Descendants of Reuben

5 The oldest son of Israel^[a] 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.

²² While 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:

¹⁵ Then he blessed Joseph and said,

¹⁷ But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ¹⁸ “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

¹⁹ But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”

²⁰ So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. ²² And beyond what I have given your brothers, I am giving you an extra portion of the land^[a] that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

³² So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,^[a] for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”