1 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn—

(Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records. 2 Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers and a leader descended from him, the right of the firstborn belonged to Joseph.)

3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch, 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 King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah was the tribal leader of Reuben.

7 His brothers by their clans, as listed in their genealogical records:

The leader Jeiel, Zechariah, 8 and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel.

They lived in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal Meon. 9 In the east they settled as far as the entrance to the wilderness that stretches to the Euphrates River, for their cattle had increased in numbers in the land of Gilead. 10 During the time of Saul they attacked the Hagrites and defeated them. They took over their territory in the entire eastern region of Gilead.

11 The descendants of Gad lived near them in the land of Bashan, as far as Salecah.

12 They included Joel the leader, Shapham the second-in-command, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13 Their relatives, listed according to their families, included 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 Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. 15 Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was the leader of the family. 16 They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its surrounding settlements, and in the pasturelands of Sharon to their very borders. 17 All of them were listed in the genealogical records in the time of King Jotham of Judah and in the time of King Jeroboam of Israel.

18 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men in their combined armies, warriors who carried shields and swords, were equipped with bows, and were trained for war. 19 They attacked the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 They received divine help in fighting them, and the Hagrites and all their allies were handed over to them. They cried out to God during the battle; he responded to their prayers because they trusted in him. 21 They seized the Hagrites’ animals, including 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also took captive 100,000 people. 22 Because God fought for them, they killed many of the enemy. They dispossessed the Hagrites and lived in their land until the exile.

23 The half-tribe of Manasseh settled in the land from Bashan as far as Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. They grew in number.

24 These were the leaders of their families:

Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were skilled warriors, men of reputation, and leaders of their families. 25 But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and worshiped instead the gods of the native peoples whom God had destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up King Pul of Assyria (that is, King Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria), and he carried away the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh and took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this very day.

6:1 (5:27) The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

2 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

3 The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.

The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, and Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua was the father of Bukki, and Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah, and Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok, and Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah, and Azariah was the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan was the father of Azariah, who served as a priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem. 11 Azariah was the father of Amariah, and Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok, and Zadok was the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak. 15 Jehozadak went into exile when the Lord sent the people of Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

16 (6:1) The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

17 These are the names of the sons Gershom: Libni and Shimei.

18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.

These are the clans of the Levites by their families.

20 To Gershom: his son Libni, his son Jahath, his son Zimmah, 21 his son Joah, his son Iddo, his son Zerah, and his son Jeatherai.

22 The sons of Kohath: his son Amminadab, his son Korah, his son Assir, 23 his son Elkanah, his son Ebiasaph, his son Assir, 24 his son Tahath, his son Uriel, his son Uzziah, and his son Shaul.

25 The sons of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, 26 his son Elkanah, his son Zophai, his son Nahath, 27 his son Eliab, his son Jeroham, and his son Elkanah.

28 The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second oldest.

29 The descendants of Merari: Mahli, his son Libni, his son Shimei, his son Uzzah, 30 his son Shimea, his son Haggiah, and his son Asaiah.

31 These are the men David put in charge of music in the Lord’s sanctuary, after the ark was placed there. 32 They performed music before the sanctuary of the meeting tent until Solomon built the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. They carried out their tasks according to regulations.

33 These are the ones who served along with their sons:

From the Kohathites: Heman the musician, son of Joel, son of Samuel, 34 son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, 35 son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, 36 son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, 37 son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, 38 son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel.

39 Serving beside him was his fellow Levite Asaph, son of Berechiah, son of Shimea, 40 son of Michael, son of Baaseiah, son of Malkijah, 41 son of Ethni, son of Zerah, son of Adaiah, 42 son of Ethan, son of Zimmah, son of Shimei, 43 son of Jahath, son of Gershom, son of Levi.

44 Serving beside them were their fellow Levites, the descendants of Merari, led by Ethan, son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch, 45 son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, 46 son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer, 47 son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi.

48 The rest of their fellow Levites were assigned to perform the remaining tasks at God’s sanctuary. 49 But Aaron and his descendants offered sacrifices on the altar for burnt offerings and on the altar for incense as they had been assigned to do in the Most Holy Sanctuary. They made atonement for Israel, just as God’s servant Moses had ordered.

50 These were the descendants of Aaron:

His son Eleazar, his son Phinehas, his son Abishua, 51 his son Bukki, his son Uzzi, his son Zerahiah, 52 his son Meraioth, his son Amariah, his son Ahitub, 53 his son Zadok, and his son Ahimaaz.

54 These were the areas where Aaron’s descendants lived:

The following belonged to the Kohathite clan, for they received the first allotment:

55 They were allotted Hebron in the territory of Judah, as well as its surrounding pasturelands. 56 (But the city’s land and nearby towns were allotted to Caleb son of Jephunneh.) 57 The descendants of Aaron were also allotted as cities of refuge Hebron, Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands, 58 Hilez and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands, 59 Ashan and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands.

60 Within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, they were allotted Geba and its pasturelands, Alemeth and its pasturelands, and Anathoth and its pasturelands. Their clans were allotted thirteen cities in all. 61 The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh.

62 The clans of Gershom’s descendants received thirteen cities within the territory of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh (in Bashan).

63 The clans of Merari’s descendants were allotted twelve cities within the territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

64 So the Israelites gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands. 65 They allotted these previously named cities from the territory of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

66 The clans of Kohath’s descendants also received cities as their territory within the tribe of Ephraim. 67 They were allotted as cities of refuge Shechem and its pasturelands (in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer and its pasturelands, 68 Jokmeam and its pasturelands, Beth Horon and its pasturelands, 69 Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon and its pasturelands.

70 Within the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh, the rest of Kohath’s descendants received Aner and its pasturelands and Bileam and its pasturelands.

71 The following belonged to Gershom’s descendants:

Within the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan and its pasturelands and Ashtaroth and its pasturelands.

72 Within the territory of the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands, 73 Ramoth and its pasturelands, and Anem and its pasturelands.

74 Within the territory of the tribe of Asher: Mashal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands, 75 Hukok and its pasturelands, and Rehob and its pasturelands.

76 Within the territory of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee and its pasturelands, Hammon and its pasturelands, and Kiriathaim and its pasturelands.

77 The following belonged to the rest of Merari’s descendants:

Within the territory of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono and its pasturelands and Tabor and its pasturelands.

78 Within the territory of the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan River east of Jericho: Bezer in the wilderness and its pasturelands, Jahzah and its pasturelands, 79 Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands.

80 Within the territory of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands, 81 Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands.