Genesis 49:4

(but) thou art shed out as water; wax thou not, for thou ascendedest on the bed of thy father, and defouledest his bed.

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

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

3Reuben, my first begotten son, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my sorrow; thou oughtest to be the former in gifts, the more in lordship, (or thou ought to be the first in gifts, and the greatest in power, or in authority);

5Simeon and Levi, brethren, fighting vessels of wickedness; (Simeon and Levi truly be brothers, and they use their bodies for fighting, and for wickedness;)

Read all of Genesis 49

Cross References

Genesis 46:8Forsooth these be the names of the sons of Israel, that entered into Egypt; Jacob with his free children. The first begotten is Reuben; (And these be the names of the children of Israel who went to Egypt; that is, the names of Jacob and his sons. The first-born was Reuben;)

Deuteronomy 5:21Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his house, nor his field, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor ass, and all things, that is, nothing of all the things, that be his. (Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his house, nor his field, nor his slave, nor his slave-girl, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that be his.)

Deuteronomy 33:6Reuben live, and die not, and be he little in number. (May the tribe of Reuben live, and not die out, but be they few in number.)

1 Corinthians 5:1Yet all manner of fornication is heard among you, and such fornication, which is not among heathen men (or which is not even seen among the Gentiles), so that some man have the wife of his father.

2 Peter 2:14and have eyes full of adultery, and unceasing trespass, deceiving unsteadfast souls, and have the heart exercised to covetousness; the sons of cursing,

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 49:4