Genesis 49:4

Genesis 49:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
• New International Version (NIV)Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Unstable 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!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Unstable 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.

Context of Genesis 49:4

2“Come and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father. 3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power. But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch. 5“Simeon and Levi are two of a kind; their weapons are instruments of violence. 6May I never join in their meetings; may I never be a party to their plans. For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport.

Genesis 49:4 word by word

פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Unstableפַּ֫חַזpachaz · recklessnessH6349
• as waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• thou shalt not excelיָתַרyâthar · to remainH3498
• because thou wentest upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• to thy father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• bedמִשְׁכָּבmishkâb · bedH4904
• then defiledst thouחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490
• to my couchיָצוּעַyâtsûa‛ · bedH3326

Cross-references for Genesis 49:4

• James 1:6But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
• 2 Peter 2:14They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse.
• 2 Peter 3:16speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.
• Genesis 46:8These are the names of the descendants of Israel—the sons of Jacob—who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son.
• Numbers 32:1The tribes of Reuben and Gad owned vast numbers of livestock. So when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideally suited for their flocks and herds,
• Deuteronomy 33:6Moses said this about the tribe of Reuben: “Let the tribe of Reuben live and not die out, though they are few in number.”
• Genesis 35:22While 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:
• Deuteronomy 5:21“You must not covet your neighbor’s wife. You must not covet your neighbor’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.
• Deuteronomy 27:20‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with one of his father’s wives, for he has violated his father.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
• 1 Chronicles 5:1The oldest son of Israel was Reuben. But since he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, his birthright was given to the sons of his brother Joseph. For this reason, Reuben is not listed in the genealogical records as the firstborn son.
• 1 Corinthians 5:1I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother.

Commentaries on Genesis 49:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Pouring out like the waters - This is an obscure sentence because unfinished. It evidently relates to the defilement of his father's couch; and the word פחז pachaz, here translated pouring out, and in our Version unstable, has a bad meaning in other places of the Scripture, being applied to dissolute, debauched, and licentious conduct. See Judges 9:4; Zephaniah 3:4; Jeremiah 23:14, Jeremiah 23:32; Jeremiah 29:23. Thou shalt not excel - This tribe never…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-33Verses 1-33 - Jacob Blesses His Sons 5. מכרה mekêrāh “weapon;” related: כיר kārar or כרה kārāh dig. “Device, design?” related: מכר mākar “sell,” in Arabic “take counsel. Habitation.” 10. מחקק mechoqēq “lawgiver, judge, dispenser of laws.” This word occurs in six other places - Numbers 21:18; Deuteronomy 33:21; Jud. Deuteronomy 5:14; Psalm 60:9; Psalm 108:9; Isaiah 33:22; in five of which it clearly denotes ruler, or judge. The meaning “sceptre” is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-7Verses 3-7 Reuben was the first-born; but by gross sin, he forfeited the birthright. The character of Reuben is, that he was unstable as water. Men do not thrive, because they do not fix. Reuben's sin left a lasting infamy upon his family. Let us never do evil, then we need not fear being told of it. Simeon and Levi were passionate and revengeful. The murder of the Shechemites is a proof of this. Jacob protested against that barbarous act. Our soul is our…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Uncontrolled as the waters: As the firstborn, Reuben should have led the family. But he acted without control, like water that boils or flows wildly (for example, 35:22). Because of this, Jacob said that Reuben would not succeed as a leader (see 37:21–22, 29; 42:22, 37–38; compare Judges 5:15–16; 1 Chronicles 5:1–2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-331. Jacob called unto his sons--It is not to the sayings of the dying saint, so much as of the inspired prophet, that attention is called in this chapter. Under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit he pronounced his prophetic benediction and described the condition of their respective descendants in the last days, or future times. Ge 49:3, 4. Reuben forfeited by his crime the rights and honors of primogeniture. His posterity never made any figure; no…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 49:4

• Bilhah
• Character
• Death
• Firstborn
• Incest
• Instability
• Jacob
• Parents
• Reuben

In the dictionaries

• Birthright
• Bless
• Blood
• Couch
• Devour
• Fierce
• Raven
• Rouse
• Shoot
• Troop

Commentaries on Genesis 49

• 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