The descendants of Reuben

1Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob,5.1 Jacob: See the note at 1.34. but he lost his rights as the firstborn son5.1 rights as the firstborn son: The firstborn son inherited the largest amount of property, as well as the leadership of the family. because he slept with one of his father's wives.5.1 wives: See Genesis 35.22; 49.3,4. The honour of the firstborn son was then given to Joseph,5.1: Gn 35.22; 49.3,4. 2even though it was the Judah tribe that became the most powerful and produced a leader.5.2: Gn 49.8-10.

3Reuben had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

4-6The descendants of Joel included Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah, a leader of the Reuben tribe. Later, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Beerah away as prisoner.5.6: 2 K 15.29.

7-8The family records also include Jeiel, who was a clan leader, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz and grandson of Shema of the Joel clan. They lived in the territory around the town of Aroer, as far north as Nebo and Baal-Meon, 9and as far east as the desert just west of the River Euphrates. They needed this much land because they owned too many cattle to keep them all in Gilead.

10When Saul was king, the Reuben tribe attacked and defeated the Hagrites, then took over their land east of Gilead.

The descendants of Gad

11The tribe of Gad lived in the region of Bashan, north of the Reuben tribe. Gad's territory extended all the way to the town of Salecah. 12Some of the clan leaders were Joel, Shapham, Janai, and Shaphat. 13Their relatives included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber.

14They were all descendants of Abihail, whose family line went back through Huri, Jaroah, Gilead, Michael, Jeshishai, Jahdo, and Buz. 15Ahi, the son of Abdiel and the grandson of Guni, was the leader of their clan.

16The people of Gad lived in the towns in the regions of Bashan and Gilead, as well as in the pasture land of Sharon. 17Their family records were written when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel.

18The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers trained to fight in battle with shields, swords, bows, and arrows. 19They fought against the Hagrites and the tribes of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20Whenever these soldiers went to war against their enemies, they prayed to God and trusted him to help. That's why the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh defeated the Hagrites and their allies. 21These Israelite tribes captured fifty thousand camels, two hundred and fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand people. 22Many of the Hagrites died in battle, because God was fighting this battle against them. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh lived in that territory until they were taken as prisoners to Assyria.5.22 they were taken as prisoners to Assyria: See 2 Kings 15.29; 17.5-23.

The tribe of East Manasseh

23East Manasseh was a large tribe, so its people settled in the northern region of Bashan, as far north as Baal-Hermon,5.23 Baal-Hermon: The location of this place is unknown. Senir, and Mount Hermon. 24Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel were their clan leaders; they were well known leaders and brave soldiers.

The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh are defeated

25The people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh were unfaithful to the God their ancestors had worshipped, and they started worshipping the gods of the nations that God had forced out of Canaan. 26So God sent King Tiglath Pileser5.26 King Tiglath Pileser: The Hebrew text also includes “King Pul”, another name by which he was known. of Assyria to attack these Israelite tribes. The king led them away as prisoners to Assyria, and from then on, he forced them to live in Halah, Habor, Hara, and near the River Gozan.5.26: a 2 K 15.19; b 2 K 15.29; c 2 K 17.6.