1 Chronicles 1-9

Good News Translation

From Adam to Abraham^(A)

1 Adam was the father of Seth, Seth was the father of Enosh, Enosh the father of Kenan, ² Kenan the father of Mahalalel, Mahalalel the father of Jared. ³ Jared was the father of Enoch, who was the father of Methuselah; Methuselah was the father of Lamech, ⁴ who was the father of Noah. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

⁵ The sons of Japheth—Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras—were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names. ⁶ The descendants of Gomer were the people of Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. ⁷ The descendants of Javan were the people of Elishah, Spain, Cyprus, and Rhodes.

⁸ The sons of Ham—Cush, Egypt, Libya, and Canaan—were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names. ⁹ The descendants of Cush were the people of Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were the people of Sheba and Dedan. (¹⁰ Cush had a son named Nimrod, who became the world's first great conqueror.) ¹¹ The descendants of Egypt were the people of Lydia, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, ¹² Pathrus, Casluh, and of Crete (from whom the Philistines were descended). ¹³ Canaan's sons—Sidon, the oldest, and Heth—were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names. ¹⁴ Canaan was also the ancestor of the Jebusites, the Amorites, Girgashites, ¹⁵ Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, ¹⁶ Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites.

¹⁷ Shem's sons—Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshek—were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names. ¹⁸ Arpachshad was the father of Shelah, who was the father of Eber. ¹⁹ Eber had two sons; one was named Peleg,^[a] because during his time the people of the world were divided, and the other was named Joktan. ²⁰ The descendants of Joktan were the people of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, ²¹ Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, ²² Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, ²³ Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.

²⁴ The family line from Shem to Abram is as follows: Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, ²⁵ Eber, Peleg, Reu, ²⁶ Serug, Nahor, Terah, ²⁷ and Abram (also known as Abraham).

The Descendants of Ishmael^(B)

²⁸ Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. ²⁹ The sons of Ishmael became the heads of twelve tribes: Nebaioth (from the name of Ishmael's oldest son), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ³⁰ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, ³¹ Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

³² Abraham had a concubine named Keturah, who bore him six sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan had two sons: Sheba and Dedan. ³³ Midian had five sons: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.

The Descendants of Esau^(C)

³⁴ Abraham's son Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. ³⁵ Esau's sons were Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. ³⁶ Eliphaz became the ancestor of the following tribes: Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek. ³⁷ And Reuel became the ancestor of the tribes of Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

The Original Inhabitants of Edom^(D)

^38-42 The original inhabitants of Edom were descended from the following sons of Seir:

Lotan, who was the ancestor of the clans of Hori and Homam. (Lotan had a sister named Timna.)

Shobal, who was the ancestor of the clans of Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam.

Zibeon, who had two sons, Aiah and Anah. Anah was the father of Dishon, and Dishon was the ancestor of the clans of Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

Ezer, who was the ancestor of the clans of Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan.

Dishan, who was the ancestor of the clans of Uz and Aran.

The Kings of Edom^(E)

^43-50 The following kings ruled the land of Edom one after the other, in the time before there were any kings in Israel:

⁵¹ The people of Edom were divided into the following tribes: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, ⁵² Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, ⁵³ Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, ⁵⁴ Magdiel, and Iram.

The Descendants of Judah

2 Jacob had twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, ² Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

³ Judah had five sons in all. By his wife Bathshua, a Canaanite, he had three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. His oldest son, Er, was so evil that the Lord killed him. ⁴ By his daughter-in-law Tamar, Judah had two more sons, Perez and Zerah.

⁵ Perez had two sons, Hezron and Hamul. ⁶ His brother Zerah had five sons: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Darda. ^7 (F)Achan^[b] son of Carmi, one of Zerah's descendants, brought disaster on the people of Israel by keeping loot that had been devoted to God.

⁸ Ethan had one son, Azariah.

The Family Tree of King David

⁹ Hezron had three sons: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb.

¹⁰ The family line from Ram to Jesse is as follows: Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon (a prominent man of the tribe of Judah), ¹¹ Salmon, Boaz, ¹² Obed, and Jesse.

¹³ Jesse had seven sons. In order of age they were: Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah, ¹⁴ Nethanel, Raddai, ¹⁵ Ozem, and David. ¹⁶ He also had two daughters, Zeruiah and Abigail.

