^4:4Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.

^4:5Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. ^4:6Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. ^4:7The sons of Helah: Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, ^4:8and Koz, who was the father of Anub, Hazzobebah, and the clans of Aharhel the son of Harum.

^4:9Jabez was more respected than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, for she said, “I experienced pain when I gave birth to him.”¹^4:10Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only² you would greatly bless me and expand my territory! May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm so I might not endure pain!”³ God answered his prayer.⁴

^4:11Kelub, the brother of Shuhah, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. ^4:12Eshton was the father of Beth-Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah, the father of Ir Nahash.⁵ These were the men of Recah.

^4:13The sons of Kenaz:

Othniel and Seraiah.

The sons of Othniel:

Hathath and Meonothai.⁶^4:14Meonothai was the father of Ophrah.

Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those who live in Ge Harashim, who were craftsmen.⁷

^4:15The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh:

Iru, Elah, and Naam.

The son of Elah:

Kenaz.⁸

^4:16The sons of Jehallelel:

Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

^4:17The sons of Ezrah:

Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon.

Mered’s wife Bithiah⁹ gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa. ^4:18(His Judahite wife gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.) These were the sons of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah, whom Mered married.¹⁰

^4:19The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham:

the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.

^4:20The sons of Shimon:

Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-Hanan, and Tilon.

The descendants of Ishi:

Zoheth and Ben Zoheth.¹¹

^4:21The sons of Shelah son of Judah:

Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, the clans of the linen workers at Beth-Ashbea, ^4:22Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, both of whom ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem. (This information is from ancient records.)¹²^4:23They were the potters who lived in Netaim and Gederah; they lived there and worked for the king.¹³

Simeon’s Descendants

^4:24The descendants of Simeon:

Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul, ^4:25his son Shallum, his son Mibsam, and his son Mishma.

^4:26The descendants of Mishma:

His son Hammuel, his son Zaccur, and his son Shimei.

^4:27Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. But his brothers did not have many sons, so their whole clan was not as numerous as the sons of Judah. ^4:28They lived in Beer Sheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, ^4:29Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, ^4:30Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ^4:31Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. ^4:32Their settlements also included Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns. ^4:33They also lived in all the settlements that surrounded these towns as far as Baal.¹⁴ These were their settlements; they kept genealogical records.

^4:34Their clan leaders were:¹⁵

Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, ^4:35Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel), ^4:36Eleoenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, ^4:37Ziza son of Shipi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah). ^4:38These who are named above were the leaders of their clans.

Their extended families increased greatly in numbers. ^4:39They went to the entrance of Gedor, to the east of the valley, looking for pasture for their sheep. ^4:40They found fertile and rich pasture; the land was very broad, undisturbed and peaceful. Indeed some Hamites had been living there prior to that. ^4:41The men whose names are listed came during the time of King Hezekiah of Judah and attacked the Hamites’ settlements,¹⁶ as well as the Meunites they discovered there, and they wiped them out to this very day. They dispossessed them,¹⁷ for they found pasture for their sheep there. ^4:42Five hundred men of Simeon, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to the hill country of Seir ^4:43and defeated the rest of the Amalekite refugees;¹⁸ they live there to this very day.

Reuben’s Descendants

^5:1The 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.²^5:2Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers and a leader descended from him,³ the right of the firstborn belonged to Joseph.)

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

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

^5:4The descendants of Joel:

His son Shemaiah, his son Gog, his son Shimei, ^5:5his son Micah, his son Reaiah, his son Baal, ^5:6and his son Beerah, whom King Tiglath-pileser⁴ of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah⁵ was the tribal leader of Reuben.

^5:7His brothers by their clans, as listed in their genealogical records:

The leader Jeiel, Zechariah, ^5:8and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel.

They lived in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal Meon. ^5:9In the east they settled as far as the entrance to the desert that stretches to the Euphrates River, for their cattle had increased in numbers in the land of Gilead. ^5:10During the time of Saul they attacked the Hagrites and defeated them. They took over their territory in the entire eastern region of Gilead.⁶

Gad’s Descendants

^5:11The descendants of Gad lived near them in the land of Bashan, as far as Salecah.

^5:12They included Joel the leader, Shapham the second in command, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. ^5:13Their relatives, listed according to their families,⁷ included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all.

^5:14These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. ^5:15Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was the leader of the family.⁸^5:16They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its surrounding settlements, and in the pasturelands of Sharon to their very borders.⁹^5:17All of them were listed in the genealogical records in the time of King Jotham of Judah and in the time of King Jeroboam of Israel.

^5:18The 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.¹⁰^5:19They attacked¹¹ the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ^5:20They 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.¹²^5:21They seized the Hagrites’¹³ animals, including 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also took captive 100,000 people. ^5:22Because God fought for them,¹⁴ they killed many of the enemy.¹⁵ They dispossessed the Hagrites and lived in their land until the exile.¹⁶

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

^5:23The half-tribe of Manasseh settled in the land from Bashan as far as Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. They grew in number.

^5:24These were the leaders of their families:¹⁷

Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were skilled warriors, men of reputation,¹⁸ and leaders of their families. ^5:25But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors¹⁹ and worshiped instead²⁰ the gods of the native peoples²¹ whom God had destroyed before them. ^5:26So the God of Israel stirred up²² King Pul of Assyria (that is, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria),²³ and he carried away the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh and took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this very day.

