Genesis Chapter 49 verse 4 Holy Bible
Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
read chapter 49 in ASV
But because you were uncontrolled, the first place will not be yours; for you went up to your father's bed, even his bride-bed, and made it unclean.
read chapter 49 in BBE
Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou [it]: he went up to my bed.
read chapter 49 in DARBY
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
read chapter 49 in KJV
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it; he went up to my couch.
read chapter 49 in WBT
Boiling over as water, you shall not have the pre-eminence; Because you went up to your father's bed; Then defiled it. He went up to my couch.
read chapter 49 in WEB
Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!
read chapter 49 in YLT
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) Unstable.--This translation is shown to be right by the use of the word in Judges 9:4; Zephaniah 3:4, in both which places it is translated light. Out of this sense of lightness and frivolity naturally arose the meaning which the word has in Syriac of wantonness. In Arabic it means boastful, another side of feebleness. With this sense the comparison with water well agrees; for it is its nature to seek a dull level, and while yielding to every impression to retain none. The other meaning given to it by many able critics is "boiling over like water," a description of the unrestrained violence of Reuben's passions.Thou shalt not excel.--That is, thou shalt not have that excellency which was thine by right of birth.Parallel Commentaries ...HebrewUncontrolledפַּ֤חַז (pa·ḥaz)Noun - masculine singularStrong's 6349: Wantonness, recklessnessas the waters,כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ (kam·ma·yim)Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine pluralStrong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semenyou will noאַל־ (’al-)AdverbStrong's 408: Notlonger excel,תּוֹתַ֔ר (tō·w·ṯar)Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singularStrong's 3498: To jut over, exceed, to excel, to remain, be left, to leave, cause to abound, preservebecauseכִּ֥י (kî)ConjunctionStrong's 3588: A relative conjunctionyou went upעָלִ֖יתָ (‘ā·lî·ṯā)Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularStrong's 5927: To ascend, in, activelyto your father’sאָבִ֑יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularStrong's 1: Fatherbed,מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י (miš·kə·ḇê)Noun - masculine plural constructStrong's 4904: Place of lying, a couch, act of lyingontoעָלָֽה׃ (‘ā·lāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularStrong's 5927: To ascend, in, activelymy couchיְצוּעִ֥י (yə·ṣū·‘î)Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularStrong's 3326: Spread, a bed, an extension, wing, lean-toandאָ֥ז (’āz)AdverbStrong's 227: At that time, place, thereforedefiled it.חִלַּ֖לְתָּ (ḥil·lal·tā)Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singularStrong's 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to playJump to PreviousAbundant Bed Boiling Couch Defiled Excel Excellency Father's First Impetuous Longer Polluted Preeminence Pre-Eminence Turbulent Unclean Uncontrolled Unstable Water Waters Wentest
