1 Chronicles 5:1
in 1 Chronicles 5These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 5
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
His birthright was given ... - In particular, the right of the first-born to a double inheritance Deu 21:17 was conferred on Joseph, both by the expressed will of Jacob Gen 48:22 and in the actual partition of Canaan Josh. 16–17. But though the birthright, as respecting its material privileges, passed to Joseph, its other rights, those of dignity and pre-eminence, fell to Judah; of whom came the chief ruler, an allusion especially to David, though it may reach further, and include a glance at the Messiah, the true “Ruler” of Israel Mic 5:2.
This site's exposition
he defiled his father’s bed
on 1 Chronicles 5:1-2
Reuben was Israel's firstborn, but Genesis 49:4 already marked him unstable as water for defiling his father's bed, and Chronicles states the consequence in genealogical terms: his birthright passed to Joseph's sons while Judah took the standing of chief ruler. Clarke notes that the Syriac, the Arabic and the Chaldee paraphrase all read the chief ruler as pointing toward the Messiah out of Judah, though the Chronicler himself draws only the immediate line to David's house. The tribal order of the whole book, Judah named first in chapter 2 though not the firstborn, rests on these two verses.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Not reckoned - This is the second reason, which sheweth both why Reuben's genealogy was not first mentioned; and if another tribe was to be ranked before it, why that was Judah, and not Joseph, because the order of their genealogy was not to be ruled by the birthright, but by an higher privilege, which was given to Judah.
Now the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Now the sons of Reuben--In proceeding to give this genealogy, the sacred historian states, in a parenthesis (1Ch 5:1, 2), the reason why it was not placed first, as Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob.
The sons of Reuben the first-born - As Reuben was the eldest son of Jacob, why was not his genealogy reviewed first? This verse answers the question; he lost the birth-right because of the transgression mentioned Gen 35:22; Gen 49:4, and the precedency was given to Judah; from him therefore came the chief ruler. This appears to be the meaning of the place.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
And the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel Now if you ask: since he was the firstborn, why did the kingship not emanate from him? He was indeed the firstborn, but when he desecrated his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבְנֵ֨י | uvenei | and [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| רְאוּבֵ֥ן | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | 72 times |
| בְּכֽוֹר־ | bekhor- | [the] firstborn of | H1060 → | 122 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ה֣וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַבְּכוֹר֒ | habekhor | [was] the firstborn | H1060 → | 122 times |
| וּֽבְחַלְּלוֹ֙ | uvechalelo | and when profaned he | H2490 → | 143 times |
| יְצוּעֵ֣י | yetzuei | [the] beds of | H3326 → | |
| אָבִ֔יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| נִתְּנָה֙ | nitenah | it was given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְּכֹ֣רָת֔וֹ | bekhorato | birthright his | H1062 → | 10 times |
| לִבְנֵ֥י | livnei | to [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יוֹסֵ֖ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| לְהִתְיַחֵ֖שׂ | lehityaches | to have themselves enrolled | H3187 → | 18 times |
| לַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ | labekhorah | to the birthright | H1062 → | 10 times |
וּבְנֵ֨יand [the] sons of
uveneiH1121 →4930 times
רְאוּבֵ֥ןReuben
reuvenH7205 →72 times
בְּכֽוֹר־[the] firstborn of
bekhor-H1060 →122 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֮Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
ה֣וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הַבְּכוֹר֒[was] the firstborn
habekhorH1060 →122 times
וּֽבְחַלְּלוֹ֙and when profaned he
uvechaleloH2490 →143 times
יְצוּעֵ֣י[the] beds of
yetzueiH3326 →
אָבִ֔יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
נִתְּנָה֙it was given
nitenahH5414 →2011 times
בְּכֹ֣רָת֔וֹbirthright his
bekhoratoH1062 →10 times
לִבְנֵ֥יto [the] sons of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
יוֹסֵ֖ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
לְהִתְיַחֵ֖שׂto have themselves enrolled
lehityachesH3187 →18 times
לַבְּכֹרָֽה׃to the birthright
labekhorahH1062 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 29:32And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 26:7
So we called out to the LORD, the God of our fathers; and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, toil, and oppression.
- Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Exodus 4:31
and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.
- Genesis 49:3–4
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
- Genesis 46:8–9
Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
- Deuteronomy 26:7
Through
Exodus 6:14These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
it leads to
- Genesis 46:9
The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
- 1 Chronicles 5:3
The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
- Genesis 46:9
Through
Genesis 35:22While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:
it leads to
- Leviticus 18:8
You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.
- Leviticus 18:8
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil, The Books of the Chronicles.