Genesis 49:4–5
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, †thou shalt not excell, because thou *wentest vp to thy fathers bed: then defiledst thou it. ‖He went vp to my couche.
Original 1611 marginTranslation notes and cross-references are kept distinct.
- †Hebrew wordingHebr. doe not thou excell.
- ‖Alternative wordingOr, my cowche is gone.
- *Cross-referenceChap. 35.22. 1.Chro. 5.1.
¶ Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
¶ Simeon and Leui are brethren, ‖instruments of crueltie are in their habitations.
Original 1611 marginTranslation notes and cross-references are kept distinct.
- ‖Alternative wordingOr, their swords are weapons of violence.
Narration uses the Pure Cambridge Edition.
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SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE
Cross References
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From verse 4
- Genesis 35:22Rank 1 from verse 4
22And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
22And it came to passe when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went & *lay with Bilhah his fathers concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sonnes of Iacob wertwelue.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1Rank 2 from verse 4
1NOW 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.
1¶ Now the sonnes of Reuben the first borne of Israel, (for *hee was the first borne, but, forasmuch as he defiled his fathers bed, his birthright was giuen vnto the sonnes of Ioseph the sonne of Israel: and the genealogie is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
- Deuteronomy 27:20Rank 3 from verse 4
- Deuteronomy 33:6Rank 4 from verse 4
- 1 Corinthians 5:1Rank 5 from verse 4
1IT is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
1¶ It is reported commonly, that there is fornication among you, and such fornication, as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles, that one should haue his fathers wife.
- James 1:6–8Rank 6 from verse 4
6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
6But let him aske in faith, nothing wauering: for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea, driuen with the wind, and tossed.
7For let not that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord.
8A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes.
- Deuteronomy 5:21Rank 7 from verse 4
21Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
21*Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbours wife, neither shalt thou couet thy neighbours house, his field, or his man seruant, or his maide seruant, his oxe, or his asse, or any thing that is thy neighbours.
- Genesis 46:8Rank 8 from verse 4
- 2 Peter 3:16Rank 9 from verse 4
16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
16As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be vnderstood, which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest, as they doe also the other Scriptures, vnto their owne destruction.
- 2 Peter 2:14Rank 10 from verse 4
14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
14Hauing eyes ful of †adulterie and that cannot cease from sinne, beguiling vnstable soules: an heart they haue exercised with couetous practises: cursed children:
- Numbers 32:1–42Rank 11 from verse 4
1NOW the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;
2The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,
3Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,
4Even the country which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:
5Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.
6¶ And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?
7And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?
8Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
9For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them.
10And the Lord’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,
11Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
12Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.
13And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.
14And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel.
15For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.
16¶ And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:
17But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
18We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.
19For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.
20¶ And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war,
21And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,
22And the land be subdued before the Lord: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.
23But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
24Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.
25And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.
26Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:
27But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.
28So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:
29And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:
30But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.
31And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.
32We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.
33And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.
34¶ And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
35And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,
36And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.
37And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,
38And Nebo, and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.
39And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.
40And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.
41And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-jair.
42And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
1¶ Now the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, had a very great multitude of cattell: and when they saw the land of Iazer, and the land of Gilead, that behold, the place was a place for cattell;
2The children of Gad, and the children of Reuben, came and spake vnto Moses, and to Eleazar the Priest, and vnto the Princes of the Congregation, saying,
3Ataroth, and Dibon, and Iazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,
4Euen the countrey which the LORD smote before the Congregation of Israel, is a land for cattell, and thy seruants haue cattell.
5Wherefore, said they, if wee haue found grace in thy sight, let this lande be giuen vnto thy seruants for a possession, and bring vs not ouer Iordane.
6¶ And Moses said vnto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren goe to warre, and shall ye sit here?
7And wherefore †discourage yee the heart of the children of Israel from going ouer into the lande, which the LORD hath giuen them?
8Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.
9For *when they went vp vnto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not goe into the land which the LORD had giuen them.
10And the LORDs anger was kindled the same time, and hee sware, saying,
11Surely none of the men that came vp out of Egypt, *from twentie yeeres old and vpward, shall see the lande which I sware vnto Abraham, vnto Isaac, and vnto Iacob, because they haue not †wholly followed me:
12Saue Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenezite, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun: for they haue wholly followed the LORD.
13And the LORDs anger was kindled against Israel, and hee made them wander in the wildernesse fourty yeeres, vntill all the generation that had done euill in the sight of the LORD was consumed.
14And beholde, ye are risen vp in your fathers stead, an increase of sinfull men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.
15For if yee turne away from after him, hee will yet againe leaue them in the wildernesse, and ye shall destroy all this people.
16¶ And they came neere vnto him, and said, Wee will build sheepfoldes here for our cattell, and cities for our litle ones.
17But we ourselues will goe ready armed before the children of Israel, vntill wee haue brought them vnto their place: and our litle ones shall dwell in the fenced cities, because of the inhabitants of the land.
18Wee will not returne vnto our houses, vntill the children of Israel haue inherited euery man his inheritance:
19For wee will not inherite with them on yonder side Iordane, or forward, because our inheritance is fallen to vs on this side Iordane Eastward.
20¶ And *Moses said vnto them, If ye will doe this thing, if ye will goe armed before the LORD to warre,
21And will goe all of you armed ouer Iordane before the LORD, vntill he hath driuen out his enemies from before him,
22And the land bee subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall returne, and bee guiltlesse before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.
