Gen 35:22, 49:4 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 22. Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine ] Jonathan, in his Targum, says that Reuben only overthrew the bed of Bilhah, which was set up opposite to the bed of his mother Leah, and that this was reputed to him as if he had lain with her. The colouring given to the passage by the Targumist is, that Reuben was incensed, because he found Bilhah preferred after the death of Rachel to his own mother Leah; and therefore in his anger he overthrew her couch. The same sentiment is repeated by Jonathan, and glanced at by the Jerusalem Targum, . Could this view of the subject be proved to be correct, both piety and candour would rejoice. And Israel heard it. ] Not one word is added farther in the Hebrew text; but a break is left in the verse, opposite to which there is a Masoretic note, which simply states that there is a hiatus in the verse . This hiatus the Septuagint has thus supplied: καιπονηρονεφανηεναντιοναυτον, and it appeared evil in his sight . Now the sons of Jacob were twelve ] Called afterwards the twelve patriarchs , because they became heads or chiefs of numerous families or tribes, ; and the people that descended from them are called the twelve tribes , . Twelve princes came from Ishmael, , who were heads of families and tribes. And in reference to the twelve patriarchs , our Lord chose twelve apostles . Strictly speaking, there were thirteen tribes among the Hebrews, as Ephraim and Manasses were counted for tribes, ; but the Scripture in naming them, says Mr. Ainsworth, usually sets down but twelve, omitting the name now of one, then of another, as may in sundry places be observed, ; ; , &c.

‏ Genesis 35:22

Verse 22. Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine] Jonathan, in his Targum, says that Reuben only overthrew the bed of Bilhah, which was set up opposite to the bed of his mother Leah, and that this was reputed to him as if he had lain with her. The colouring given to the passage by the Targumist is, that Reuben was incensed, because he found Bilhah preferred after the death of Rachel to his own mother Leah; and therefore in his anger he overthrew her couch. The same sentiment is repeated by Jonathan, and glanced at by the Jerusalem Targum, Ge 49:4. Could this view of the subject be proved to be correct, both piety and candour would rejoice.

And Israel heard it.] Not one word is added farther in the Hebrew text; but a break is left in the verse, opposite to which there is a Masoretic note, which simply states that there is a hiatus in the verse. This hiatus the Septuagint has thus supplied: καιπονηρονεφανηεναντιοναυτον, and it appeared evil in his sight.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve] Called afterwards the twelve patriarchs, because they became heads or chiefs of numerous families or tribes, Ac 7:8; and the people that descended from them are called the twelve tribes, Ac 26:7; Jas 1:1. Twelve princes came from Ishmael, Ge 25:16, who were heads of families and tribes. And in reference to the twelve patriarchs, our Lord chose twelve apostles. Strictly speaking, there were thirteen tribes among the Hebrews, as Ephraim and Manasses were counted for tribes, Ge 48:5,6; but the Scripture in naming them, says Mr. Ainsworth, usually sets down but twelve, omitting the name now of one, then of another, as may in sundry places be observed, De 33:5-29; Eze 48:1-35; Re 7:4-8, &c.

‏ Genesis 49:4

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.