Jesse's daughter Zeruiah had three sons: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel. ¹⁷ His other daughter Abigail married Jether, a descendant of Ishmael, and they had a son named Amasa.

The Descendants of Hezron

¹⁸ Hezron's son Caleb married Azubah and had a daughter named Jerioth. She had^[c] three sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. ¹⁹ After the death of Azubah, Caleb married Ephrath, and they had a son named Hur. ²⁰ Hur's son was Uri, and his grandson was Bezalel.

²¹ When Hezron was sixty years old, he married Machir's daughter, the sister of Gilead. They had a son named Segub, ²² and Segub had a son named Jair. Jair ruled^[d] twenty-three cities in the territory of Gilead. ²³ But the kingdoms of Geshur and Aram conquered sixty towns there, including the villages of Jair and Kenath, and the towns nearby. All the people who lived there were descendants of Machir, the father of Gilead. ²⁴ After Hezron died, his son Caleb married Ephrath, his father's widow.^[e] They had a son named Ashhur, who founded the town of Tekoa.

The Descendants of Jerahmeel

²⁵ Jerahmeel, the oldest son of Hezron, had five sons: Ram, the oldest, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. ^26-27 Ram had three sons: Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. Jerahmeel had another wife, a woman named Atarah, and they had a son, Onam. ²⁸ Onam had two sons, Shammai and Jada, and Shammai also had two sons, Nadab and Abishur.

²⁹ Abishur married a woman named Abihail, and they had two sons, Ahban and Molid. ³⁰ Abishur's brother Nadab had two sons, Seled and Appaim, but Seled died without having any sons. ³¹ Appaim was the father of Ishi, Ishi was the father of Sheshan, and Sheshan the father of Ahlai.

³² Jada, the brother of Shammai, had two sons, Jether and Jonathan, but Jether died without having any sons. ³³ Jonathan had two sons, Peleth and Zaza. All these were descendants of Jerahmeel.

³⁴ Sheshan had no sons, only daughters. He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha, ³⁵ to whom he gave one of his daughters in marriage. They had a son named Attai. ³⁶ The family line from Attai to Elishama is as follows: Attai, Nathan, Zabad, ³⁷ Ephlal, Obed, ³⁸ Jehu, Azariah, ³⁹ Helez, Eleasah, ⁴⁰ Sismai, Shallum, ⁴¹ Jekamiah, and Elishama.

Other Descendants of Caleb

⁴² The oldest son of Caleb, Jerahmeel's brother, was named Mesha. Mesha was the father of Ziph, who was the father of Mareshah, who was the father of Hebron.^{[f] 43} Hebron had four sons: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. ⁴⁴ Shema was the father of Raham and the grandfather of Jorkeam. Rekem, Shema's brother, was the father of Shammai, ⁴⁵ who was the father of Maon, who was the father of Bethzur.

⁴⁶ Caleb had a concubine named Ephah, and by her he had three more sons: Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran also had a son named Gazez.

(⁴⁷ A man named Jahdai had six sons: Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph.)

⁴⁸ Caleb had another concubine, Maacah, who bore him two sons, Sheber and Tirhanah. ⁴⁹ Later she had two more sons: Shaaph, who founded the town of Madmannah; and Shevah, who founded the towns of Machbenah and Gibea.

In addition, Caleb had a daughter named Achsah.

⁵⁰ The following are also descendants of Caleb.

Hur was the oldest son of Caleb and his wife Ephrath. Hur's son Shobal founded Kiriath Jearim, ⁵¹ his second son Salma founded Bethlehem, and his third son Hareph founded Bethgader.

⁵² Shobal, the founder of Kiriath Jearim, was the ancestor of the people of Haroeh, of half the inhabitants of Menuhoth, ⁵³ and of the following clans that lived in Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites, and Mishraites. (The people of the cities of Zorah and Eshtaol were members of these clans.)

⁵⁴ Salma, the founder of Bethlehem, was the ancestor of the people of Netophath, of Atroth Beth Joab, and of the Zorites, who were one of the two clans in Manahath.

(⁵⁵ The following clans of experts in writing and copying documents lived in the town of Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites, and Sucathites. They were Kenites who had intermarried with the Rechabites.)

