (Y)the exile.
The Half-Tribe of Manasseh
23 The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They were very numerous from Bashan to Baal-hermon, (Z)Senir, and Mount Hermon. 24 These were the heads of their fathers' houses: Epher,[c] 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 (AA)whored (AB)after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of (AC)Pul king of Assyria, the spirit of (AD)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 (AE)to Halah, (AF)Habor, Hara, and (AG)the river Gozan, to this day.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 5:6 Hebrew Tilgath-pilneser; also verse 26
- 1 Chronicles 5:20 Or they were helped to prevail
- 1 Chronicles 5:24 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew and Epher
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
