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George Haydock's Catholic Commentary

Genesis 49:4

Grow thou not. This was not meant by way of a curse or imprecation; but by way of a prophecy, foretelling that the tribe of Ruben should not inherit the pre-eminences usually annexed to the first birth-right, viz., the double portion, the being prince or lord over the other brethren, and the priesthood: of which the double portion was given to Joseph, the princely office to Juda, and the priesthood to Levi. (Challoner) --- Thou hast abandoned thyself to thy brutal passion; do so no more, ne adjicias. (St. Jerome, q. Heb.) Let Ruben live, and die not; let him be small in number, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 6. His tribe never became very considerable. (Calmet) --- Couch. See chap xxxv. 22. Eternal infamy attends the name of Ruben. (Haydock)

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See also Genesis 49:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 49:4. _POURING OUT LIKE THE WATERS_] This is an obscure sentence because _unfinished_. It evidently relates to the defilement of his father's couch; and the word פחז _pachaz_, here tran...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Jacob Blesses His Sons 5. מכרה _m__e__kêrāh_, “weapon;” related: כיר _kārar_ or כרה _kārāh_ dig. “Device, design?” related: מכר _mākar_ “sell,” in Arabic “take counsel. Habitation.” 10. מחקק...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 49 JACOB'S PROPHECY _ 1. The call of Jacob: “Gather yourselves together” (Genesis 49:1)_ 2. The prophecy concerning his sons (Genesis 49:3) Reuben (Genesis 49:3) Simeon and Levi ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE BLESSING OF JACOB. This poem had an independent origin, but if it was incorporated in one of the main documents it would be in J. It is not a mere collection of originally isolated utterances on t...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    UNSTABLE AS WATER— _Thou hast been unstable as the waters,_ Durell renders it, following the Samaritan reading, which according to his judgment connects better with the preceding verse. _SHALT NOT EXC...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART FORTY-SEVEN THE LAST DAYS OF JACOB AND JOSEPH (Genesis 48:1 to Genesis 50:26) The Biblical Account 48 And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick:...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ Unstable as water - a boiling up as of water (art thou); i:e.,...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    49:4 Impetuous (a-1) In the sense of the impetuosity of lust. Lit. 'bubbling up.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    UNSTABLE] rather, 'unrestrained,' descriptive of ungoverned passion. Reuben's sin is mentioned in Genesis 35:22. EXCEL] rather, 'have the preëminence.' 5-7. The prediction respecting SIMEON and LEVI....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB BLESSES HIS TWELVE SONS It is generally considered that in its present form, this chapter gives us indeed the last utterances of the dying patriarch respecting the future of his sons, but with a...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ‘You flow as water flows.’ A person cannot lean on water because the water moves. So this means, ‘A person cannot trust you.’ ‘You shall not be first.’ Before this time, Reuben had the right of the o...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 49 JACOB BLESSES HIS SONS V1 Then Jacob called his sons. He said to them, ‘Gather yourselves together. I will tell you what shall happen to you in...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Before Jacob died, he gave his *blessing as the father of the family. A father’s *blessing was very important. (See Isaac’s *blessing in Genesis 27:26-40.) God told Jacob what he should say. Therefore...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    UNSTABLE. — This translation is shown to be right by the use of the word in Judges 9:4; Zephaniah 3:4, in both which places it is translated _light._ Out of this sense of lightness and frivolity natur...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    פַּ֤חַז כַּ † מַּ֨יִם֙ אַל ־תֹּותַ֔ר כִּ֥י...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE BLESSINGS OF THE TRIBES Genesis 48:1; Genesis 49:1 JACOB'S blessing of his sons marks the close of the patriarchal dispensation. Henceforth the channel of God's blessing to man does not consist o...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JACOB FORETELLS THE FUTURE OF HIS SONS Genesis 49:1 Once more Joseph visited his father's dying-bed. This was the third time and the last. He stood as one of twelve strong bearded men, gathered aroun...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Before his passing, Jacob, in forecasting the future of his sons, based what he had to say on what he had already seen in them. In some cases the allusions are difficult to follow, and the connection...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    JACOB'S FINAL DAYS The writer gives a brief record of the rest of Jacob's life before he gives details of the events surrounding the time of his death. Jacob lived seventeen more years in Egypt and s...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Proverbs 4:1 It is remarkable that from this tribe of Israel, there never arose a governor, a prophet, or prince. And it is as remarkable that the Reubenites chose their settlement on the other side o...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4._Unstable as water_. He shows that the honor which had not a good conscience for its keeper, was not firm but evanescent; and thus he rejects Reuben from the primogeniture. He declares the cause, le...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 48, 49, AND 50. Lastly, in chapter 48 besides the prophetical character important in the history of Israel we see Joseph as heir; the double portion (mark of...