King David's Children

3 ^1-3 The following, in order of age, are David's sons who were born while he was in Hebron:

^4 (G)All six were born in Hebron during the seven and a half years that David ruled there.

In Jerusalem he ruled as king for thirty-three years, ^5 (H)and many sons were born to him there.

His wife Bathsheba, daughter of Ammiel, bore him four sons: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon.

⁶ He had nine other sons: Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁷ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁸ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. ⁹ In addition to all these sons, David had sons by his concubines. He also had a daughter, Tamar.

The Descendants of King Solomon

¹⁰ This is the line of King Solomon's descendants from father to son: Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, ¹¹ Jehoram, Ahaziah, Joash, ¹² Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, ¹³ Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, ¹⁴ Amon, and Josiah. ¹⁵ Josiah had four sons: Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Joahaz. ¹⁶ Jehoiakim had two sons: Jehoiachin and Zedekiah.

The Descendants of King Jehoiachin

¹⁷ These are the descendants of King Jehoiachin, who was taken prisoner by the Babylonians. Jehoiachin had seven sons: Shealtiel, ¹⁸ Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. ¹⁹ Pedaiah had two sons, Zerubbabel and Shimei. Zerubbabel was the father of two sons, Meshullam and Hananiah, and one daughter, Shelomith. ²⁰ He had five other sons: Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab Hesed.

²¹ Hananiah had two sons, Pelatiah and Jeshaiah. Jeshaiah was the father of Rephaiah, who was the father of Arnan, the father of Obadiah, the father of Shecaniah.^{[g] 22} Shecaniah had one son, Shemaiah, and five grandsons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat. ²³ Neariah had three sons: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam. ²⁴ Elioenai had seven sons: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.

The Descendants of Judah

4 These are some of the descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. ² Shobal was the father of Reaiah, who was the father of Jahath, the father of Ahumai and Lahad, the ancestors of the people who lived in Zorah.

^3-4 Hur was the oldest son of his father Caleb's wife Ephrath, and his descendants founded the city of Bethlehem. Hur had three sons: Etam, Penuel, and Ezer. Etam had three sons:^[h] Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash, and one daughter, Hazzelelponi. Penuel founded the city of Gedor, and Ezer founded Hushah.

⁵ Ashhur, who founded the town of Tekoa, had two wives, Helah and Naarah. ⁶ He and Naarah had four sons: Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. ⁷ Ashhur and Helah had three sons: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.

⁸ Koz was the father of Anub and Zobebah, and the ancestor of the clans descended from Aharhel son of Harum.

⁹ There was a man named Jabez, who was the most respected member of his family. His mother had given him the name Jabez,^[i] because his birth had been very painful. ¹⁰ But Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, “Bless me, God, and give me much land. Be with me and keep me from anything evil that might cause me pain.” And God gave him what he prayed for.

Other Family Lists

¹¹ Caleb, the brother of Shuhah, had a son, Mehir. Mehir was the father of Eshton, ¹² who had three sons: Bethrapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah. Tehinnah was the founder of the city of Nahash. The descendants of these men lived in Recah.

¹³ Kenaz had two sons, Othniel and Seraiah. Othniel also had two sons, Hathath and Meonothai.^{[j] 14} Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.

Seraiah was the father of Joab, the founder of Handcraft Valley, where all the people were skilled workers.

¹⁵ Caleb son of Jephunneh had three sons: Iru, Elah, and Naam. And Elah was the father of Kenaz.

¹⁶ Jehallelel had four sons: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

^17-18 Ezrah had four sons: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Mered married Bithiah, a daughter of the king of Egypt, and they had a daughter, Miriam, and two sons, Shammai and Ishbah. Ishbah founded the town of Eshtemoa. Mered also married a woman from the tribe of Judah, and they had three sons: Jered, who founded the town of Gedor; Heber, founder of the town of Soco; and Jekuthiel, founder of the town of Zanoah.

¹⁹ Hodiah married the sister of Naham. Their descendants founded the clan of Garm, which lived in the town of Keilah, and the clan of Maacath, which lived in the town of Eshtemoa.^[k]

²⁰ Shimon had four sons: Amnon, Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon.

