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838 B
838 B
Uncontrollable as rushing water
Jacob compares Reuben to water in a strong current to emphasize that he cannot control his anger and he is not stable. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile)
you will not have the preeminence
"you shall not be first among your brothers"
because you went up to your father's bed. Then you defiled it; you went up to my couch
Here "bed" and "couch" stand for Jacob's concubine, Bilhah. Jacob is referring to when Reuben slept with Bilhah (See: Genesis 35:22). Alternate translation: "because you went to my bed and slept with Bilhah my concubine. You have shamed me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
you went up to your father's bed ... you went up to my couch
Both statements mean the same thing. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism)