Lexical Definition
רְאוּבֵן Rᵉʼûwbên (reh-oo-bane') Reuben N:N-M-P
from the imperative of רָאָה and בֵּן; see ye a son
Reuben.
- § Reuben = "behold a son"
- Reuben, a son of Jacob
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Reuben
3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben
See Greek: Ῥουβήν
Extended Information
- A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32
- son of: Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל) and Leah (לֵאָה)
- brother of: Simeon (שִׁמְעוֹן), Levi (לֵוִי), Judah (יְהוּדָה), Issachar (יִשָּׂשכָר), Zebulun (זְבוּלוּן) and Dinah (דִּינָה)
- half-brother of: Dan (דָּן), Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי), Gad (גָּד), Asher (אָשֵׁר), Joseph (יוֹסֵף) and Benjamin (בִּנְיָמִין)
- father of: Hanoch (חֲנוֹךְ), Pallu (פַּלּוּא), Hezron (חֶצְרוֹן) and Carmi (כַּרְמִי)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
רְאוּבֵן71 proper name, masculine Reuben, Ρουβην[ιν] (be-hold a son! but Gen 29:32 makes = רָאָה בְּעָנְיִי (!); JosAnt. «JOSEPHUS:Antiquities 1:19»i. 19, 7 and others Ρουβηλος, ᵑ6 
, ׳ר then perhaps = Arabic 
, lion, compare Di); —
1. eldest son of Jacob and Leah Gen 29:32; Gen 30:14 + 11 t. Genesis; Exod 1:2; 1Chr 2:1 as head of family or clan Exod 6:14 (twice in verse); Num 1:20; Num 26:5 (all P), 1Chr 5:1; 1Chr 5:3, compare ׳בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב בֶּןרְֿא Deut 11:6.
2. as name of clan or tribe Judg 5:15; Judg 5:16; Deut 27:13; Josh 18:7 ( +גָּד; both D), Deut 33:6 (poem), Ezek 48:6; Ezek 48:7; Ezek 48:31; Num 1:5 (P); so ׳מַטֵּה ר Num 1:21; Num 13:4; Josh 20:8; Josh 21:7 (all P), 1Chr 6:48*; 1Chr 6:63*, ׳מַחֲנֵה ר Num 2:10; Num 2:16; Num 10:18 (all P); ׳בְּנֵי ר, as tribe, Num 16: l b Num 32:37 (both J E), Num 2:10; Num 7:20; Num 26:5; Josh 13:23 (twice in verse) (all P), also (+ Gad and often Manasseh) Num 32:1; Num 32:2; Num 32:6; Num 32:25 (JE), Josh 4:12 (D), Num 32:29; Num 32:31; Num 32:33; Josh 22:9 + 11 t. 22 (all P), compare 1Chr 5:18 ׳בֶּןרֿ as tribe Josh 15:6; Josh 18:7 (both P), מַטֵּה ׳בְנֵיֿ ר Josh 13:15 (P).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 29:32 · 30:14 |
| Exodus | 1:2 · 6:14 |
| Numbers | 1:5 · 1:20 · 1:21 · 2:10 · 2:16 · 7:20 · 10:18 · 13:4 · Chapter 16 · 26:5 · 32:1 · 32:2 · 32:6 · 32:25 · 32:29 · 32:31 · 32:33 · 32:37 |
| Deuteronomy | 11:6 · 27:13 · 33:6 |
| Joshua | 4:12 · 13:15 · 13:23 · 15:6 · 18:7 · 20:8 · 21:7 · 22:9 |
| Judges | 5:15 · 5:16 |
| 1 Chronicles | 2:1 · 5:1 · 5:3 · 5:18 · 6:48* · 6:63* |
| Ezekiel | 48:6 · 48:7 · 48:31 |
Profile
Male • Son of Israel • Firstborn son of Jacob and Leah
Jacob's son living at the time of the Patriarchs
Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, and his descendants formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Jacob's son who founded the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32;
- referred to as Reuben or Reubenite רְאוּבֵן, or Reubenite or Reuben רְאוּבֵנִי, or Reuben Ῥουβήν;
- son of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל and Leah לֵאָה;
- a brother of Simeon שִׁמְעוֹן, Levi לֵוִי, Judah יְהוּדָה, Issachar יִשָּׂשכָר, Zebulun זְבוּלוּן and Dinah דִּינָה;
- half-brother of: Dan דָּן, Naphtali נַפְתָּלִי, Gad גָּד, Asher אָשֵׁר, Joseph יוֹסֵף and Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין;
- father of Hanoch חֲנוֹךְ, Pallu פַּלּוּא, Hezron חֶצְרוֹן and Carmi כַּרְמִי.
Reuben was the firstborn son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and Leah (Genesis 29:32). As the firstborn, he held a position of prominence and was entitled to a double portion of the inheritance (Genesis 49:3; Deuteronomy 21:17). However, Reuben lost his birthright due to his sin of sleeping with his father's concubine, Bilhah (Genesis 35:22; 49:3-4; 1 Chronicles 5:1). Despite this, Reuben showed concern for his younger brother Joseph and tried to save him from their brothers' plot to kill him (Genesis 37:21-22, 29). Later, he offered to bear the blame if harm came to Benjamin on their journey to Egypt (Genesis 42:37). When Jacob blessed his sons, he described Reuben as "unstable as water" and declared that he would not excel because of his past actions (Genesis 49:3-4). The tribe of Reuben, along with the tribes of Gad and half of Manasseh, settled in the land east of the Jordan River (Numbers 32; Joshua 13:15-23). They assisted the other tribes in conquering Canaan before returning to their inheritance (Joshua 22). In the time of the judges, the tribe of Reuben was criticized for not assisting Deborah and Barak in the fight against Sisera (Judges 5:15-16). The tribe of Reuben is mentioned in the visions of Ezekiel and Revelation, symbolizing its place among the restored tribes of Israel (Ezekiel 48:6-7, 31; Revelation 7:5).
All entries for Reuben: רְאוּבֵן ☩ רְאוּבֵנִי ☩ Ῥουβήν