1 Chronicles 5-6

Complete Jewish Bible

5 The sons of Re’uven the firstborn of Isra’el — he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Yosef the son of Isra’el, though not in such a way as for him to be regarded in the genealogy as the firstborn. ²For Y’hudah became greater than his brothers, inasmuch as the ruler came from him; nevertheless, the birthright went to Yosef. ³So these are the sons of Re’uven the firstborn of Isra’el: Hanokh, Pallu, Hetzron and Karmi.

⁴The descendants of Yo’el: his son Sh’ma‘yah, his son Gog, his son Shim‘i, ⁵his son Mikhah, his son Re‘ayah, his son Ba‘al, ⁶and his son Be’erah. Tilgat-Piln’eser king of Ashur carried him away captive; he was leader of the Re’uveni. ⁷His brothers, by their clans, as listed in their genealogical records were: Ye‘i’el the leader, Z’kharyah ⁸and Bela the son of ‘Azaz the son of Sh’ma the son of Yo’el. He lived in ‘Aro‘er, with territory extending to N’vo and Ba‘al-M‘on; ⁹while to the east he occupied territory that extended to the beginning of the desert as one comes from the Euphrates River; because their cattle multiplied in the land of Gil‘ad. ¹⁰In the time of Sha’ul they went to war with the Hagri’im; after defeating them they occupied their tents throughout all the territory east of Gil‘ad.

¹¹The descendants of Gad lived across from them, in the territory from Bashan to Salkhah: ¹²Yo’el was the leader, Shafam second, then Yanai and Shafat in Bashan. ¹³The houses of their fathers’ brothers were: Mikha’el, Meshulam, Sheva, Yorai, Ya‘kan, Zia and ‘Ever — seven altogether. ¹⁴These are the sons of Avichayil the son of Huri the son of Yaroach the son of Gil‘ad the son of Mikha’el the son of Yeshishai the son of Yachdo the son of Buz; ¹⁵Achi the son of ‘Avdi’el the son of Guni was leader of their fathers’ house. ¹⁶They lived in Gil‘ad, in Bashan, in its towns and in all the pasture lands of the plain as far as their borders. ¹⁷All these were listed in genealogies during the times of Yotam king of Y’hudah and Yarov‘am king of Isra’el.

¹⁸The descendants of Re’uven, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M’nasheh included 44,760 brave men who were available for warfare, able to take up shield and sword, shoot with the bow, or make use of other war skills. ¹⁹These made war with the Hagri’im, Y’tur, Nafish and Nodav. ²⁰They received help against them, so that the Hagri’im and all who were allied with them suffered defeat at their hands; because they cried out to God while they were fighting, and he did as they requested, because they put their trust in him. ²¹From their livestock they carried off 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys; they also took captive 100,000 persons. ²²Many were slaughtered, because the war was of God, and they lived in their territory until the captivity.

²³The descendants of the half-tribe of M’nasheh lived and increased in the territory from Bashan to Ba‘al-Hermon, S’nir and Mount Hermon. ²⁴The leaders of their fathers’ houses were: ‘Efer, Yish‘i, Eli’el, ‘Azri’el, Yirmeyah, Hodavyah and Yachdi’el, strong, brave, famous men, leaders of their fathers’ houses. ²⁵But they broke faith with the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed ahead of them. ²⁶So the God of Isra’el stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Ashur and the spirit of Tilgat-Piln’eser king of Ashur; and he carried them away as captives — the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the half-tribe of M’nasheh — and brought them to Halach, Havor, Hara and to the Gozan River, where they are to this day.

²⁷^(6:1)The sons of Levi: Gershon, K’hat and M’rari. ²⁸^(6:2)The sons of K’hat: ‘Amram, Yitz’har, Hevron and ‘Uzi’el. ²⁹^(6:3)The children of ‘Amram: Aharon, Moshe and Miryam. The sons of Aharon: Nadav, Avihu, El‘azar and Itamar. ³⁰^(6:4)El‘azar fathered Pinchas, Pinchas fathered Avishua, ³¹^(6:5)Avishua fathered Buki, Buki fathered ‘Uzi, ³²^(6:6)‘Uzi fathered Z’rachyah, Z’rachyah fathered M’rayot, ³³^(6:7)M’rayot fathered Amaryah, Amaryah fathered Achituv, ³⁴^(6:8)Achituv fathered Tzadok, Tzadok fathered Achima‘atz, ³⁵^(6:9)Achima‘atz fathered ‘Azaryah, ‘Azaryah fathered Yochanan, ³⁶^(6:10)and Yochanan fathered ‘Azaryah. He functioned as cohen in the house that Shlomo built in Yerushalayim. ³⁷^(6:11)‘Azaryah fathered Amaryah, Amaryah fathered Achituv, ³⁸^(6:12)Achituv fathered Tzadok, Tzadok fathered Shalum, ³⁹^(6:13)Shalum fathered Hilkiyah, Hilkiyah fathered ‘Azaryah, ⁴⁰^(6:14)‘Azaryah fathered S’rayah, S’rayah fathered Y’hotzadak, ⁴¹^(6:15)and Y’hotzadak went into captivity when Adonai carried Y’hudah and Yerushalayim away at the hands of N’vukhadnetzar.

