1 Chronicles 5
EasyEnglish Bible
The descendants of Reuben
5 Reuben was Israel's firstborn son. That is, Reuben was born first. But he had sex with his father's slave wife. So his father took away the benefits that belong to a firstborn son. Instead, Israel gave those benefits to his son Joseph's sons. So Reuben does not have the first place in the list of Israel's sons. 2 Judah became stronger than all his brothers. Israel's ruler came from his tribe. But it was Joseph who received the benefits that belong to the firstborn son.[a]
3 The sons of Reuben, Israel's oldest son, were: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
4 Joel's descendants were: His son Shemaiah. Shemaiah's son Gog. Gog's son Shimei. 5 Shimei's son Micah. Micah's son Reaiah. Reaiah's son Baal. 6 Baal's son Beerah. Beerah was a leader of Reuben's tribe. Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, took him away to Assyria as his prisoner.
7 The lists of Reuben's descendants include these leaders of their clans: Jeiel was the first, then Zechariah and Bela. 8 Bela was the son of Azaz. Azaz was the son of Shema. Shema was the son of Joel.
Reuben's people lived in the region of Aroer, as far north as Nebo and Baal-Meon. 9 Their east border was the desert that goes all the way to the Euphrates River. They had too many animals to feed in the region of Gilead. So they had to live in all those other places too.
10 When Saul was Israel's king, the men of Reuben's tribe attacked the Hagrites. They won the fight. Then they moved into their land to live. That was the whole region that was east of Gilead.
The descendants of Gad
11 Gad's descendants lived in the region of Bashan, near the people of Reuben's tribe. Their land went as far as Salecah town in the east.
12 Joel was the most important leader. Shapham was the second leader. Janai and Shaphat were also leaders in Bashan. 13 Their relatives in each of their seven clans were: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber.
14 They were all 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. Jahdo was the son of Buz. 15 Ahi, son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni, was the leader of their clan. 16 Gad's descendants lived in Gilead, in Bashan, and in the small towns near there. They also lived in the whole land of Sharon where there was grass to feed their animals. 17 The names of Gad's descendants were written down at the time when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.
18 The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh had a large army. They had 44,760 brave soldiers who knew how to fight well. Their weapons were shields, swords, and bows and arrows. 19 They attacked the Hagrites and the people in Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 God helped their army to fight against their enemies. He put the Hagrites under their power, as well as the other people who fought with them. The soldiers of Manasseh, Reuben and Gad called out to God for help during the battle. God answered their prayers because they trusted him. 21 They took all their enemies' animals. They included 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys. They also caught 100,000 people as their prisoners. 22 They killed many of their enemy's soldiers because God was fighting for them. Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh's tribe took the land where the Hagrites had lived. They continued to live there until the exile of Judah's people.
The half tribe of Manasseh in the east[b]
23 Half of Manasseh's tribe lived in the region of Bashan, on the east side of the Jordan River. Their borders were Baal-Hermon, Senir and Hermon mountain. They became very many people.
24 These men were the leaders of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave soldiers and people respected them. They were leaders of their clans. 25 But they turned away from the God that their ancestors had worshipped. He had chased the other nations out of the land where his people now lived. But now they started to worship the gods of those nations. 26 So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria to attack their land. That king is also called King Tiglath-Pileser.[c] He won the fight against the people of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. He took them away as his prisoners to Halah, to Habor, to Hara and to the Gozan river. They are still living there, even today.
1 Chronicles 5
King James Version
5 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:)
3 The sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5 Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son,
6 Beerah his son, whom Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites.
7 And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
8 And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baalmeon:
9 And eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.
10 And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead.
11 And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salcah:
12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
13 And their brethren of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.
14 These are the children of Abihail the 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;
15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers.
16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, upon their borders.
17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.
19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.
20 And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.
21 And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.
22 For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.
23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.
24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.
25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.
1 Chronicles 5
Living Bible
5 The oldest son of Israel was Reuben, but since he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his father’s wives, his birthright was given to his half brother, Joseph. So the official genealogy doesn’t name Reuben as the oldest son.
2 Although Joseph received the birthright, yet Judah was a powerful and influential tribe in Israel, and from Judah came a prince.
3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s son, were: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi.
4 Joel’s descendants were his son Shemaiah, his grandson Gog, and his great-grandson
5 Shimei’s son was Micah; his grandson was Reaiah; and his great-grandson was
6 Baal’s son was Beerah. He was a prince of the tribe of Reuben and was taken into captivity by King Tilgath-pilneser of Assyria.
