the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Reuben
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
or As the eldest of Jacob’s twelve sons, Reuben had the right to the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 35:23; Genesis 46:8). At times he showed qualities of character and leadership (Genesis 37:21-30; Genesis 42:22; Genesis 42:37), but he lost the firstborn’s rights because of his immorality with one of his father’s concubines. As a result the civil leadership of Israel went to the tribe of Judah, the religious leadership to Levi, and the double portion of the inheritance to Joseph. This meant that Joseph received the right to have two tribes (which were descended from his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh) (Genesis 35:22; Genesis 49:3-4; 1 Chronicles 5:1-2).
In the time of Moses, certain Reubenites were jealous that a man from the tribe of Levi (Moses), rather than one from the tribe of Reuben, was overall leader in Israel (Numbers 16:1-3; Numbers 16:12-14). God punished their rebellion in a dramatic judgment (Numbers 16:25-33).
When the Israelites conquered and divided Canaan in the time of Joshua, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh settled east of the Jordan River in territory taken from the Amorites (Numbers 21:11-35; Joshua 13:8-12). This entire eastern territory was often called Gilead, though strictly speaking Gilead was only one part of it (Judges 10:8; Judges 20:1). (For map and other details see GILEAD.) Reuben was the most southern of the eastern tribes, occupying land that originally belonged to Moab (that is, before Moab lost it to the Amorites) (Numbers 21:26; Joshua 13:15-23). (For the physical features of the region see MOAB.)
The reason the two and a half tribes asked for this area was that it had good pasture lands and they had large flocks and herds (Numbers 32:1-5; Numbers 32:33). But their situation east of Jordan separated them from the other tribes, and at times led to tension and misunderstanding (Joshua 22; Judges 5:16-17).
2Ki_15:29).
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Fleming, Don. Entry for 'Reuben'. Bridgeway Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/bbd/r/reuben.html. 2004.
