« | 1 Chronicles 5 | » |
1 The sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel. (He was indeed the first-born, but because he disgraced the couch of his father his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, son of Israel, so that he is not listed in the family records according to birthright.
2 Judah, in fact, became powerful among his brothers, so that the ruler came from him, though the birthright had been Joseph's.)
3 The sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
4 His son was Joel, whose son was Shemaiah, whose son was Gog, whose son was Shimei,
5 whose son was Micah, whose son was Reaiah, whose son was Baal,
6 whose son was Beerah, whom Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, took into exile; he was a prince of the Reubenites.
7 His brothers who belonged to his clans, when they were listed in the family records according to their descendants, were: Jeiel, the chief, and Zechariah,
8 and Bela, son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel. The Reubenites lived in Aroer and as far as Nebo and Baal-meon;
9 toward the east they dwelt as far as the desert which extends from the Euphrates River, for they had much livestock in the land of Gilead.
10 During the reign of Saul they waged war with the Hagrites, and when they had defeated them they occupied their tents throughout the region east of Gilead.
11 The Gadites lived alongside them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah.
12 Joel was chief, Shapham was second in command, and Janai was judge in Bashan.
13 Their brothers, corresponding to their ancestral houses, were: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber-- seven.
14 These were the sons of Abihail, son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz.
15 Ahi, son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was the head of their ancestral houses.
16 They dwelt in Gilead, in Bashan and its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sirion to the borders.
17 All were listed in the family records in the time of Jotham, king of Judah, and of Jeroboam, king of Israel.
18 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh were warriors, men who bore shield and sword and who drew the bow, trained in warfare-- forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty men fit for military service.
19 When they waged war against the Hagrites and against Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab,
20 they received help so that they mastered the Hagrites and all who were with them. For during the battle they called on God, and he heard them because they had put their trust in him.
21 Along with one hundred thousand men they also captured their livestock: fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand asses.
22 Many had fallen in battle, for victory is from God; and they took over their dwelling place until the time of the exile.
23 The numerous members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land of Bashan as far as Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.
24 The following were the heads of their ancestral houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel-- men who were warriors, famous men, and heads over their ancestral houses.
25 However, they offended the God of their fathers by lusting after the gods of the natives of the land, whom God had cleared out of their way.
26 Therefore the God of Israel incited against them the anger of Pul, king of Assyria, and of Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, who deported the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh and brought them to Halah, Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, where they have remained to this day.
27 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
28 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
29 The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
30 Eleazar became the father of Phinehas. Phinehas became the father of Abishua.
31 Abishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father of Uzzi.
32 Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth.
33 Meraioth became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub.
34 Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz.
35 Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Johanan.
36 Johanan became the father of Azariah, who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem.
37 Azariah became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub.
38 Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Shallum.
39 Shallum became the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah became the father of Azariah.
40 Azariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak.
41 Jehozadak was one of those who went into the exile which the LORD inflicted on Judah and Jerusalem through Nebuchadnezzar.
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU)
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU) is a highly respected English translation of the Bible known for its rigorous adherence to the original languages of Scripture. First published in 1995 by the Lockman Foundation, the NASU is an update of the New American Standard Bible (NASB), which was originally completed in 1971. The NASU seeks to improve upon the NASB by enhancing readability and modernizing the language while maintaining the translation’s reputation for being one of the most literal translations available. This makes the NASU a preferred choice for serious Bible study, preaching, and teaching.
A key feature of the NASU is its commitment to formal equivalence, or a word-for-word translation philosophy. The translators aimed to produce a text that is as close as possible to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. This approach ensures that the NASU captures the precise meaning and structure of the original texts, providing readers with a highly accurate and reliable representation of the Scriptures. The use of formal equivalence makes the NASU particularly valuable for those who desire a deep and detailed understanding of the Bible, including scholars, theologians, and students of the Word.
In updating the NASB, the NASU made several important changes to improve clarity and readability. While maintaining the accuracy and literalness of the translation, the NASU incorporates modern English expressions and smoother sentence structures. This makes the text more accessible to contemporary readers without compromising the precision that the NASB is known for. The NASU also includes updated cross-references and footnotes, which provide additional context and insights, further aiding in the study and understanding of the biblical text.
Despite its many strengths, the NASU has faced some criticism. Some readers and scholars argue that the translation’s emphasis on literalness can sometimes result in a text that feels stiff or less fluid than more dynamic translations. Additionally, while the NASU’s updated language makes it more accessible, some feel that it could go further in adapting to contemporary usage without losing its accuracy. Nevertheless, the New American Standard Updated Version remains a highly esteemed translation, valued for its fidelity to the original texts and its usefulness for in-depth study and precise interpretation of the Bible.