7-8 His relatives became heads of clans and were included in the official genealogy: Jeiel, Zechariah, Bela (the son of Azaz, grandson of Shema, and great-grandson of
These Reubenites[a] lived in Aroer and as far distant as Mount Nebo and Baal-meon.
9 Joel was a cattleman, and he pastured his animals eastward to the edge of the desert and to the Euphrates River, for there were many cattle in the land of Gilead.
10 During the reign of King Saul, the men of Reuben defeated the Hagrites in war and moved into their tents on the eastern edge of Gilead. 11 Across from them, in the land of Bashan, lived the descendants of Gad, who were spread as far as Salecah.
12 Joel was the greatest and was followed by Shapham, also Janai and Shaphat. 13 Their relatives, the heads of the seven clans, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber.
14 The descendants of Buz, in the order of their generations, were: Jahdo, Jeshishai, Michael, Gilead, Jaroah, Huri, Abihail.
15 Ahi, the son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni, was the leader of the clan. 16 The clan lived in and around Gilead (in the land of Bashan) and throughout the entire pasture country of Sharon. 17 All were included in the official genealogy at the time of King Jotham of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel.
18 There were 44,760 armed, trained, and brave troops in the army of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 19 They declared war on the Hagrites, the Jeturites, the Naphishites, and the Nodabites. 20 They cried out to God to help them, and he did, for they trusted in him. So the Hagrites and all their allies were defeated. 21 The booty included 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 captives. 22 A great number of the enemy also died in the battle, for God was fighting against them. So the Reubenites lived in the territory of the Hagrites until the time of the exile.
23 The half-tribe of Manasseh spread through the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. They too were very numerous.
24 The chiefs of their clans were the following: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, Jahdiel.
Each of these men had a great reputation as a warrior and leader. 25 But they were not true to the God of their fathers; instead they worshiped the idols of the people whom God had destroyed. 26 So God caused King Pul of Assyria (also known as Tilgath-pilneser III) to invade the land and deport the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River, where they remain to this day.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 5:7 These Reubenites, implied in 5:1.
1 Chronicles 5
New King James Version
The Family of Reuben(A)
5 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—(B)he was indeed the firstborn, but because he (C)defiled his father’s bed, (D)his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright; 2 yet (E)Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a (F)ruler, although [a]the birthright was Joseph’s— 3 the sons of (G)Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 The sons of Joel were Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5 Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, 6 and Beerah his son, whom [b]Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria (H)carried into captivity. He was leader of the Reubenites. 7 And his brethren by their families, (I)when the genealogy of their generations was registered: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 8 and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in (J)Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal Meon. 9 Eastward they settled as far as the [c]entrance of the wilderness this side of the River Euphrates, because their cattle had [d]multiplied (K)in the land of Gilead.
10 Now in the days of Saul they made war (L)with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they dwelt in their tents throughout the entire area east of Gilead.
The Family of Gad
11 And the (M)children of Gad dwelt next to them in the land of (N)Bashan as far as (O)Salcah: 12 Joel was the chief, Shapham the next, then Jaanai and Shaphat in Bashan, 13 and their brethren of their father’s house: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jachan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all. 14 These were the children of Abihail the 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; 15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was chief of their father’s house. 16 And the Gadites dwelt in Gilead, in Bashan and in its villages, and in all the [e]common-lands of (P)Sharon within their borders. 17 All these were registered by genealogies in the days of (Q)Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of (R)Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty valiant men, men able to bear shield and sword, to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war, who went to war. 19 They made war with the Hagrites, (S)Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 And (T)they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they (U)cried out to God in the battle. He [f]heeded their prayer, because they (V)put their trust in Him. 21 Then they took away their livestock—fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred and fifty thousand of their sheep, and two thousand of their donkeys—also one hundred thousand of their men; 22 for many fell dead, because the war (W)was God’s. And they dwelt in their place until (X)the captivity.
The Family of Manasseh (East)
23 So the children of the half-tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land. Their numbers increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to (Y)Senir, or Mount Hermon. 24 These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of their fathers’ houses.
25 And they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and (Z)played the harlot 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 (AA)Pul king of Assyria, that is, (AB)Tiglath-Pileser[g] king of Assyria. He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He took them to (AC)Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan to this day.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 5:2 the right of the firstborn
- 1 Chronicles 5:6 Heb. Tilgath-Pilneser
- 1 Chronicles 5:9 beginning
- 1 Chronicles 5:9 increased
- 1 Chronicles 5:16 open lands
- 1 Chronicles 5:20 Lit. was entreated for them
- 1 Chronicles 5:26 Heb. Tilgath-Pilneser
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
