Now the sonsof Reubenthe firstbornof Israel(for he was the firstborn,but because he defiledhis father'sbed,his birthrightwas givento the sonsof Josephthe sonof Israel;so that he is not enrolledin the genealogyaccording to the birthright.
The LORDsaidto her, "Twonationsare in your womb;And twopeopleswill be separatedfrom your body;And one peopleshall be strongerthanthe other;And the oldershall servethe younger."
But Jacobsaid,"Firstsellme your birthright."
Leahconceivedand borea sonand namedhim Reuben,for she said,"Becausethe LORDhas seenmy affliction;surelynowmy husbandwill loveme."
It cameabout while Israelwas dwellingin that land,that Reubenwentand laywith Bilhahhis father'sconcubine,and Israelheard[of it]. The Sons of IsraelNow there were twelve
The Sons of Israel
Now there were twelve
Now theseare the namesof the sonsof Israel,Jacoband his sons,who wentto Egypt:Reuben,Jacob'sfirstborn.
"Nowyour twosons,who were bornto you in the landof EgyptbeforeI cameto you in Egypt,are mine; Ephraimand Manassehshall be mine, as Reubenand Simeonare.
Theseare the sonsof Israel:Reuben,Simeon,Levi,Judah,Issachar,Zebulun,
Also Hosah,[one] of the sonsof Merarihad sons:Shimrithe first(althoughhe was not the firstborn,his fathermadehim first),
Theseare the headsof their fathers'households.The sonsof Reuben,Israel'sfirstborn:Hanochand Pallu,Hezronand Carmi;theseare the familiesof Reuben.
You shall not uncoverthe nakednessof your father'swife;it is your father'snakedness.
If [there is] a manwholieswith his father'swife,he has uncoveredhis father'snakedness;bothof them shall surelybe putto death,their bloodguiltinessis upon them.
"Thesethen are the namesof the menwhoshall standwith you: of Reuben,Elizurthe sonof Shedeur;
Now Korahthe sonof Izhar,the sonof Kohath,the sonof Levi,with Dathanand Abiram,the sonsof Eliab,and Onthe sonof Peleth,sonsof Reuben,took[action],
Reuben,Israel'sfirstborn,the sonsof Reuben:[of] Hanoch,the familyof the Hanochites;of Pallu,the familyof the Palluites;
It is actuallyreportedthat there is immoralityamongyou, and immoralityof such a kindas does not exist evenamongthe Gentiles,that someonehashis father'swife.
"But he shall acknowledgethe firstborn,the sonof the unloved,by givinghim a doubleportionof allthat he has,for he is the beginningof his strength;to him belongs the rightof the firstborn.
Cursedis he who lieswith his father'swife,becausehe has uncoveredhis father'sskirt.'And allthe peopleshall say,'Amen.'
"As the firstbornof his ox,majestyis his, And his hornsare the hornsof the wildox;With them he will pushthe peoples,Allat once,[to] the endsof the earth.And thoseare the tenthousandsof Ephraim,And thoseare the thousandsof Manasseh."
He is the imageof the invisibleGod,the firstbornof allcreation.
Then the sonsof Judahdrewnearto Joshuain Gilgal,and Calebthe sonof Jephunnehthe Kenizzitesaidto him, "You knowthe wordwhichthe LORDspoketo Mosesthe manof Godconcerningyou and me in Kadesh-barnea.
