1. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel—so he is not reckoned as the firstborn in the genealogical record.
2. Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers, and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.
3. The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Enoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
4. The descendants of Joel: his son Shemaiah, his son Gog, his son Shimei,
5. his son Micah, his son Reaiah, his son Baal
6. and his son Beerah whom Tillegath-pilneser king of Assyria carried into exile. He was the leader of the Reubenites.
7. His kinsmen by their families, as listed in their genealogical records: the leader Jeiel, Zechariah,
8. and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel. They settled in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal-meon,
9. while in the east they settled as far as the entrance of the wilderness from this side of the river Euphrates, because their cattle had multiplied in the land of Gilead.
10. Now in the days of Saul they had made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand. So they lived in their encampments in the entire eastern area of Gilead.
11. Now the sons of Gad lived opposite them in the land of Bashan as far as Salcah:
12. Joel the leader, Shapham second, then Janai and Shaphat in Bashan.
13. Their kinsmen according to their ancestral families: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber—seven in all.
14. These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jehishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz.
15. Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni was leader of their ancestral families.
16. They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its surrounding villages, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon, up to their borders.
17. All these were recorded by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
18. The sons of Reuben and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors ready for war—men who carried shield and sword and drew the bow, and were skilled in battle.
19. So they made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab.