1 Chronicles 5

1 These were the sons [descendants, offspring] of Reuben [the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah] the firstborn [born first, holding a special status] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants]. Though he was the firstborn [having the rights and privileges of the firstborn], his birthright [the rights and privileges of the firstborn child] was given [transferred, assigned] to the sons [descendants, children] of Joseph [Jehovah has added, a name given to several Israelites] son of Israel, because Reuben [he] defiled [profaned, desecrated] his father’s [Jacob’s, his ancestor’s] bed [the place of intimacy, the marriage bed]. So he is not reckoned [counted, considered] according to birthright [the rights and privileges of the firstborn child]. word study 2 And though Judah [became strong] prevailed over his brothers [relatives, kin] and a ruler [leader, commander] came from him, the birthright [right of the firstborn, privilege] belonged to Joseph [Jehovah has added, the favored one]. word study 3 The sons [descendants, offspring] of Reuben [the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah], the firstborn [oldest child, holding special status] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants]: Hanoch [dedicated, a son of Reuben], Pallu [an Israelite, son of Reuben], Hezron [surrounded by a wall, similar to Hazor], and Carmi [a descendant of Judah, father of several children]. word study 4 The descendants [sons, or family line] of Joel [Jehovah is God]: Shemaiah [heard by God] his son [or descendant], Gog [meaning ‘mountain’] his son, Shimei [a common Israelite name] his son, word study 5 Micah [Micaiah, who is like God] his son [descendant, offspring], Reaiah [Jehovah has seen] his son, Baal [the Phoenician deity, false god] his son, word study 6 and Beerah [son, descendant, or prince] his son, whom Tiglath-pileser [a powerful Assyrian king] king of Assyria [the ancient nation of Asshur] carried into exile [as a captive, away from his homeland]. Beerah was a [high-ranking, spiritual, or national] leader [a rising mist or captain] of the Reubenites [descendants of Reuben, son of Israel]. word study 7 His relatives [brethren, close family members] by their [family, clan or tribe] clans are recorded [enrolled, officially listed] in their genealogy [family history, descendants]: Jeiel [a leader] the chief [head, prince], Zechariah [Jehovah remembers, a name signifying God’s remembrance], word study 8 and Bela [son of destruction] son of Azaz, the son of Shema [meaning ‘hear’ or ’listen’], the son of Joel [Jehovah is God]. They settled [dwelt, remained] in Aroer [a place of ruins] and as far as [till, up to] Nebo [a mountain in Moab] and Baal-meon [a town in Reuben, a place of idolatry]. word study 9 They also settled [dwelt, inhabited] in the east [toward the sunrise, to the rising of the sun] as far as [till, unto] the edge [entrance, starting point] of the desert [wilderness, open field] that extends [continues, reaches] to the Euphrates River [Perath, a major river in western Asia], because [for, since] their livestock [cattle, flocks] had increased [multiplied, grown] in the land [earth, territory, region] of Gilead [a mountainous region, rocky region]. word study 10 During the days [period of time, era] of Saul [the first king of Israel] they waged war [made battle, fought] against the Hagrites [a group of people descended from Hagar, an Arabian clan], who were defeated [overcome, fell] at their hands [by their power, strength], and they occupied [dwelt, lived in] the homes [tents, dwellings] of the Hagrites throughout [in all parts of] the region [land, area] east [toward the sunrise, in the direction of the rising sun] of Gilead [a mountainous region, a rocky terrain]. word study 11 The descendants [sons, children] of Gad lived next to [over against, beside] the Reubenites in the land [earth, territory] of Bashan [a fertile region], as far as [till, unto] Salecah [a town east of the Jordan River]: word study 12 Joel [the leader, head] was the chief [head, prince], Shapham [the second in command] the second [duplicate, double], then Jaanai [a leader in Bashan] and Shaphat [a judge, ruler], who lived [resided, dwelled] in Bashan [a fertile region, east of the Jordan]. word study 13 Their kinsmen [brethren of the house of their fathers, close relatives] by families [houses of their kindreds] were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba [a place in Palestine, a Gadite], Jorai [meaning’God will teach’], Jacan [an Israelite from the tribe of Gad], Zia [a Gadite living in Bashan], and Eber [a great-grandson of Shem, meaning’the other side’]—seven in all. word study 14 These [specific, aforementioned] were the sons [descendants, offspring] of Abihail [my father is might] son of Huri [an Israelite from the tribe of Gad], the son of Jaroah [new moon], the son of Gilead [rocky region], the son of Michael [who is like