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 

You will report to Amariah the chief priest in all matters pertaining to the Lord’s law, and to Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the family of Judah, in all matters pertaining to the king. ¹  The Levites will serve as officials before you. Confidently carry out your duties! ²  May the Lord be with those who do well!”

When I had made an inspection, ¹  I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, ²  and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!” ³ 

I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord, of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds. I will tell about all ¹  the Lord did for us, the many good things he did for the family of Israel, ²  because of ³  his compassion and great faithfulness.

O royal family descended from David. ¹  The Lord says: ‘See to it that people each day ²  are judged fairly. ³  Deliver those who have been robbed from those ⁴  who oppress them. Otherwise, my wrath will blaze out against you. It will burn like a fire that cannot be put out because of the evil that you have done. ⁵ 

You implement the regulations of Omri, and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; ¹  you follow their policies. ²  Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, ³  the city’s ⁴  inhabitants will be taunted derisively, ⁵  and nations will mock all of you.” ⁶ 

On that day ¹  I will make the leaders of Judah like an igniter ²  among sticks and a burning torch among sheaves, and they will burn up all the surrounding nations right and left. Then the people of Jerusalem will settle once more in their place, the city of Jerusalem.

He ¹  said also to the man ²  who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, ³  don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid.

That is why ¹  a man leaves ²  his father and mother and unites with ³  his wife, and they become a new family. ⁴ 

This is the account of Noah. ¹  Noah was a godly man; he was blameless ²  among his contemporaries. ³  He ⁴  walked with ⁵  God.

And you must take ¹  for yourself every kind of food ²  that is eaten, ³  and gather it together. ⁴  It will be food for you and for them.

This is the account of Shem. Shem was 100 old when he became the father of Arphaxad, two years after the flood.

Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. ¹ 

Any uncircumcised male ¹  who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off ²  from his people – he has failed to carry out my requirement.” ³ 

So she said to Abraham, “Banish ¹  that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!”

“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. ¹  “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. ¹  He joined his ancestors. ² 

This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, ¹  whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.

Ishmael lived a total of ¹  137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. ² 

Leave immediately ¹  for Paddan Aram! Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and find yourself a wife there, among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.