REUBEN.  [Hebrew = "behold, a son!"].
    I. A Man.—Jacob's eldest son, the first by his wife Leah (Gen. xxix. 31, 32; xxxv. 23; xlvi. 8; 1 Chron. ii. 1; v. 1.  While the father sojourned in Canaan, he was grieved to hear that his son had been guilty of gross misconduct (Gen. xxxv. 22).  But when Joseph's brothers plotted to kill him, Reuben came forward with the proposal to cast him into a pit, designing to take him out while they were absent, and send him back to his father.  He was not with them when Joseph was removed from the pit and sold to the Midianite Ishmaelites, and was greatly moved when, visiting the pit, he found it empty (xxxvii. 21-29).  When troubles afterwards arose in Egypt, Reuben was quick to remind his brothers that he had not concurred in their plot to take Joseph's life (xlii. 22-24).  When Jacob was reluctant to send Benjamin to Egypt, Reuben offered the lives of two sons, of whom by this time he had become the father, as an atonement if he failed to bring Benjamin home again in safety (37).  In all, Reuben had four sons—Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi (Gen. xlvi. 8, 9; Exod. i. 14; 1 Chron. v. 3).  When Jacob, before departing, blessed his sons, he said of Reuben:  "Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power"; but, recalling his notable lapse from virtue, the dying patriarch added:  "Unstable as water, thou shalt not have the excellency" (xlix. 3, 4—R.V.).
    II. A Tribe.—The tribe of which Reuben was the progenitor. [I.]  Its prince during the wanderings was Elizur, the son of Shedeur (Numb. i. 5; ii. 10; vii. 30-35; x. 18). (The Sunday School Teacher's Bible Manual, Hunter, 1894).