Verse 4

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.

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.

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  '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.'

• biblecontext

  { "verseID": "Genesis.49.4", "source": "פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה", "text": "*paḥaz* like-the-*mayim* not-*tôtar* because *ʿālîtā* *miškəbê* *ʾābîkā* *ʾāz* *ḥillaltā* *yəṣûʿî* *ʿālāh*", "grammar": { "*paḥaz*": "noun masculine singular - unstable/reckless/unbridled", "*mayim*": "noun masculine plural with definite article - the water", "*tôtar*": "Hiphil imperfect 2nd masculine singular jussive - have pre-eminence", "*ʿālîtā*": "Qal perfect 2nd masculine singular - you went up", "*miškəbê*": "noun masculine plural construct - beds of", "*ʾābîkā*": "noun masculine singular construct with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your father", "*ʾāz*": "adverb - then", "*ḥillaltā*": "Piel perfect 2nd masculine singular - you defiled/profaned", "*yəṣûʿî*": "noun masculine singular construct with 1st singular suffix - my bed/couch", "*ʿālāh*": "Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular - he went up" }, "variants": { "*paḥaz*": "unstable/reckless/unbridled/wanton", "*tôtar*": "excel/have pre-eminence/have remainder", "*ḥillaltā*": "you defiled/profaned/desecrated", "*ʿālāh*": "he went up/ascended" } }

• 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.

• 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 And it came to pass, when Israel lived 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:
• 1 Chr 5:1 : 1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. He was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned according to the birthright.
• Deut 27:20 : 20 Cursed be he who lies with his father's wife; because he uncovers his father's bed. And all the people shall say, Amen.
• Deut 33:6 : 6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
• 1 Cor 5:1 : 1 It is commonly reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that a man has his father's wife.
• Jas 1:6-8 : 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting. For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
• 2 Pet 2:14 : 14 Having eyes full of adultery and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices and are accursed children.
• Gen 46:8 : 8 And these are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
• Num 32:1-9 : 1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great number of cattle; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, they realized that the place was suitable for cattle. 2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, 3 Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4 The country which the LORD conquered before the congregation of Israel, is a land suitable for cattle, and your servants have cattle. 5 Therefore, they said, if we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession, and do not bring us over the Jordan. 6 And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here? 7 And why discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they would not go into the land which the LORD had given them. 10 And the LORD's anger was kindled at that time, and he swore, saying, 11 Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me, 12 Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; for they have wholly followed the LORD. 13 And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was consumed. 14 And, behold, you have risen in your fathers' place, an increase of sinful men, to add still more to the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. 15 For if you turn away from following him, he will again leave them in the wilderness, and you will have destroyed all this people. 16 And they came near to him and said, We will build sheep pens here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones, 17 But we ourselves will go ready and armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our houses until every man among the children of Israel has received his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan or beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan eastward. 20 And Moses said to them, If you will do this thing, if you will go armed before the LORD to war, 21 And will all of you go armed over the Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, 22 And the land is subdued before the LORD: then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. 23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep; and do what you have said. 25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, will be there in the cities of Gilead. 27 But your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord says. 28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, 29 And Moses said to them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man armed for battle, before the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession. 30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. 31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD has said to your servants, so will we do. 32 We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side of the Jordan may be ours. 33 And Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the borders, even the cities of the country round about. 34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer, 35 And Atroth Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah, 36 And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fortified cities: and folds for sheep. 37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, 38 And Nebo, and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names to the cities which they built. 39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite who was there. 40 And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt there. 41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-jair. 42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and its surrounding villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
• Deut 5:21 : 21 Neither shall you desire your neighbor's wife, nor shall you covet your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.
• 2 Pet 3:16 : 16 As also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are unlearned and unstable twist, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.