Genesis 49:4
Unstable as mayim, thou shalt not excel; 1 because thou wentest up to mishkevei avicha (thy fatherʼs bed, i.e. incest); 1 then defiledst thou it; 1 he went up to my couch. 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
In The King James Version
In Context
5Shim'on and Levi are achim; 1 kelei chamas (instruments of violence) are in their swords. 1
Cross References
Genesis 46:8And these are the shemot Bnei Yisroel, which came to Mitzrayim: Ya'akov and his banim: Reuven, bechor Ya'akov;
Deuteronomy 5:21And ye said, Behold, Hashem Eloheinu hath showed us His kavod and His gadol (greatness), and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the eish; we have seen today that Elohim doth talk with man, and he liveth.
Deuteronomy 33:6Let Reuven live, and not die; 1 and let not his men be few. 1
1 Corinthians 5:1Zenut (fornication) is actually reported among you, and such zenut which is not even among the Goyim, that one of you Corinthians has the isha (wife) of his abba. + 5:1 Lv 18:8
2 Peter 2:14Having eyes full of ni'uf (adultery), ceaselessly committing averos (sins), enticing unstable nefashot (souls), having levavot trained in chomed (covetous) greed — banim mekulalim (accursed children)!
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 →