Gen 49:3-4 | Clarke | e4.org | 3. Reuben, my first-born art thou! My might, and the prime of my strength, Excelling in eminence, and excelling in power: 4. Pouring out like the waters:-thou shalt not excel, For thou wentest up to the bed of thy father,- Then thou didst defile: to my couch he went up! Verse 3. Reuben as the first-born had a right to a double portion of all that the father had; see . The eminence or dignity mentioned here may refer to the priesthood ; the power , to the regal government or kingdom . In this sense it has been understood by all the ancient Targumists. The Targum of Onkelos paraphrases it thus: " Thou shouldst have received three portions, the birthright, the priesthood, and the kingdom :" and to this the Targums of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Jerusalem add: " But because thou hast sinned , the birthright is given to Joseph, the kingdom to Judah, and the priesthood to Levi." That the birthright was given to the sons of Joseph we have the fullest proof from .

‏ Genesis 49:3-4

3. Reuben, my first-born art thou!

My might, and the prime of my strength,

Excelling in eminence, and excelling in power:

4. Pouring out like the waters:-thou shalt not excel,

For thou wentest up to the bed of thy father,-

Then thou didst defile: to my couch he went up!

Verse 3. Reuben as the first-born had a right to a double portion of all that the father had; see De 21:17.

The eminence or dignity mentioned here may refer to the priesthood; the power, to the regal government or kingdom. In this sense it has been understood by all the ancient Targumists. The Targum of Onkelos paraphrases it thus: "Thou shouldst have received three portions, the birthright, the priesthood, and the kingdom:" and to this the Targums of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Jerusalem add: "But because thou hast sinned, the birthright is given to Joseph, the kingdom to Judah, and the priesthood to Levi." That the birthright was given to the sons of Joseph we have the fullest proof from 1Ch 5:1.

Verse 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 pachaz, here translated pouring out, and in our Version unstable, has a bad meaning in other places of the Scripture, being applied to dissolute, debauched, and licentious conduct. See Jud 9:4; Zep 3:4; Jer 23:14, 32; 29:23.

Thou shalt not excel] This tribe never rose to any eminence in Israel; was not so numerous by one third as either Judah, Joseph, or Dan, when Moses took the sum of them in the wilderness, Nu 1:21; and was among the first that were carried into captivity, 1Ch 5:26.

Then thou didst defile] Another unfinished sentence, similar to the former, and upon the same subject, passing over a transaction covertly, which delicacy forbade Jacob to enlarge on. For the crime of Reuben, See Clarke on Ge 35:22.