Genesis 49:4

Thou wast insolent like water, burst not forth with violence, for thou wentest up to the bed of thy father; then thou defiledst the couch, whereupon thou wentest up.

Brenton Septuagint

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

3Ruben, thou + 49:3 Or, thou my first-born, etc., nom. and voc. not being always regularly distinguished in the LXX. See Heb. 1. 8. ὁ θεὸς. art my first-born, thou my strength, and the first of my children, hard to be endured, hard and self-willed.

5Symeon and Levi, brethren, accomplished the injustice of their cutting off.

Read all of Genesis 49

Cross References

Genesis 46:8And these are the names of the sons of Israel that went into Egypt with their father Jacob—Jacob and his sons. The first-born of Jacob, Ruben.

Deuteronomy 5:21Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, nor his field, nor his man-servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any beast of his, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 33:6Let Ruben live, and not die; and let him be many in number.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 49:2-5

Jacob's Prophecy Concerning His Sons. ( b. c. 1689.) 1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befal you in the last days. 2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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