Genesis 49:4

Translations

Modern

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

Traditional

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.

Literal

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.

Latin

Effusus es sicut aqua, non crescas: quia ascendisti cubile patris tui, et maculasti stratum ejus.

Interlinear

Hebrew

English

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

Notes

Genesis 49:3–4

Uncontrolled as the waters: As the firstborn, Reuben should have led the family. But he acted without control, like water that boils or flows wildly (for example, 35:22). Because of this, Jacob said that Reuben would not succeed as a leader (see 37:21–22, 29; 42:22, 37–38; compare Judges 5:15–16; 1 Chronicles 5:1–2).

Genesis 49:1–28

By faith, and as one who speaks for God, Jacob looked ahead to Israel’s future in the land and beyond to a greater future still.

At the end of the time of the patriarchs (the early fathers of Israel), he spoke about what would happen to each tribe. He did this as he considered each of his sons, one by one, just as Noah had done earlier (compare 9:25–27).

The character and actions of each ancestor affected the lives of their descendants (Exodus 20:5–6; 34:6–7; Numbers 14:18; Jeremiah 32:18).

Theme notes and profiles

Egypt Jacob Blessing Family, Community, and Sexual Sin Symbolic Numbers

Related verses

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:
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.
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!’
Deuteronomy 33:6
Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few.”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
2 Peter 3:16
He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
2 Peter 2:14
Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.
Numbers 32:1–42
Now the Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, surveyed the lands of Jazer and Gilead, and they saw that the region was suitable for livestock.

Glossary

Birthright Book of Exodus Concubinage, Concubines Family Life and Relations Genesis, Book of Inheritance Jacob Patriarchs, Period of the Poetry, Biblical Reuben (Person) Reuben, Tribe of Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs

Topics

Bilhah: Rachael's Servant: Reuben's Incest With Character: Instability: Reuben Children: Male: Received the Blessing of Their Father Before his Death Death: Scenes of Death of Jacob Firstborn: Birthright of The: Forfeited by Reuben Incest: Reuben Instability: General Scriptures Concerning Instability: Reuben Jacob: His Final Prophetic Benedictions Upon his Sons: Upon Reuben Parents: Paternal Blessings of Jacob Parents: Paternal Reproaches Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Blessing and Cursing Their Children Reuben: Commits Incest with One of his Father's Concubines, And, in Consequence, Forfeits his Birthright Reuben: Jacob's Prophetic Benediction Upon The First Born: Privileges of Could be Forfeited by Misconduct the Tribe of Reuben: Predictions Respecting The Tribes of Israel: Predictions Respecting Each of Water: (Its Instability) of a Wavering Disposition Water: Unstable

Genesis 49:4

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