Levi’s Descendants

^{6:1 (5:27)}¹ The sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

^6:2The sons of Kohath:

Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

^6:3The children of Amram:

Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.

The sons of Aaron:

Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

^6:4Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, and Phinehas was the father of Abishua. ^6:5Abishua was the father of Bukki, and Bukki was the father of Uzzi. ^6:6Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. ^6:7Meraioth was the father of Amariah, and Amariah was the father of Ahitub. ^6:8Ahitub was the father of Zadok, and Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. ^6:9Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah, and Azariah was the father of Johanan. ^6:10Johanan was the father of Azariah, who served as a priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem.²^6:11Azariah was the father of Amariah, and Amariah was the father of Ahitub. ^6:12Ahitub was the father of Zadok, and Zadok was the father of Shallum. ^6:13Shallum was the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. ^6:14Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak. ^6:15Jehozadak went into exile when the Lord sent the people of³ Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

^{6:16 (6:1)}⁴ The sons of Levi:

Gershom,⁵ Kohath, and Merari.

^6:17These are the names of the sons Gershom:

Libni and Shimei.

^6:18The sons of Kohath:

Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

^6:19The sons of Merari:

Mahli and Mushi.

These are the clans of the Levites by their families.⁶

^6:20To Gershom:

His son Libni, his son Jahath, his son Zimmah, ^6:21his son Joah, his son Iddo, his son Zerah, and his son Jeatherai.

^6:22The sons⁷ of Kohath:

His son Amminadab, his son…

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Footnotes

1 In Hebrew the name יַעְבֵּץ (ya’bets, “Jabez”) sounds like the noun עֹצֶב (’otsev) which means “pain.”
2 On the use of אִם (’im, “if”) here, see
3 Heb “and act from [i.e., so as to prevent] harm so that I might not be in pain.”
4 Heb “and God brought about what he had asked.”
5 Or “of the city of Nahash.”
6 “Meonothai” is read here by some of the , along with the . The name apparently was dropped from the Hebrew text by haplography. Note that the name appears at the beginning of the next verse as well.
7 Heb “the father of Ge Harashim, for they were craftsmen.” The name “Ge Harashim” means “valley of craftsmen.”
8 Heb “and the sons of Elah and Kenaz.” Kenaz was actually the son of Elah.
9 The Hebrew text has simply, “and she gave birth to,” without identifying the subject. The words “Mered’s wife Bithiah” are added in the translation for clarification. See v. 18b, which mentions “Bethiah, whom Mered married.”
10 Heb “took,” referring to taking in marriage.
11 Or “and the son of Zoheth” (). The word בֶּן (ben) in Hebrew means “son [of].”
12 Heb “and the words are old.”
13 Heb “and those who lived in Netaim and Gederah; with the king in his work they lived there.”
14 Some read “Baalath” (cf. Josh 19:8). This is followed by some English versions (e.g., , , , ).
15 The words “their clan leaders were” are added in the translation for clarification. See v. 38a, which makes this clear.
16 The Hebrew text reads “their tents,” apparently referring to those of the Hamites mentioned at the end of v. 40. Some prefer to emend the text to read, “the tents of Ham.”
17 Heb “and they lived in place of them.”
18 Heb “and struck down the remnant that had escaped belonging to Amalek.”
1 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.
2 Heb “and not to be listed in the genealogical records as (having) the right of the firstborn.”
3 Heb “and [one] for a leader [was] from him.” This probably refers to the Davidic king.
4 Heb “Tilgath-pilneser,” a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser (also in v. 26).
5 Heb “he”; the referent (Beerah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 Heb “and in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites and they fell by their hand and they lived in their tents unto all the face of the east of Gilead.”
7 Heb “and their brothers by the house of their fathers.”
8 Heb “was the head of the house of their fathers.”
9 Heb “unto their extremities.”
10 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.”
11 Heb “made war with.”
12 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.”
13 Heb “their”; the referent (the Hagrites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 Heb “from God [was] the battle.”
15 Heb “many slain fell.”
16 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.
17 Heb “and these [were] the heads of the house of their fathers.”
18 Heb “men of names.”
19 Heb “fathers.”
20 Heb “prostituted themselves after.”
21 Heb “the peoples of the land.”
22 Heb “stirred up the spirit of.”
23 Heb “and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria.” “Pul” and “Tilgath-pilneser” were names of the same Assyrian ruler, more commonly known as Tiglath-pileser (cf. 2 Kgs 15:29).
1 Beginning with 6:1, the verse numbers through 6:81 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (), with 6:1 = 5:27 , 6:2 = 5:28 , 6:16 = 6:1 , etc., through 6:81 = 6:66 . Beginning with 7:1 the verse numbers in the and are again the same.
2 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
3 The words “the people of” are added in the translation for clarification.
4 Chapter 6 of 1 Chr begins here in the Hebrew text; 6:16–81 = 6:1–66 . See the note at .
5 The name “Gershom” (also in vv. 17, 20, 43, 62, 71) appears as “Gershon” in 1 Chr 6:1.
6 Heb “by their fathers.”
7 Or perhaps, “descendants,” since the list differs from the one in v. 18.