4
Turbulentפַּחַזas water,כַּמַּיִםyou will notאַלhave preeminence,תּוֹתַרbecauseכִּיyou went upעָלִיתָto your father’sאָבִיךָbed;מִשְׁכְּבֵיthenאָזyou defiled it;חִלַּלְתָּhe went upעָלָהto my couch!יְצוּעִי
Genesis 49:4
Study it in the app“Turbulent as water, you will not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it; he went up to my couch!”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 49:4, word by word
- Turbulentפַּחַזpachaz
unstable
Overflowing, unrestrained, like boiling water. It occurs only in Genesis 49:4.
Where else “pachaz” appears- as waterמַּיִםmayim
water
Water: for drinking, of rivers or seas.
Where else “mayim” appears- have preeminenceתּוֹתַרtotar
spare
To spare someone's life, or make plentiful.
Where else “totar” appears- you went upעָלִיתָalita
go up
To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.
Where else “alita” appears- to your father’sאָבִיavi
father
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appears- bedמִשְׁכְּבֵיmishkve
bed
The place in the house for sleeping and resting.
Where else “mishkve” appears- you defiled itחִלַּלְתָּchilalta
profane
To treat what is holy as common.
Where else “chilalta” appears- to my couchיְצוּעִyetsui
bed
Place where one lies down; in marriage, the bed of husband and wife.
Where else “yetsui” appears
The context
3Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the first fruit of my vigor, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 · This verse (above)
5Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.
To study Genesis 49 in a group
1. What it says
What did Jacob say about Judah and Joseph in his blessings (vv. 8-12, 22-26)?
2. What it means
What does it show that Jacob gave each son a different blessing (v. 28)?
3. How I live it
How can you recognize what is distinct and unique in each person in your family?