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22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.(A)

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Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons

49 Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather around, that I may tell you what will happen to you in days to come.(A)

Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob;
    listen to Israel your father.

Reuben, you are my firstborn,
    my might and the first fruits of my vigor,
    excelling in rank and excelling in power.(B)
Unstable as water, you shall no longer excel
    because you went up onto your father’s bed;
    then you defiled it—you[a] went up onto my couch!(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 49.4 Gk Syr Tg: Heb he

Descendants of Reuben

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 son of Israel, so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright;(A)

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