Genesis 49:3 Parallel Translations

"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the very first son I had, first in majesty and first in power.(GOD'S WORD®)

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

ASV:

Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.

BBE:

Reuben, you are my oldest son, the first-fruit of my strength, first in pride and first in power:

DBY:

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, My might, and the firstfruits of my vigour: Excellency of dignity, and excellency of strength.

ERV:

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power.

JPS:

Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the first-fruits of my strength; the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power.

WBS:

Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellence of dignity, and the excellence of power:

WEB:

"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.

YLT:

Reuben! my first-born thou, My power, and beginning of my strength, The abundance of exaltation, And the abundance of strength;

Genesis 49:3 Cross References

XREF:

Deuteronomy 21:17 "But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn.

Psalm 78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, The first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.

Psalm 105:36 He also struck down all the firstborn in their land, The first fruits of all their vigor. (NASB ©1995)

Commentaries and Concordances

GSB:

49:3 Reuben, thou [art] my firstborn, my {b} might, and the beginning of my strength, {c} the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
(b) Begotten in my youth.
(c) If you have not left your birthright by your offence.

WES:

49:3 Reuben thou art my first - born - Jacob here puts upon him the ornaments of the birth - right, that he and all his brethren might see what he had forfeited and in that might see the evil of his sin. As the first - born he was his father's joy, being the beginning of his strength. To him belonged the excellency of dignity above his brethren, and some power over them.

MHC:

49:3-7 Reuben was the first-born; but by gross sin, he forfeited the birthright. The character of Reuben is, that he was unstable as water. Men do not thrive, because they do not fix. Reuben's sin left a lasting infamy upon his family. Let us never do evil, then we need not fear being told of it. Simeon and Levi were passionate and revengeful. The murder of the Shechemites is a proof of this. Jacob protested against that barbarous act. Our soul is our honour; by its powers we are distinguished from, and raised above, the beasts that perish. We ought, from our hearts, to abhor all bloody and mischievous men. Cursed be their anger. Jacob does not curse their persons, but their lusts. I will divide them. The sentence as it respects Levi was turned into a blessing. This tribe performed an acceptable service in their zeal against the worshippers of the golden calf, Ex 32. Being set apart to God as priests, they were in that character scattered through the nation of Israel.

CONC:

Abundance Beginning Dignity Exaltation Excellence Excellency Excelling Firstborn First-born First-fruit Firstfruits First-fruits Fruits Honor Oldest Power Pre-eminence Preeminent Pre-eminent Pride Reuben Sign Strength Vigour

Abundance Beginning Dignity Exaltation Excellence Excellency Excelling First Firstborn First-Born First-Fruit Firstfruits First-Fruits Fruits Honor Oldest Power Pre-Eminence Preeminent Pre-Eminent Pride Reuben Sign Strength Vigour

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GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

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