David’s Sons

3 Some of David’s sons were born in the town of Hebron. This is a list of David’s sons: David’s first son was Amnon. Amnon’s mother was Ahinoam. She was from the town of Jezreel. The second son was Daniel. His mother was Abigail from Carmel {in Judah}. ²The third son was Absalom. His mother was Maacah, daughter of Talmai. Talmai was the king of Geshur. The fourth son was Adonijah. His mother was Haggith. ³The fifth son was Shephatiah. His mother was Abital. The sixth son was Ithream. His mother was Eglah, David’s wife. ⁴These six sons were born to David in Hebron. David ruled as king in Hebron for seven years and six months. David ruled as king in Jerusalem 33 years. ⁵These are the children born to David in Jerusalem: There were four sons from Bathsheba,* the daughter of Ammiel. They were Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. ^6–8There were nine other sons. They were: Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. ⁹They were all David’s sons. Their sister* was named Tamar. David also had other sons by his women servants.*

Kings of Judah after David’s Time

¹⁰Solomon’s son was Rehoboam. Rehoboam’s son was Abijah. Abijah’s son was Asa. Asa’s son was Jehoshaphat. ¹¹Jehoshaphat’s son was Jehoram. Jehoram’s son was Ahaziah. Ahaziah’s son was Joash. ¹²Joash’s son was Amaziah. Amaziah’s son was Azariah. Azariah’s son was Jotham. ¹³Jotham’s son was Ahaz. Ahaz’s son was Hezekiah. Hezekiah’s son was Manasseh. ¹⁴Manasseh’s son was Amon. Amon’s son was Josiah. ¹⁵This is a list of Josiah’s sons: The first son was Johanan. The second son was Jehoiakim. The third son was Zedekiah. The fourth son was Shallum. ¹⁶Jehoiakim’s sons were Jehoiachin, his son, and Zedekiah, his son.*

David’s Family After Babylonian Captivity

¹⁷This is a list of Jehoiachin’s children after Jehoiachin became a prisoner in Babylon. His children were: Shealtiel, ¹⁸Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. ¹⁹Pedaiah’s sons were Zerubbabel and Shimei. Zerubbabel’s sons were Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister. ²⁰Zerubbabel had five other sons also. Their names were Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab Hesed. ²¹Hananiah’s son was Pelatiah. And his son was Jeshaiah.* And his son was Rephaiah. And his son was Arnan. And his son was Obadiah. And his son was Shecaniah.* ²²This is a list of Shecaniah’s descendants:* Shemaiah. Shemaiah had six sons: Shemaiah, Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat. ²³Neariah had three sons. They were Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam. ²⁴Elioenai had seven sons. They were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.

Bathsheba The Hebrew text has, “Bathshua.” woman servant Or, “concubine,” a slave woman who was like a wife to a man. their sister David’s daughter. Literally, “their sister.” Jehoiakim’s sons … son This can be interpreted in two ways: (1) “This Zedekiah was the son of Jehoiakim and the brother of Jehoiachin,” (2) “This Zedekiah is the son of Jehoiachin and the grandson of Jehoiakim.” Jeshaiah Or, “Isaiah.” Verse 21 The Hebrew is hard to understand here. descendant(s) A person’s children and their future families.

