1 Chronicles 5-8
New Living Translation
Descendants of Reuben
5 The oldest son of Israel[a] was Reuben. But since he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, his birthright was given to the sons of his brother Joseph. For this reason, Reuben is not listed in the genealogical records as the firstborn son. 2 The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation,[b] but the birthright belonged to Joseph.
3 The sons of Reuben, the oldest son of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 The descendants of Joel were Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, 5 Micah, Reaiah, Baal, 6 and Beerah. Beerah was the leader of the Reubenites when they were taken into captivity by King Tiglath-pileser[c] of Assyria.
7 Beerah’s[d] relatives are listed in their genealogical records by their clans: Jeiel (the leader), Zechariah, 8 and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel.
The Reubenites lived in the area that stretches from Aroer to Nebo and Baal-meon. 9 And since they had so many livestock in the land of Gilead, they spread east toward the edge of the desert that stretches to the Euphrates River.
10 During the reign of Saul, the Reubenites defeated the Hagrites in battle. Then they moved into the Hagrite settlements all along the eastern edge of Gilead.
Descendants of Gad
11 Next to the Reubenites, the descendants of Gad lived in the land of Bashan as far east as Salecah. 12 Joel was the leader in the land of Bashan, and Shapham was second-in-command, followed by Janai and Shaphat.
13 Their relatives, the leaders of seven other clans, were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. 14 These were all descendants of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. 15 Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was the leader of their clans.
16 The Gadites lived in the land of Gilead, in Bashan and its villages, and throughout all the pasturelands of Sharon. 17 All of these were listed in the genealogical records during the days of King Jotham of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel.
The Tribes East of the Jordan
18 There were 44,760 capable warriors in the armies of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They were all skilled in combat and armed with shields, swords, and bows. 19 They waged war against the Hagrites, the Jeturites, the Naphishites, and the Nodabites. 20 They cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer because they trusted in him. So the Hagrites and all their allies were defeated. 21 The plunder taken from the Hagrites included 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and goats, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 captives. 22 Many of the Hagrites were killed in the battle because God was fighting against them. The people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh lived in their land until they were taken into exile.
23 The half-tribe of Manasseh was very large and spread through the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. 24 These were the leaders of their clans: Epher,[e] Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. These men had a great reputation as mighty warriors and leaders of their clans.
25 But these tribes were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They worshiped the gods of the nations that God had destroyed. 26 So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath-pileser) to invade the land and take away the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as captives. The Assyrians exiled them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River, where they remain to this day.
The Priestly Line
6 [f]The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
2 The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3 The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas.
Phinehas was the father of Abishua.
5 Abishua was the father of Bukki.
Bukki was the father of Uzzi.
6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah.
Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth.
7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah.
Amariah was the father of Ahitub.
8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz.
9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah.
Azariah was the father of Johanan.
10 Johanan was the father of Azariah, the high priest at the Temple[g] built by Solomon in Jerusalem.
11 Azariah was the father of Amariah.
Amariah was the father of Ahitub.
12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Shallum.
13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah.
Hilkiah was the father of Azariah.
14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah.
Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak, 15 who went into exile when the Lord sent the people of Judah and Jerusalem into captivity under Nebuchadnezzar.
The Levite Clans
16 [h]The sons of Levi were Gershon,[i] Kohath, and Merari.
17 The descendants of Gershon included Libni and Shimei.
18 The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
19 The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi.
The following were the Levite clans, listed according to their ancestral descent:
20 The descendants of Gershon included Libni, Jahath, Zimmah, 21 Joah, Iddo, Zerah, and Jeatherai.
22 The descendants of Kohath included Amminadab, Korah, Assir, 23 Elkanah, Abiasaph,[j] Assir, 24 Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, and Shaul.
25 The descendants of Elkanah included Amasai, Ahimoth, 26 Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath, 27 Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah, and Samuel.[k]
28 The sons of Samuel were Joel[l] (the older) and Abijah (the second).
29 The descendants of Merari included Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah, 30 Shimea, Haggiah, and Asaiah.
