Genesis 35:22

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

20Jacob set up a special stone over the place where they buried Rachel. This stone still shows the place. 21Israel then travelled on again. He put up his tents beyond Migdal Eder. While Israel stayed there, his son Reuben had sex with Bilhah. She was Israel's slave wife, and Israel heard what had happened. Jacob had 12 sons: 23The sons of Leah were Jacob's firstborn, Reuben, then Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

Genesis 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• dweltשָׁכַןshâkan · to dwellH7931
• in that landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• that Reubenרְאוּבֵןre'ûbên · ReubenH7205
• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and layשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
• with Bilhahבִּלְהָהbilhâh · BilhahH1090
• his father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• concubineפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁpîylegesh pilegesh · concubineH6370
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• Now the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• were twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• were twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147

Cross-references for Genesis 35:22

• Genesis 49:4Yet you are as wild as the sea. You had sex with your father's slave wife. This bad thing brought me shame. So you will not become great.
• Leviticus 18:8Do not have sex with any wife of your father. Your father would be ashamed.
• 2 Samuel 16:21Ahithophel answered, ‘Sleep with your father's slave wives that are here. He left them to take care of his palace. Then all the people in Israel will know that you have insulted your father. They will know that he must now hate you. That will help your own men to be strong.’
• 2 Samuel 20:3David returned to his palace in Jerusalem. Then he took the ten slave wives that he had left there to take care of his palace. Now he made them live in their own house, with guards to keep them safe. He gave them everything that they needed, but he did not sleep with them. They lived there on their own. They lived like widows until they died.
• 1 Chronicles 5:1Reuben was Israel's firstborn son. That is, Reuben was born first. But he had sex with his father's slave wife. So his father took away the benefits that belong to a firstborn son. Instead, Israel gave those benefits to his son Joseph's sons. So Reuben does not have the first place in the list of Israel's sons.
• 1 Corinthians 5:1We have heard bad news about what is happening among you. Some of you are having sex in wrong ways. We have heard that one man is even having sex with his own father's wife! Even people who do not know God do not do things as bad as that!
• Genesis 35:18But Rachel was dying. With her last breath, she gave to her son the name Ben-Oni. But Jacob, his father, called him Benjamin.
• Genesis 29:31The Lord saw that Jacob did not love Leah. So he let her become pregnant. But Rachel did not give birth to any children.
• Genesis 30:5Bilhah became pregnant and she gave birth to a son for Jacob.
• Genesis 46:8These are the names of the descendants of Israel who went to Egypt, (that is, the sons of Jacob): Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob.
• Genesis 49:1Then Jacob called for all his sons. He said, ‘Come here to me. Then I can tell you what will happen to you, in future years.
• Exodus 1:1Here are the names of the Israelites who went to Egypt with Jacob. Each one went there with his family.
• Exodus 6:14These were the leaders of their family clans: Israel's firstborn son was Reuben. Reuben's sons were: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were Reuben's family clans.
• Numbers 1:5These are the men from each tribe who must help you: Reuben: Elizur, the son of Shedeur.
• Numbers 1:20They recorded the names of all the men who were 20 years old or older. Those men could fight in the army. They recorded the names of the men in each clan and family. Reuben was the firstborn son of Israel, so they recorded his tribe first. These were the numbers of the men from each tribe: Reuben: 46,500 men. Simeon: 59,300 men. Gad: 45,650 men. Judah: 74,600 men. Issachar: 54,400 men. Zebulun: 57,400 men. Ephraim (Joseph's son): 40,500 men. Manasseh (Joseph's son): 32,200 men. Benjamin: 35,400 men. Dan: 62,700 men. Asher: 41,500 men. Naphtali: 53,400 men.
• Numbers 2:3The people in Judah's tribe must be on the east side of the Tent. They must have their flag with them, and they must put up their tents in groups. The leader of the tribe of Judah is 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

• Adultery
• Bilhah
• Incest
• Jacob
• Reuben

In the dictionaries

• Bilhah
• Israel
• Jacob
• Reuben
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Change
• Hard
• Pillar
• Pursue

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