Genesis 35:22
And when he dwelt in that country, Ruben went, and slept with Bala, the concubine of his father: which he was not ignorant of. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Cumque habitaret in illa regione, abiit Ruben, et dormivit cum Bala concubina patris sui : quod illum minime latuit. Erant autem filii Jacob duodecim.
- Septuagint (Swete) shown from Genesis 35:21, 35:22
- ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα κατῴκησεν Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐκείνῃ, ἐπορεύθη Ῥουβὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετὰ Βάλλας τῆς παλλακῆς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἤκουσεν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ πονηρὸν ἐφάνη ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ. Ἦσαν δὲ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰακὼβ δώδεκα·
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁכֹּ֤ן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיִּשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת בִּלְהָה֙ פִּילֶ֣גֶשׁ אָבִ֔יו וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר
Haydock's commentary
The concubine. She was his lawful wife; but according to the style of the Hebrews, is called concubine, because of her servile extraction. (Challoner)
Ignorant of; and therefore, to mark his displeasure, he deprived him of the birth-right, chap. xlix. 4. Jacob approached no more to Bala, as David had no farther commerce with the wives whom Absalom had defiled, 2 Kings xvi. 22. (Menochius)
The Septuagint add, and it appeared evil in his sight; an omission which the Hebrew editions seem to acknowledge, by leaving a vacant space. (Kennicott)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Irenaeus Against Heresies: Book I, Chapter XVIII. Passages from Moses,
4. As to the Duodecad, in connection with which the mystery of the passion of the defect occurred, from which passion they maintain that all things visible were framed, they assert that is to be found strikingly and manifestly everywhere [in Scripture]. For they declare that the twelve sons of Jacob, from whom also sprung twelve tribes, the breastplate of the high priest, which bore twelve precious stones and twelve little bells, the twelve stones which were placed by Moses at the foot of the mountain, the same number which was placed by Joshua in the river, and again, on the other side, the bearers of the ark of the covenant, those stones which were set up by Elijah when the heifer was offered as a burnt-offering; the number, too, of the apostles; and, in fine, every event which embraces in it the number twelve , set forth their Duodecad. …
Aphrahat Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations, Of Monks
3. For it was through Eve that he came in upon Adam, and Adam was enticed because of his inexperience. And again he came in against Joseph through his master’s wife, but Joseph was acquainted with his craftiness and would not afford him a hearing. Through a woman he fought with Samson, until he took away his Nazariteship. Reuben was the first-born of all his brethren, and through his father’s wife, (the adversary) cast a blemish upon him. Aaron was the great high-priest of the house of Israel, and through Miriam his sister he envied Moses. Moses was sent to deliver the people from Egypt, and took with him the woman who advised him to shameful acts, and the Lord met with Moses, and desired to slay him, till he sent back his wife to Midian. David was victorious in all his battles, yet through means of a daughter of Eve there was found a blemish in him. …