Other Family Groups of Judah

4 This is a list of Judah’s sons. They were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. ²Shobal’s son was Reaiah. Reaiah was Jahath’s father. Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. The Zorathite people are descendants* of Ahumai and Lahad. ³Etam’s sons were Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. And they had a sister named Hazzelelponi. ⁴Penuel was Gedor’s father. And Ezer was Hushah’s father. These were Hur’s sons. Hur was Ephrathah’s first son. And Ephrathah was the founder* of Bethlehem. ⁵Tekoa’s father was Ashhur. Ashhur had two wives. Their names were Helah and Naarah. ⁶Naarah had Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons Naarah had with Ashhur. ⁷The sons of Helah were Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, and Koz. ⁸Koz was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah. Koz also was the father of the family groups of Aharhel. Aharhel was Harum’s son. ⁹Jabez was a very good man. He was better than his brothers. His mother said, “I have named him Jabez* because I was in much pain when I had him.” ¹⁰Jabez prayed to the God of Israel. Jabez said, “I wish you would truly bless me. I wish you would give me more land. Be near me and don’t let anyone hurt me. Then I won’t have any pain.” And God gave Jabez what he asked for. ¹¹Kelub was Shuhah’s brother. Kelub was Mehir’s father. Mehir was Eshton’s father. ¹²Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah. Tehinnah was the father of Ir Nahash.* Those men were from Recah. ¹³The sons of Kenaz were Othniel and Seraiah. Othniel’s sons were Hathath and Meonothai. ¹⁴Meonothai was Ophrah’s father. And Seraiah was Joab’s father. Joab was the founder* of the Ge Harashim.* Those people used that name because they were skilled workers. ¹⁵Caleb was Jephunneh’s son. Caleb’s sons were Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah’s son was Kenaz. ¹⁶Jehallelel’s sons were Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. ^17–18Ezrah’s sons were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Mered was the father of Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah. Ishbah was the father of Eshtemoa. Mered had a wife from Egypt. She had Jered, Heber, and Jekuthiel. Jered was Gedor’s father. Heber was Soco’s father. And Jekuthiel was Zanoah’s father. These were the sons of Bithiah. Bithiah was Pharaoh’s daughter. She was Mered’s wife from Egypt. ¹⁹Mered’s wife was Naham’s sister. Mered’s wife was from Judah.* The sons of Mered’s wife were the father of Keilah and Eshtemoa. Keilah was from the Garmite people. And Eshtemoa was from the Maacathite people. ²⁰Shimon’s sons were Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. Ishi’s sons were Zoheth and Ben Zoheth. ^21–22Shelah was Judah’s son. Shelah had Er, Laadah, Jokim, the men from Cozeba, Joash, and Saraph. Er was the father of Lecah. Laadah was the father of Mareshah and the family groups of linen* workers at Beth Ashbea. Joash and Saraph married Moabite women. Then they went back to Bethlehem.* The writings about this family are very old. ²³Those sons of Shelah were workers that made things from clay. They lived in Netaim and Gederah. They lived in those towns and worked for the king.

Simeon’s Children

²⁴Simeon’s sons were Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. ²⁵Shaul’s son was Shallum. Shallum’s son was Mibsam. Mibsam’s son was Mishma. ²⁶Mishma’s son was Hammuel. Hammuel’s son was Zaccur. Zaccur’s son was Shimei. ²⁷Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters. But Shimei’s brothers did not have many children. Shimei’s brothers did not have large families. Their families were not large like the other family groups in Judah. ²⁸Shimei’s descendants lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, ²⁹Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, ³⁰Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ³¹Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. They lived in those towns until David became king. ³²The five villages near these towns were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token, and Ashan. ³³There were also other villages as far away as Baalath. This is where they lived. And they also wrote the history about their family. ^34–38This is the list of men who were leaders of their family groups. They were Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah (Amaziah’s son), Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, Joshibiah son of Seraiah, Seraiah son of Asiel, Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, and Ziza (Shiphi’s son). Shiphi was Allon’s son, and Allon was Jedaiah’s son. Jedaiah was Shimri’s son, and Shimri was Shemaiah’s son. These men’s families grew to be very large. ³⁹They went to the area outside the town of Gedor to the east side of the valley. They went to that place to look for fields for their sheep and cattle. ⁴⁰They found good fields with plenty of grass. They found plenty of good land there. The land was peaceful and quiet. Ham’s descendants* lived there in the past. ⁴¹This happened during the time that Hezekiah was king of Judah. Those men came to Gedor and fought against the Hamite people. They destroyed the tents of the Hamite people. Those men also fought against the Meunite people that lived there. These men destroyed all the Meunite people. There are no Meunite people in this place even today. So those men began to live there. They lived there because the land had grass for their sheep. ⁴²Five hundred people from Simeon’s family group went to the hill country of Seir. Ishi’s sons led those men. Those sons were, Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel. The Simeonite men fought against the people living in that place. ⁴³There were only a few Amalekite people still living. And these Simeonite people killed them. Since that time until now those Simeonite people have lived in Seir.

descendant(s) A person’s children and their future families. founder Literally, “father,” the person that started the city. Jabez This name is like the Hebrew word meaning “pain.” Tehinnah ... Ir Nahash Or, “Tehinnah was the founder of the city of Nahash.” Ir means “city.” founder Literally, “father,” the person that started the city. Ge Harashim This name also means, “Valley of the Skilled Workers.” Mered’s wife ... was from Judah This is from the ancient Greek translation. linen A type of cloth. married ... Bethlehem Or, “They ruled in Moab and Jashubi Lehem.”

