Genesis 35:21-29

Israel traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder. It happened, while Israel lived in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s handmaid): Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s handmaid): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram. Jacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.

The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years. Isaac gave up the spirit, and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

It is troubling to read of all of the family problems that Isaac and Jacob had. Many of these problems can be traced back to favoritism or the fact that Jacob had multiple wives. Even though Genesis doesn’t come right out and say it, it is clear from the stories, and what happens, that having multiple wives is a very bad idea.

Yet another bad thing happens when Reuben has sex with his step-mother. The Bible doesn’t talk about how bad this was yet, but it was to have a lasting effect on Reuben’s future as the firstborn. Just because God doesn’t talk about the sin here, doesn’t mean that He ignored it. God is patient but He is a perfect judge. No one gets away with anything. This goes for people in our day and age too. People may appear to be getting away with things, but there has never been a such a horrible time to go against God than now. The Bible tells us that the next paragraph of history involves God’s wrath on mankind.

Yet another bad thing happens when Reuben has sex with his step-mother. The Bible doesn’t talk about how bad this was yet, but it was to have a lasting effect on Reuben’s future as the firstborn. Just because God doesn’t talk about the sin here, doesn’t mean that He ignored it. God is patient but He is a perfect judge. No one gets away with anything. This goes for people in our day and age too. People may appear to be getting away with things, but there has never been such a horrible time to go against God than now. The Bible tells us that the next paragraph of history involves God’s wrath on mankind.

At this point, Israel get’s back home in time to be there when his father dies along with his brother Esau. This point also marks the end of the part of Genesis that follows the life of Jacob. Next, the Bible records some details about Esau.