God], the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz [a personal name, a son of Nahor]. word study 15 Ahi [brother, term of endearment] son [descendant, offspring] of Abdiel [servant of God], the son [descendant, offspring] of Guni [father’s name], was [served as, functioned as] head [chief, leader] of their family [house, household, clan]. word study 16 They lived [dwelt, remained, abided] in Gilead [a rocky region], in Bashan [a fertile area] and its towns [villages, settlements], and throughout [in all parts of] the pasturelands [open fields, grazing areas] of Sharon [a plain in Palestine]. word study 17 All [every single one, the entirety] of them were reckoned [enrolled, officially recorded] in the genealogies [family records, historical accounts] during the reigns [kingships, ruling periods] of Jotham [Jehovah is perfect] king [royal ruler, monarch] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom] and Jeroboam [the people will contend] king [royal ruler, monarch] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, the northern kingdom]. word study 18 The Reubenites [sons of Reuben, descendants], the Gadites [tribe of Gad], and the half-tribe [division, part] of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors [strong and mighty]—valiant men [able to bear buckler and sword] who carried the shield [for protection, defense] and sword [for battle, cutting], drew the bow [for hunting, warfare], and were trained [skilled, instructed] for battle [war, conflict]. word study 19 They waged [made, engaged in] war [battle, conflict] against the Hagrites [Hagarites, descendants of Hagar], as well as [together with] Jetur [a son of Ishmael], Naphish [meaning refreshment, a son of Ishmael], and Nodab [an Arab tribe, a son of Ishmael]. word study 20 And because they cried out [in desperate prayer, with loud voices] to God [Elohim, the all-powerful One] in battle [war, conflict], they were helped [assisted, given victory] against their enemies, and the Hagrites [a group of Arabian clans] and all [everything, every person] their allies [those who stood with them] were delivered [given, handed over] into their hands [power, control]. Because they put their trust [faith, confidence] in God, He answered [responded to, heard] their prayers [supplications, requests]. word study 21 They seized [took captive, as prisoners of war] the livestock [cattle, domestic animals] of the Hagrites—50,000 [fifty thousand] camels [used for riding or carrying loads], 250,000 [two hundred and fifty thousand] sheep [a flock of sheep or goats], and 2,000 [two thousand] donkeys [male donkeys]. They also took [led away, captured] 100,000 [a hundred thousand] captives [people, human beings, souls], word study 22 and many [a great multitude, numerous] others fell slain [killed, wounded, or pierced], because the battle [war, conflict, or fight] belonged to God [Elohim, the supreme ruler]. And they occupied [dwelt, lived, or resided] the land until [as far as, or up to the point of] the exile [captivity, or being taken away]. word study 23 Now the people [sons, descendants] of the half-tribe [division, part of a larger group] of Manasseh [a grandson of Jacob, ancestor of a large tribe] were numerous [increased, multiplied]. They settled [dwelt, lived] in the land [earth, territory] from Bashan [a fertile region east of the Jordan River] to Baal-hermon [lord of destruction, a city near Mount Hermon] (that is, Senir [another name for Mount Hermon], also known as [having the same meaning as] Mount Hermon [a snow-capped mountain, a sanctuary]). word study 24 These [specific, notable] were the heads [chiefs, leaders] of their families [households, clans]: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were mighty men [strong warriors, valiant] of valor [strength, courage], famous men [men of great reputation, renown], and heads [leaders, princes] of their families [households, ancestral lines]. word study 25 But they were unfaithful [transgressed, sinned against] to the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of their fathers [ancestors, forefathers], and they prostituted [went a whoring, played the harlot] themselves with the gods [idols, false deities] of the peoples [nations, tribes] of the land [earth, territory], whom God had destroyed [annihilated, desolated] before them. word study 26 So the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Israel stirred up [roused, awakened] the spirit [breath of life, mind and emotions] of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria [also known as Tiglath-pileser, a powerful Assyrian king]) to take the Reubenites [descendants of Reuben], the Gadites [tribe of Gad], and the half-tribe [divided portion] of Manasseh into exile [captivity, forced migration]. And he brought them to Halah [a region in Assyria], Habor [a river in Assyria], Hara [a region in Media], and the river of Gozan [a province in Assyria], where they remain to this day [until now, as far as this time]. word study