1Now 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 . 2For Judah prevailed above his brethren , and of him came the chief ruler ; but the birthright was Joseph’s :) 3The sons , I say , of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were , Hanoch , and Pallu , Hezron , and Carmi . 4The sons of Joel ; Shemaiah his son , Gog his son , Shimei his son , 5Micah his son , Reaia his son , Baal his son , 6Beerah his son , whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites . 7And his brethren by their families , when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned , were the chief , Jeiel , and Zechariah , 8And Bela the son of Azaz , the son of Shema , the son of Joel , who dwelt in Aroer , even unto 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 . 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 .
The Reubenites and Their Land
11And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salchah : 12Joel the chief , and Shapham the next , and Jaanai , and Shaphat 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 . 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 ; 15Ahi the son of Abdiel , the son of Guni , chief of the house of their fathers . 16And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan , and in her towns , and in all the suburbs of Sharon , upon their borders . 17All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah , and in the days of 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 . 19And they made war with the Hagarites , with Jetur , and 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. 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 . 22For there fell down many slain , because the war was of God . And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity .
The Reubenites' Military Exploits
23And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land : they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir , and unto 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 . 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. 26And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria , and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser 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 .