1 Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob, but he lost his rights as the firstborn son because he slept with one of his father's wives. The honour of the firstborn son was then given to Joseph,
2 even though it was the Judah tribe that became the most powerful and produced a leader.
3 Reuben had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4-6 The descendants of Joel included Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah, a leader of the Reuben tribe. Later, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Beerah away as prisoner.
7-8 The family records also include Jeiel, who was a clan leader, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz and grandson of Shema of the Joel clan. They lived in the territory around the town of Aroer, as far north as Nebo and Baal-Meon,
9 and as far east as the desert just west of the River Euphrates. They needed this much land because they owned too many cattle to keep them all in Gilead.
10 When Saul was king, the Reuben tribe attacked and defeated the Hagrites, then took over their land east of Gilead.