American Standard Version
Genesis 35:22
22And it came to pass, while 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:
Genesis 35:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:
- English Standard Version (ESV)While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
Context of Genesis 35:22
20And Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave: the same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. 21And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder. And it came to pass, while 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: 23the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s first-born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun; 24the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin;
Read all of Genesis 35Genesis 35:22 word by word
וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁכֹּ֤ן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיִּשְׁכַּ֕ב֙ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֖ה֙ פִּילֶ֣גֶשׁ אָבִ֑֔יו וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵֽ֑ל פ וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃Read the interlinear
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- dweltשָׁכַןshâkan · to dwellH7931
- landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- Reubenרְאוּבֵןre'ûbên · ReubenH7205
- layשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- Bilhahבִּלְהָהbilhâh · BilhahH1090
- father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- concubineפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁpîylegesh pilegesh · concubineH6370
- heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- wereהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
Cross-references for Genesis 35:22
- Genesis 49:4Boiling 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.
- Leviticus 18:8The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover; it is thy father’s nakedness.
- 2 Samuel 16:21And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
- 2 Samuel 20:3And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that oneof you hath his father’s wife.
- Genesis 35:18And it came to pass, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.
- Genesis 29:31And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
- Genesis 30:5And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
- Genesis 46:8And these are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s first-born.
- Genesis 49:1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the latter days.
- Exodus 1:1Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob):
- Exodus 6:14These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.
- Numbers 1:5And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you. Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.
- Numbers 1:20And the children of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
- Numbers 2:3And those that encamp on the east side toward the sunrising shall be they of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their hosts: and the prince of the children of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
Commentaries on Genesis 35:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine - Jonathan, in his Targum, says that Reuben only overthrew the bed of Bilhah, which was set up opposite to the bed of his mother Leah, and that this was reputed to him as if he had lain with her. The colouring given to the passage by the Targumist is, that Reuben was incensed, because he found Bilhah preferred after the death of Rachel to his own mother Leah; and therefore in his anger he overthrew…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-29Verses 1-29 - The Death of Isaac 8. דברה deborâh Deborah, “bee.” בּכוּת אלּון 'alôn -bākût Allon-bakuth, “oak of weeping.” 16. כברה kı̂brâh “length stretch.” A certain but unknown distance, a stadium or furlong (Josephus) a hippodrome (Septuagint) which was somewhat longer, a mile (Kimchi). אפרת 'ephrâth Ephrath, “fruitful or ashy.” 18. בן־אוני ben -'ônı̂y Ben-oni, “son of my pain.” בנימין bı̂nyāmı̂yn Binjamin, “son of the right hand.” 19. לחם בית…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 What a sore affliction Reuben's sin was, is shown, "and Israel heard it." No more is said, but that is enough. Reuben thought that his father would never hear of it; but those that promise themselves secrecy in sin, are generally disappointed. The age and death of Isaac are recorded, though he died not till after Joseph was sold into Egypt. Isaac lived about forty years after he had made his will, chap. 27:2. We shall not die an hour the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah. This dishonored his father's marriage. As the oldest son, Reuben might have been trying to take over as the clan leader using a pagan method (compare 2 Samuel 16:15–22). But this act caused him to lose his birthright (see Genesis 49:3–4). Jacob soon found out what happened, but he delayed his response again (see 49:3–4; compare 34:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2716. And they journeyed from Beth-el--There can be no doubt that much enjoyment was experienced at Beth-el, and that in the religious observances solemnized, as well as in the vivid recollections of the glorious vision seen there, the affections of the patriarch were powerfully animated and that he left the place a better and more devoted servant of God. When the solemnities were over, Jacob, with his family, pursued a route directly southward, and they…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 35:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 35
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries