Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible

Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.

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.

Holman Bible

Turbulent as water, you will no longer excel,
because you got into your father’s bed
and you defiled it—he got into my bed.

International Standard Version

But you're as undisciplined as a roaring river, so eventually you won't succeed, because you got in your father's bed, defiled it, and then approached my couch."

A Conservative Version

Boiling over as water, thou shall not have the pre-eminence, because thou went up to thy father's bed, then thou defiled it; he went up to my couch.

American Standard Version

Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

Amplified


“But unstable and reckless and boiling over like water [in sinful lust], you shall not excel or have the preeminence [of the firstborn],
Because you went up to your father’s bed [with Bilhah];
You defiled it—he went up to my couch.

Bible in Basic English

But because you were uncontrolled, the first place will not be yours; for you went up to your father's bed, even his bride-bed, and made it unclean.

Darby Translation

Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my bed.

Julia Smith Translation

Vain glorious as water, thou shalt not be preeminent; for thou didst go up out of thy father's. bed; then didst thou defile, going up to my couch.

King James 2000

Unstable as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it: he went up to my couch.

Lexham Expanded Bible

Unstable as water, you shall not excel [any longer], for you went up upon the bed of your father, then defiled [it]. You went up upon my couch!

Modern King James verseion

Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it. He went up to my couch.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

As unstable as water wast thou: thou shalt therefore not be the chiefest, for thou wentest up upon thy father's bed, and then defiledest thou my couch with going up.

NET Bible

You are destructive like water and will not excel, for you got on your father's bed, then you defiled it -- he got on my couch!

New Heart English Bible

Boiling over as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father's bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

The Emphasized Bible

Boiling over like water, thou mayest not have pre-eminence, Because thou didst mount the bed of thy father, - Then, wast thou profane - My marriage-bed, he mounted!

Webster

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.

World English Bible

Boiling over as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father's bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

Youngs Literal Translation

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!

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
פּחז 
Pachaz 
Usage: 1

thou shalt not excel
יתר 
Yathar 
Usage: 107

because thou wentest up
עלה 
`alah 
Usage: 890

bed
משׁכּב 
Mishkab 
Usage: 46

it he went up
עלה 
`alah 
Usage: 890

Context Readings

Jacob Blesses His Twelve Sons

3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, principal in dignity, and the principal in power. 4 Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.
5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of injustice are their weapons.

Cross References

Genesis 35:22

And it came to pass when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

Deuteronomy 27:20

Cursed is he that lies with his father's wife because he uncovers his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

1 Chronicles 5:1

Now the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel; and he was not counted as the firstborn.

Genesis 46:8

And these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.

Numbers 32:1-42

Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock, and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, it seemed unto them that the place was a place for livestock.

Deuteronomy 5:21

Thou shalt not desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field or his manslave or his maidslave, his ox or his ass or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 33:6

Let Reuben live and not die, and let not his men be few.

1 Corinthians 5:1

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

James 1:6-8

But ask in faith, not doubting anything. For he that doubts is like the wave of the sea which is driven of the wind and is tossed from one side to another.

2 Peter 2:14

having their eyes full of adultery, and not knowing how to cease from sin, baiting unstable souls, having their heart exercised in covetous practices; cursed sons,

2 Peter 3:16

in almost all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, among which are some things that are hard to understand, which those that are ignorant and unstable twist, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain