1 Chronik 5:1

1 Und die Söhne Rubens, des Erstgeborenen Israels, denn er war der Erstgeborene; weil er aber das Lager seines Vaters entweiht hatte, wurde sein Erstgeburtsrecht den Söhnen Josephs, des Sohnes Israels, gegeben; aber er wird nicht nach der Erstgeburt verzeichnet.

1 Chronik 5:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 5:1

Now the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel
Are as follow in ( 1 Chronicles 5:3 ) where the account begins; for what comes between this and that is in a parenthesis:

for he was the firstborn;
of Jacob by his wife Leah; that must be owned, and Jacob allows it, ( Genesis 49:3 ) and yet the genealogy in this book begins not with him, as might on that account be expected; the reason follows:

but forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed:
by lying with Bilhah his concubine:

his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel;
his beloved son by his beloved wife Rachel and so had a double portion given him; his two sons being equally ranked with the other sons of Jacob, and became distinct tribes, and each had their lot in the land of Canaan, see ( Genesis 48:5 Genesis 48:22 ) compared with ( Deuteronomy 21:17 )

and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright;
or, "but the genealogy" ^F15; neither after the birthright of Reuben, which he had by nature, being Jacob's firstborn; nor after the birthright of Joseph, which be had by his father's gift, as it might be thought it should; the reason of which follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 "Nee tamen", Tigurine version.

1 Chronik 5:1 In-Context

1 Und die Söhne Rubens, des Erstgeborenen Israels, denn er war der Erstgeborene; weil er aber das Lager seines Vaters entweiht hatte, wurde sein Erstgeburtsrecht den Söhnen Josephs, des Sohnes Israels, gegeben; aber er wird nicht nach der Erstgeburt verzeichnet.

2 Denn Juda hatte die Oberhand unter seinen Brüdern, und der Fürst kommt aus ihm; aber das Erstgeburtsrecht wurde dem Joseph zuteil; -

3 die Söhne Rubens, des Erstgeborenen Israels: Hanok und Pallu, Hezron und Karmi.

4 Die Söhne Joels: dessen Sohn Schemaja, dessen Sohn Gog, dessen Sohn Simei,

5 dessen Sohn Micha, dessen Sohn Reaja, dessen Sohn Baal,