“here is a son.” 1. Firstborn son. Firstborn son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:31, 32; 35:23; 46:8; 1 Chron. 2:1; 5:1).
Reuben committed a grave sin of incest (Gen. 35:22). But when his brothers talked about killing Joseph, Rubén, with the secret intention of freeing him, and to gain time, proposed to throw him into a cistern.
He was not present when his brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites of the Midianite caravan. The disappearance of his young brother affected him deeply (Gen. 37: 21-29).
Twenty years later, in Egypt, Reuben reminded his brothers that he had had no part in their attempt to eliminate Joseph (Gen. 42:22-24). When Jacob was hesitant about allowing Benjamin to go with them to Egypt, Reuben offered two of his sons as hostages as a pledge for Benjamin’s return (Gen. 42:37).
Reuben had four sons: Hanoch, Falú, Hezron and Carmi (Gen. 46:8, 9; Ex. 6:14; 1 Chron. 5:3). Jacob, upon dying, deprived Reuben of his birthright, because of the sin committed with Bilhah (Gen. 49:3, 4). 2. Tribe. Tribe formed by descendants of Rubén. Territory in which they settled. The tribe was divided into four clans, arising from the four sons of Reuben (Num. 26:5-11).
At the beginning of the desert pilgrimage (see DESERT PILGRIMAGE) the prince of the tribe was Elishur (Num. 1:5; 2:10; 7:30-35; 10:18). At this time, the tribe numbered 46,500 men twenty years old and older capable of carrying weapons (Num. 1:20, 21).
When the second census was taken, 38 years later, their number was 43,730 (Num. 26:7). The prince of the Reubenites headed the camp made up of the three tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad, composed of 151,450 men capable of bearing arms (Num. 2:10, 16). The Reubenite chosen to go explore the country of Canaan was Samúa son of Zaccur (Num. 13:4).
The Reubenites Dathan, Abiram, and On joined Korah the Levite, who fomented rebellion against Moses and Aaron (Num. 16:11-50; 26:9; Deut. 11:6). After the victories against Sihon and Og, the Gadites, Reubenites and half the tribe of Manasseh asked Moses for permission to settle east of the Jordan, a pasture region that suited their numerous livestock and flocks.
Moses agreed, imposing one condition: that he would send most of his warriors to help the Israelites in their campaign to conquer the land (Num. 32:1-42; Josh. 18:7). The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh thus participated in all of Joshua’s expeditions (Josh. 4:12).
They returned as triumphants to their domains, and then erected a memorial altar, which provoked the indignation of the tribes west of the Jordan. However, they renounced using force against them when they learned that that altar was not intended for burnt offerings or sacrifices (Num. 22:1-34).
The Reubenites did not participate in the fight against Sisera, which attracted Deborah’s reproaches (Judges 5:15, 16). They made war on the Hagarenes, exterminating them and taking over their country, which they occupied until they were taken into captivity by Tiglath-pileser (1 Chron. 5:18-26).
The prophet Ezekiel, when proceeding with the eschatological division of the land of Israel, as it will be distributed in the Millennium (see EZEKIEL, MILLENNIUM), indicates the territory of Reuben, and gives its name to one of the twelve gates of the millennial Jerusalem ( Ez. 48:6-7, 31).
At the time of the first division of the territory, Reuben was bordered on the east by the Ammonites, on the south by the Arnon stream (Num. 21:24), and on the west by the Dead Sea and the Jordan (Josh. 13:23). The northern border ran from the Jordan south of Bethnimrah to Heshbon (Josh. 13:17, 26; 21:37; Num. 32:36; Jos. 13:27).
Within these limits were: Aroer, on the valley of the Arnon; the city in the middle of the valley; all the plain of Medeba; Heshbon and the cities that depended on it, Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon, Jahaza, Kademoth, Mephaat, Kiriathaim, Sibma, Zareth-sahar on the mountain of the valley, Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah, Beth -jesimot; in short, the southern part of the Ammonite kingdom where Sihon had reigned (Josh. 13:15-23).
The four cities of Bezer, Jaza, Kademoth, and Mephaat, along with their common lands, were assigned to the Levites descended from Merari (Josh. 21:7, 36, 37; 1 Chron. 6:63, 78, 79). Bezer, the first of these cities, was also a city of refuge (Josh. 20:8; 1 Chron. 6:78).
The Reubenites were exposed to attacks from the Moabites, their immediate neighbors, and from plundering nomads from the desert, who could enter Reuben’s territory from the east and south.
Comparing the list given here of the Reubenite cities with those named in Isa. 15; 16; Jer. 48, and in the Stone of Moab, it can be seen that in the time of Mesha, and the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, the territory of Reuben had been greatly reduced by the conquests of the Moabites. This country is located on a fertile plateau.