1. These are the descendants of Reuben, the eldest of Jacob's sons. (Because he had intercourse with one of his father's concubines, he lost the rights belonging to the firstborn son, and those rights were given to Joseph.
2. It was the tribe of Judah, however, that became the strongest and provided a ruler for all the tribes.)
3. Reuben, the eldest of Jacob's sons, had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.