Genesis 49:4 — Bible Verse (KJV)
“Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.”
Genesis 49:4 — King James Version (KJV), 1611
Genesis 49:4 in 6 Bible Translations
Read Genesis 49:4 in the King James Version (KJV) and 5 other free, public-domain translations side by side.
Genesis 49:4 WEB — World English Bible (2000)
“Boiling over like water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.”
Genesis 49:4 — World English Bible
Genesis 49:4 ASV — American Standard Version (1901)
“Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. ”
Genesis 49:4 — American Standard Version
Genesis 49:4 YLT — Young's Literal Translation (1862)
“Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!”
Genesis 49:4 — Young's Literal Translation
Genesis 49:4 DBY — Darby Translation (1890)
“Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou [it]: he went up to my bed. ”
Genesis 49:4 — Darby Translation
Genesis 49:4 GEN — Geneva Bible (1599)
“Thou wast light as water: thou shalt not be excellent, because thou wentest vp to thy fathers bed: then diddest thou defile my bed, thy dignitie is gone.”
Genesis 49:4 — Geneva Bible
Genesis 49:4 in Context — Genesis 49
2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
What Does Genesis 49:4 Mean?
Genesis 49:4 is a verse from the Book of Genesis, part of the Old Testament. It appears in Genesis chapter 49. Use The Living Sword's word-by-word study mode to explore every word in the original Hebrew and Aramaic.
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