The First Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 5 -

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.

But of the race of Juda, who was the strongest among his brethren, came the princes: but the first birthright was accounted to Joseph.)

The sons then of Ruben the firstborn of Israel were Enoch, and Phallu, Esron, and Charmi.

The sons of Joel: Samaia his son, Gog his son, Semei his son,

Micha his son, Reia his son, Baal his son,

Beera his son, whom Thelgathphalnasar king of the Assyrians carried away captive, and he was prince in the tribe of Ruben.

And his brethren, and all his kindred, when they were numbered by their families, had for princes Jehiel, and Zacharias.

And Bala the son of Azaz, the son of Samma, the son of Joel, dwelt in Aroer as far as Nebo, and Beelmeon.

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.

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.

The Descendants of Gad

And the children of Gad dwelt over against them in the land of Basan, as far as Selcha:

Johel the chief, and Saphan the second: and Janai, and Saphat in Basan.

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.

These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Hurl, the son of Jara, the son of Galaad, the son of Michael, the son of Jesisi, the son of Jeddo, the son of But.

And their brethren the sons of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of the house in their families,

And they dwelt in Galaad, and in Basan and in the towns thereof, and in all the suburbs of Saron, unto the borders.

All these were numbered in the days of Joathan king of Juda, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

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.

They fought against the Agarites: but the Itureans, and Naphis, and Nodab,

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.

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.

And many fell down slain: for it was the battle of the Lord. And they dwelt in their stead till the captivity.

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

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.

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.

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.

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.

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be listed according to the birthright.

For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and from him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph’s)—

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

The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,

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

and Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive. He was prince of the Reubenites.

His brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was listed: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,

and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon;

and he lived eastward even to the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock were multiplied in the land of Gilead.

In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.

The Descendants of Gad

The sons of Gad lived beside them in the land of Bashan to Salecah:

Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

Their brothers of their fathers’ houses: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven.

These were the sons 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;

Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers’ houses.

They lived in Gilead in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon as far as their borders.

All these were listed by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, able to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty that were able to go out to war.

They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab.

They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he answered them because they put their trust in him.

They took away their livestock: of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand.

For many fell slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity.

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land. They increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.

These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel—mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses.

They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God destroyed before them.

So 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 away the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.