The Temple Musicians
31 David assigned the following men to lead the music at the house of the Lord after the Ark was placed there. 32 They ministered with music at the Tabernacle[m] until Solomon built the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They carried out their work, following all the regulations handed down to them. 33 These are the men who served, along with their sons:
Heman the musician was from the clan of Kohath. His genealogy was traced back through Joel, Samuel, 34 Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, 35 Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai, 36 Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah, 37 Tahath, Assir, Abiasaph, Korah, 38 Izhar, Kohath, Levi, and Israel.[n]
39 Heman’s first assistant was Asaph from the clan of Gershon.[o] Asaph’s genealogy was traced back through Berekiah, Shimea, 40 Michael, Baaseiah, Malkijah, 41 Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah, 42 Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei, 43 Jahath, Gershon, and Levi.
44 Heman’s second assistant was Ethan from the clan of Merari. Ethan’s genealogy was traced back through Kishi, Abdi, Malluch, 45 Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah, 46 Amzi, Bani, Shemer, 47 Mahli, Mushi, Merari, and Levi.
48 Their fellow Levites were appointed to various other tasks in the Tabernacle, the house of God.
Aaron’s Descendants
49 Only Aaron and his descendants served as priests. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and the altar of incense, and they performed all the other duties related to the Most Holy Place. They made atonement for Israel by doing everything that Moses, the servant of God, had commanded them.
50 The descendants of Aaron were Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua, 51 Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, 52 Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, 53 Zadok, and Ahimaaz.
Territory for the Levites
54 This is a record of the towns and territory assigned by means of sacred lots to the descendants of Aaron, who were from the clan of Kohath. 55 This territory included Hebron and its surrounding pasturelands in Judah, 56 but the fields and outlying areas belonging to the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. 57 So the descendants of Aaron were given the following towns, each with its pasturelands: Hebron (a city of refuge),[p] Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 Holon,[q] Debir, 59 Ain,[r] Juttah,[s] and Beth-shemesh. 60 And from the territory of Benjamin they were given Gibeon,[t] Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, each with its pasturelands. So thirteen towns were given to the descendants of Aaron. 61 The remaining descendants of Kohath received ten towns from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh by means of sacred lots.
62 The descendants of Gershon received by sacred lots thirteen towns from the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and from the Bashan area of Manasseh, east of the Jordan.
63 The descendants of Merari received by sacred lots twelve towns from the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
64 So the people of Israel assigned all these towns and pasturelands to the Levites. 65 The towns in the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, mentioned above, were assigned to them by means of sacred lots.
66 The descendants of Kohath were given the following towns from the territory of Ephraim, each with its pasturelands: 67 Shechem (a city of refuge in the hill country of Ephraim),[u] Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth-horon, 69 Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon. 70 The remaining descendants of Kohath were assigned the towns of Aner and Bileam from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, each with its pasturelands.
71 The descendants of Gershon received the towns of Golan (in Bashan) and Ashtaroth from the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, each with its pasturelands. 72 From the territory of Issachar, they were given Kedesh, Daberath, 73 Ramoth, and Anem, each with its pasturelands. 74 From the territory of Asher, they received Mashal, Abdon, 75 Hukok, and Rehob, each with its pasturelands. 76 From the territory of Naphtali, they were given Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, each with its pasturelands.
77 The remaining descendants of Merari received the towns of Jokneam, Kartah,[v] Rimmon,[w] and Tabor from the territory of Zebulun, each with its pasturelands. 78 From the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho, they received Bezer (a desert town), Jahaz,[x] 79 Kedemoth, and Mephaath, each with its pasturelands. 80 And from the territory of Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, 81 Heshbon, and Jazer, each with its pasturelands.
Descendants of Issachar
7 The four sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.
2 The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. At the time of King David, the total number of mighty warriors listed in the records of these clans was 22,600.
3 The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. These five became the leaders of clans. 4 All of them had many wives and many sons, so the total number of men available for military service among their descendants was 36,000.
5 The total number of mighty warriors from all the clans of the tribe of Issachar was 87,000. All of them were listed in their genealogical records.
Descendants of Benjamin
6 Three of Benjamin’s sons were Bela, Beker, and Jediael.
7 The five sons of Bela were Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. The total number of mighty warriors from these clans was 22,034, as listed in their genealogical records.
8 The sons of Beker were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. 9 Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. The total number of mighty warriors and leaders from these clans was 20,200, as listed in their genealogical records.
10 The son of Jediael was Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. From these clans the total number of mighty warriors ready for war was 17,200.
12 The sons of Ir were Shuppim and Huppim. Hushim was the son of Aher.
Descendants of Naphtali
13 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel,[y] Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.[z] They were all descendants of Jacob’s concubine Bilhah.
Descendants of Manasseh
14 The descendants of Manasseh through his Aramean concubine included Asriel. She also bore Makir, the father of Gilead. 15 Makir found wives for[aa] Huppim and Shuppim. Makir had a sister named Maacah. One of his descendants was Zelophehad, who had only daughters.
16 Makir’s wife, Maacah, gave birth to a son whom she named Peresh. His brother’s name was Sheresh. The sons of Peresh were Ulam and Rakem. 17 The son of Ulam was Bedan. All these were considered Gileadites, descendants of Makir son of Manasseh.
18 Makir’s sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.
19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
Descendants of Ephraim
20 The descendants of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, 21 Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. These two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers near Gath. 22 Their father, Ephraim, mourned for them a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Afterward Ephraim slept with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriah[ab] because of the tragedy his family had suffered. 24 He had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah.
25 The descendants of Ephraim included Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Tahan, 26 Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, 27 Nun, and Joshua.
28 The descendants of Ephraim lived in the territory that included Bethel and its surrounding towns to the south, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its surrounding villages to the north as far as Ayyah and its towns. 29 Along the border of Manasseh were the towns of Beth-shan,[ac] Taanach, Megiddo, Dor, and their surrounding villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel[ad] lived in these towns.
Descendants of Asher
30 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. They had a sister named Serah.
31 The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel (the father of Birzaith).
32 The sons of Heber were Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham. They had a sister named Shua.
33 The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath.
34 The sons of Shomer were Ahi,[ae] Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.
35 The sons of his brother Helem[af] were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.
36 The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran,[ag] and Beera.
38 The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispah, and Ara.
39 The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.
40 Each of these descendants of Asher was the head of an ancestral clan. They were all select men—mighty warriors and outstanding leaders. The total number of men available for military service was 26,000, as listed in their genealogical records.
Descendants of Benjamin
8 Benjamin’s first son was Bela, the second was Ashbel, the third was Aharah, 2 the fourth was Nohah, and the fifth was Rapha.
3 The sons of Bela were Addar, Gera, Abihud,[ah] 4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
6 The sons of Ehud, leaders of the clans living at Geba, were exiled to Manahath. 7 Ehud’s sons were Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. Gera, who led them into exile, was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.[ai]
8 After Shaharaim divorced his wives Hushim and Baara, he had children in the land of Moab. 9 His wife Hodesh gave birth to Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These sons all became the leaders of clans.
11 Shaharaim’s wife Hushim had already given birth to Abitub and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built the towns of Ono and Lod and their nearby villages), 13 Beriah, and Shema. They were the leaders of the clans living in Aijalon, and they drove out the inhabitants of Gath.
14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.
17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
19 Jakim, Zicri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.
22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zicri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zicri were the sons of Jeroham.
28 These were the leaders of the ancestral clans; they were listed in their genealogical records, and they all lived in Jerusalem.
The Family of Saul
29 Jeiel[aj] (the father of[ak] Gibeon) lived in the town of Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah, 30 and his oldest son was named Abdon. Jeiel’s other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,[al] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah,[am] 32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeam.[an] All these families lived near each other in Jerusalem.
33 Ner was the father of Kish.
Kish was the father of Saul.
Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
34 Jonathan was the father of Merib-baal.
Merib-baal was the father of Micah.
35 Micah was the father of Pithon, Melech, Tahrea,[ao] and Ahaz.
36 Ahaz was the father of Jadah.[ap]
Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri.
Zimri was the father of Moza.
