When we think of the twelve sons of Jacob, we probably think of Judah, the fourth son. Jacob said of him: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah” (Genesis 49:10). We definitely think of Joseph, the eleventh son. He is the favorite child who rises through God’s providence to save the world from famine—a clear foreshadowing of the true savior Jesus.
But there is one son you probably don’t think of: Reuben.
Reuben is not just a side character; he is continually sidelined. He is an afterthought—someone his brothers see and think, “Oh right. You exist.”
But it shouldn’t have been this way.
“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might… preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power…” (Genesis 49:3). Reuben was the firstborn, preeminent in both dignity and power—the protagonist. Or, at least that’s what he should have been.
What dragged this son down into complete obscurity?
One verse. Sandwiched between narrative and genealogy, a single verse records a single event: “While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it.” (Genesis 35:22).
We don’t get the backstory or the fallout. It’s thrown in so casually that we don’t even have time to process the weight of the sin. It’s as if Genesis thinks Reuben so insignificant, it doesn’t count his downfall a story worth telling.
Why did Reuben sleep with his stepmom? Probably power. Historically, taking the king’s wives was a claim to the throne itself. So, in taking his father’s concubine, I believe Reuben thought he was strengthening his status as the patriarch-in-line. But oh boy, does this backfire. Instead of solidifying his position, he destroys it. And if you pay attention, every time Reuben appears after this, he is desperately trying to reclaim his former authority as future family head. Every time he is laughably ignored.Attempt #1: The Pit (Genesis 37). When his brothers plot to kill Joseph, Reuben sees an opportunity to reestablish himself by saving the boy. He convinces them: “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit… that he might rescue him out of their hand
to restore him to his father” (Genesis 37:22). But while Reuben is away, they sell Joseph to slave traders. Reuben returns devastated… that his ticket to redemption is gone: “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” Attempt #1 – Fail.
Attempt #2: The Pledge (Genesis 42). Years later, Joseph demands the brothers bring Benjamin to Egypt. Jacob refuses, fearing the loss of another favorite. Reuben springs in to save the day: “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you” (Genesis 42:37). Ah yes, the reasonable solution to soothe your dad’s sorrow—kill two of his grandsons. Reuben’s absurd offer is ignored. It’s Judah who eventually takes the lead by pledging full accountability toward Benjamin. Attempt #2 – Fail.
So next time you read through Genesis 37-50, as you navigate the redemptive arc of Judah and the grand narrative of Joseph, maybe take a moment to search through the footnotes. Because you just might find another story there. It is a story that fits its main character perfectly: irrelevant and overlooked. Like a thistle surviving in the shadow of the great oaks, the story of Reuben survives—nabbing one verse here, two verses there, taking whatever sunlight slips through the canopy of his brothers’ towering narratives.
So, enjoy the greatness of the eleventh-born, and admire the growth of the fourth-born. But if you’re feeling charitable, spare a thought also for the firstborn, will ya?
—Michael Xiang