Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
The Message Bible MSG
1 Now the sons of Ruben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was his firstborn: but forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his first birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, and he was not accounted for the firstborn.
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The family of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Though Reuben was Israel's firstborn, after he slept with his father's concubine, a defiling act, his rights as the firstborn were passed on to the sons of Joseph son of Israel. He lost his "firstborn" place in the family tree.
2 But of the race of Juda, who was the strongest among his brethren, came the princes: but the first birthright was accounted to Joseph.)
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And even though Judah became the strongest of his brothers and King David eventually came from that family, the firstborn rights stayed with Joseph.
3 The sons then of Ruben the firstborn of Israel were Enoch, and Phallu, Esron, and Charmi.
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The sons of Reuben, firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 The sons of Joel: Samaia his son, Gog his son, Semei his son,
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The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5 Micha his son, Reia his son, Baal his son,
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Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
6 Beera his son, whom Thelgathphalnasar king of the Assyrians carried away captive, and he was prince in the tribe of Ruben.
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and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was the prince of the Reubenites.
7 And his brethren, and all his kindred, when they were numbered by their families, had for princes Jehiel, and Zacharias.
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Beerah's brothers are listed in the family tree by families: first Jeiel, followed by Zechariah:
8 And Bala the son of Azaz, the son of Samma, the son of Joel, dwelt in Aroer as far as Nebo, and Beelmeon.
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then Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. Joel lived in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon.
9 And eastward he had his habitation as far as the entrance of the desert, and the river Euphrates. For they possessed a great number of cattle in the land of Galaad.
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His family occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that goes all the way to the Euphrates River, since their growing herds of livestock spilled out of Gilead.
10 And in the days of Saul they fought against the Agarites, and slew them, and dwelt in their tents in their stead, in all the country, that looketh to the east of Galaad.
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During Saul's reign they fought and defeated the Hagrites; they then took over their tents and lived in them on the eastern frontier of Gilead.
11 And the children of Gad dwelt over against them in the land of Basan, as far as Selcha:
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The family of Gad were their neighbors in Bashan, as far as Salecah:
12 Johel the chief, and Saphan the second: and Janai, and Saphat in Basan.
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Joel was the chief, Shapham the second-in-command, and then Janai, the judge in Bashan.
13 And their brethren according to the houses of their kindreds, were Michael and Mosollam, and Sebe, and Jorai, and Jacan, and Zie, and Heber, seven.
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Their brothers, by families, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber - seven in all.
14 These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jara, the son of Galaad, the son of Michael, the son of Jesisi, the son of Jeddo, the son of Buz.
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These were the sons of Abihail 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.
15 And their brethren the sons of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house in their families,
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Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.
16 And they dwelt in Galaad, and in Basan and in the towns thereof, and in all the suburbs of Saron, unto the borders.
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The family of Gad lived in Gilead and Bashan, including the outlying villages and extending as far as the pastures of Sharon.
17 All these were numbered in the days of Joathan king of Juda, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
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They were all written into the official family tree during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 The Sons of Ruben, and of Gad, and of the half tribe of Manasses, fighting men, bearing shields, and swords, and bending the bow, and trained up to battles, four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore that went out to war.
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The families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men trained for war - physically fit and skilled in handling shield, sword, and bow.
19 They fought against the Agarites: but the Itureans, and Naphis, and Nodab,
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They fought against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.
20 Gave them help. And the Agarites were delivered into their hands, and all that were with them, because they called upon God in the battle: and he heard them, because they had put their faith in him.
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God helped them as they fought. God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. God answered their prayers because they trusted him.
21 And they took all that they possessed, of camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men a hundred thousand souls.
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They plundered the Hagrite herds and flocks: 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also captured 100,000 people.
22 And many fell down slain: for it was the battle of the Lord. And they dwelt in their stead till the captivity.
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Many were killed, because the battle was God's. They lived in that country until the exile.
23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasses possessed the land, from the borders of Basan unto Baal, Hermon, and Sanir, and mount Hermon, for their number was great.
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The half-tribe of Manasseh had a large population. They occupied the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon).
24 And these were the heads of the house of their kindred, Epher, and Jesi, and Eliel, and Esriel, and Jeremia, and Odoia, and Jediel, most valiant and powerful men, and famous chiefs in their families.
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The heads of their families were Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel - brave warriors, famous, and heads of their families.
25 But they forsook the God of their fathers, and went astray after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
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But they were not faithful to the God of their ancestors. They took up with the ungodly gods of the peoples of the land whom God had gotten rid of before they arrived.
26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Phul king of the Assyrians. and the spirit of Thelgathphalnasar king of Assur: and he carried away Ruben, and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses, and brought them to Lahela, and to Habor, and to Ara, and to the river of Gozan, unto this day.
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So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria) to take the families of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He deported them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan. They've been there ever since.
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Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.