6 ⁽¹⁶⁾The sons of Levi: Gershom, K’hat and M’rari. ²⁽¹⁷⁾These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Livni and Shim‘i. ³⁽¹⁸⁾The sons of K’hat: ‘Amram, Yitz’har, Hevron and ‘Uzi’el. ⁴⁽¹⁹⁾The sons of M’rari: Machli and Mushi.

These are the families of the L’vi’im according to father’s clans: ⁵⁽²⁰⁾[The descendants] of Gershom: his son Livni, his son Yachat, his son Zimah, ⁶⁽²¹⁾his son Yo’ach, his son ‘Iddo, his son Zerach, his son Ye’atrai.

⁷⁽²²⁾The descendants of K’hat: his son ‘Amminadav, his son Korach, his son Asir, ⁸⁽²³⁾his son Elkanah, his son Evyasaf, his son Asir, ⁹⁽²⁴⁾his son Tachat, his son Uri’el, his son ‘Uziyah and his son Sha’ul. ¹⁰⁽²⁵⁾The sons of Elkanah: ‘Amasai and Achimot. ¹¹⁽²⁶⁾As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: his son Tzofai, his son Nachat, ¹²⁽²⁷⁾his son Eli’av, his son Yerocham and his son Elkanah. ¹³⁽²⁸⁾The sons of Sh’mu’el: Vashni the firstborn, then Aviyah.

¹⁴⁽²⁹⁾The descendants of M’rari: Machli, his son Livni, his son Shim‘i, his son ‘Uzah, ¹⁵⁽³⁰⁾his son Shim‘a, his son Hagiyah and his son ‘Asayah. ¹⁶⁽³¹⁾David appointed them to be in charge of the service of song in the house of Adonai after the ark had found a permanent resting place. ¹⁷⁽³²⁾They served as singers before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Shlomo had built the house of Adonai in Yerushalayim; and they carried out their tasks in a prescribed order.

¹⁸⁽³³⁾Those who carried out these tasks and their descendants were — starting with descendants of the K’hati — Heman the singer, the son of Yo’el the son of Sh’mu’el, ¹⁹⁽³⁴⁾the son of Elkanah, the son of Yerocham, the son of Eli’el, the son of Toach, ²⁰⁽³⁵⁾the son of Tzuf, the son of Elkanah, the son of Machat, the son of ‘Amasai, ²¹⁽³⁶⁾the son of Elkanah, the son of Yo’el, the son of ‘Azaryah, the son of Tz’fanyah, ²²⁽³⁷⁾the son of Tachat, the son of Asir, the son of Evyasaf, the son of Korach, ²³⁽³⁸⁾the son of Yitz’har, the son of K’hat, the son of Levi, the son of Isra’el.

²⁴⁽³⁹⁾His brother Asaf, who stood on his right, was Asaf the son of Berekhyah, the son of Shim‘a, ²⁵⁽⁴⁰⁾the son of Mikha’el, the son of Ba‘aseyah, the son of Malkiyah, ²⁶⁽⁴¹⁾the son of Etni, the son of Zerach the son of ‘Adayah, ²⁷⁽⁴²⁾the son of Eitan, the son of Zimah, the son of Shim‘i, ²⁸⁽⁴³⁾the son of Yachat, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.

²⁹⁽⁴⁴⁾On the left were their kinsmen the descendants of M’rari: Eitan the son of Kishi, the son of ‘Avdi, the son of Malukh, ³⁰⁽⁴⁵⁾the son of Hashavyah, the son of Amatzyah, the son of Hilkiyah, ³¹⁽⁴⁶⁾the son of Amtzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, ³²⁽⁴⁷⁾the son of Machli, the son of Mushi, the son of M’rari, the son of Levi.

³³⁽⁴⁸⁾Their kinsmen the L’vi’im were put in charge of all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

³⁴⁽⁴⁹⁾But Aharon and his sons were the ones who offered on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense for all the service of the Especially Holy Place and to make atonement for Isra’el, in keeping with all that Moshe the servant of God had ordered to be done. ³⁵⁽⁵⁰⁾These are the descendants of Aharon: his son El‘azar, his son Pinchas, his son Avishua, ³⁶⁽⁵¹⁾his son Buki, his son ‘Uzi, his son Z’rachyah, ³⁷⁽⁵²⁾his son M’rayot, his son Amaryah, his son Achituv, ³⁸⁽⁵³⁾his son Tzadok and his son Achima‘atz.

