Genesis 49:3

Ruben, my firste gendrid sone, thou art my strengthe and the bigynnyng of my sorewe; thou ouytist to be the former in yiftis, the more in lordschip;

Wycliffe (portions)

In The King James Version

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

In Context

2be ye gaderid, `and here, ye sones of Jacob, here ye Israel youre fadir.

4thou art sched out as watir; wexe thou not, for thou stiedist on the bed of thi fader, and defoulidist his bed.

Read all of Genesis 49

Cross References

Genesis 35:22And while he dwellide in that cuntrei, Ruben yede, and slepte with Bala, the secundarie wijf of his fadir, which thing was not hid fro hym. Forsothe the sones of Jacob weren twelue;

Genesis 46:8Forsothe thes ben the names of the sones of Israel, that entriden in to Egipte; he with hise fre children. The firste gendrid Ruben;

Numbers 1:20And of Ruben the firste gendrid of Israel weren noumbrid, in the deseert of Synai, bi her generaciouns, and meynees, and housis, and bi the names of alle heedis, al thing that is of male kynde, fro `the twentithe yeer and aboue, of men goynge forth to batel,

Deuteronomy 21:17but he schal knowe the sone of the hateful wijf the firste gendrid, and he schal yyue to that sone alle thingis double of tho thingis that he hath; for this sone is the begynnyng of his fre children, and the firste gendrid thingis ben due to hym.

Deuteronomy 33:6Ruben lyue, and die not, and be he litil in noumbre.

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

Study Genesis 49:3