And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
While Israel was living in that land, Reuben slept with Bilhah, who was his father's concubine. Israel found out about it. Now Jacob had twelve sons:
This verse records a shameful act by Reuben, Jacob's firstborn son, who had relations with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Jacob learned what happened.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, Jacob, who was renamed Israel, was living in the land of Canaan with his family after returning from exile and facing various trials. Reuben, his eldest son, committed a grave sin by sleeping with Bilhah, one of Jacob's concubines, which was a direct violation of family honor and patriarchal authority in ancient Near Eastern culture. This event is mentioned alongside the listing of Jacob's twelve sons, emphasizing the importance of lineage and the consequences of moral failures within the patriarchs' story.
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