Ishi had two sons: Zoheth and Benzoheth.

The Descendants of Shelah

²¹ Shelah was one of Judah's sons. His descendants included Er, who founded the town of Lecah; Laadah, founder of the town of Mareshah; the clan of linen weavers, who lived in the town of Beth Ashbea; ²² Jokim and the people who lived in the town of Cozeba; and Joash and Saraph, who married Moabite women and then settled in Bethlehem.^[l] (These traditions are very old.) ²³ They were potters in the service of the king and lived in the towns of Netaim and Gederah.

The Descendants of Simeon

²⁴ Simeon had five sons: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. ²⁵ Shaul's son was Shallum, his grandson was Mibsam, and his great-grandson was Mishma. ²⁶ Then from Mishma the line descended through Hammuel, Zaccur, and Shimei. ²⁷ Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his relatives had fewer children, and the tribe of Simeon did not grow as much as the tribe of Judah did.

^28 (I)Down to the time of King David the descendants of Simeon lived in the following towns: Beersheba, Moladah, Hazarshual, ²⁹ Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, ³⁰ Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ³¹ Beth Marcaboth, Hazarsusim, Bethbiri, and Shaaraim. ³² They also lived in five other places: Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, ³³ and the surrounding villages, as far southwest as the town of Baalath. These are the records which they kept of their families and of the places where they lived.

^34-38 The following men were the heads of their clans:

Because their families continued to grow, ³⁹ they spread out westward almost to Gerar^[m] and pastured their sheep on the eastern side of the valley in which that city is located. ⁴⁰ They found plenty of fertile pasture lands there in a stretch of open country that was quiet and peaceful. The people who had lived there before were Hamites.

⁴¹ In the time of King Hezekiah of Judah, the men named above went to Gerar and destroyed the tents and huts of the people who lived there.^[n] They drove the people out and settled there permanently because there was plenty of pasture for their sheep. ⁴² Five hundred other members of the tribe of Simeon went east to Edom. They were led by the sons of Ishi: Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel. ⁴³ There they killed the surviving Amalekites, and they have lived there ever since.

The Descendants of Reuben

5 ^(J)These are the descendants of Reuben, the oldest of Jacob's sons. (Because he had sex with one of his father's concubines, he lost the rights belonging to the first-born son, and those rights were given to Joseph. ^2 (K)It was the tribe of Judah, however, that became the strongest and provided a ruler for all the tribes.) ³ Reuben, the oldest of Jacob's sons, had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

^4-6 (L)These are the descendants of Joel from generation to generation: Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah. The Assyrian emperor, Tiglath Pileser, captured Beerah, a leader of the tribe, and deported him.

⁷ The family records list the following clan leaders in the tribe of Reuben: Jeiel, Zechariah, ⁸ and Bela, the son of Azaz and grandson of Shema, of the clan of Joel. This clan lived in Aroer and in the territory from there north to Nebo and Baal Meon. ⁹ They had large herds in the land of Gilead, and so they occupied the land as far east as the desert that stretches all the way to the Euphrates River.

¹⁰ In the time of King Saul the tribe of Reuben attacked the Hagrites, killed them in battle, and occupied their land in the eastern part of Gilead.

The Descendants of Gad

¹¹ The tribe of Gad lived to the north of Reuben in the land of Bashan as far east as Salecah. ¹² Joel was the founder of the leading clan, and Shapham of the second most important clan. Janai and Shaphat were founders of other clans in Bashan. ¹³ The other members of the tribe belonged to the following seven clans: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. ¹⁴ They were descendants of Abihail son of Huri, whose ancestors were traced back as follows: Abihail, Huri, Jaroah, Gilead, Michael, Jeshishai, Jahdo, Buz. ¹⁵ Ahi, the son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni, was head of these clans. ¹⁶ They lived in the territory of Bashan and Gilead, in the towns there and all over the pasture lands of Sharon. (¹⁷ These records were compiled in the days of King Jotham of Judah and King Jeroboam II of Israel.)