³⁹⁽⁵⁴⁾These were the settlements of the descendants of Aharon according to the territories assigned them: to the descendants of Aharon, of the clans of the K’hati — for the first lot fell to them — ⁴⁰⁽⁵⁵⁾they gave Hevron in the land of Y’hudah with the open land surrounding it, ⁴¹⁽⁵⁶⁾but the fields and the dependent villages of the city they gave to Kalev the son of Y’funeh. ⁴²⁽⁵⁷⁾To the descendants of Aharon they gave the city of refuge Hevron, also Livnah with its surrounding open land, Yatir, Esht’moa with its surrounding open land, ⁴³⁽⁵⁸⁾Hilen with its surrounding open land, D’vir with its surrounding open land, ⁴⁴⁽⁵⁹⁾‘Ashan with its surrounding open land, Beit-Shemesh with its surrounding open land; ⁴⁵⁽⁶⁰⁾and out of the tribe of Binyamin: Geva with its surrounding open land, ‘Alemet with its surrounding open land and ‘Anatot with its surrounding open land. All the cities for all their clans amounted to thirteen cities.

⁴⁶⁽⁶¹⁾The rest of the descendants of K’hat were assigned by lot, clan by clan, ten cities from the half-tribe of M’nasheh. ⁴⁷⁽⁶²⁾The descendants of Gershom were assigned, clan by clan, thirteen cities from the tribes of Yissakhar, Asher, Naftali and M’nasheh in Bashan. ⁴⁸⁽⁶³⁾To the descendants of M’rari were assigned by lot, clan by clan, twelve cities from the tribes of Re’uven, Gad and Z’vulun. ⁴⁹⁽⁶⁴⁾So the people of Isra’el gave the L’vi’im these cities with the surrounding open land. ⁵⁰⁽⁶⁵⁾From the tribes of the descendants of Y’hudah, Shim‘on and Binyamin they assigned these cities mentioned by name.

⁵¹⁽⁶⁶⁾Some of the clans of the descendants of K’hat were given cities in territory from the tribe of Efrayim. ⁵²⁽⁶⁷⁾They gave them the city of refuge Sh’khem in the hills of Efrayim with the surrounding open land, also Gezer with the surrounding open land, ⁵³⁽⁶⁸⁾Yokme‘am with the surrounding open land, Beit-Horon with the surrounding open land, ⁵⁴⁽⁶⁹⁾Ayalon with the surrounding open land, and Gat-Rimmon with the surrounding open land; ⁵⁵⁽⁷⁰⁾and out of the half-tribe of M’nasheh: ‘Aner with the surrounding open land and Bil‘am with the surrounding open land, for the rest of the clans of the descendants of K’hat.

⁵⁶⁽⁷¹⁾The descendants of Gershom were given, from the clans of the half-tribe of M’nasheh: Golan in Bashan with the surrounding open land and ‘Ashtarot with the surrounding open land; ⁵⁷⁽⁷²⁾and from the tribe of Yissakhar: Kedesh with the surrounding open land, Davrat with the surrounding open land, ⁵⁸⁽⁷³⁾Ramot with the surrounding open land and ‘Anem with the surrounding open land; ⁵⁹⁽⁷⁴⁾and from the tribe of Asher: Mashal with the surrounding open land, ‘Avdon with the surrounding open land, ⁶⁰⁽⁷⁵⁾Hukok with the surrounding open land and Rechov with the surrounding open land; ⁶¹⁽⁷⁶⁾and from the tribe of Naftali: Kedesh in the Galil with the surrounding open land, Hamon with the surrounding open land and Kiryatayim with the surrounding open land.

⁶²⁽⁷⁷⁾To the rest [of the L’vi’im], the descendants of M’rari, were given, from the tribe of Z’vulun: Rimmono with the surrounding open land and Tavor with the surrounding open land; ⁶³⁽⁷⁸⁾and beyond the Yarden at Yericho, on the east side of the Yarden, they were given, from the tribe of Re’uven: Betzer in the desert with the surrounding open land, Yahatz with the surrounding open land, ⁶⁴⁽⁷⁹⁾K’demot with the surrounding open land and Mefa‘at with the surrounding open land; ⁶⁵⁽⁸⁰⁾and from the tribe of Gad: Ramot in Gil‘ad with the surrounding open land, Machanayim with the surrounding open land, ⁶⁶⁽⁸¹⁾Heshbon with the surrounding open land and Ya‘zer with the surrounding open land.