⁹ Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,^[a] saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

Simeon^(G)

²⁷ Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. ²⁸ They lived in Beersheba,^(J) Moladah,^(K) Hazar Shual, ²⁹ Bilhah, Ezem,^(L) Tolad, ³⁰ Bethuel, Hormah,^(M) Ziklag,^{(N) 31} Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim.^(O) These were their towns until the reign of David. ³² Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain,^(P) Rimmon, Token and Ashan^(Q)—five towns— ³³ and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath.^[e] These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.

³⁸ The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, ³⁹ and they went to the outskirts of Gedor^(R) to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. ⁴⁰ They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet.^(S) Some Hamites had lived there formerly.

⁴¹ The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites^(T) who were there and completely destroyed^[f] them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. ⁴² And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir.^{(U) 43} They killed the remaining Amalekites^(V) who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.

Reuben

5 The sons of Reuben^(W) the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed,^(X) his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph^(Y) son of Israel;^(Z) so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright,^{(AA) 2} and though Judah^(AB) was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler^(AC) came from him, the rights of the firstborn^(AD) belonged to Joseph)— ³ the sons of Reuben^(AE) the firstborn of Israel:

Gad

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

¹⁸ The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service^(AT)—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,^(AU) Naphish and Nodab. ²⁰ They were helped^(AV) in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried^(AW) out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted^(AX) 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^(AY) was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.^(AZ)

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

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

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^(BC) to the God of their ancestors and prostituted^(BD) 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^(BE) of Pul^(BF) king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser^(BG) king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah,^(BH) Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.

Ingrafted Branches

¹¹ Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!^(A) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles^(B) to make Israel envious.^{(C) 12} But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,^(D) how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

¹³ I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,^(E) I take pride in my ministry ¹⁴ in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy^(F) and save^(G) some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection brought reconciliation^(H) to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?^{(I) 16} If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits^(J) is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off,^(K) and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others^(L) and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.^{(M) 19} You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.^(N) Do not be arrogant,^(O) but tremble.^{(P) 21} For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

²² Consider therefore the kindness^(Q) and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue^(R) in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.^{(S) 23} And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.^{(T) 24} After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree,^(U) how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

²⁵ I do not want you to be ignorant^(V) of this mystery,^(W) brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:^(X) Israel has experienced a hardening^(Y) in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,^{(Z) 26} and in this way^[a] all Israel will be saved.^(AA) As it is written:

²⁸ As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies^(AC) for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,^{(AD) 29} for God’s gifts and his call^(AE) are irrevocable.^{(AF) 30} Just as you who were at one time disobedient^(AG) to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now^[d] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. ³² For God has bound everyone over to disobedience^(AH) so that he may have mercy on them all.