The Armies of the Eastern Tribes

¹⁸ In the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh there were 44,760 soldiers, well-trained in the use of shields, swords, and bows. ¹⁹ They went to war against the Hagrite tribes of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ²⁰ They put their trust in God and prayed to him for help, and God answered their prayers and made them victorious over the Hagrites and their allies. ²¹ They captured from the enemy 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys, and took 100,000 prisoners of war. ²² They killed many of the enemy, because the war was God's will. And they went on living in that territory until the exile.^[o]

The People of East Manasseh

²³ The people of East Manasseh settled in the territory of Bashan as far north as Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon, and their population increased greatly. ²⁴ The following were the heads of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were all outstanding soldiers, well-known leaders of their clans.

The Eastern Tribes Are Deported

²⁵ But the people were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and deserted him to worship the gods of the nations whom God had driven out of the land. ^26 (M)So God caused Emperor Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath Pileser) to invade their country. He deported the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh and settled them permanently in Halah, Habor, and Hara, and by the Gozan River.

The Family Line of the High Priests

6 Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ² Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

³ Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and one daughter, Miriam.

Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

⁴ The descendants of Eleazar from generation to generation are as follows: Phinehas, Abishua, ⁵ Bukki, Uzzi, ⁶ Zerahiah, Meraioth, ⁷ Amariah, Ahitub, ⁸ Zadok, Ahimaaz, ⁹ Azariah, Johanan, ¹⁰ Azariah (the one who served in the Temple which King Solomon built in Jerusalem), ¹¹ Amariah, Ahitub, ¹² Zadok, Shallum, ¹³ Hilkiah, Azariah, ¹⁴ Seraiah, Jehozadak. ¹⁵ King Nebuchadnezzar deported Jehozadak along with the other people of Judah and Jerusalem whom the Lord sent into exile.

Other Descendants of Levi

^16 (N)Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁷ Each of them also had sons. Gershon was the father of Libni and Shimei; ¹⁸ Kohath was the father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; ¹⁹ and Merari was the father of Mahli and Mushi.

²⁰ These are the descendants of Gershon from generation to generation: Libni, Jahath, Zimmah, ²¹ Joah, Iddo, Zerah, Jeatherai.

²² These are the descendants of Kohath from generation to generation: Amminadab, Korah, Assir, ²³ Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir, ²⁴ Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, Shaul.

²⁵ Elkanah had two sons, Amasai and Ahimoth. ²⁶ These are Ahimoth's descendants from generation to generation: Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath, ²⁷ Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah.

²⁸ Samuel had two sons: Joel,^[p] the older, and Abijah, the younger.

²⁹ These are the descendants of Merari from generation to generation: Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah, ³⁰ Shimea, Haggiah, Asaiah.

The Temple Musicians

³¹ These are the men whom King David put in charge of the music at the place of worship in Jerusalem after the Covenant Box was moved there. ³² They took regular turns of duty at the Tent of the Lord's presence during the time before King Solomon built the Temple. ³³ The family lines of those who held this office are as follows:

The clan of Kohath: Heman, the leader of the first choir, was the son of Joel. His family line went back to Jacob as follows: Heman, Joel, Samuel, ³⁴ Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, ³⁵ Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai, ³⁶ Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah, ³⁷ Tahath, Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah, ³⁸ Izhar, Kohath, Levi, Jacob.

³⁹ Asaph was leader of the second choir. His family line went back to Levi as follows: Asaph, Berechiah, Shimea, ⁴⁰ Michael, Baaseiah, Malchijah, ⁴¹ Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah, ⁴² Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei, ⁴³ Jahath, Gershon, Levi.

⁴⁴ Ethan of the clan of Merari was the leader of the third choir. His family line went back to Levi as follows: Ethan, Kishi, Abdi, Malluch, ⁴⁵ Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah, ⁴⁶ Amzi, Bani, Shemer, ⁴⁷ Mahli, Mushi, Merari, Levi.

⁴⁸ The other Levites were assigned all the other duties at the place of worship.

The Descendants of Aaron

⁴⁹ Aaron and his descendants presented the offerings of incense and offered the sacrifices that were burnt on the altar. They were responsible for all the worship in the Most Holy Place and for the sacrifices by which God forgives Israel's sins. They did all this in accordance with the instructions given by Moses, God's servant. ⁵⁰ This is the line of Aaron's descendants: Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua, ⁵¹ Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, ⁵² Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, ⁵³ Zadok, Ahimaaz.

Where the Levites Lived

⁵⁴ This is the territory assigned to the descendants of Aaron of the clan of Kohath. They received the first share of the land assigned to the Levites. ⁵⁵ This included Hebron in the territory of Judah and the pasture lands around it. ⁵⁶ The fields and villages, however, that belonged to the city were assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh. ^57-59 The following towns were assigned to Aaron's descendants: Hebron, a city of refuge,^[q] Jattir, and the towns of Libnah, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, and Beth Shemesh, with their pasture lands. ⁶⁰ In the territory of Benjamin they were assigned the following towns with their pasture lands: Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth. This made a total of thirteen towns for all their families to live in. ⁶¹ Ten towns in the territory of West Manasseh were assigned by lot to the rest of the clan of Kohath, family by family.

⁶² To the clan of Gershon, family by family, were assigned thirteen towns in the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh in Bashan. ⁶³ In the same way, twelve towns in the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun were assigned to the clan of Merari, family by family. ⁶⁴ In this way the people of Israel assigned towns for the Levites to live in, together with the pasture lands around the towns. (⁶⁵ The towns in the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, mentioned above, were also assigned by drawing lots.)

⁶⁶ Some of the families of the clan of Kohath were assigned towns and pasture lands in the territory of Ephraim: ⁶⁷ Shechem, the city of refuge in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer, ⁶⁸ Jokmeam, Beth Horon, ⁶⁹ Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon. ⁷⁰ In the territory of West Manasseh they were assigned the towns of Aner and Bileam with the surrounding pasture lands.

⁷¹ The families of the clan of Gershon were assigned the following towns, with the surrounding pasture lands:

In the territory of East Manasseh: Golan in Bashan, and Ashtaroth.

⁷² In the territory of Issachar: Kedesh, Daberath, ⁷³ Ramoth, and Anem.

⁷⁴ In the territory of Asher: Mashal, Abdon, ⁷⁵ Hukok, and Rehob.

⁷⁶ In the territory of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim.

⁷⁷ The remaining families of the clan of Merari were assigned the following towns with the surrounding pasture lands:

In the territory of Zebulun: Rimmono and Tabor.

⁷⁸ In the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River beyond Jericho: Bezer on the plateau, Jahzah, ⁷⁹ Kedemoth, and Mephaath.

⁸⁰ In the territory of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, ⁸¹ Heshbon, and Jazer.

The Descendants of Issachar

7 Issachar had four sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

² Tola had six sons: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel. They were heads of families of the clan of Tola and were famous soldiers. At the time of King David their descendants numbered 22,600.

³ Uzzi had one son, Izrahiah. Izrahiah and his four sons, Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, were all heads of families. ⁴ They had so many wives and children that their descendants were able to provide 36,000 men for military duty.

⁵ The official records of all the families of the tribe of Issachar listed 87,000 men eligible for military duty.

The Descendants of Benjamin and Dan

⁶ Benjamin had three sons: Bela, Becher, and Jediael.

⁷ Bela had five sons: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. They were heads of families in the clan and were all famous soldiers. Their descendants included 22,034 men eligible for military duty.

⁸ Becher had nine sons: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. ⁹ The official record of their descendants by families listed 20,200 men eligible for military duty.

¹⁰ Jediael had one son, Bilhan, and Bilhan had seven sons: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. ¹¹ They were heads of families in the clan and were all famous soldiers. Their descendants included 17,200 men eligible for military duty. ¹² Shuppim and Huppim also belonged to this tribe.

Dan had one son, Hushim.^[r]

The Descendants of Naphtali

¹³ Naphtali had four sons: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum. (They were descendants of Bilhah.^[s])

The Descendants of Manasseh

¹⁴ By his Aramean concubine, Manasseh had two sons, Asriel and Machir. Machir was the father of Gilead. ¹⁵ Machir found a wife for Huppim and one for Shuppim. His sister's name was Maacah. Machir's second son was Zelophehad, and he had only daughters.

¹⁶ Maacah, Machir's wife, gave birth to two sons, whom they named Peresh and Sheresh. Peresh had two sons, Ulam and Rakem, ¹⁷ and Ulam had a son named Bedan. These are all descendants of Gilead, the son of Machir and grandson of Manasseh.

