Bible Strands
Reuben
Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, and his descendants formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
From Easton's Bible Dictionary
Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father's malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21, 22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3, 4.
Easton's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1897 — public domain, quoted in full and unedited.
Family
From STEPBible's TIPNR genealogy data. A relationship the data marks uncertain is not shown here.
First named at Genesis 29:32.
See Reuben in the family tree →
Verses that name Reuben
- Genesis 29:32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
- Genesis 30:14 Now during the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
- Genesis 35:22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:
- Genesis 35:23 The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
- Genesis 37:21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.
- Genesis 37:22 “Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father.
- Genesis 37:29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
- Genesis 42:22 And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”
- Genesis 42:37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”
- Genesis 46:8 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
- Genesis 46:9 The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
- Genesis 48:5 And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
- Genesis 49:3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
- Exodus 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
- Exodus 6:14 These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
- 1 Chronicles 2:1 These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
- 1 Chronicles 5:1 These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.
- 1 Chronicles 5:3 The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
- 1 Chronicles 5:18 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors—valiant men who carried the shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for battle.
- 1 Chronicles 6:63 The Merarites, according to their clans, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
- 1 Chronicles 6:78 From the tribe of Reuben east of the Jordan opposite Jericho they were given Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah,