וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־הוּא הַבְּכוֹר וּבְחַלְּלוֹ יְצוּעֵי אָבִיו נִתְּנָה בְּכֹרָתוֹ לִבְנֵי יוֹסֵף בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא לְהִתְיַחֵשׂ לַבְּכֹרָה

The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; for he was the firstborn in order of age, strictly speaking, but when he desecrated his father’s couch, as related in Genesis (35:22), his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel. This transfer of the birthright was expressed by the double inheritance given to Joseph’s sons. Furthermore, it seems that some of Joseph’s descendants enjoyed a special status in Israel. But Joseph is not to be reckoned as firstborn. Joseph is still considered among the youngest of Jacob’s sons; regarding the matter of lineage, he is not the firstborn of Israel.

כִּי יְהוּדָה גָּבַר בְּאֶחָיו וּלְנָגִיד מִמֶּנּוּ וְהַבְּכֹרָה לְיוֹסֵף

For Judah prevailed over his brothers; he became greater and more important than his brothers, as his was the dominant personality among them, as the prince would come from him, the royal line descended from Judah, but the right of primogeniture with regard to the inheritances and social status was to Joseph.

בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲנוֹךְ וּפַלּוּא חֶצְרוֹן וְכַרְמִי

The previous introduction concerning Reuben’s status among the tribes is followed by a genealogical list. The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanokh, Palu, Hetzron, and Karmi.

בְּנֵי יוֹאֵל שְׁמַעְיָה בְנוֹ גּוֹג בְּנוֹ שִׁמְעִי בְנוֹ

This verse begins a list of important personages among the descendants of Reuben over the subsequent generations. The sons of Yoel, who was not included in the above list: Shemaya his, Yoel’s, son, Gog his, Shemaya’s, son, and thus the generations continued: Shimi his son,

מִיכָה בְנוֹ רְאָיָה בְנוֹ בַּעַל בְּנוֹ

Mikha his son, Re’aya his son, Baal his son,

בְּאֵרָה בְנוֹ אֲשֶׁר הֶגְלָה תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנְאֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשֻּׁר הוּא נָשִׂיא לָראוּבֵנִי

Be’era his son, whom Tilgat Pilneser, also called Tiglat Pileser, king of Assyria, exiled; he, Be’era, was prince of the Reubenites. The Assyrians exiled the tribes who lived on the eastern side of the Jordan first, and at that time, Be’era was the leader of the tribe of Reuben. There is an opinion that identifies this Be’era with Be’eri, the father of the prophet Hosea, but there is no clear proof of this from the verses themselves.

וְאֶחָיו לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו בְּהִתְיַחֵשׂ לְתֹלְדוֹתָם הָרֹאשׁ יְעִיאֵל וזְכַרְיָהוּ

His brethren, others of that same tribe, according to their families in establishing their lineage for their progeny were as follows: The leader was Ye’iel, and Zekharyahu succeeded him,

וּבֶלַע בֶּן־עָזָז בֶּן־שֶׁמַע בֶּן־יוֹאֵל הוּא יוֹשֵׁב בַּעֲרֹעֵר וְעַד־נְבוֹ וּבַעַל מְעוֹן

and Bela, son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Yoel; he settled in Aroer, up to Nevo and Baal Meon, or he went from Aroer to Nevo and Baal Meon, as Aroer belonged to the portion of Gad;

וְלַמִּזְרָח יָשַׁב עַד־לְבוֹא מִדְבָּרָה לְמִן־הַנָּהָר פְּרָת כִּי מִקְנֵיהֶם רָבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גִּלְעָד

and he, either the tribe or the aforementioned head of the tribe, settled eastward until the approach to the wilderness, and because their path was not blocked they continued to spread from there to a place adjacent to the Euphrates River, the place where the Euphrates River is closest to Israel, for their cattle multiplied in the land of Gilad, and since no political force halted their advance, they penetrated further and further into the Syrian Desert.

וּבִימֵי שָׁאוּל עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה עִם־הַהַגְרִאִים וַיִּפְּלוּ בְּיָדָם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם עַל־כָּל־פְּנֵי מִזְרָח לַגִּלְעָד

In the days of Saul, they, the children of Reuben, waged war with the Hagrites, a Bedouin tribe from the descendants of Hagar, who fell into their hand, and they dwelled in their tents across all the east of the Gilad.

וּבְנֵי־גָד לְנֶגְדָּם יָשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ הַבָּשָׁן עַד־סַלְכָה

The sons of Gad dwelled opposite them, across from the tribe of Reuben, or near them, in the land of Bashan, on the eastern side of the Jordan, up to Salkha, north of the border of Reuben’s territory:

יוֹאֵל הָרֹאשׁ וְשָׁפָם הַמִּשְׁנֶה וְיַעְנַי וְשָׁפָט בַּבָּשָׁן

Yoel was the chief in one generation, Shafam was the deputy to him, Yanai, Shafat; these people lived in the Bashan,

וַאֲחֵיהֶם לְבֵית אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם מִיכָאֵל וּמְשֻׁלָּם וְשֶׁבַע וְיוֹרַי וְיַעְכָּן וְזִיעַ וָעֵבֶר שִׁבְעָה

and their brethren, the chiefs, by their patrilineal houses were: Mikhael, Meshulam, Sheva, Yorai, Yakan, Zia, and Ever, a total of seven.

אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי אֲבִיחַיִל בֶּן־חוּרִי בֶּן־יָרוֹחַ בֶּן־גִּלְעָד בֶּן־מִיכָאֵל בֶּן־יְשִׁישַׁי בֶּן־יַחְדּוֹ בֶּן־בּוּז

These seven men are the sons, descendants, of Avihayil, son of Huri, son of Yaro’ah, son of Gilad, son of Mikhael, son of Yeshishai, son of Yahdo, son of Buz;

אֲחִי בֶּן־עַבְדִּיאֵל בֶּן־גּוּנִי רֹאשׁ לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם

Ahi, son of Avdiel, son of Guni, was the chief of their patrilineal houses.

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בּגִּלְעָד בַּבָּשָׁן וּבִבְנֹתֶיהָ וּבְכָל־ מִגְרְשֵׁי שָׁרוֹן עַל תּוֹצְאוֹתָם

They dwelled in the broad expanse of Gilad in the Bashan, in its environs, and in all the fields of Sharon, up to and including their borders.

כֻּלָּם הִתְיַחְשׂוּ בִּימֵי יוֹתָם מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וּבִימֵי יָרָבְעָם מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל

All of them were established in their lineage in the days of Yotam king of Judah and in the days of Yorovam II, king of Israel. This was a period of relative quiet, as Yorovam II expanded Israel’s borders almost until the northern edge of Syria. The tranquil period of his reign provided the peace of mind that allowed for the organization of these genealogical lists.

בְּנֵי־רְאוּבֵן וְגָדִי וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט־מְנַשֶּׁה מִן־בְּנֵי־חַיִל אֲנָשִׁים נֹשְׂאֵי מָגֵן וְחֶרֶב וְדֹרְכֵי קֶשֶׁת וּלְמוּדֵי מִלְחָמָה אַרְבָּעִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע־מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים יֹצְאֵי צָבָא

The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of the military men, men able to bear shield and sword, archers, and those who were skillful in war, were counted: Forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty men who would go forth to war. This census was presumably performed in the days of Yotam and Yorovam.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה עִם־הַהַגְרִיאִים וִיטוּר וְנָפִישׁ וְנוֹדָב

They waged war with the Hagrites, Yetur, Nafish, and Nodav.

וַיֵּעָזְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּנָּתְנוּ בְיָדָם הַהַגְרִיאִים וְכֹל שֶׁעִמָּהֶם כִּי לֵאלֹהִים זָעֲקוּ בַּמִּלְחָמָה וְנַעְתּוֹר לָהֶם כִּי־בָטְחוּ בוֹ

They were aided by God against them, their enemies, and the Hagrites and all the smaller tribes or nations who were with them were delivered into their hand, for they cried out to God in the battle, and He acceded to their entreaty because they trusted in Him.

וַיִּשְׁבּוּ מִקְנֵיהֶם גְּמַלֵּיהֶם חֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וְצֹאן מָאתַיִם וַחֲמִשִּׁים אֶלֶף וַחֲמוֹרִים אַלְפָּיִם וְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם מֵאָה אָלֶף

They captured their livestock, from these nations: Camels – fifty thousand; sheep – two hundred and fifty thousand; donkeys – two thousand. And human beings – one hundred thousand.

כִּי־חֲלָלִים רַבִּים נָפָלוּ כִּי מֵהָאֱלֹהִים הַמִּלְחָמָה וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַחְתֵּיהֶם עַד־הַגֹּלָה

For many fell slain; they achieved great victory despite being relatively few in number, because the war was from God. They dwelled in their stead, in place of those tribes, until the exile to Assyria.

וּבְנֵי חֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה יָשְׁבוּ בָּאָרֶץ מבָּשָׁן עַד־בַּעַל חֶרְמוֹן וּשְׂנִיר וְהַר־חֶרְמוֹן הֵמָּה רָבוּ

The children of half the tribe of Manasseh dwelled in the land, from Bashan in the north, westward to Baal Hermon, and Senir, and Mount Hermon; they, the tribe of Manasseh, increased in number. Although it is stated in the Torah that Senir is another name for Hermon, it is possible that various sections of this great mountain were called by different names.

וְאֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵית־אֲבוֹתָם וְעֵפֶר וְיִשְׁעִי וֶאֱלִיאֵל וְעַזְרִיאֵל וְיִרְמְיָה וְהוֹדַוְיָה וְיַחְדִּיאֵל אֲנָשִׁים גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל אַנְשֵׁי שֵׁמוֹת רָאשִׁים לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם

These are the heads of their patrilineal houses: Efer, and Yishi. Literally the verse reads “and Efer and Yishi,” but the first “and” is probably a mere stylistic flourish. And Eliel, and Azriel, and Yirmeya, and Hodavya, and Yahdiel, mighty warriors, men of renown whose names were well known, and who were heads of their patrilineal houses.

