1 Chronicles 5:1-10

The Descendants of Reuben

1 These were 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 Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.

2 And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.

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

4 The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,

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

6 and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser ^[a] king of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

7 His relatives by their clans are recorded in their genealogy: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah,

8 and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in Aroer and as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.

9 They also settled in the east as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in the land of Gilead.

10 During the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands, and they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the region east of Gilead.

1 Chronicles 5:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 5

This chapter relates the genealogy of the tribes that lived on the other side Jordan; of the Reubenites, 1Ch 5:1-10, of the Gadites, 1Ch 5:11-17 of the half tribe of Manasseh, 1Ch 5:23,24 and of their war with the Hagarites, in conjunction with each other, and their conquest of them, 1Ch 5:18-22 and who for their sins were all carried captive by the king of Assyria, 1Ch 5:25,26.

Footnotes

• [a] Hebrew Tilgath-pilneser, a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser; also in verse 26