Genesis 49:4 Commentary and Bible Study

Suddenly the poetry goes to the negative side: ‘Unstable as water.’ The Hebrew has words that indicate the idea of boiling, so it is unstable in the sense of turning to steam, and frothing. But it extends to all aspects of water, equally water has no definite shape or form, and it adopts the shape of whatever container it's poured into. Reuben sinned easily. He was a man of quick temper and unbridled passion, giving way to his lusts. He could not be a leader, not in the kingdom of God, because he was changeable and he would just rush into whims and temptations; he was unreliable. Firm principles could be abandoned almost as soon as he understood them. We see he could be moved; he was sensitive, afraid of consequences, but he was easily swayed and unpredictable. He easily lost control of his appetites, and had had no standard deep within him. Had been taught one but did not make them his own. He didn’t have an active conscience. He could cut corners and get away with things.‘Thou shalt not excel.’ It doesn't mean he will never be any good at anything; it means he will not extend beyond the other brothers. This is the formal statement, Reuben will not have the responsibilities of the firstborn. He can excel in his farming and at sheep rearing in his family life. If he pursues a prayerful godly life, he can excel in many things, but he will not be more prominent than the others. He will not be a leader; he will not be a ruler nor will his tribe be conspicuous in any of those functions and offices. In 1 Chronicles this is formally expressed: ‘Now 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. ² For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:) (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). Judah was the one through whom the royal seed, the Messiah, would come, and Reuben’s birthright went to Joseph. To Joseph went the privilege of being the leader, but Judah was the one who carried the promised seed. Both things were forfeited by Reuben. Why did this happen? ‘Because’, says Jacob, ‘thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.’ It is added almost in a note of astonishment. So that is on the record: fornication of the vilest form, terrible dishonour for the family. He was so much in the grip of his passions that he had no thought for the shame, the evil of it. Reuben is with these words written off. They still received much blessing as a tribe, according to their prayerfulness and according to their faithfulness, just like the others. He and his descendants were prospered like the others, but nevertheless the greatest privilege was denied him. He will not be greater than the others, and his tribe is never very significant in the subsequent record of Scripture; mentioned yes, but not very much, and not a single prophet came from Reuben, not a single judge in the period of the Judges, and not one prominent leader. So the prophecy of Jacob came to pass. Three tribes wanted to stay on the east of Jordan. Reuben was among the first to request territory on the east of the Jordan, wanting to settle down straight away. This provoked a stern warning from Moses that they should not settle down and leave the fighting to the other tribes. They comply with the Lord’s conditions, but it left them somewhat isolated, which led to later trouble. They were among the tribes that failed to respond to the call of Deborah in resisting Moab, Ammon, and Amalek (Judges 5:16). The Reubenites were not cowards; they fought well. Things are not as black and white as we would sometimes like them to be. Sometimes they were good soldiers, but the prevailing trait was disappointing. Eventually they were destroyed by the Assyrians, and nothing more is heard of them.