Beginning
The tradition of firstborn rights in inheritance and genealogy is often the norm in the ancient world, but God sees fit to rearrange customs and alter expectations. In such an important listing of Israel like the book of Chronicles—which marks out in detail the Israelite people all the way to Adam—Jacob’s firstborn Reuben is not mentioned until the third spot! The genealogy starts in chapter 4 with Judah and then moves to Simeon, Reuben, Gad, Manasseh, and Levi.
The prominence of David from Judah’s line goes back to the Genesis stories that told of how Reuben, Simeon, and Levi all committed horrible sins that removed them from royal contention and headship over their brothers, who would later become twelve tribal groups. In a way, everything in Chronicles (from ancestry lists to temple building) is set around King David from Judah and his lineage up to the Babylonian exile, which concludes the book of Chronicles.
3 The great king David fathered 6 sons during his 7½ years reigning in Hebron. Ahinoam the Jezreelitess gave birth to his first son, Amnon. Abigail the Carmelitess birthed his second son, Daniel. 2 Maacah, the daughter of Talmai (king of Geshur) bore his third son, Absalom. His fourth son, Adonijah, was born to Haggith. 3 Abital bore his fifth son, Shephatiah. Ithream was his sixth son, and was born to his wife, Eglah.
4 These were the 6 sons born to him in Hebron during his 7½-year reign there. David then ruled from Jerusalem for 33 years. 5 There, Bath-shua (the daughter of Ammiel) gave him 4 sons: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon; 6-8 and 9 other sons also were born there: Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. 9 These were David’s sons, in addition to their sister, Tamar, and his concubines’ children.
10 David’s son and successor, Solomon, had 15 generations of descendants: Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, 11 Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, 12 Amaziah, Azariah, Jotham, 13 Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, 14 Amon, and Josiah.
15 Josiah’s sons were, in order from the firstborn to the last: Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Shallum. 16 The sons of Jehoiakim were Jeconiah and Zedekiah. 17 The sons of Jeconiah (who was taken prisoner by Nebuchadnezzar) were Shealtiel, 18 Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19 The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. Zerubbabel fathered Meshullam and Hananiah, and their sister, Shelomith. 20 He had five other children, Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed. 21 Hananiah fathered Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, and the sons of Shecaniah. 22 Shecaniah had six descendants: his son Shemaiah, and his grandsons Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat. 23 Neariah fathered three sons: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam. 24 Elioenai fathered seven sons: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.
Each tribe is influential in the nation of Israel and has the honor of being descended from the Jews’ ancestor Jacob, but the tribe of Judah has prominence and power. From this tribe comes Israel’s monarchy, even though their forefather Judah was not the oldest son and therefore not the one who would have been expected to father kings. The selection of Judah as the progenitor of kings demonstrates that God is in control of His people even when tradition and convention are contrary to His ways.
4 Judah’s lineage descended as so: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. 2 Shobal fathered Reaiah (the father of Jahath and grandfather of Ahumai and Lahad). They were the families of the Zorathites. 3 Etam fathered three sons, Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash, and their sister, Hazzelelponi. 4 Penuel fathered Gedor, and Ezer fathered Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, who was the firstborn of Ephrathah, who fathered Bethlehem.
5 Ashhur, the leader of Tekoa, had two wives: Helah and Naarah. 6 Naarah gave birth to Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. 7 Helah gave birth to Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. 8 Koz fathered Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Harum’s son, Aharhel.
9 Jabez, whose name commemorates his mother’s labor pains, was more honorable than his brothers. 10 He asked the God of Israel, “Please bless me and extend my territory. Let Your hand be with me and guard me from harm so I will not experience pain as my mother did.” And God did just that.
11 Shuhah’s brother Chelub fathered Mehir, who fathered Eshton. 12 Eshton fathered Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah who fathered Ir-nahash. These are the men of Recah.
13 Kenaz fathered Othniel and Seraiah. Othniel’s sons were Hathath and Meonothai. 14 Meonothai fathered Ophrah. Seraiah’s son was Joab, the father of Ge-harashim, the skilled workers.
