1 Chronicles 5
1 Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob. Therefore, he should have received the special rights/privileges that belonged to firstborn sons. But he had sex with his father’s slave wife, so [his father] gave the rights if a firstborn son to the sons of Reubers younger brother Joseph. And in the family records, Reuben is not mentioned first, like the firstborn sons always are.
The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—now Reuben was Israel's firstborn, but his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel because Reuben had defiled his father's couch. So he is not recorded as being the oldest son.
2 Although Judah became more influential than his brothers, and a ruler of the tribe descended from him, Joseph’s family received the rights that belonged to firstborn sons.
Judah was the strongest of his brothers, and the leader would come from him. But the birthright was Joseph's—
3 But Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son. Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel were Hanok, Pallu, Hezron, and Karmi.
4 [Another descendant of Reuben was Joel]. Joel’s son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah’s son was Gog. Gog’s son was Shimei.
The descendants of Joel were these: Joel's son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah's son was Gog. Gog's son was Shimei.
5 Shimei’s son was Micah. Micah’s son was Reaiah. Reaiah’s son was Baal.
Shimei's son was Micah. Micah's son was Reaiah. Reaiah's son was Baal.
6 Baal’s son was Beerah. Beerah was a leader of the tribe/descendants of Reuben. But Tiglath-Pileser the king of Assyria captured him and took him to Assyria.
Baal's son was Beerah, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader in the tribe of Reuben.
7 The names of these clans are listed here according to what is written in their family records. The first [name written was] Jeiel. Then Zechariah,
Beerah's relatives according to their clans, listed according to their genealogical records: Jeiel the leader, Zechariah, and
8 and then Bela. Bela was the son of Azaz, and Azaz was the son of Shema, and Shema was the son of Joel. Reuben’s clan was very large. Some of them lived near Aroer [city] as far [north] as Nebo [town] and Baal-Meon [city].
Bela son of Azaz son of Shema son of Joel. They lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal Meon,
9 Some of them lived further east, as far as the edge of the desert [south of] the Euphrates River. [They went there] because they had a huge amount of cattle, [with the result that there was not enough pastureland for them] in [the] Gilead [region].
and eastward to the start of the wilderness that extends to the Euphrates River. This was because they had many cattle in the land of Gilead.
10 When Saul was king [of Israel], Bela’s clan fought against the descendants of Hagar and defeated them. After that, Bela’s clan lived in the tents that the descendants of Hagar had lived in previously, in all the area east of [the] Gilead [region].
In the days of Saul, the tribe of Reuben attacked the Hagrites and defeated them. They lived in the Hagrites' tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.
11 The tribe of Gad lived near the tribe of Reuben; they lived in [the] Bashan [region], all the way [east] to Salecah [town].
The members of the tribe of Gad lived near them, in the land of Bashan as far as Salekah.
12 Joel was their chief; Shapham was his assistant; other leaders were Janai and Shaphat.
Joel was their leader; Shapham was second; and Janai and Shaphat in Bashan.
13 Other members of the tribe belonged to seven clans, whose leaders were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber.
Their relatives, by their fathers' families, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.
14 They were 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.
These persons named above were the descendants of Abihail, and Abihail was the son of Huri. Huri was the son of Jaroah. Jaroah was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael. Michael was the son of Jeshishai. Jeshishai was the son of Jahdo. Jahdo was the son of Buz.
15 Ahi was Abdiel’s son. Abdiel was Guni’s son. Ahi was the leader of their clan.
Ahi son of Abdiel son of Guni, was head of their fathers' family.
16 The descendants of Gad lived in the towns in Gilead and Bashan regions, and on all the pastureland on [the] Sharon [plain].
They lived in Gilead, in Bashan, in its towns, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as its borders.
17 All of those names were written in the records of the clans of Gad during the time that Jotham was the king of Judah and Jeroboam was the king of Israel.
All these were listed by genealogical records in the days of Jotham king of Judah and of Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 There were 44,760 soldiers from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and [the eastern] half of the tribe of Manasseh. They all carried shields and swords and bows [and arrows]. They [were all trained to] fight well in battles.
The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers trained for war, who carried shield and sword, and who drew the bow.
19 They attacked the descendants of Hagar and the people of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab [cities].
They attacked the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.
20 The men from those three tribes prayed to God during the battles, requesting him to help them. So he helped them, because they trusted in him. He enabled them to defeat [IDM] the descendants of Hagar and all those who were helping them.
They received divine help against them. In this way, the Hagrites and all who were with them were defeated. This was because the Israelites cried out to God in the battle, and he responded to them, because they put their trust in him.
21 They took the animals that belonged to the descendants of Hagar: They took 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also captured 100,000 people.
They captured their animals, including fifty thousand camels, 250,000 sheep, two thousand donkeys, and 100,000 men.
22 But many descendants of Hagar were killed because God helped the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. After that, those three tribes lived in that area until [the army of] Babylonia [captured them and] took them away to Babylon.
Many fell because the battle was from God. They lived in their land until the captivity.
23 There were many people who belonged to the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh. They lived in [the] Bashan [region east of the Jordan River], as far [north] as Baal-Hermon, Senir, and Hermon Mountain.
The half tribe of Manasseh lived in the land of Bashan as far as Baal Hermon and Senir (that is, Mount Hermon).
24 Their clan leaders were Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were all strong, brave, and famous soldiers, and leaders of their clans.
These were the heads of their fathers' houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were mighty men, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses.
25 But they sinned against God, the one whom their ancestors had worshiped. They began to worship the gods/idols that the people of that region had worshiped, the people whom God had enabled them to destroy!
But they were unfaithful to their ancestors' God. Instead, they worshiped the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.
26 So the God whom the Israelis [worshiped] caused Pul, the king of Assyria, to conquer those tribes. Pul’s other name was Tiglath-Pileser. His [army] captured the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh, and took them to [various places in Assyria]: Halah, Habor, Hara and near the Gozan River. [They have lived in those places from that time] to the present time.
The God of Israel stirred up Pul king of Assyria (also called Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria). He took into exile the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.
