"Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou {it}: he went …" — Genesis 49:4

Genesis 49:4 · KJV

“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. {thou shalt...: Heb. do not thou excel} {he went...: or, my couch is gone}”

— Genesis 49:4

Verse 3

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

Verse 5

Simeon and Levi {are} brethren; instruments of cruelty {are in} their habitations. {instruments...: or, their swords are weapons of violence}

Genesis 49 — Context

Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

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

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. {thou shalt...: Heb. do not thou excel} {he went...: or, my couch is gone}

Simeon and Levi {are} brethren; instruments of cruelty {are in} their habitations. {instruments...: or, their swords are weapons of violence}

O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. {digged...: or, houghed oxen}

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 {it}. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

1 Chronicles 5:1

Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he {was} the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.

Deuteronomy 27:20

Cursed {be} he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

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 let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Genesis 46:8

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

Deuteronomy 5:21

Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any {thing} that {is} thy neighbour's.