1 Chronicles 5

1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but for as much as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. (Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel because he had defiled his father's bed. That is why Reuben is not listed in the genealogy according to birthright,

2 For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s: )

and even though Judah became the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.)

3 The sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

4 The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,

The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,

5 Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son,

Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,

6 Beerah his son, whom Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites.

and Beerah his son, the one whom Tiglath-Pileser the king of Assyria took into exile. He (Beerah) was a leader of the Reubenites.

7 And his brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,

Beerah's relatives are, listed in their genealogical records by family: Jeiel (chief), Zechariah,

8 And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelled in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baalmeon:

and Bela of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel. They lived from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon.

9 And eastward he inhabited to the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.

On the eastern side they expanded into the land right up to the edge of the desert that continues to the Euphrates River, because their flocks had grown so big in Gilead.

10 And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelled in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead.

In the time of Saul they went to war against the Hagrites, defeating them. They took over the places where the Hagrites had lived in all the regions east of Gilead.

11 And the children of Gad dwelled over against them, in the land of Bashan to Salcah:

Next to them the descendants of Gad lived in Basha, all the way to Salecah.

12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

Joel (chief), Shapham (second), and Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.

13 And their brothers of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven.

Their relatives, according to family, were: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—a total of 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;

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 the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers.

Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was their family chief.

16 And they dwelled in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, on their borders.

They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its towns, and throughout the pasturelands of Sharon all the way to 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.

They were all were recorded in the genealogy during the time of Jotham king of Judah and 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 skillful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and three score, that went out to the war.

The tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 battle-ready strong warriors capable of using shields and swords and bows.

19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.

They went to war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, 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 entreated of them; because they put their trust in him.

They received help in fighting these enemies because they called out to God during the battles. In this way they were able to defeat the Hagrites and all who were with them. God answered their prayers because they trusted 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.

They captured their enemies' livestock—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand donkeys. They also captured one hundred thousand people,

22 For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelled in their steads until the captivity.

and many others were killed because the battle belonged to God. They took over the land and lived there until the exile.

23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelled in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baalhermon and Senir, and to mount Hermon.

The half-tribe of Manasseh had grown very large. They lived in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, (otherwise known as Senir and 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 valor, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.

These were the family heads: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were strong warriors, famous men, heads of their families.

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.

But they were unfaithful to the God of their forefathers. They prostituted themselves by following the gods of the peoples of the land, those that God had 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 to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, to this day.

So the God of Israel encouraged of Pul, king of Assyria, (otherwise known as Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), to invade the land. He took into exile the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this very day.