Devine Scripture

Genesis 49:4

What does Genesis 49:4 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 49:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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.

KJV

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.

ASV

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.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

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.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

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!

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Thou art poured out as water, grow thou not; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, and didst defile his couch.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou [it]: he went up to my bed.

Context

v.3Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.

v.4This passage

v.5Simeon and Levi are brethren; Weapons of violence are their swords.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Deuteronomy 27:20

    Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife, because he hath uncovered his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

  • 2 Peter 3:16

    as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

  • Genesis 46:8

    And these are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s first-born.

  • 1 Chronicles 5:1

    And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.

  • Numbers 32:1

    Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

  • Deuteronomy 5:21

    Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor’s house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor’s.

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