Verse 1

And the sons of Reuben, the oldest son of Israel, (for he was the oldest son, but, because he made his father's bride-bed unclean, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel; but he is not to be given the place of the oldest.

Referenced Verses

  • Gen 29:32 : 32 And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
  • Gen 35:22 : 22 Now while they were living in that country, Reuben had connection with Bilhah, his father's servant-woman: and Israel had news of it.
  • Gen 48:15-22 : 15 And he gave Joseph a blessing, saying, May the God to whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, gave worship, the God who has taken care of me all my life till this day, 16 The angel who has been my saviour from all evil, send his blessing on these children: and let my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be given to them; and let them become a great nation in the earth. 17 Now when Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it did not seem right to him; and lifting his father's hand he would have put it on the head of Manasseh. 18 And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the older; put your right hand on his head. 19 But his father would not, saying, I am doing it on purpose, my son; he will certainly become a nation and a great one; but his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a great family of nations. 20 So he gave them his blessing that day, saying, You will be the sign of blessing in Israel, for they will say, May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh; and he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, Now my death is near; but God will be with you, guiding you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And I have given you more than your brothers, even Shechem as your heritage, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.
  • Gen 49:3-4 : 3 Reuben, you are my oldest son, the first-fruit of my strength, first in pride and first in power: 4 But because you were uncontrolled, the first place will not be yours; for you went up to your father's bed, even his bride-bed, and made it unclean.
  • 1 Chr 2:1 : 1 These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, Issachar and Zebulun;
  • 1 Chr 26:10 : 10 And Hosah, a son of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the oldest, his father made him chief);
  • 1 Cor 5:1 : 1 It is said, in fact, that there is among you a sin of the flesh, such as is not seen even among the Gentiles, that one of you has his father's wife.
  • Col 1:15 : 15 Who is the image of the unseen God coming into existence before all living things;
  • Gen 46:8 : 8 And these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt, even Jacob and all his sons: Reuben, Jacob's oldest son;
  • Gen 25:23 : 23 And the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your body, and two peoples will come to birth from you: the one will be stronger than the other, and the older will be the servant of the younger.
  • Exod 6:14 : 14 These are the heads of their fathers' families: the sons of Reuben the oldest son of Israel: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi: these are the families of Reuben.
  • Lev 18:8 : 8 And you may not have sex relations with your father's wife: she is your father's.
  • Lev 20:11 : 11 And the man who has sex relations with his father's wife has put shame on his father: the two of them are to be put to death; their blood will be on them.
  • Num 1:5 : 5 These are the names of those who are to be your helpers: from Reuben, Elizur, the son of Shedeur;
  • Num 16:1 : 1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Pallu, the son of Reuben, made themselves ready,
  • Num 26:5 : 5 Reuben, the first son of Israel: the sons of Reuben by their families: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:
  • Deut 21:17 : 17 But he is to give his first son his birthright, and twice as great a part of his property: for he is the first-fruits of his strength and the right of the first son is his.
  • Deut 27:20 : 20 Cursed is he who has sex relations with his father's wife, for he has put shame on his father. And let all the people say, So be it.
  • Josh 14:6 : 6 Then the children of Judah went to Joshua in Gilgal; and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, said to him, You have knowledge of what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about me and about you in Kadesh-barnea.
  • 1 Sam 16:6-9 : 6 Now when they came, looking at Eliab, he said, Clearly the man of the Lord's selection is before him. 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not take note of his face or how tall he is, because I will not have him: for the Lord's view is not man's; man takes note of the outer form, but the Lord sees the heart. 8 Then Jesse sent for Abinadab and made him come before Samuel. And he said, The Lord has not taken this one. 9 Then Jesse made Shammah come before him. And he said, The Lord has not taken this one. 10 And Jesse made his seven sons come before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not taken any of these. 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, Are all your children here? And he said, There is still the youngest, and he is looking after the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and make him come here: for we will not take our seats till he is here.