7 Of the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. ² The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers’ houses, of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations. Their number in the days of David was twenty-two thousand six hundred. ³ The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, five; all of them chief men. ⁴ With them, by their generations, after their fathers’ houses, were bands of the army for war, thirty-six thousand; for they had many wives and sons. ⁵ Their brothers among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, listed in all by genealogy, were eighty-seven thousand.

⁶ The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael, three. ⁷ The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor; and they were listed by genealogy twenty-two thousand thirty-four. ⁸ The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. ⁹ They were listed by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor, twenty thousand two hundred. ¹⁰ The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. ¹¹ All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, mighty men of valor, seventeen thousand two hundred, who were able to go out in the army for war. ¹² So were Shuppim, Huppim, the sons of Ir, Hushim, and the sons of Aher.

¹³ The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, Shallum, and the sons of Bilhah.

¹⁴ The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his concubine the Aramitess bore. She bore Machir the father of Gilead. ¹⁵ Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah. The name of the second was Zelophehad; and Zelophehad had daughters. ¹⁶ Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh. The name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. ¹⁷ The sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. ¹⁸ His sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. ¹⁹ The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

²⁰ The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, ²¹ Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take away their livestock. ²² Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him. ²³ He went in to his wife, and she conceived, and bore a son, and he named him Beriah,^[a] because there was trouble with his house. ²⁴ His daughter was Sheerah, who built Beth Horon the lower and the upper, and Uzzen Sheerah. ²⁵ Rephah was his son, and Resheph, and Telah his son, Tahan his son, ²⁶ Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, ²⁷ Nun his son, and Joshua his son. ²⁸ Their possessions and settlements were Bethel and its towns, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with its towns; Shechem also and its towns, to Azzah and its towns; ²⁹ and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth Shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, and Dor and its towns. The children of Joseph the son of Israel lived in these. ³⁰ The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Serah was their sister. ³¹ The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. ³² Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and Shua their sister. ³³ The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet. ³⁴ The sons of Shemer: Ahi, Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. ³⁵ The sons of Helem his brother: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. ³⁶ The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, ³⁷ Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. ³⁸ The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. ³⁹ The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. ⁴⁰ All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, chief of the princes. The number of them listed by genealogy for service in war was twenty-six thousand men.

8 Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, ² Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. ³ Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, ⁴ Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, ⁵ Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. ⁶ These are the sons of Ehud. These are the heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Geba, who were carried captive to Manahath: ⁷ Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them captive; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

⁸ Shaharaim became the father of children in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away. Hushim and Baara were his wives. ⁹ By Hodesh his wife, he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, ¹⁰ Jeuz, Shachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ households. ¹¹ By Hushim, he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. ¹² The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns; ¹³ and Beriah, and Shema, who were heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath; ¹⁴ and Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, ¹⁵ Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, ¹⁶ Michael, Ishpah, Joha, the sons of Beriah, ¹⁷ Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, ¹⁸ Ishmerai, Izliah, Jobab, the sons of Elpaal, ¹⁹ Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, ²⁰ Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, ²¹ Adaiah, Beraiah, Shimrath, the sons of Shimei, ²² Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, ²³ Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, ²⁴ Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, ²⁵ Iphdeiah, Penuel, the sons of Shashak, ²⁶ Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, ²⁷ Jaareshiah, Elijah, Zichri, and the sons of Jeroham. ²⁸ These were heads of fathers’ households throughout their generations, chief men. These lived in Jerusalem. ²⁹ The father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah, lived in Gibeon, ³⁰ with his firstborn son Abdon, Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, ³¹ Gedor, Ahio, and Zecher. ³² Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. They also lived with their brothers in Jerusalem, near their brothers. ³³ Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal. ³⁴ The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal. Merib Baal became the father of Micah. ³⁵ The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. ³⁶ Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza. ³⁷ Moza became the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son. ³⁸ Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. ³⁹ The sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. ⁴⁰ The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and sons’ sons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.

11 Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. ² For by this, the elders obtained testimony. ³ By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

⁴ By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

⁵ By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. ⁶ Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

⁷ By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear,^[a] prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

⁸ By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. ⁹ By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen^[b] them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son, ¹⁸ to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,” Genesis 21:12 ¹⁹ concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

²⁰ By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²² By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

²³ By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

²⁴ By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, ²⁶ considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. ²⁷ By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. ²⁹ By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up. ³⁰ By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.

³¹ By faith, Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

³² What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,Daniel 6:22-23 ³⁴ quenched the power of fire,Daniel 3:1-30 escaped the edge of the sword,1 Kings 19:1-3; 2 Kings 6:31–7:20 from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. ³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection.1 Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:32-37 Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned.2 Chronicles 24:20-21 They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword.Jeremiah 26:20-23; 1 Kings 19:10 They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

³⁹ These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn’t receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

5 Listen to this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel.

³ For the Lord Yahweh says:

⁴ For Yahweh says to the house of Israel:

¹⁶ Therefore Yahweh, the God of Armies, the Lord, says:

²⁵ “Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, house of Israel? ²⁶ You also carried the tent of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves. ²⁷ Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus,” says Yahweh, whose name is the God of Armies.

A Prayer by David.