Reuben

¹ These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,

² Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

¹ These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.

² And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.

³ The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors—valiant men who carried the shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for battle.

The Merarites, according to their families, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

⁷⁸ From the tribe of Reuben east of the Jordan opposite Jericho they were given Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah,

⁷⁹ Kedemoth, and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands.

⁴ what He did to the Egyptian army and horses and chariots when He made the waters of the Red Sea engulf them as they pursued you, and how He destroyed them completely, even to this day;

⁵ what He did for you in the wilderness until you reached this place;

⁶ and what He did in the midst of all the Israelites to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that belonged to them.

And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.”

² Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

³ Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.