Parallel Verses
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 American Standard Bible
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
because you got into your father’s bed
and you defiled it—he
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
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.
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!
Themes
Bilhah » Rachael's servant » Reuben's incest with
Character » Instances of instability » Reuben
Firstborn » Birthright of the » Forfeited by reuben
the First-born » Privileges of » Could be forfeited by misconduct
Incest » Instances of » Reuben
Instability » Instances of » Reuben
jacob » His final prophetic benedictions upon his sons » Upon reuben
Parents » Paternal blessings of » jacob
Reuben » Jacob's prophetic benediction upon
The tribe of Reuben » Predictions respecting
The tribes of israel » Predictions respecting each of
Water » Illustrative » (its instability,) of a wavering disposition
Interlinear
Yathar
`alah
'ab
References
American
Easton
Fausets
Word Count of 20 Translations in Genesis 49:4
Verse Info
Context Readings
Jacob Blesses His Twelve Sons
3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power. 4 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! 5 Simeon and Levi are brothers, weapons of violence are their knives!
Phrases
Cross References
Genesis 35:22
While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:
Deuteronomy 27:20
Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his father's former wife, for he dishonors his father.' Then all the people will say, 'Amen!'
1 Chronicles 5:1
The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn -- (Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel's son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records.
Genesis 46:8
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt -- Jacob and his sons: Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.
Numbers 32:1-42
Now the Reubenites and the Gadites possessed a very large number of cattle. When they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for cattle,
Deuteronomy 5:21
You must not desire another man's wife, nor should you crave his house, his field, his male and female servants, his ox, his donkey, or anything else he owns."
Deuteronomy 33:6
May Reuben live and not die, and may his people multiply.
1 Corinthians 5:1
It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with his father's wife.
James 1:6-8
But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.
2 Peter 2:14
Their eyes, full of adultery, never stop sinning; they entice unstable people. They have trained their hearts for greed, these cursed children!
2 Peter 3:16
speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.