1 Chronicles 5:1

²²While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.

³²Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because the LORD has looked at my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”

¹⁵He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, ¹⁶the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

¹⁷When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ¹⁸Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

¹⁹His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.” ²⁰He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh. ²¹Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers. ²²Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”

³“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in dignity, and excelling in power. ⁴Boiling over like water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

¹⁴These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.

¹⁰Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief),

⁶When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”

⁷But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.” ⁹Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.” ¹⁰Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” ¹¹Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

⁵These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.

⁶Then the children of Judah came near to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the thing that the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh Barnea.

¹⁷but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he has; for he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.