¹⁸ Gilead's sister Hammolecheth had three sons: Ishod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. (¹⁹ Shemida had four sons: Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.)

The Descendants of Ephraim

²⁰ These are the descendants of Ephraim from generation to generation: Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, ²¹ Zabad, Shuthelah. Ephraim had two other sons besides Shuthelah: Ezer and Elead, who were killed when they tried to steal the livestock belonging to the native inhabitants of Gath. ²² Their father Ephraim mourned for them for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. ²³ Then he had intercourse with his wife again, and she became pregnant and had a son. They named him Beriah,^[t] because of the trouble that had come to their family.

²⁴ Ephraim had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Upper and Lower Beth Horon, and Uzzen Sheerah.

²⁵ Ephraim also had a son named Rephah, whose descendants were as follows: Resheph, Telah, Tahan, ²⁶ Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, ²⁷ Nun, Joshua.

²⁸ The territory which they took and settled included Bethel and the towns around it, as far east as Naaran and as far west as Gezer and the towns around it. It also included the cities of Shechem and Ayyah, and the towns around them.

²⁹ The descendants of Manasseh controlled the cities of Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor, and the towns around them.

All these are the places where the descendants of Joseph son of Jacob lived.

The Descendants of Asher

³⁰ These are the descendants of Asher. He had four sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah; and one daughter, Serah.

³¹ Beriah had two sons, Heber and Malchiel. (Malchiel founded the city of Birzaith.)

³² Heber had three sons: Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham; and one daughter, Shua.

³³ Japhlet also had three sons: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath.

³⁴ His brother Shomer had three sons: Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram.

³⁵ His brother Hotham^[u] had four sons: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.

³⁶ The descendants of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, ³⁷ Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.

³⁸ The descendants of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara, ³⁹ and the descendants of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.

⁴⁰ All of these were descendants of Asher. They were heads of families, famous fighting men, outstanding leaders. Asher's descendants included 26,000 men eligible for military duty.

The Descendants of Benjamin

8 Benjamin had five sons. In order of age they were Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, ² Nohah, and Rapha.

³ The descendants of Bela were Addar, Gera, Abihud, ⁴ Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, ⁵ Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

^6-7 The descendants of Ehud were Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. They were heads of families that lived in Geba, but which were forced out and went to live in Manahath. Gera, the father of Uzza and Ahihud, led them in this move.

^8-9 Shaharaim divorced two wives, Hushim and Baara. Later, when he lived in the country of Moab, he married Hodesh and had seven sons: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, ¹⁰ Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. His sons all became heads of families.

¹¹ He also had two sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.

¹² Elpaal had three sons: Eber, Misham, and Shemed. It was Shemed who built the cities of Ono and Lod and the surrounding villages.

The Benjaminites in Gath and Aijalon

¹³ Beriah and Shema were heads of families that settled in the city of Aijalon and drove out the people who lived in the city of Gath. ¹⁴ Beriah's descendants included Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, ¹⁵ Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, ¹⁶ Michael, Ishpah, and Joha.

The Benjaminites in Jerusalem

¹⁷ Elpaal's descendants included Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, ¹⁸ Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab.

¹⁹ Shimei's descendants included Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, ²⁰ Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, ²¹ Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath.

²² Shashak's descendants included Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, ²³ Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, ²⁴ Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, ²⁵ Iphdeiah, and Penuel.

²⁶ Jeroham's descendants included Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, ²⁷ Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri.

²⁸ These were the ancestral heads of families and their principal descendants who lived in Jerusalem.

The Benjaminites in Gibeon and Jerusalem

²⁹ Jeiel^[v] founded the city of Gibeon and settled there. His wife was named Maacah, ³⁰ and his oldest son, Abdon. His other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,^[w] Nadab, ³¹ Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, ³² and Mikloth, the father of Shimeah. Their descendants lived in Jerusalem near other families of their clan.

The Family of King Saul

³³ Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of King Saul. Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.^{[x] 34} Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal,^[y] who was the father of Micah.

³⁵ Micah had four sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. ³⁶ Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, who was the father of three sons: Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza, ³⁷ Moza the father of Binea, Binea of Raphah, Raphah of Eleasah, and Eleasah of Azel.

