Reuben

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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The firstborn of Jacob and of Leah, and head of one of the twelve tribes. The territory they possessed also bears his name. He saved the life of Joseph when his brothers thought to kill him, and when they went to buy corn in Egypt, he offered to be responsible for Benjamin’s safety. Jacob, when blessing his sons, said, “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it” (Gen. 49:3-43Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4Unstable 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 49:3‑4)). This speaks of failure in the firstborn, and implies loss of his birthright. (Joseph, type of Christ separated from His brethren, had the birthright.) Moses, when he blessed the tribes (showing more their relationship with God according to His government) said, “Let Reuben live, and not die: and let not his men be few” (Deut. 33:66Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few. (Deuteronomy 33:6)). Reuben entered Egypt with his four sons, Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi (Gen. 46:99And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. (Genesis 46:9)).
At the Exodus the tribe numbered 46,500 men fit to go to war; and at the close of the wanderings they had decreased to 43,730. At their request, Reuben had their possession on the east of the Jordan, because it was “a place for cattle.” It extended northward from the river Arnon about 25 miles, where it joined the possession of Gad.
The Reubenites do not appear to have taken any prominent part in the struggles under the Judges; they had “great thoughts of heart,” but remained with their flocks (Judg. 5:15-1615And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 16Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. (Judges 5:15‑16)). They made inroads upon the Bedouin tribes: being on the border of the wilderness doubtless this was unavoidable if they were to live in peace and safety (1 Chron. 5:9-10, 189And eastward he inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead. 10And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead. (1 Chronicles 5:9‑10)
18The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. (1 Chronicles 5:18); &c). The Reubenites, with the others on the east of the Jordan, went after the gods of the heathen, and Jehovah cut them short by Hazael, king of Syria (2 Kings 10:32-3332In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; 33From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. (2 Kings 10:32‑33)). Afterward by Pul and Tiglath-pileser they were carried away captive unto Halah, Habor, Hara, and to the river Gozan (1 Chron. 5:2626And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day. (1 Chronicles 5:26)).
The east of the Jordan was a place of danger. Remaining there was a type of a Christian stopping short of the place of nearness God has given him—not realizing his death and resurrection with Christ, and his true place in the heavenlies.