Genesis 49:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Unstable 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!

NIV: Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it.

NASB: Uncontrollable 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.

CSB: Turbulent as water, you will not excel, because you got into your father's bed and you defiled it--he got into my bed.

NLT: But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.

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.

NKJV: 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.

Jacob is offering an oracle, on his deathbed, which predicts the fates of the generations coming from his twelve sons. In the previous verse, Jacob described Reuben's lofty status as the firstborn (Genesis 49:3). Typically, this would identify Reuben as the most prestigious among his brothers. However, as Jacob explains, that position has been lost to Reuben forever.

Though details are few, what's recorded in Genesis 35:22 is disturbing. After the death of Jacob's beloved wife Rachel, Reuben apparently had sexual relations with Bilhah, one of Jacob's two servant-wives. Bilhah was something like Reuben's stepmother, as well as his father's wife. Scripture gives no reason why Reuben did this. It's possible he was trying to rebel against Jacob—to assert his dominance and take over leadership of the family in Jacob's moment of weakness.

All Genesis has revealed, so far, is that Jacob (Genesis 35:10–11) heard about this heinous act. The fact that Scripture recorded no immediate punishment does not mean there was no such reaction; but whatever happened was not included in that passage. Here, we see that this act was by no means forgotten. That sin is given as the reason Reuben lost the firstborn status.

Jacob comments that Reuben is "unstable as water." Scholars are unclear about exactly what that phrase means, but a lack of conviction marks Reuben's descendants throughout the Old Testament (Judges 5:15–16). Further, no prophets, kings, or judges will be associated with the tribe of Reuben.

This would serve as a clear warning to Israel. God holds His people accountable for sin, even when circumstances make it appear they have "gotten away with it." Also, God considers the marriage bed holy (Hebrews 13:4). To defile it as Reuben did brings serious consequences.

Genesis 49:1–7 begins Jacob's prophetic remarks about his sons, beginning with Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. These are in the context of a family "blessing," though not all the predictions are positive. The main blessing has already been bestowed on the two oldest sons of Joseph (Genesis 48:5–6). Here, the three oldest sons of Jacob are punished for their prior sins. Reuben loses his firstborn rights. Jacob predicts that Levi and Simeon will be largely absorbed into the other tribes.

Genesis 49 contains Jacob's dying prophetic remarks. In the form of poetry, Jacob pronounces positive and negative "blessings" about each of his 12 sons and the people who will come from them. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are each held to account for their past sins. Judah is described as a lion; the kingly line will come from his people. Joseph and his descendants are lavished with blessings. Once the oracle is completed, Jacob commands his sons to bury him with his fathers in Canaan. Then, the man God named "Israel" (Genesis 35:10–11) dies.

After a life of struggle and controversy, Jacob's family has securely settled in Egypt. Genesis 48 told of Jacob's blessing on Joseph's two oldest sons: Ephraim and Manasseh. In Genesis 49, Jacob gives both positive and negative predictions to each of his sons, in turn. Jacob then commands his sons to bury him in Canaan, then dies. The final chapter of Genesis describes the family's mourning and Joseph's death. The opening verses of Exodus race forward some 400 years, as the nation of Israel falls into harsh slavery under new Egyptian rulers (Exodus 1:8–14).

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.