Reuben (Person) — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gn 29:32; 46:8) and forefather of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Reuben was involved in the mandrake incident (30:14) and had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine (35:22). But he emerges into full adulthood as one of the more honorable of Jacob’s sons. Reuben objected to the plot to kill Joseph and planned to rescue him from the pit (37:22-35). He moralized about the brothers’ imprisonment in Egypt (42:22) and guaranteed the safety of Benjamin at immense risk to his own family. Yet at Jacob’s pronouncement of blessing, Reuben is declared unstable and his birthright forfeited (49:3-4). He fathered four sons (1 Chr 5:3).

Show passage in OET: GEN 29:32

OET-RV GEN 29:32

32 So Le’ah got pregnant and gave birth to a son, and she named him ‘Re’uven’ (which means ‘Look, a son’) because she said, “Because Yahweh has looked on my misery, surely my husband will love me now.”

OET-LV GEN 29:32

32 And_ Lēʼāh _she/it _conceived/became _pregnant and_she/it _gave _birth a _son and_she/it _called/named his/its_name Rəʼūⱱēn if/because she _said if/because _that YHWH he _has _looked on_affliction _of_my if/because now he_will _love _me husband _of_my.

Show passage in OET: GEN 46:8

OET-RV GEN 46:8

8 These are the names of Yisrael’s sons who went to Mitsrayim, that is Ya’akov and his sons: Ya’akov’s firstborn was Re’uven,

OET-LV GEN 46:8

8 And_these are_the _names _of the _sons _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) the_(ones _who)_went to_Miʦrayim Yaˊₐqoⱱ and_sons _of_his the _firstborn _of Yaˊₐqoⱱ Rəʼūⱱēn.

Show passage in OET: GEN 30:14

OET-RV GEN 30:14

14 One day during the wheat harvest, Re’uven went out and found some mandrake plants in the countryside and brought them home to Le’ah his mother. Then Rahel asked Le’ah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

OET-LV GEN 30:14

14 And_ Rəʼūⱱēn _he/it _went in_the_days _of the_harvest _of wheat(s) and_he _found mandrakes in _the_field and_he/it _brought DOM_them to Lēʼāh his/its_mother and_ Rāḩēl _she/it _said to Lēʼāh give please to_me some_of _the _mandrakes _of your _son _of_your.

Show passage in OET: GEN 35:22

OET-RV GEN 35:22

22 While they were living in that area, Yisrael’s (Israel’s) son Re’uven slept with his father’s slave-wife Bilhah, and Yisrael found out about it.
¶ Yisrael now had twelve sons.

OET-LV GEN 35:22

22 And_he/it _was when_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _dwelt on _the_earth the_that and_ Rəʼūⱱēn _he/it _went and_he _lay with Bilhāh the _concubine _of his/its_father and_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _he/it _listened and_ the _sons _of Yaˊₐqoⱱ _they _were two _plus ten.

Show passage in OET: GEN 42:22

OET-RV GEN 42:22

22 “Didn’t I beg you all not to sin against the lad?” Re’uven spoke up. “But you wouldn’t listen, so now, see, now we’re having to account for his blood.”

OET-LV GEN 42:22