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:
• 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:
• New Living Translation (NLT)While he was living there, Reuben had intercourse with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Jacob soon heard about it. These are the names of the twelve sons of Jacob:

Context of Genesis 35:22

20and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day. 21Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 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. 23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel: 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 49:4Unstable 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!
• Leviticus 18:8You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
• 2 Samuel 16:21Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened."
• 2 Samuel 20:3And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.
• 1 Chronicles 5:1The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son;
• 1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.
• Genesis 35:18And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
• Genesis 29:31When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
• Genesis 30:5And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.
• Genesis 46:8Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob's firstborn,
• Genesis 49:1Then Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.
• Exodus 1:1These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
• Exodus 6:14These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben.
• Numbers 1:5And these are the names of the men who shall assist you. From Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
• Numbers 1:20The people of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
• Numbers 2:3Those to camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the chief of the people of Judah being 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