Study it in the app“While Israel was dwelling in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.”
Whileוַיְהִי בִּIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלwas dwellingשְׁכֹּןin thatהַהִואland,בָּאָרֶץReubenרְאוּבֵןwentוַיֵּלֶךְand layוַיִּשְׁכַּבwith Bilhah,אֶת בִּלְהָהhis father’sאָבִיוconcubine;פִּילֶגֶשׁand Israelוַ יִשְׂרָאֵלheard of it.יִּשְׁמַעNow the sonsוַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵיof Jacobיַעֲקֹבwere twelve.שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר
happen
For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.
Where else “yehi” appearsIsrael
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
Where else “yisrael” appearsdwell
To live somewhere, stay.
Where else “shekon” appearsland
A region or nation, above all Israel's.
Where else “arets” appearsReuben
Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him. The name sounds like "look, a son!".
Where else “reuven” appearsgo
To head for a place, to leave where one is in order to reach another.
Where else “yelech” appearslie with
To lie with someone, have relations.
Where else “yishkav” appearsBilhah
Bilhah, Rachel's slave, given to Jacob; mother of Dan and Naphtali. Also a place.
Where else “bilha” appearsfather
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appearsconcubine
Concubine: a woman joined to a man in a recognized way, but with fewer rights than the main wife. It was a custom of the time that the Bible tells without making it a model.
Where else “pilegesh” appearshear
To hear a sound, or learn of something.
Where else “yishma” appearsson
The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.
Where else “vene” appearsJacob
Jacob, the younger son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Esau and father of the twelve tribes. In Hebrew "Yaakov" sounds like "heel" and "supplant" (Genesis 25:26; 27:36). God later gave him the name Israel; the name also stands for his descendants, the people of Israel.
Where else “yaakov” appearsdouble
Twice the amount, or two plus ten to say twelve.
Where else “shenem” appears-teen (ten)
Ten, in the numbers from 11 to 19 (like the "-teen" in "thirteen"); also "-teenth".
Where else “asar” appearsThe narrative tells it without comment. The consequence appears later: because of this Reuben loses the place of firstborn (Genesis 49:3-4; 1 Chronicles 5:1).
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
The sons of Jacob
Genesis 35:22-26
22While Israel was dwelling in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s slave woman: Dan and Naphtali. 26The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s slave woman: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
1These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, 2Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
21Israel set out and pitched his tent beyond Migdal-eder.
22 · This verse (above)
23The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
1. What it says
What did Elohim tell Jacob to do at Bethel, and what did his household leave behind (vv. 1-4)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Jacob that he asks his household to put away the foreign gods (vv. 2-3)?
3. How I live it
What gets in the way of your trust in Elohim, and could you leave it behind?
