1 Chronicles 5

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

1Reuben was the oldest son of Israel, who is also called Jacob. But Reuben did a wrong thing with his father's wife. So the rights of the oldest son were given to Joseph's sons instead. That is why the family list does not put Reuben first.

Note"Defiled his father's bed" is an old way of saying Reuben slept with his father's wife. The oldest son usually got a double share of the family land and led the family. Reuben lost that.

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

2Judah became the strongest of the brothers. A ruler came from his family. But the rights of the oldest son still belonged to Joseph.

NoteIn the King James Bible, "prevailed" means became the strongest, not "finally won an argument."

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

3These were the sons of Reuben, the oldest son of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

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

4These came from Joel: his son Shemaiah, then Gog, then Shimei.

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

5Then came Micah, then Reaiah, then Baal.

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

6Then came Beerah. He was a leader of Reuben's family. Tilgath-pilneser, the king of Assyria, took him away as a prisoner.

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

7Here are Beerah's relatives, listed by family groups in the record: Jeiel was the leader, then Zechariah,

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

8and Bela son of Azaz. Azaz was the son of Shema, and Shema was the son of Joel. These people lived in Aroer, and as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.

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

9They also spread out east, to the edge of the dry desert near the Euphrates River. They needed more room because they had so many animals in Gilead.

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

10When Saul was king, they fought a war against the Hagrites and won. Then they lived in the Hagrites' tents all over the land east of Gilead.

11And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salcah:

11The family of Gad lived right next to them, in the land of Bashan, out as far as Salcah.

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

12Joel was the leader there. Shapham was next. Then came Jaanai and Shaphat, who lived in Bashan.

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

13Their relatives, listed by family, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jachan, Zia, and Heber. That is seven men.

14These 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;

14These men came from Abihail son of Huri. Huri was the son of Jaroah, who was the son of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael, who was the son of Jeshishai. Jeshishai was the son of Jahdo, who was the son of Buz.

15Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers.

15Ahi son of Abdiel, the grandson of Guni, was the head of their family.

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

16They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its small towns. They also lived in all the grassy fields of Sharon, out to the edges.

17All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

17All of them were written down in the family records. This was during the time of Jotham, king of Judah, and Jeroboam, king of Israel.

18The 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 skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.

18Reuben's family, Gad's family, and half the family of Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers. They were brave men. They carried shields and swords, and they used bows. They were well trained for battle.

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

19They went to war against the Hagrites, and also against Jetur, Nephish, and Nodab.

20And 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 intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.

20God helped them win. The Hagrites and their friends lost the fight. This happened because the soldiers called out to God during the battle. They trusted him, and he answered them.

21And 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.

21They took the animals of their enemies. They took 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also took 100,000 people as prisoners.

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

22Many enemy soldiers were killed, because the battle belonged to God. Then these tribes lived in that land until the day they were taken away.

Note"Until the captivity" means until the day an enemy army carried them off to another country. Verse 26 tells how that happened.

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

23The people of the half tribe of Manasseh lived in that land too. There were many of them. They spread from Bashan to Baal-hermon, which is also called Senir, or Mount Hermon.

24And 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 valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers.

24These were the leaders of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were brave and strong. People knew their names. They led their families.

25And 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.

25But they turned away from the God their fathers had trusted. They worshiped the gods of the people who lived in that land. Those were the same people God had destroyed to make room for them.

Note"Went a whoring after other gods" is old, strong language. It means they were unfaithful to God, the way a husband or wife can be unfaithful.

26And 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 unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

26So the God of Israel stirred up the heart of Pul, king of Assyria. He is also called Tilgath-pilneser. That king took Reuben's family, Gad's family, and half of Manasseh's family away. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River. They are still there today.