Reuben

Hebrew origin

Reuben is Jacob and Leah's firstborn son; in Genesis 37 he intervenes to save Joseph from murder and plans to restore him to Jacob.

Family

Parents

Jacob

Jacob is Isaac's second-born twin; in Genesis 45 his sons report that Joseph is …

Leah

Leah is Laban's elder daughter and Jacob's first wife; she is the mother of Dina…

Siblings

Simeon

Simeon is Jacob and Leah's second son; detained in Egypt when his brothers first…

Levi

Levi is Jacob and Leah's third son; with Simeon he avenges Dinah by slaughtering…

Judah

Judah is Jacob and Leah's fourth son; in Genesis 43 he pledges himself as surety…

Dan

Dan is Jacob's fifth son, born through Rachel's slave-girl Bilhah; Rachel names …

Naphtali

Naphtali is Jacob's sixth son, born through Rachel's slave-girl Bilhah; Rachel n…

Gad

Gad is Jacob's seventh son, born through Leah's slave-girl Zilpah; Leah names hi…

Asher

Asher is Jacob's eighth son, born through Leah's slave-girl Zilpah; Leah names h…

Issachar

Issachar is Jacob and Leah's fifth son directly, born after God heard Leah follo…

Zebulun

Zebulun is Jacob and Leah's sixth son directly; Leah names him hoping Jacob will…

Dinah

Dinah is Jacob and Leah's daughter; Genesis 34 recounts her violation by Shechem…

Joseph

Joseph is Jacob and Rachel's firstborn son; sold to Egypt in Genesis 37, made go…

Benjamin

Benjamin is Jacob and Rachel's youngest son; in Genesis 43-44 he travels to Egyp…

Esau

Esau is Isaac's firstborn twin, also called Edom and ancestor of the Edomites; G…

Genesis 29:32
Leah conceived and gave birth to a son whom she named Reuben, meaning 'Yahweh has seen my misery'; and she said, 'Now my husband will love me.'
Genesis 30:14
One day, at the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah.
Genesis 35:22
While Israel was living in that district, Reuben went and slept with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel found out. The sons of Jacob were now twelve.
Genesis 37:21
But Reuben heard, and he saved him from their clutches. 'We must not take his life,' he said.
Genesis 37:22
'Shed no blood,' said Reuben to them, 'throw him down that well out in the desert, but do not kill him yourselves' -- intending to save him from them and to restore him to his father.
Genesis 37:29
When Reuben went back to the well, there was no sign of Joseph. Tearing his clothes,
Genesis 37:30
he went back to his brothers. 'The boy has gone,' he said. 'What am I going to do?'