The descendants of Reuben
1 Reuben was Israel's firstborn son. That is, Reuben was born first. But he had sex with his father's slave wife. So his father took away the benefits that belong to a firstborn son. Instead, Israel gave those benefits to his son Joseph's sons. So Reuben does not have the first place in the list of Israel's sons. 2 Judah became stronger than all his brothers. Israel's ruler came from his tribe. But it was Joseph who received the benefits that belong to the firstborn son.
5:2‘benefits’ are good things that you receive.
3 The sons of Reuben, Israel's oldest son, were: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
4 Joel's descendants were: His son Shemaiah. Shemaiah's son Gog. Gog's son Shimei. 5 Shimei's son Micah. Micah's son Reaiah. Reaiah's son Baal. 6 Baal's son Beerah. Beerah was a leader of Reuben's tribe. Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, took him away to Assyria as his prisoner.
7 The lists of Reuben's descendants include these leaders of their clans: Jeiel was the first, then Zechariah and Bela. 8 Bela was the son of Azaz. Azaz was the son of Shema. Shema was the son of Joel.
Reuben's people lived in the region of Aroer, as far north as Nebo and Baal-Meon. 9 Their east border was the desert that goes all the way to the Euphrates River. They had too many animals to feed in the region of Gilead. So they had to live in all those other places too.
10 When Saul was Israel's king, the men of Reuben's tribe attacked the Hagrites. They won the fight. Then they moved into their land to live. That was the whole region that was east of Gilead.