³⁸ Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. ³⁹ Azel's brother Eshek had three sons: Ulam, Jeush, and Eliphelet.

⁴⁰ Ulam's sons were outstanding soldiers and archers. He had a hundred and fifty sons and grandsons in all. All those named above were members of the tribe of Benjamin.

The People Who Returned from Captivity

9 All the people of Israel were listed according to their families, and this information was recorded in The book of the Kings of Israel.

The people of Judah had been deported to Babylon as punishment for their sins. ^2 (O)The first to return to their property in the cities included Israelite citizens, priests, Levites, and Temple workers. ³ People from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went to live in Jerusalem.

^4-6 There were 690 families of the tribe of Judah who lived in Jerusalem.

The descendants of Judah's son Perez had as their leader Uthai, the son of Ammihud and grandson of Omri. His other ancestors included Imri and Bani.

The descendants of Judah's son Shelah had as their leader Asaiah, who was the head of his family.

The descendants of Judah's son Zerah had Jeuel as their leader.

^7-8 The following members of the tribe of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem:

⁹ There were 956 families of this tribe living there. All the men named above were heads of families.

The Priests Who Lived in Jerusalem

^10-12 The following priests lived in Jerusalem:

¹³ The priests who were heads of families totaled 1,760. They were experts in all the work carried on in the Temple.

The Levites Who Lived in Jerusalem

^14-16 The following Levites lived in Jerusalem:

The Temple Guards Who Lived in Jerusalem

¹⁷ The following Temple guards lived in Jerusalem: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman. Shallum was their leader. ¹⁸ Down to that time members of their clans had been stationed at the eastern entrance to the King's Gate.^[z] Formerly they had stood guard at the gates to the camps of the Levites.

¹⁹ Shallum, the son of Kore and grandson of Ebiasaph, together with his fellow members of the clan of Korah, was responsible for guarding the entrance to the Tent of the Lord's presence, just as their ancestors had been when they were in charge of the Lord's camp. ²⁰ Phinehas son of Eleazar—may the Lord be with him!—had supervised them at one time.

²¹ Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was also a guard at the entrance to the Tent of the Lord's presence.

²² In all, 212 men were chosen as guards for the entrances and gates. They were registered according to the villages where they lived. It was King David and the prophet Samuel who had put their ancestors in these responsible positions. ²³ They and their descendants continued to guard the gates to the Temple. ²⁴ There was a gate facing in each direction, north, south, east, and west, and each had a chief guard. ²⁵ These guards were assisted by their relatives, who lived in the villages and who had to take turns at guard duty for seven days at a time. ²⁶ The four chief guards were Levites and had the final responsibility. They were also responsible for the rooms in the Temple and for the supplies kept there. ²⁷ They lived near the Temple, because it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning.

The Other Levites

²⁸ Other Levites were responsible for the utensils used in worship. They checked them out and checked them back in every time they were used. ²⁹ Others were in charge of the other sacred equipment, and of the flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices. ³⁰ But the responsibility for mixing the spices belonged to the priests.

³¹ A Levite named Mattithiah, oldest son of Shallum, of the clan of Korah, was responsible for preparing the baked offerings.^{[aa] 32} Members of the clan of Kohath were responsible for preparing the sacred bread^[ab] for the Temple every Sabbath.

³³ Some Levite families were responsible for the Temple music. The heads of these families lived in some of the Temple buildings and were free from other duties, because they were on call day and night.

³⁴ The men named above were heads of Levite families, according to their ancestral lines. They were the leaders who lived in Jerusalem.

The Ancestors and Descendants of King Saul^(P)

³⁵ Jeiel founded the city of Gibeon and settled there. His wife was named Maacah. ³⁶ His oldest son was Abdon, and his other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, ³⁷ Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth, ³⁸ the father of Shimeah. Their descendants lived in Jerusalem near other families of their clan.

³⁹ Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.^{[ac] 40} Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal,^[ad] who was the father of Micah. ⁴¹ Micah had four sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.^{[ae] 42} Ahaz was the father of Jarah, who was the father of three sons: Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza, ⁴³ Moza the father of Binea, Binea of Rephaiah, Rephaiah of Eleasah, and Eleasah of Azel.

⁴⁴ Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan.