1 Tawarikh 5:1-3

Reuben’s Descendants

5:1 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn –

(Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, ¹  his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records. ²  5:2 Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers and a leader descended from him, ³  the right of the firstborn belonged to Joseph.)

5:3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn:

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

1 Tawarikh 5:6

5:6 and his son Beerah, whom King Tiglath-pileser ⁴  of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah ⁵  was the tribal leader of Reuben.

1 Tawarikh 5:18-22

5:18 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men in their combined armies, warriors who carried shields and swords, were equipped with bows, and were trained for war. ⁶  5:19 They attacked ⁷  the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 5:20 They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him. ⁸  5:21 They seized the Hagrites’ ⁹  animals, including 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also took captive 100,000 people. 5:22 Because God fought for them, ¹⁰  they killed many of the enemy. ¹¹  They dispossessed the Hagrites and lived in their land until the exile. ¹² 

[5:1]  ¹ sn The phrase when he defiled his father’s bed refers to Reuben having sexual relations with his father Jacob’s concubine Bilhah. This incident is recorded in Gen 35:22.

[5:1]  ² tn Heb “and not to be listed in the genealogical records as (having) the right of the firstborn.”

[5:2]  ³ tn Heb “and [one] for a leader [was] from him.” This probably refers to the Davidic king.

[5:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “Tilgath-pilneser,” a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser (also in v. 26).

[5:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Beerah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “the sons of Reuben and the Gadites and half of the tribe of Manasseh, from the sons of bravery, men carrying a shield and sword and treading a bow and trained for war, 44,760 going out for warfare.”

[5:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “made war with.”

[5:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “and they were helped against them and they were given over into their hand, the Hagrites and all who were with them, for to God they cried out in the battle and he was entreated [or “allowed himself to be entreated”] by them for they trusted in him.”

[5:21]  ⁹ tn Heb “their”; the referent (the Hagrites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:22]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “from God [was] the battle.”

[5:22]  ¹¹ tn Heb “many slain fell.”

[5:22]  ¹² tn Heb “and they lived in place of them until the exile.” The referent of “them” (the Hagrites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.