Numbers 26:5

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator records the LORD’s command to Moses to take a census of men twenty years or older, listing the tribal descendants to organize the second generation of Israelites.

The words — The text identifies Reuben as בְּכ֣וֹר (be.Khor), meaning the firstborn, and lists his descendants through מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת (mish.Pa.chat), meaning clan.

The thread — This genealogical listing parallels the tribal records in Genesis 46:8, Exodus 6:14, and 1 Chronicles 5:3, which consistently name Reuben as Israel’s firstborn and trace his line through Hanoch and Pallu.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to verify each family line against the established census and to recognize the structured inheritance of tribal identity before the land distribution begins.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

רְאוּבֵ֖ןre.'u.VenReuben בְּכ֣וֹרbe.Khor[the] firstborn of יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsrael בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] descendants of רְאוּבֵ֗ןre.'u.VenReuben חֲנוֹךְ֙cha.noKhHanoch מִשְׁפַּ֣חַתmish.Pa.chat[the] clan of הַחֲנֹכִ֔יha./cha.no.Khithe/ Hanochite[s]לְפַלּ֕וּאle./fa.Lu'of/ Pallu מִשְׁפַּ֖חַתmish.Pa.chat[the] clan of הַפַּלֻּאִֽי׃ha./pa.lu.'Ithe/ Palluite[s]

King James Version

Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 5:3 The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
Genesis 46:8 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
Exodus 6:14 These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
1 Chronicles 5:1 These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.
Genesis 29:32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
Genesis 49:2 Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.