Genesis 49:4

Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!

Young's Literal Translation

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-born thou, My power, and beginning of my strength, The abundance of exaltation, And the abundance of strength;

5Simeon and Levi [are] brethren! Instruments of violence — their espousals!

Read all of Genesis 49

Cross References

Genesis 46:8And these [are] the names of the sons of Israel who are coming into Egypt: Jacob and his sons, Jacob's first-born, Reuben.

Deuteronomy 5:21'Thou dost not desire thy neighbour's wife; nor dost thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, and his man-servant, and his handmaid, his ox, and his ass, and anything which [is] thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 33:6Let Reuben live, and not die, And let his men be a number.

1 Corinthians 5:1Whoredom is actually heard of among you, and such whoredom as is not even named among the nations — as that one hath the wife of the father! —

2 Peter 2:14having eyes full of adultery, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having an heart exercised in covetousnesses, children of a curse,

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