1. These are the descendants of Reuben, the eldest of Jacob's sons. (Because he had intercourse with one of his father's concubines, he lost the rights belonging to the firstborn son, and those rights were given to Joseph.
2. It was the tribe of Judah, however, that became the strongest and provided a ruler for all the tribes.)
3. Reuben, the eldest of Jacob's sons, had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4-6. These are the descendants of Joel from generation to generation: Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah. The Assyrian emperor, Tiglath Pileser, captured Beerah, a leader of the tribe, and deported him.
7. The family records list the following clan leaders in the tribe of Reuben: Jeiel, Zechariah,
8. and Bela, the son of Azaz and grandson of Shema, of the clan of Joel. This clan lived in Aroer and in the territory from there north to Nebo and Baal Meon.
9. They had large herds in the land of Gilead, and so they occupied the land as far east as the desert that stretches all the way to the River Euphrates.
10. In the time of King Saul the tribe of Reuben attacked the Hagrites, killed them in battle, and occupied their land in the eastern part of Gilead.