New King James Version
Genesis 35:22
22And 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:
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 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 a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 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: 23the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and 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 49:4Unstable 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.
- Leviticus 18:8The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness.
- 2 Samuel 16:21And Ahithophel 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 are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
- 2 Samuel 20:3Now 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 seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright;
- 1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!
- Genesis 35:18And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
- Genesis 29:31When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
- Genesis 30:5And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.
- Genesis 46:8Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.
- Genesis 49:1And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:
- Exodus 1:1Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob:
- Exodus 6:14These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben.
- Numbers 1:5“These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: from Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
- Numbers 1:20Now the children of Reuben, Israel’s oldest son, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war:
- Numbers 2:3On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp according to their armies; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be the leader of the children of Judah.”
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries