New English Translation
Genesis 35:22
22While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:
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 marker over her grave; it is the Marker of Rachel’s Grave to this day. 21Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: 23The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, as well as Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel were 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
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 49:4You are destructive like water and will not excel, for you got on your father’s bed, then you defiled it – he got on my couch!
- Leviticus 18:8You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.
- 2 Samuel 16:21Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”
- 2 Samuel 20:3Then David went to his palace in Jerusalem. The king took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement. Though he provided for their needs, he did not have sexual relations with them. They remained in confinement until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn – (Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with his father’s wife.
- Genesis 35:18With her dying breath, she named him Ben-Oni. But his father called him Benjamin instead.
- Genesis 29:31When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless.
- Genesis 30:5Bilhah became pregnant and gave Jacob a son.
- Genesis 46:8These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt – Jacob and his sons: Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.
- Genesis 49:1Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in the future.
- Exodus 1:1These are the names of the sons of Israel who entered Egypt – each man with his household entered with Jacob:
- Exodus 6:14These are the heads of their fathers’ households: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
- Numbers 1:5Now these are the names of the men who are to help you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
- Numbers 1:20And they were as follows: The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel: According to the records of their clans and families, all the males twenty years old or older who could serve in the army were listed by name individually.
- Numbers 2:3“Now those who will be camping on the east, toward the sunrise, are the divisions of the camp of Judah under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon 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
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