Genesis 46:9 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 46:9 kjv
And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
Genesis 46:9 nkjv
The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
Genesis 46:9 niv
The sons of Reuben: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
Genesis 46:9 esv
and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
Genesis 46:9 nlt
The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
Genesis 46 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 29:32 | Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben... | Birth of Reuben. |
| Gen 35:23 | The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn... | Reuben listed as firstborn son of Jacob. |
| Gen 46:1 | So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba... | Context of Jacob's journey to Egypt. |
| Gen 46:26 | All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt...were sixty-six persons in all. | Summarizes total descendants from Jacob going to Egypt. |
| Gen 49:3-4 | Reuben, you are my firstborn...unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence... | Jacob's prophecy concerning Reuben's diminished status. |
| Ex 1:1-5 | Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt...Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah... | Reiteration of the tribes entering Egypt at start of Exodus. |
| Num 1:20-21 | From the sons of Reuben, Reuben’s firstborn, their generations...all males...forty-six thousand five hundred. | Census of Reuben's descendants in the wilderness. |
| Num 26:5-6 | The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, of whom came the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. | Detailed census confirming Reuben's sons as tribal founders. |
| Deut 33:6 | "May Reuben live and not die, nor his numbers be few." | Moses' blessing on Reuben's tribe, indicating its survival. |
| Josh 13:15-16 | So Moses gave to the tribe of the people of Reuben according to their clans. And their territory was from Aroer... | Allotment of land to Reuben's tribe east of Jordan. |
| 1 Chron 2:1 | These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah... | Recapitulation of the tribal heads. |
| 1 Chron 5:1 | The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel (though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph)... | Notes Reuben's firstborn status and loss of birthright. |
| 1 Chron 5:3 | The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. | Confirms the same list of Reuben's sons. |
| Neh 7:6-7 | These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity... | Emphasizes the importance of preserving lineage records. |
| Psa 105:23 | Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. | Poetic affirmation of Israel's descent into Egypt. |
| Isa 51:1-2 | "Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you..." | Encouragement to remember their genealogical origins in faith. |
| Acts 7:14 | Then Joseph sent and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five people, to come to him. | Stephen's account of Jacob's family coming to Egypt. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | By faith Abraham obeyed...by faith he went to live in the land of promise...with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. | Highlights the lineage as heirs of God's covenant. |
| Rev 7:5 | From the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand... | Reuben listed among the sealed tribes in the Revelation. |
| Rom 15:8-9 | Christ has become a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs... | Highlights divine faithfulness in maintaining promises to patriarchs through their descendants. |
Genesis 46 verses
Genesis 46 9 meaning
This verse records the names of the four sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi. It is a precise genealogical record detailing the immediate descendants of Jacob's firstborn son, forming part of the comprehensive list of the seventy souls who entered Egypt with Jacob. The verse serves to establish the lineage of one of the foundational tribes of Israel at a crucial point in their history.
Genesis 46 9 Context
Genesis chapter 46 describes Jacob's obedient journey to Egypt with his entire household to reunite with Joseph. It details the precise enumeration of every person in the family of Israel who made this pivotal move, totaling seventy individuals, including Jacob himself. This move to Egypt was not accidental but was God's direct instruction to Jacob (Gen 46:3-4), assuring him of protection and promises of future national greatness. Verse 9 is an integral part of this detailed roster, specifically listing the first of the twelve tribes' immediate founding members. The chapter sets the stage for the four centuries of sojourn in Egypt and the subsequent formation of Israel into a nation.
Genesis 46 9 Word analysis
- And the sons of Reuben; (וּבְנֵ֥י רְאוּבֵן֙ - uvenei Re'uven):
- וּבְנֵ֥י (uvenei): "And the sons of." The Hebrew term benei signifies descendants, offspring, or children, indicating not just biological sons but those who would carry on the lineage and form the basis of a future tribal identity. The inclusion of "And" connects this entry directly to the preceding and following lists, maintaining a structured, formal record. This phrase, frequently used in biblical genealogies, highlights the patriarchal structure foundational to ancient Israelite society and emphasizes the continuation of a bloodline critical to God's covenant promises.
- רְאוּבֵן (Re'uven): "Reuben." Meaning "behold a son" or "see, a son" (Gen 29:32). He was Jacob's firstborn through Leah. As the firstborn, Reuben inherently held significant status, including a double portion inheritance and tribal leadership rights (the birthright). His inclusion first in this list is by ancient tradition for order of birth. However, despite his firstborn status, his moral failings later led to the forfeiture of his preeminence (Gen 35:22, Gen 49:3-4), impacting the leadership roles within the Israelite tribes.
- Hanoch, (חֲנ֖וֹךְ - Hanoch):
- Meaning "dedicated" or "initiated." This Hanoch is a different person from the Hanoch mentioned in Genesis 4 (son of Cain) or Genesis 5 (the patriarch who walked with God). The distinct tribal association for this name is consistently maintained throughout biblical genealogies (Num 26:5, 1 Chron 5:3). This name implies a special purpose or calling, common in the naming conventions of that era.
- and Phallu, (וּפַלּ֑וּא - uPhallu):
- Meaning "distinguished" or "separated." This name's connotation suggests something unique or set apart. As with Hanoch, Phallu is a founder of one of the major clans of Reuben (Num 26:5), his descendants known as the Palluites.
- and Hezron, (וְחֶצְר֔וֹן - veHezron):
- Meaning "enclosed" or "courtyard." Significantly, there is another Hezron mentioned later in this very chapter (Gen 46:12) as a grandson of Judah (through Perez). The reuse of names across different tribal lines indicates a limited pool of traditional names or common nomenclature, emphasizing that a name itself did not guarantee lineage unless coupled with the tribal affiliation (e.g., "Hezron of Reuben" vs. "Hezron of Judah"). This specific Hezron founded the Hezronite clan within Reuben's tribe.
- and Carmi. (וְכַרְמִֽי - veKarmi):
- Meaning "my vineyard" or "gardener." Similar to Hezron, the name Carmi appears again later in the lineage of Judah, notably associated with Achan's ancestry (Josh 7:1; 1 Chron 2:7). This also illustrates the recurrence of names, requiring careful attention to contextual identifiers to differentiate individuals in ancient genealogies. Carmi also established a major clan, the Carmites, within the tribe of Reuben (Num 26:6).
Genesis 46 9 Bonus section
The act of recording such detailed genealogies (like this list of Reuben's sons) was not merely a historical or factual exercise in ancient Israel; it served crucial theological and communal functions. These "sacred lists" affirmed national identity, established legitimate claims to land allotments (as seen later in Joshua), and traced the lineage of those carrying the covenant promises. They stood in stark contrast to the often fluid and mythical origin stories of surrounding nations. For the Israelite audience, particularly after periods like the Babylonian exile when tribal identities were challenged, such genealogies provided a concrete reminder of their divine heritage and the unwavering nature of God's promise to maintain His chosen people through their bloodlines. This meticulous record-keeping emphasized that Israel's journey to nationhood was under divine providence, orchestrated and preserved by the LORD for His ultimate purposes.
Genesis 46 9 Commentary
Genesis 46:9 is not just a simple list of names but a foundational segment in the divine narrative of Israel's formation. As the initial listing of a tribal patriarch's direct sons who entered Egypt, it serves multiple purposes: historical validation, legal documentation, and prophetic anticipation. This meticulously preserved genealogy underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – that their descendants would become a great nation. Even amidst Reuben's earlier moral failing (Gen 35:22) which resulted in the loss of his birthright, his lineage remained secure, demonstrating God's consistent preservation of the tribal framework regardless of individual transgressions. The specific names themselves, while potentially carrying symbolic meanings, are most significant for their role as founders of the major clans that would make up the future tribe of Reuben, providing a continuity of identity from patriarch to nation. The recurrence of certain names (like Hezron and Carmi) across different tribes also subtly illustrates the familial interconnectedness and sometimes overlapping naming conventions within early Israel.