The descendants of Reuben—together with Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh—appealed to Moses for, and received, their inheritance on the lands they had conquered in Trans-Jordan. We hear little of the tribe of Reuben's involvement in the life of ancient Israel once they returned to their inheritace after they had helped the rest of the tribes conquer Canaan. Indeed, during the time of national crisis when Deborah called for help from the tribes to fight against Jabin and Sisera, the tribe of Reuben's failure was all the more startling by its setting immediately after Issachar:
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, rushing after him into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. Why did you stay among the campfires to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.
Like the rest of the northern tribes, Reuben was conquered and taken into permanent exile by the Assyrians in the 8th Cent BC.
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