Reuben’s Descendants

5 ^1–3Reuben was Israel’s first son. Reuben should have received the special privileges of the oldest son. But Reuben had sexual relations with his father’s wife. So those privileges were given to Joseph’s sons. In the family history, Reuben’s name is not listed as the first son. Judah became stronger than his brothers, so the leaders came from his family. But Joseph’s family got the other privileges that belong to the oldest son. Reuben’s sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ⁴These are the names of Joel’s descendants:* Shemaiah was Joel’s son. Gog was Shemaiah’s son. Shimei was Gog’s son. ⁵Micah was Shimei’s son. Reaiah was Micah’s son. Baal was Reaiah’s son. ⁶Beerah was Baal’s son. Tiglath Pileser, the king of Assyria, forced Beerah to leave his home. So Beerah became the king’s prisoner. Beerah was a leader of the family group of Reuben. ⁷Joel’s brothers and all his family groups are listed just as they are written in the family histories: Jeiel was the first son, then Zechariah, ⁸and Bela. Bela was Azaz’s son. Azaz was Shema’s son. Shema was Joel’s son. They lived in the area of Aroer all the way to Nebo and Baal Meon. ⁹Bela’s people lived to the east as far as the edge of the desert, near the Euphrates River. They lived in that place because they had many cattle in the land of Gilead. ¹⁰When Saul was king, Bela’s people fought a war against the Hagrite people. They defeated the Hagrite people. Bela’s people lived in the tents that had belonged to the Hagrite people. They lived in those tents and traveled throughout the area east of Gilead.

Gad’s Descendants

¹¹The people from the family group of Gad lived near the people from the family group of Reuben. The Gadite people lived in the area of Bashan, all the way to the town of Salecah. ¹²Joel was the first leader in Bashan. Shapham was the second leader. Then Janai became the leader.* ¹³The seven brothers in their families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. ¹⁴Those men were the descendants* of Abihail. Abihail was Huri’s son. Huri was Jaroah’s son. Jaroah was Gilead’s son. Gilead was Michael’s son. Michael was Jeshishai’s son. Jeshishai was Jahdo’s son. Jahdo was Buz’s son. ¹⁵Ahi was Abdiel’s son. Abdiel was Guni’s son. Ahi was the leader of their family. ¹⁶The people in the family group of Gad lived in the area of Gilead. They lived in the area of Bashan, in the small towns around Bashan, and in all the pastures in the area of Sharon all the way to the borders. ¹⁷During the time of Jotham and Jeroboam, all these people’s names were written in the family history of Gad. Jotham was the king of Judah and Jeroboam was the king of Israel.

Some Soldiers Skilled in War

¹⁸From half of Manasseh’s family group and from the family groups of Reuben and Gad there were 44,760 brave men ready for war. They were skilled in war. They carried shields and swords. And they were also good with bows and arrows. ¹⁹They started a war against the Hagrite people and the people of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ²⁰Those men from the family groups of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad prayed to God in the war. They asked God to help them because they trusted him. So God helped them. God allowed them to defeat the Hagrite people. And they also defeated those other people who were with the Hagrite people. ²¹They took the animals that belonged to the Hagrite people. They took 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys, and 100,000 people. ²²Many Hagrite people were killed because God helped the people of Reuben win the war. Then those people from the family groups of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad lived in the land of the Hagrite people. They lived there until the time when the people of Israel were taken into captivity. ²³Half of Manasseh’s family group lived in the area of Bashan all the way to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. They became a very large group of people. ²⁴These were the family leaders from half of Manasseh’s family group: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were all strong and brave men. They were famous men. And they were leaders in their families. ²⁵But those leaders sinned against the God that their ancestors* worshiped. They began worshiping the false gods of the people living there—and those were the people God destroyed. ²⁶The God of Israel made Pul want to go to war. Pul was the king of Assyria. He was also called Tiglath Pileser. He fought against the people from the family groups of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad. He forced them to leave their homes and made them prisoners. Pul brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and near the Gozan River. Those family groups from Israel have lived in those places since that time until today.

descendants A person’s children and their future families. Then Janai became the leader Or, “Then there was Janai. And then Shaphat was in Bashan.” ancestors Literally, “fathers.” This means a person’s parents, grandparents, and all the people they are descended from.