1 Chronicles 5:1

Reuben’s Descendants

5:1 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn –

(Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, ¹  his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records. ² 

1 Chronicles 10:4

10:4 Saul told his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and stab me with it. Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come and torture me.” ³  But his armor bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

1 Chronicles 19:3

19:3 the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? ⁴  No, his servants have come to you so they can get information and spy out the land!” ⁵ 

1 Chronicles 21:16

21:16 David looked up and saw the Lord’s messenger standing between the earth and sky with his sword drawn and in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. David and the leaders, covered with sackcloth, threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. ⁶ 

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¹ sn The phrase when he defiled his father’s bed refers to Reuben having sexual relations with his father Jacob’s concubine Bilhah. This incident is recorded in Gen 35:22.

² tn Heb “and not to be listed in the genealogical records as (having) the right of the firstborn.”

³ tn Heb “so these uncircumcised ones might not come and abuse me.”

⁴ tn Heb “Is David honoring your father in your eyes when he sends to you ones consoling?”

⁵ tc Heb “Is it not to explore and to overturn and to spy out the land (that) his servants have come to you?” The Hebrew term לַהֲפֹךְ (lahafakh, “to overturn”) seems misplaced in the sequence. Some emend the form to לַחְפֹּר (lakhpor, “to spy out”). The sequence of three infinitives may be a conflation of alternative readings.

⁶ tn Heb “and David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces.”