Reuben Lays with Bilhah
- Dates
- 1685 BC
Reuben lays with his father's concubine Bilhah, perhaps to assert his leadership role as first—born or perhaps in anger at his father for not loving Leah, his mother. He later loses Jacob's blessing which would have gone to him as the first—born son.
In detail
Since Bilhah was the wife of Reuben's father, this was an act of incest. Under Mosaic law it was punishable by death (Lev. 18:8), and was greatly despised even by pagans (1 Cor. 5:1). Though Bilhah may not have been entirely innocent, Reuben was certainly guilty of a most heinous moral lapse. Following these words ("Israel heard of it") the Hebrew text has a gap which led the ancient Jewish rabbis to comment, "There is a hiatus in the verse." The LXX fills in the gap by adding, "and it appeared evil in his sight."
This would seem to represent but inadequately the mingled shame and sorrow, indignation and horror, with which the wickedness of Jacob's eldest son must have filled him. More bitter and crushing was this last blow than even the death of Rachel or the ravishment of Dinah. Jacob's silence may be interpreted as the silence of devout resignation. But when the time came to pronounce a blessing on his sons, the dying Jacob felt that Reuben had by his crime forfeited the birthright, his position of temporal and spiritual leadership in the family (Gen. 49:4 1 Chron. 5:1). The first was given to Judah, the second to Levi.
Bible passages
- Genesis 35:22
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:
Text of the King James Version.