Verse 4

'Unstable as water, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed; you defiled it—he went up onto my couch.'

Other Translations

• GT, oversatt fra Hebraisk

  'Men ustabil som vann, skal du ikke få fremgang; for du steg opp på din fars leie og vanærte det. Du gjorde min seng uren.'

• Moderne oversettelse av Bibelen fra 1611 KJV med hebraisk kontekst

  Ustabil som vann skal du ikke ha fortrinn, for du steg opp til din fars seng; da vanæret du den: han steg opp til min seng.

• Norsk King James

  Ustabil som vann, du skal ikke lykkes; fordi du gikk opp til din fars seng, vanhelliget du den; han gikk opp til min seng.

• Modernisert Norsk Bibel 1866

  Ustabil som vannet, du skal ikke ha overhøyhet, for du gikk opp i din fars seng; du vanæret den — du gikk opp i min seng!

• Oversettelse av hebraiske Bibeltekster til moderne norsk bokmål

  Du er ustadig som vannet; du skal ikke ha fortrinn, fordi du steg opp i din fars seng. Da vanæret du min leie.

• Bibelen: En Moderne Oversettelse av King James Version 1611

  Ustabil som vann, skal du ikke ha fremgang, for du steg opp til din fars seng; da vanæret du den. Han steg opp til mitt leie.

• o3-mini KJV Norsk

  Men som ustadig vann skal du ikke råde, for du gikk til din fars seng og vanhelliget den; da han steg opp til min seng, gjorde du den uren.

• En Moderne Oversettelse av King James Version 1611 (mar 2025)

  Ustabil som vann, skal du ikke ha fremgang, for du steg opp til din fars seng; da vanæret du den. Han steg opp til mitt leie.

• Lingvistisk bibeloversettelse fra grunntekst

  Ustabil som vann skal du ikke ha overlegenhet, for du steg opp i din fars seng, da vanæret du den. Han steg opp i mitt leie.

• GT, oversatt fra hebraisk Aug2024

  Ustabil som vann skal du ikke ha forrang, for du steg opp til din fars seng og vanæret den. Du vanæret min seng.

• Original Norsk Bibel 1866

  Letfærdig som Vandet, du skal ikke være ypperlig, thi du opsteg i din Faders Leie; da besmittede du det, — han haver opsteget paa min Seng!

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV 1769 norsk

  Ustabil som vann, vil du ikke utmerke deg, fordi du gikk opp til din fars seng; du vanæret den: han gikk opp til min leie.

• KJV1611 - Moderne engelsk

  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.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• Norsk oversettelse av Webster

  Ustø som vann skal du ikke ha forrang; For du steg opp i din fars seng; Da vanæret du den. Han steg opp til min seng.

• Norsk oversettelse av Youngs Literal Translation

  Ustabil som vann, skal du ikke ha fremgang; for du gikk opp til din fars seng og vanæret den. Min seng gikk han opp til!

• Norsk oversettelse av ASV1901

  Men som brusende vann skal du ikke ha overlegenhet; for du steg opp til din fars seng; da vanæret du den: han gikk opp til min seng.

• Norsk oversettelse av BBE

  Men fordi du var ustyrlig, vil du ikke ha den første plassen; for du gikk opp til din fars seng, til og med bryllupssengen, og gjorde den uren.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  As vnstable as water wast thou: thou shalt therfore not be the chefest for thou wenst vp vpo thy fathers bedd and than defyledest thou my couche with goynge vppe.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Thou passest forth swiftly as ye water. Thou shalt not be the chefest: For thou hast clymmed vp vpon thy fathers bed, euen than defyledest thou my couch with goynge vp.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Thou wast light as water: thou shalt not be excellent, because thou wentest vp to thy fathers bed: then diddest thou defile my bed, thy dignitie is gone.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Unstable as water, thou shalt not be the chiefest, because thou wentest vp to thy fathers bedde: for then defiledst thou my couche with goyng vp.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Boiling over as water, you shall not have the pre-eminence; Because you went up to your father's bed; Then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  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.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Boiling over as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father's bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  You 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!

Referenced Verses

• Gen 35:22 : 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went and slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it. Now Jacob had twelve sons:
• 1 Chr 5:1 : 1 The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel—although he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, because he defiled his father’s bed. He is not counted as the firstborn in the records.
• Deut 27:20 : 20 Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father's wife, for he has dishonored his father's bed. Then all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
• Deut 33:6 : 6 May Reuben live and not die, and may his men be few in number.
• 1 Cor 5:1 : 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and a kind of immorality that is not even found among the Gentiles—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.
• Jas 1:6-8 : 6 But let him ask in faith, without doubting, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 Let that person not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all their ways.
• 2 Pet 2:14 : 14 They have eyes full of adultery, never ceasing from sin. They entice unstable souls and have hearts trained in greed. They are accursed children.
• Gen 46:8 : 8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, his firstborn being Reuben.
• Num 32:1-9 : 1 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very large amount of livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, they noticed that the place was suitable for livestock. 2 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation, saying: 3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon— 4 this land that the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel—is a land suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock." 5 They said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan." 6 But Moses replied to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, "Should your brothers go to war while you stay here? 7 Why would you discourage the hearts of the Israelites from crossing into the land that the Lord has given them? 8 This is what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. 9 They went up to the Valley of Eshcol, saw the land, and discouraged the hearts of the Israelites from entering the land that the Lord had given them. 10 So the Lord’s anger burned that day, and He swore, saying: 11 'None of the men who came up from Egypt, twenty years old and older, will see the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not fully followed Me— 12 except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they have fully followed the Lord.' 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation that had done evil in His sight was gone. 14 "Now you have risen in place of your ancestors, a brood of sinful men, to increase still further the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel. 15 If you turn away from following Him, He will abandon them again in the wilderness, and you will bring destruction on all these people." 16 Then they approached him and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our children. 17 But we will arm ourselves quickly and go before the Israelites until we bring them to their place. Meanwhile our children will stay in fortified cities, safe from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has received their inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit any land with them beyond the Jordan, because our inheritance is on the east side of the Jordan. 20 Moses said to them, "If you will do this—if you arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, 21 and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies from His presence— 22 then the land will be subdued before the Lord, and afterward you may return and be free from obligation to the Lord and Israel. This land will then be your possession before the Lord. 23 But if you do not do this, you will have sinned against the Lord. Be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your children and pens for your flocks, but do what you have promised. 25 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben said to Moses, "Your servants will do just as my lord commands. 26 Our children, wives, livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead, 27 but your servants, every armed man of war, will cross over before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says." 28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the tribes of Israel. 29 Moses said to them, "If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben cross the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. 30 But if they do not cross over armed with you, they must take their possession among you in the land of Canaan." 31 The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, "As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do. 32 We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but the possession of our inheritance will be on this side of the Jordan." 33 Then Moses gave to the sons of Gad, the sons of Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—the land with its cities and the territories surrounding them. 34 The sons of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer— 35 also Atroth-shophan, Jazer, and Jogbehah. 36 They also built Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and sheepfolds. 37 The sons of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiriathaim— 38 as well as Nebo, Baal-meon (with their names changed), and Sibmah, and they gave new names to the cities they rebuilt. 39 The sons of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he settled there. 41 Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their settlements, and he called them Havvoth-jair. 42 Nobah went and captured Kenath and its surrounding villages, and he called it Nobah after his own name.
• Deut 5:21 : 21 You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
• 2 Pet 3:16 : 16 As he does in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. In them, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.