15 Caleb (the son of Jephunneh) fathered Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah’s son was Kenaz. 16 Jehallelel fathered Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17 Ezrah fathered Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Jether’s wife bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah (the father of Eshtemoa). These are the sons of Bithia (Mered’s wife and Pharaoh’s daughter). 18 His Judahite wife birthed Jered (the father of Gedor), Heber (the father of Soco), and Jekuthiel (the father of Zanoah). 19 Hodiah’s wife (the sister of Naham) gave birth to the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20 Shimon fathered Amnon, Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. Ishi fathered Zoheth and Ben-zoheth.
21 Judah’s son Shelah fathered Er (the father of Lecah), Laadah (the father of Mareshah), and the families of linen workers at Beth-ashbea, 22 Jokim, the men of Cozeba, Joash, Saraph (who ruled in Moab), and Jashubi-lehem. This record is ancient. 23 They were the potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah, working for the king.
24 The sons of Simeon were Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. 25 Shaul’s lineage descended Shallum, Mibsam, and Mishma, 26 and the sons of Mishma were Hammuel, Zaccur, and Shimei. 27 Shimei fathered 16 sons and 6 daughters, but his brothers did not have many sons and their tribes were not as large as the Judahites. 28 Until David united the tribes into one nation, Shimei’s descendants lived at Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David became king. 32 Their five city-states were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, 33 near the city of Baal. These were recorded in the genealogy of their villages: 34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah (son of Amaziah), 35 Joel, Jehu (son of Joshibiah, son of Seraiah, son of Asiel), 36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 Ziza (son of Shiphi, son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah).
38 These were chiefs, and their clans increased rapidly. 39 They sought pastures for their flocks from the gate of Gedor to the east side of its surrounding valley. 40 There they found a rich pasture and abundant, quiet, and peaceful land. The Hamites inhabited the land 41 until the Simeonites attacked them during the reign of Judah’s king Hezekiah. They completely destroyed the tents and the Meunites who lived there. The Simeonites now live in their place, where there is pastureland for the flocks.
42 Five hundred Simeonites went to Mount Seir, led by the sons of Ishi: Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel. 43 There they killed the remaining Amalekites, and they live on that mountain until this day.
5 1-2 Because Reuben slept with his father’s concubine, he forfeited his rights as the firstborn of Israel, his monetary inheritance and his political position as the leader of the nation of Israel. Although Reuben’s inheritance and birthright were given to Joseph, Judah’s descendants became the rulers of Israel.
3 Reuben’s sons (the firstborn of Israel) were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4 The descendants of Joel were Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, 5 Micah, Reaiah, Baal, 6 and Beerah. Beerah (who led the Reubenites) was exiled by Tilgath-pilneser, the king of Assyria who destroyed Israel and exiled the inhabitants. 7 His kinsmen led their families in the order of their generations: Jeiel was the first chief, then Zechariah, 8 Bela of Aroer (son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel), Nebo, and finally Baal-meon.
9 The Reubenite territory stretched to the Euphrates River Valley because their cattle had increased in the land of Gilead. 10 During Saul’s reign they slaughtered the Hagrites and seized their territory east of Gilead.
11 The Gadites lived across from the Reubenites between Bashan and Salecah. 12 Joel was the chief, and Shapham was his second in command, then Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. 13 There were seven clans in the tribe: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. 14 These were the sons of Abihail (son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz). 15 Ahi (son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni) was chief of a clan. 16 These leaders lived in Gilead, in Bashan, and in its towns. Their pastures filled the lands of Sharon. 17 Their genealogies were recorded during the reigns of Jotham, king of Judah, and Jeroboam, king of Israel.
18-19 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were skillful warriors who carried shields, wielded swords, and shot arrows. There were 44,760 who conquered the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 They defeated the Hagrites and all who were with them because they asked for God’s help during the battle and trusted in Him, and their plea was granted. 21 They seized 100,000 men and their herds: 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. 22 Many of the enemies died because the men were fighting God’s battle. The tribes then lived in these conquered lands until the exile.
23 The numerous members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived between Bashan and Baal-hermon, between Senir and Mount Hermon. 24 The clan leaders were famous and glorious men: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. 25 But they disobeyed the God of their fathers, prostituting themselves to the pagan gods whom God had destroyed in front of them. 26 So the God of Israel awakened the king of Assyria, Pul or Tilgath-pilneser,[a] to exile the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The people were taken from Israel to live in Halah, in Habor, in Hara, and by the river of Gozan, where they remain today.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.