Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.
- KJV Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
- NKJV “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
- NASB ¶“Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
- NLT “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jacob names Reuben his firstborn, the foremost in dignity and strength.
Overview
As the eldest, Reuben naturally held the rights of preeminence, might, and rank. Jacob acknowledges this honorable starting point before, in the next verse, declaring its forfeiture. The contrast warns that natural privilege is no guarantee of blessing apart from godly character and faithfulness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 78:51He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
- Deut 21:17Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of his unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For that son is the firstfruits of his father’s strength; the right of the firstborn belongs to him.
- Gen 29:32And 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.”
- Ps 105:36Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.
- 1 Chr 5:1These 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 Chr 5:3The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
- 1 Chr 2:1These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
- Gen 48:18“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
- Num 1:20From the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, according to the records of their clans and families, counting one by one the names of every male twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,
- Num 26:5Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,
- Gen 46:8Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 49:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.