1 ARST Reuben was the oldest son of the person named Israel(who was first known as Jacob), and Reuben had sons of his own. Reuben’ s status of firstborn entitled him to special rights that belonged to firstborn sons. But he slept with his father’ s slave wife, so his father gave those rights to the sons of Joseph, a younger son of Israel. The family records do not mention Reuben first, as the firstborn sons typically are. BSB BSB: These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.
2 ARST Although Judah became more influential than his brothers, and a ruler descended from Judah, Joseph’ s family received the rights that belonged to the firstborn. BSB BSB: And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.
3 ARST Again, Reuben was the person Israel’ s oldest son. Reuben’ s sons were Hanok, Pallu, Hezron, and Karmi. BSB BSB: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 ARST Another descendant of Reuben was Joel. Joel had descendants. Joel’ s son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah’ s son was Gog. Gog’ s son was Shimei. BSB BSB: The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5 ARST Shimei’ s son was Micah. Micah’ s son was Reaiah. Reaiah’ s son was Baal. BSB BSB: Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
6 ARST Baal’ s son was Beerah. Beerah was a leader of the tribe of Reuben. But Tiglath- Pileser king of Assyria captured him and took him to Assyria. BSB BSB: and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.
7 ARST The names of these clans are listed here according to what is written in their family records. The names written were: Jeiel(the leader), then Zechariah, BSB BSB: His relatives by their clans are recorded in their genealogy: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah,
8 ARST and then Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel. Reuben’ s clan lived near the city of Aroer as far north as the city of Nebo and the city of Baal Meon. BSB BSB: and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in Aroer and as far as Nebo and Baal-meon.
9 ARST Some of them lived further east, as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River. They moved there because the amount of their cattle outgrew the pastureland for them in the region of Gilead. BSB BSB: They also settled in the east as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in the land of Gilead.
10 ARST When Saul was king of Israel, the men in the tribe of Reuben fought against the descendants of Hagar and defeated them. After that, they lived in the tents that the descendants of Hagar had lived in previously, in all the area east of the region of Gilead. BSB BSB: During the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands, and they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the region east of Gilead.
11 ARST The tribe of Gad lived near the tribe of Reuben in the region of Bashan, all the way east to the city of Salekah. BSB BSB: The descendants of Gad lived next to the Reubenites in the land of Bashan, as far as Salecah:
12 ARST Joel was their leader; Shapham was second- in- command; other leaders were Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. BSB BSB: Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Jaanai and Shaphat, who lived in Bashan.
13 ARST Other members of the tribe belonged to seven clans, whose leaders were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia, and Eber. BSB BSB: Their kinsmen by families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.
14 ARST They were descendants of Abihail. Abihail was the son of Huri, Huri was the son of Jaroah, Jaroah was the son of Gilead, Gilead was son of Michael, Michael was the son of Jeshishai, Jeshishai was the son of Jahdo, and Jahdo was the son of Buz. BSB BSB: 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 ARST Ahi was Abdiel’ s son. Abdiel was Guni’ s son. Ahi was the leader of their clan. BSB BSB: Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.
16 ARST The descendants of Gad lived in the towns in the regions of Gilead and Bashan, and on all the pastureland throughout the Plain of Sharon. BSB BSB: They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its towns, and throughout the pasturelands of Sharon.
17 ARST Scribes wrote all of those names in the records of the clans of Gad during the time that Jotham was the king of the southern kingdom, Judah, and Jeroboam was the king of the northern kingdom, Israel. BSB BSB: All of them were recorded in the genealogies during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.
18 ARST There were 44, 760 soldiers descended from strong men in the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh. They all carried shields and swords and bows and arrows. They were all trained to fight in battles. BSB BSB: The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors—valiant men who carried the shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for battle.
19 ARST They attacked the descendants of Hagar and the people in the cities of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. BSB BSB: They waged war against the Hagrites, as well as Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.
20 ARST God enabled the men from those three tribes to defeat the descendants of Hagar and all those who were helping them because the men from those three tribes prayed to God during the battles, requesting he help them. So he helped them because they trusted in him. BSB BSB: And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers.
21 ARST They took the animals that belonged to the descendants of Hagar: 50, 000 camels, 250, 000 sheep, and 2, 000 donkeys. They also captured 100, 000 people. BSB BSB: They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also took 100,000 captives,
22 ARST But many descendants of Hagar died because God helped the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh defeat the descendants of Hagar. After that, those three tribes lived in that area until the army of Assyria captured them and took them away to the east. BSB BSB: and many others fell slain, because the battle belonged to God. And they occupied the land until the exile.
23 ARST There were many people who belonged to the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh. They lived in the region of Bashan east of the Jordan River, as far north as Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. BSB BSB: Now the people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous. They settled in the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon (that is, Senir, also known as Mount Hermon).
24 ARST Their clan leaders were Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were all mighty and famous soldiers and leaders of their clans. BSB BSB: These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of their families.
25 ARST But they sinned against God, the one whom their ancestors had worshiped. They worshiped the gods that the people of that region had worshiped, the people whom God had enabled them to destroy. BSB BSB: But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and they prostituted themselves with the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.
26 ARST So the God whom the Israelites worshiped incited Pul, the king of Assyria, to want to conquer those tribes. Pul’ s other name was Tiglath- Pileser. His army captured the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh, and took them to various places in Assyria: Halah, Habor, Hara and near the Gozan River. They have lived in those places from that time to the present time. BSB BSB: So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria) to take the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. And he brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.