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Genesis 49:4

Sin

2 Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.

Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence.

6 May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For they kill men in their anger, and hamstring oxen on a whim.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.
KJV
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
WEB
Boiling 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.
ASV
Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father`s bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
DARBY
Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou [it]: he went up to my bed.
BLB
Uncontrolled as the waters, you shall not excel, because you went up [to the] bed of your father; then you defiled [it]—he went up [onto] my couch.
ÅB
Du bruser over som vannet, du skal ikke ha noe fortrinn; for du steg opp på din fars leie; da vanhelliget du det - i min seng steg han opp!
OTB
Ustabil som vann, du skal ikke ha fortrinn, for du gikk opp til din fars seng; du vanæret den—han gikk opp til min seng.
B1930
Du bruser over som vannet, du skal intet fortrin ha; for du steg op på din fars leie; da vanhelliget du det - i min seng steg han op!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Genesis 35:22

    While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:

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  • 1 Chronicles 5:1

    These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.

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  • Deuteronomy 27:20

    ‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

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  • Deuteronomy 33:6

    Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.”

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  • 1 Corinthians 5:1

    It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.

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  • James 1:6–8

    But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

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  • Genesis 46:8

    Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.

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  • Deuteronomy 5:21

    You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house or field, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

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