| Reuben (bible) |
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Reuben means "behold a son", and was so named because his mother Leah was hoping that by presenting him to Jacob she would overcome Jacob's preference for his second wife, her younger sister Rachel . Although part of the plot to kill and later enslave their brother , (''Genesis'' 42:37) in order to more quickly relieve the famine, an offer Jacob refuses. He is probably the wisest and most compassionate of the older brothers. But as firstborn, Reuben should have been the leader of his brothers, and have taken responsibility for their collective actions, which he fails to do. This justifies the punishment by which his rights as first-born were transferred to the children of Joseph (according to ''I Chronicles'' v. 1). His other failing is to commit what may appear to be incest with Bilhah , but it is not clear exactly what transpired; see ''Genesis'' 35:22, 49:3,4. EXTERNAL LINK
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