Gen 49:4 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 4. Pouring out like the waters ] This is an obscure sentence because unfinished . It evidently relates to the defilement of his father's couch; and the word pachaz , here translated pouring out , and in our Version unstable , has a bad meaning in other places of the Scripture, being applied to dissolute, debauched , and licentious conduct. See . Thou shalt not excel ] This tribe never rose to any eminence in Israel; was not so numerous by one third as either Judah, Joseph, or Dan, when Moses took the sum of them in the wilderness, ; and was among the first that were carried into captivity, . Then thou didst defile ] Another unfinished sentence, similar to the former, and upon the same subject, passing over a transaction covertly, which delicacy forbade Jacob to enlarge on. For the crime of Reuben, .

‏ Genesis 49:4

Verse 4. Pouring out like the waters] This is an obscure sentence because unfinished. It evidently relates to the defilement of his father's couch; and the word pachaz, here translated pouring out, and in our Version unstable, has a bad meaning in other places of the Scripture, being applied to dissolute, debauched, and licentious conduct. See Jud 9:4; Zep 3:4; Jer 23:14, 32; 29:23.

Thou shalt not excel] This tribe never rose to any eminence in Israel; was not so numerous by one third as either Judah, Joseph, or Dan, when Moses took the sum of them in the wilderness, Nu 1:21; and was among the first that were carried into captivity, 1Ch 5:26.

Then thou didst defile] Another unfinished sentence, similar to the former, and upon the same subject, passing over a transaction covertly, which delicacy forbade Jacob to enlarge on. For the crime of Reuben, See Clarke on Ge 35:22.