1 Chronicles 4

1 Chronicles 4:1-8

The Genealogy of the Twelve Sons of Israel – 1 Chronicles 4-8 gives a brief chronology of the twelve sons of Israel. However, there appears to be no certain order in listing these twelve children of Jacob, although a reference is made to Reuben’s genealogy being listed out of the order of birthright (1 Chronicles 5:1). 1 Chronicles 5:1, “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.” The genealogies are listed in the following order: Judah — 1 Chronicles 4:1-23 Simeon — 1 Chronicles 4:24-43 Reuben — 1 Chronicles 5:1-10 Gad — 1 Chronicles 5:11-22 Manasseh (east) — 1 Chronicles 5:23-26 Levi — 1 Chronicles 6:1-81 Issachar — 1 Chronicles 7:1-5 Benjamin — 1 Chronicles 7:6-12 Naphtali — 1 Chronicles 7:13 Manasseh (west) — 1 Chronicles 7:14-19 Ephraim — 1 Chronicles 7:20-28 Asher — 1 Chronicles 7:30-40 Note that the tribes of Dan and Zebulun are not listed in these chapters. If we compare the order of their births, we find that these genealogies in 1 Chronicles were not listed by order of birth:

1. Leah ή Reuben
2. Leah ή Simeon
3. Leah ή Levi
4. Leah ή Judah
5. Bilhah ή Daniel 6. Bilhah ή Naphtali
6. Zilpah ή Gad
7. Zilpah ή Asher
8. Leah ή Issachar
9. Leah ή Zebulun
10. Rachel ή Joseph (Manasseh and Ephraim)
11. Rachel ή Benjamin