Report an inaccuracy

Reuben

Person c. 1757 BC Chronological estimate ⓘ Open in tree

firstborn son of Jacob (GEN 29:32), son of Leah

Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Reuben

Names
  • en Reuben
    who sees the son; the vision of the son
  • en Reuben · Also called · H7205 G4502 · GEN 29:32
    see, a son
  • en Reubenite · Also called
  • he רְאוּבֵן rəuven · H7205 · GEN 29:32
    see, a son
  • he רְאוּבֵן · H7205
  • he רְאוּבֵנִי · H7206
  • el Ρουβην Roubēn · G4502 · GEN 29:32
  • el Ῥουβήν · G4502
  • bg Рувим
Birth
Gen 29:32
Mentioned in (86)
Gen 29:32 Gen 30:14 Gen 35:22 Gen 35:23 Gen 37:21 Gen 37:22 Gen 37:29 Gen 42:22 Gen 42:37 Gen 46:8 Gen 46:9 Gen 48:5 Gen 49:3 Exod 1:2 Exod 6:14 Num 1:5 Num 1:20 Num 1:21 Num 2:10 Num 2:16 Num 7:30 Num 10:18 Num 13:4 Num 16:1 Num 26:5 Num 26:7 Num 32:1 Num 32:2 Num 32:6 Num 32:25 Num 32:29 Num 32:31 Num 32:33 Num 32:37 Num 34:14 Deut 3:12 Deut 3:16 Deut 4:43 Deut 11:6 Deut 27:13 Deut 29:8 Deut 33:6 Josh 1:12 Josh 4:12 Josh 12:6 Josh 13:8 Josh 13:15 Josh 13:23 Josh 15:6 Josh 18:7 Josh 18:17 Josh 20:8 Josh 21:7 Josh 21:36 Josh 22:1 Josh 22:9 Josh 22:10 Josh 22:11 Josh 22:13 Josh 22:15 Josh 22:21 Josh 22:25 Josh 22:30 Josh 22:31 Josh 22:32 Josh 22:33 Josh 22:34 Judg 5:15 Judg 5:16 2 Kgs 10:33 1 Chr 2:1 1 Chr 5:1 1 Chr 5:3 1 Chr 5:6 1 Chr 5:18 1 Chr 5:26 1 Chr 6:63 1 Chr 6:78 1 Chr 11:42 1 Chr 12:37 1 Chr 26:32 1 Chr 27:16 Ezek 48:6 Ezek 48:7 Ezek 48:31 Rev 7:5

SDA Books

Awaiting permission to publish
Linked through an explicitly cited Bible passage

Loading book references…

Dates and sources (6)

Absolute years are conditional chronological estimates. A biblical passage may state an age or event, but does not by itself establish a BCE year. Different calendar systems are preserved separately.

  • Birth Theographic Matches the current date; this is not historical verification
    Theographic signed year: -1756 · Calendar interpretation is unverified; the raw value is shown.
    Person mentions; these are not evidence for this date: 70
    Gen.29.32Gen.30.14Gen.35.22Gen.35.23Gen.37.21Gen.37.22Gen.37.29Gen.42.22Gen.42.37Gen.46.8Gen.46.9Gen.48.5Gen.49.3Exod.1.2Exod.6.14Num.1.5Num.1.20Num.1.21Num.2.10Num.2.16Num.7.30Num.10.18Num.13.4Num.16.1Num.26.5Num.32.1Num.32.2Num.32.6Num.32.25Num.32.29Num.32.31Num.32.33Num.32.37Num.34.14Deut.11.6Deut.27.13Deut.33.6Josh.4.12Josh.13.15Josh.13.23Josh.15.6Josh.18.7Josh.18.17Josh.20.8Josh.21.7Josh.21.36Josh.22.9Josh.22.10Josh.22.11Josh.22.13Josh.22.15Josh.22.21Josh.22.25Josh.22.30Josh.22.31Josh.22.32Josh.22.33Josh.22.34Judg.5.15Judg.5.161Chr.2.11Chr.5.11Chr.5.31Chr.5.181Chr.6.631Chr.6.78Ezek.48.6Ezek.48.7Ezek.48.31Rev.7.5
    Source record and calculation
    reuben_2429 · birthYear
    theographic/People.csv · record 2419
    SHA-256: 05117de97604920948b9e0da4f2f260201c9ac2a83188b93ec85a00f36d83701
  • Birth BibleData Alternative estimate
    BibleData BCE year: 1707 → ≈ 1707 BC
    GEN 29:32
    Source record and calculation
    Birth_Reuben_1 · bce_year
    bibledata/BibleData-Event.csv · record 77
    The year of Reuben_1's birth is the year Jacob_1 married Leah_1 (2254) + time to conceive and bear a son (1) = 2255
    *HYPOTHESIS: Jacob's marriage to Leah + ~1 year to conceive and bear a son *EXTRA-BIBLICAL SOURCE: Eliezer Shulman's "The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament" (page 28) places Reuben's birth in the year 2193 AM, 1 year after Leah is given to Jacob in marriage. [Ussher date p29]
    SHA-256: a7c88d85f8dfba3c9ae70a47a3ae4a78fe0cfb5773e0fb5af168e09d287ef926
  • Birth BibleData Alternative estimate
    AH with conditional Ussher anchor: 2255 → ≈ 1750 BC
    GEN 29:32
    Source record and calculation
    Birth_Reuben_1 · event_year_ah
    bibledata/BibleData-Event.csv · record 77
    The year of Reuben_1's birth is the year Jacob_1 married Leah_1 (2254) + time to conceive and bear a son (1) = 2255
    *HYPOTHESIS: Jacob's marriage to Leah + ~1 year to conceive and bear a son *EXTRA-BIBLICAL SOURCE: Eliezer Shulman's "The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament" (page 28) places Reuben's birth in the year 2193 AM, 1 year after Leah is given to Jacob in marriage. [Ussher date p29]
    SHA-256: a7c88d85f8dfba3c9ae70a47a3ae4a78fe0cfb5773e0fb5af168e09d287ef926
  • Birth BibleData Unverified estimate without an established conversion
    Shulman AM: 2193 · No established conversion to a BCE/CE year.
    GEN 29:32
    Source record and calculation
    Birth_Reuben_1 · shulman_am_year
    bibledata/BibleData-Event.csv · record 77
    The year of Reuben_1's birth is the year Jacob_1 married Leah_1 (2254) + time to conceive and bear a son (1) = 2255
    *HYPOTHESIS: Jacob's marriage to Leah + ~1 year to conceive and bear a son *EXTRA-BIBLICAL SOURCE: Eliezer Shulman's "The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament" (page 28) places Reuben's birth in the year 2193 AM, 1 year after Leah is given to Jacob in marriage. [Ussher date p29]
    SHA-256: a7c88d85f8dfba3c9ae70a47a3ae4a78fe0cfb5773e0fb5af168e09d287ef926
  • Birth BibleData Unverified estimate without an established conversion
    Ussher AM: 2246 · No established conversion to a BCE/CE year.
    GEN 29:32
    Source record and calculation
    Birth_Reuben_1 · ussher_am_year
    bibledata/BibleData-Event.csv · record 77
    The year of Reuben_1's birth is the year Jacob_1 married Leah_1 (2254) + time to conceive and bear a son (1) = 2255
    *HYPOTHESIS: Jacob's marriage to Leah + ~1 year to conceive and bear a son *EXTRA-BIBLICAL SOURCE: Eliezer Shulman's "The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament" (page 28) places Reuben's birth in the year 2193 AM, 1 year after Leah is given to Jacob in marriage. [Ussher date p29]
    SHA-256: a7c88d85f8dfba3c9ae70a47a3ae4a78fe0cfb5773e0fb5af168e09d287ef926
  • Birth BibleData Alternative estimate
    Ussher BCE year: 1758 → ≈ 1758 BC
    GEN 29:32
    Source record and calculation
    Birth_Reuben_1 · ussher_bce_year
    bibledata/BibleData-Event.csv · record 77
    The year of Reuben_1's birth is the year Jacob_1 married Leah_1 (2254) + time to conceive and bear a son (1) = 2255
    *HYPOTHESIS: Jacob's marriage to Leah + ~1 year to conceive and bear a son *EXTRA-BIBLICAL SOURCE: Eliezer Shulman's "The Sequence of Events in the Old Testament" (page 28) places Reuben's birth in the year 2193 AM, 1 year after Leah is given to Jacob in marriage. [Ussher date p29]
    SHA-256: a7c88d85f8dfba3c9ae70a47a3ae4a78fe0cfb5773e0fb5af168e09d287ef926
Family of origin
One-parent family
Descendants (7)
Took part in (5)
Belonged to (1)
Was born in (1)
Reuben Summary STEPBible TIPNR

Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, and his descendants formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Reuben Article STEPBible TIPNR

Reuben was the firstborn son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and Leah (Gen 29:32). As the firstborn, he held a position of prominence and was entitled to a double portion of the inheritance (Gen 49:3; Deu 21:17). However, Reuben lost his birthright due to his sin of sleeping with his father's concubine, Bilhah (Gen.35.22; 49.3-4; 1Ch 5:1). Despite this, Reuben showed concern for his younger brother Joseph and tried to save him from their brothers' plot to kill him (Gen.37.21-22, 29). Later, he offered to bear the blame if harm came to Benjamin on their journey to Egypt (Gen 42:37). When Jacob blessed his sons, he described Reuben as "unstable as water" and declared that he would not excel because of his past actions (Gen 49:3-4). The tribe of Reuben, along with the tribes of Gad and half of Manasseh, settled in the land east of the Jordan River (Numbers 32; Jos 13:15-23). They assisted the other tribes in conquering Canaan before returning to their inheritance (Joshua 22). In the time of the judges, the tribe of Reuben was criticized for not assisting Deborah and Barak in the fight against Sisera (Jdg 5:15-16). The tribe of Reuben is mentioned in the visions of Ezekiel and Revelation, symbolizing its place among the restored tribes of Israel (Ezk.48.6-7, 31; Rev 7:5).

Reuben Dictionary Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)

Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21, 22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3, 4.

Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Reuben_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Reuben@Gen.29.32-Rev) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, reuben_2429)

Report an inaccuracy

Describe the inaccuracy and, if possible, provide the correct text or a source. The page address will be included automatically.

Page: /en/persons/reuben

Up to 5000 characters. You do not need to log in.

Contact details (optional)

Leave only the details you wish to share. They are sent to the administrator with your report and are not displayed publicly.

Make a suggestion

Describe your idea for improving the site. The page address will be included automatically.

Page: /en/persons/reuben

Up to 5000 characters. You do not need to log in.

Contact details (optional)

Leave only the details you wish to share. They are sent to the administrator with your report and are not displayed publicly.