37 Moza was the father of Binea.
Binea was the father of Rephaiah.[aq]
Rephaiah was the father of Eleasah.
Eleasah was the father of Azel.
38 Azel had six sons: Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
39 Azel’s brother Eshek had three sons: the first was Ulam, the second was Jeush, and the third was Eliphelet. 40 Ulam’s sons were all mighty warriors and expert archers. They had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.
All these were descendants of Benjamin.
Footnotes
- 5:1 Israel is the name that God gave to Jacob.
- 5:2 Or and from Judah came a prince.
- 5:6 Hebrew Tilgath-pilneser, a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser; also in 5:26.
- 5:7 Hebrew His.
- 5:24 As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew reads and Epher.
- 6:1 Verses 6:1-15 are numbered 5:27-41 in Hebrew text.
- 6:10 Hebrew the house.
- 6:16a Verses 6:16-81 are numbered 6:1-66 in Hebrew text.
- 6:16b Hebrew Gershom, a variant spelling of Gershon (see 6:1); also in 6:17, 20, 43, 62, 71.
- 6:23 Hebrew Ebiasaph, a variant spelling of Abiasaph (also in 6:37); compare parallel text at Exod 6:24.
- 6:27 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 6:33-34); Hebrew lacks and Samuel.
- 6:28 As in some Greek manuscripts and the Syriac version (see also 6:33 and 1 Sam 8:2); Hebrew lacks Joel.
- 6:32 Hebrew the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.
- 6:38 Israel is the name that God gave to Jacob.
- 6:39 Hebrew lacks from the clan of Gershon; see 6:43.
- 6:57 As in parallel text at Josh 21:13; Hebrew reads were given the cities of refuge: Hebron, and the following towns, each with its pasturelands.
- 6:58 As in parallel text at Josh 21:15; Masoretic Text reads Hilez; other manuscripts read Hilen.
- 6:59a As in parallel text at Josh 21:16; Hebrew reads Ashan.
- 6:59b As in Syriac version (see also Josh 21:16); Hebrew lacks Juttah.
- 6:60 As in parallel text at Josh 21:17; Hebrew lacks Gibeon.
- 6:66-67 As in parallel text at Josh 21:21; Hebrew text reads were given the cities of refuge: Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and the following towns, each with its pasturelands.
- 6:77a As in Greek version (see also Josh 21:34); Hebrew lacks Jokneam, Kartah.
- 6:77b As in Greek version (see also Josh 19:13); Hebrew reads Rimmono.
- 6:78 Hebrew Jahzah, a variant spelling of Jahaz.
- 7:13a As in parallel text at Gen 46:24; Hebrew reads Jahziel, a variant spelling of Jahzeel.
- 7:13b As in some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts (see also Gen 46:24; Num 26:49); most Hebrew manuscripts read Shallum.
- 7:15 Or Makir took a wife from. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 7:23 Beriah sounds like a Hebrew term meaning “tragedy” or “misfortune.”
- 7:29a Hebrew Beth-shean, a variant spelling of Beth-shan.
- 7:29b Israel is the name that God gave to Jacob.
- 7:34 Or The sons of Shomer, his brother, were.
- 7:35 Possibly another name for Hotham; compare 7:32.
- 7:37 Possibly another name for Jether; compare 7:38.
- 8:3 Possibly Gera the father of Ehud; compare 8:6.
- 8:7 Or Gera, that is Heglam, was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
- 8:29a As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 9:35); Hebrew lacks Jeiel.
- 8:29b Or the founder of.
- 8:30 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 9:36); Hebrew lacks Ner.
- 8:31 As in parallel text at 9:37; Hebrew reads Zeker, a variant spelling of Zechariah.
- 8:32 As in parallel text at 9:38; Hebrew reads Shimeah, a variant spelling of Shimeam.
- 8:35 As in parallel text at 9:41; Hebrew reads Tarea, a variant spelling of Tahrea.
- 8:36 As in parallel text at 9:42; Hebrew reads Jehoaddah, a variant spelling of Jadah.
- 8:37 As in parallel text at 9:43; Hebrew reads Raphah, a variant spelling of Rephaiah.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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