3 “Reuʹben,+ you are my firstborn,+ my vigor and the beginning of my procreative power, the excellence of dignity and the excellence of strength. 4 With recklessness like turbulent waters, you will not excel, because you have gone up to your father’s bed.+ At that time you defiled* my bed. He actually went on to it!

5 These are the sons of Reuʹben,+ Israel’s firstborn. He was the firstborn, but because he defiled* the bed of his father,+ his right as firstborn was given to the sons of Joseph+ the son of Israel, so he was not enrolled genealogically for the right of the firstborn.