The Tribe of Reuben — the name, the blessing and the land
רְאוּבֵן
The firstborn — dignity forfeited
What the tribe was
Reuben was Jacob's firstborn, entitled to preeminence in dignity and power, but his instability — 'unstable as water' — cost him the birthright (1Chr 5:1). The tribe settled east of the Dead Sea among wide pasturelands, chose flocks over fights (Judg 5:15-16), and never produced a judge, prophet, or king that Scripture names. Reuben stands as the Bible's picture of squandered potential — and of a father's love that blesses even so: 'Let Reuben live, and not die.'
Jacob's blessing — Gen 49:3-4
רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣רִי אַ֔תָּה כֹּחִ֖י וְרֵאשִׁ֣ית אוֹנִ֑י יֶ֥תֶר שְׂאֵ֖ת וְיֶ֥תֶר עָֽז
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֨יִם֙ אַל תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה
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.
Moses' blessing — Deut 33:6
יְחִ֥י רְאוּבֵ֖ן וְאַל יָמֹ֑ת וִיהִ֥י מְתָ֖יו מִסְפָּֽר
Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
Who came out of Reuben
Dathan & Abiram — Num 16:1Adina, David's mighty man — 1Chr 11:42
Moments in the story
Gen 35:22Reuben defiles his father's bed
Gen 37:21Reuben tries to save Joseph
Josh 22:10The Reubenites' altar of witness
Judg 5:16Deborah's rebuke: great searchings of heart
Every mention
Gen 29:32Gen 30:14Gen 35:22Gen 35:23Gen 37:21Gen 37:22Gen 37:29Gen 42:22Gen 42:37Gen 46:8Gen 46:9Gen 48:5Gen 49:3Exod 1:2Exod 6:14Num 1:5Num 1:20Num 1:21Num 2:10Num 2:16Num 7:30Num 10:18Num 13:4Num 16:1Num 26:5Num 32:1Num 32:2Num 32:6Num 32:25Num 32:29Num 32:31Num 32:33Num 32:37Deut 11:6Deut 27:13Deut 33:6Josh 4:12Josh 13:15Josh 13:23Josh 15:6Josh 18:7Josh 18:17Josh 20:8Josh 21:7Josh 21:36Josh 22:9Josh 22:10Josh 22:11Josh 22:13Josh 22:15Josh 22:21Josh 22:25Josh 22:30Josh 22:31Josh 22:32Josh 22:33Josh 22:34Judg 5:15Judg 5:161Chr 2:11Chr 5:11Chr 5:31Chr 5:181Chr 6:481Chr 6:63Ezek 48:6Ezek 48:7Ezek 48:31