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    UNSTABLE AS WATER,.... Which is not to be understood of the levity of his mind, and his disposition to hurt, and the impetuous force of that breaking forth like water, and carrying him into the commis...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 4. _Unstable as water._] Easily drawn to sin, and suddenly...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might_ Begotten in the prime and vigour of my days; _the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power_ Such were the prerogatives of the birthright, which he w...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iacob calleth his sonnes to blesse them. 3 Their blessing in particular. 29 He chargeth them about his buriall. 33 He dieth. 1 AND Iacob called vnto his sonnes, and said, Gather your selues toge...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; he was like the bubbling of boiling water, rashly impulsive, and therefore he would lose the dignity and the preference of his birthright. BECAUSE THOU WENTEST...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Blessing upon Reuben...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    TENTH SECTION _Jacob’s blessing of his sons. Judah and his brethren. Jacob’s last arrangements. His burial in Canaan. His death._ GENESIS 49:1-33 1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yo...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB'S PROPHECY AS TO THE TWELVE TRIBES (vs.1-28) After a life of many failures and troubles, the last days of Jacob stand out in bright relief. His perception of God's ways became much more clear a...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    THOU SHALT NOT EXCELL: _ Heb._ do not thou excell HE WENT UP TO MY COUCH: Or, my couch is gone...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    3-7 Reuben was the first-born; but by gross sin, he forfeited the birthright. The character of Reuben is, that he was unstable as water. Men do not thrive, because they do not fix. Reuben's sin left...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    UNSTABLE AS WATER: this may concern either, 1. Something past, or Reuben's fault; and so he is said to have been UNSTABLE, or _light, _ and _vain, _ as the word is used, JUDGES 9:4 ZEPHANIAH 3:4; _lik...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    On which we shall dwell more particularly. There is not in scripture a more perfect and beautiful type of Christ than Joseph. Whether we view Christ as the object of the Father's love, the object of t...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 49:4 Unstable H6349 water H4325 excel H3498 (H8686) up H5927 (H8804) fathers H1 bed H4904 defiled...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my power, Pre-eminent in dignity, and pre-eminent in strength, Uncontrolled as water you will not be pre-eminent, Because you went up to...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 48 and 49 _(with Deuteronomy 33and Judges 5)_ Jacob's blessing of his sons marks the close of the patriarchal dispensation. Henceforth the channel of God's blessing to man does not consist of...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 49:4 I. The first thing which strikes us in the instability of water is that it has no cohesive shape of its own. It takes the form of the vessel into which you pour it; it changes one form fo...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Genesis 49:1. _And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    L, 2. _And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last day. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; an...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jacob's dying blessing, prophetic of the tribes of Israel. CHARACTERS: Jacob, twelve sons. CONCLUSION: It is a great blessing to attend upon Godly parents in their last hours that we might...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 49:2. _Gather yourselves together._ This phrase implies that they should come purified, and prepared for instruction. Genesis 49:3. _Reuben._ Jacob here seems to enumerate the excellencies of...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel._ INSTABILITY I. The first thing which strikes us in the instability of water is that IT HAS NO COHESIVE SHAPE OF ITS OWN. It takes the form of the vessel int...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    STABILITY Unstable as water. Genesis 49:4. Most of you know the meaning of the word “unstable.” “Stable” means reliable, firm, or constant; and a boy or girl who is “unstable” lacks these good quali...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 49:3 REUBEN’S special standing as the FIRSTBORN is taken away because of his shocking behavior with Jacob’s concubine, Bilhah ...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 49:3_ THE BLESSING OF REUBEN We seem to have in this, as in other instances, words of cursing rather than of blessing. But in Genesis 49:28, Jacob’s speech...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 49:1 AND JACOB (having closed his interview with Joseph and his two sons) CALLED (by means of messengers) UNTO HIS SONS (_i.e._ the others who were then absent), AND SAID, GATHER Y...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days (Genesis 49:1). This is probably the grandest hour of the old man Jaco...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Unstable. James 1:6 2 Peter 2:14 2 Peter 3:16 thou shall not excel. Heb. do not thou excel. Genesis 46:8...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Thou shalt not excel — A being thou shalt have as a tribe, but not an excellency. No judge, prophet, or prince, are found of that tribe, nor any person of renown only Dathan and Abiram, who were noted...

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