23But if ye will not doe so, behold, yee haue sinned against the LORD: and bee sure your sinne will finde you out.
24Build ye cities for your litle ones, and folds for your sheepe, and doe that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.
25And the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben spake vnto Moses, saying, Thy seruants will doe as my lord commandeth.
26Our little ones, our wiues, our flocks, and all our cattell shall be there in the cities of Gilead.
27But *thy seruants will passe ouer, euery man armed for warre, before the LORD to battell, as my lord saith.
28So concerning them Moses commaunded Eleazar the Priest, and Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and the chiefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:
29And Moses said vnto them, If the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben will passe with you ouer Iordane, euery man armed to battell before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you, then ye shall giue them the land of Gilead for a possession:
30But if they will not passe ouer with you armed, they shall haue possessions among you in the land of Canaan.
31And the children of Gad, and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD hath said vnto thy seruants, so will we doe.
32Wee will passe ouer armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Iordane may be ours.
33And *Moses gaue vnto them, euen to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben; and vnto halfe the tribe of Manasseh the sonne of Ioseph, the kingdome of Sihon King of the Amorites, and the kingdome of Og King of Bashan, the land with the cities thereof, in the coastes, euen the cities of the countrey round about.
34¶ And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
35And Atroth, Shophan, and Iaazer, and Iogbehah,
36And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and foldes for sheepe.
37And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim,
38And Nebo, and Baalmeon (their names being changed) and Shibmah: and †gaue other names vnto the cities which they builded.
39And the children of *Machir, the sonne of Manasseh, went to Gilead, and tooke it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.
40And Moses gaue Gilead vnto Machir the sonne of Manasseh, and he dwelt therein.
41And *Iair the sonne of Manasseh went and tooke the small townes thereof, and called them Hauoth-Iair.
42And Nobah went and tooke Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his owne name.
From verse 5
- Genesis 34:25–31Rank 1 from verse 5
25¶ And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
26And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.
27The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
28They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
29And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
31And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
25¶ And it came to passe on the thirde day when they were sore, that two of the sonnes of Iacob, Simeon and Leui, Dinahs brethren, tooke each man his sword and came vpon the citie boldly, and *slew all the males.
26And they slew Hamor and Shechem his sonne, with the †edge of the sword, and tooke Dinah out of Shechems house, and went out.
27The sonnes of Iacob came vpon the slaine, and spoiled the citie, because they had defiled their sister.
28They tooke their sheepe, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the citie, and that which was in the field.
29And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wiues tooke they captiue, and spoiled euen all that was in the house.
30And Iacob said to Simeon and Leui, Ye haue troubled me to make me to stinke among the inhabitants of the land, amongst the Canaanites, and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselues together against me, and slay me, and I shal be destroyed, I and my house.
31And they said, Should hee deale with our sister, as with an harlot?
- Genesis 29:33–34Rank 2 from verse 5
33And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
34And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
33And shee conceiued againe, and bare a sonne, and saide, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, hee hath therefore giuen mee this sonne also, and she called his name †Simeon.
34And shee conceiued againe, and bare a sonne, and said, Now this time will my husband be ioyned vnto me, because I haue borne him three sonnes: therefore was his name called †Leui.
- Genesis 46:10–11Rank 3 from verse 5
10¶ And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
11¶ And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
10¶ *And the sonnes of Simeon: Iemuel, and Iamin, and Ohad, and Iachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the sonne of a Canaanitish woman.
11¶ And the sonnes of *Leui: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
- Proverbs 18:9Rank 4 from verse 5
WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE
Definitions
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DEFINED WORDS
Genesis 49:4
Not steady; inconstant; irresolute; wavering.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
Sense 1: The common liquid necessary for life. Sense 2: As a verb, to supply with water, irrigate, or cause to drink.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
To surpass, exceed, or be eminent in quality, ability, or achievement.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Sense 1: A place for rest or sleep. Sense 2: The marriage bed or a place in which something lies. As a verb, to place or lie in a bed.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
1. A bed or place for lying, reclining, or resting. 2. To lie down or crouch in a place of rest or concealment.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Cawdrey 1604 · Skeat 1893
DEFINED WORDS
Genesis 49:5
Levi, a son of Jacob and ancestor of the tribe bearing his name.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
1. Persons of the same people, tribe, community, or shared service who are regarded or addressed as brothers. 2. Persons regarded as brothers by reason of faith or another spiritual relation. 3. Male siblings or other male relatives.
Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references
COMBINED MEANING
instruments
Sense 1: Tools or implements by which work is done or effects are produced. Sense 2: Devices made to produce music.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
Barbarous deed; any act of a human being which inflicts unnecessary pain; any act intended to torment, vex or afflict, or which actually torments or afflicts, without necessity; wrong; injustice; oppression.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828
1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
COMBINED MEANING
habitations
Dwelling places, residences, or places of settled abode.
Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references
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Surrounding Verses
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3¶ Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
3¶ Reuben, thou art my first borne, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellencie of dignitie, and the excellencie of power:
4Unstable 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.
4Unstable as water, †thou shalt not excell, because thou *wentest vp to thy fathers bed: then defiledst thou it. ‖He went vp to my couche.
Selected passage5¶ Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
5¶ Simeon and Leui are brethren, ‖instruments of crueltie are in their habitations.
Selected passage6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
6O my soule, come not thou into their secret: vnto their assembly mine honour be not thou vnited: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfe will they ‖digged downe a wall.