1. The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. (He was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled the couch of his father his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, son of Israel, so that he is not listed in the family records according to his birthright.
2. Judah, in fact, became powerful among his brothers, so that the ruler came from him, though the birthright had been Joseph’s.)
3. The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4. His son was Joel, whose son was Shemaiah, whose son was Gog, whose son was Shimei,
5. whose son was Micah, whose son was Reaiah, whose son was Baal,
6. whose son was Beerah, whom Tilgath-pileser, the king of Assyria, took into exile; he was a prince of the Reubenites.
7. His brothers who belonged to his clans, when they were listed in the family records according to their descendants, were: Jeiel, the chief, and Zechariah,
8. and Bela, son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel. The Reubenites lived in Aroer and as far as Nebo and Baal-meon;
9. toward the east they dwelt as far as the wilderness which extends from the Euphrates River, for they had much livestock in the land of Gilead.
10. In Saul’s time they waged war with the Hagrites, and when they had defeated them they dwelt in their tents throughout the region east of Gilead.
11. The Gadites lived alongside them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah.