Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 4

Verses 1-43

The Genealogy of the Twelve Sons of Israel 1 Chronicles 4-8 gives a brief chronology of the twelve sons of Israel. However, there appears to be no certain order in listing these twelve children of Jacob, although a reference is made to Reuben's genealogy being listed out of the order of birthright (1 Chronicles 5:1).

1 Chronicles 5:1, “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright .”

The genealogies are listed in the following order:

Judah 1 Chronicles 4:1-23

Simeon 1 Chronicles 4:24-43

Reuben 1 Chronicles 5:1-10

Gad 1 Chronicles 5:11-22

Manasseh (east) 1 Chronicles 5:23-26

Levi 1 Chronicles 6:1-81

Issachar 1 Chronicles 7:1-5

Benjamin 1 Chronicles 7:6-12

Naphtali 1 Chronicles 7:13

Manasseh (west) 1 Chronicles 7:14-19

Ephraim 1 Chronicles 7:20-28

Asher 1 Chronicles 7:30-40

Note that the tribes of Dan and Zebulun are not listed in these chapters.

If we compare the order of their births, we find that these genealogies in 1 Chronicles were not listed by order of birth:

1. Leah Þ Reuben

2. Leah Þ Simeon

3. Leah Þ Levi

4. Leah Þ Judah

5. Bilhah Þ Dan

6. Bilhah Þ Naphtali

7. Zilpah Þ Gad

8. Zilpah Þ Asher

9. Leah Þ Issachar

10. Leah Þ Zebulun

11. Rachel Þ Joseph (Manasseh and Ephraim)

12. Rachel Þ Benjamin