וַיִּמְעֲלוּ בֵּאלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיהֶם וַיִּזְנוּ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵי עַמֵּי־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁמִיד אֱלֹהִים מִפְּנֵיהֶם

They, these tribes, trespassed against the God of their fathers and strayed after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God had destroyed before them.

וַיָּעַר אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־רוּחַ פּוּל מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר וְאֶת־רוּחַ תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיַּגְלֵם לָראוּבֵנִי וְלַגָּדִי וְלַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה וַיְבִיאֵם לַחְלַח וְחָבוֹר וְהָרָא וּנְהַר גּוֹזָן עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

The God of Israel roused the spirit of Pul king of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgat Pilneser, also called Tiglat Pileser, king of Assyria, and they exiled the Reubenite, the Gadite, and half the tribe of Manasseh and brought them to Halah, Havor, Hara, and to the river of Gozan, until this day. These places were in the northwestern portion of the kingdom of Assyria, in the northern part of the land of the Medes; present-day northern Syria and Iraq.

בְּנֵי לֵוִי גֵּרְשׁוֹן קְהָת וּמְרָרִי

The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.

וּבְנֵי קְהָת עַמְרָם יִצְהָר וְחֶבְרוֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵל

The sons of Kehat: Amram, Yitzhar, Hevron, and Uziel.

וּבְנֵי עַמְרָם אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה וּמִרְיָם וּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר

The children of Amram were: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar. As is well known, Nadav and Avihu died in their father’s lifetime without sons, perhaps without any children whatsoever, and Elazar and Itamar were left as the two families of the High Priesthood.

אֶלְעָזָר הוֹלִיד אֶת־פִּינְחָס פִּינְחָס הֹלִיד אֶת־אֲבִישׁוּעַ

Elazar begot Pinhas, Pinhas begot Avishua,

וַאֲבִישׁוּעַ הוֹלִיד אֶת־בֻּקִּי וּבֻקִּי הוֹלִיד אֶת־עֻזִּי

Avishua begot Buki, Buki begot Uzi,

וְעֻזִּי הוֹלִיד אֶת־זְרַחְיָה וּזְרַחְיָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־מְרָיוֹת

Uzi begot Zerahya, Zerahya begot Merayot,

מְרָיוֹת הוֹלִיד אֶת־אֲמַרְיָה וַאֲמַרְיָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־אֲחִיטוּב

Merayot begot Amarya, Amarya begot Ahituv,

וַאֲחִיטוּב הוֹלִיד אֶת־צָדוֹק וְצָדוֹק הוֹלִיד אֶת־אֲחִימָעַץ

Ahituv begot Tzadok, Tzadok begot Ahimaatz,

וַאֲחִימַעַץ הוֹלִיד אֶת־עֲזַרְיָה וַעֲזַרְיָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־יוֹחָנָן

Ahimaatz begot Azarya, Azarya begot Yohanan,

וְיוֹחָנָן הוֹלִיד אֶת־עֲזַרְיָה הוּא אֲשֶׁר כִּהֵן בַּבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר־בָּנָה שְׁלֹמֹה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

and Yohanan begot Azarya the second; it is he who served as priest in the House that Solomon built in Jerusalem. This Azarya and his sons after him were High Priests or well-known priests in the First Temple.

וַיּוֹלֶד עֲזַרְיָה אֶת־אֲמַרְיָה וַאֲמַרְיָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־אֲחִיטוּב

Azarya begot Amarya, Amarya begot Ahituv,

וַאֲחִיטוּב הוֹלִיד אֶת־צָדוֹק וְצָדוֹק הוֹלִיד אֶת־שַׁלּוּם

Ahituv begot Tzadok, Tzadok begot Shalum,

וְשַׁלּוּם הוֹלִיד אֶת־חִלְקִיָּה וְחִלְקִיָּה הוֹלִיד אֶת־עֲזַרְיָה

Shalum begot Hilkiya, Hilkiya begot Azarya,

וַעֲזַרְיָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־שְׂרָיָה וּשְׂרָיָה הוֹלִיד אֶת־יְהוֹצָדָק

Azarya begot Seraya, and Seraya begot Yehotzadak;

וִיהוֹצָדָק הָלַךְ בְּהַגְלוֹת ה' אֶת־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם בְּיַד נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּר

Yehotzadak was the priest who went with the Lord’s exiling of Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. These verses indicate that the High Priests who served in the First Temple were all members of a single dynasty. It is, however, possible that certain High Priests in the First Temple came from families that are not mentioned in this list. For example, mention is made elsewhere of the High Priest Yehoyada, and he is not listed here.