The issue of all the historical figures recorded in Genesis is the twelve sons of Jacob. Among the twelve sons of Jacob, the most outstanding was Joseph, and the remaining eleven formed a separate group. Among these eleven, Reuben, Levi, and Judah had their special characteristics; the remaining eight were not special. Reuben, Levi, and Judah, with Joseph, all were related to the birthright inherited by Jacob from the forefathers. The birthright is a continuation of the various excellent qualities and blessings of the forefathers. According to the Bible, the birthright includes the double portion of the land, the priesthood, and the kingship, that is, the right and the position to enjoy Christ in full, and the right to be priests, bringing people to God, and to be kings, bringing God to people.
As the firstborn son of Jacob, Reuben should have had the preeminence in dignity and in power (Gen. 49:3, lit.). According to the governmental arrangement in God’s economy, Reuben, the firstborn, should have inherited the birthright.
Although Reuben had the preeminence of the birthright, because his lust boiled over like water, he lay with his father’s concubine, thus defiling his father’s bed (Gen. 35:22; 49:4; 1 Chron. 5:1). That indulgence in lust caused him to lose his birthright. This is a serious matter. In God’s arrangement regarding human relationships, each man must keep his position in order to avoid confusion, that he may keep himself pure with self-restraint for his existence and propagation. Hence, in relationships among men, what God abhors most is fornication, and especially incest. Reuben not only committed fornication, but he also committed incest with his father’s concubine. Therefore, the God of holiness removed the birthright from him and did not allow him to inherit any of the blessings that his forefathers received from God.
Because his sister, Dinah, was defiled by Shechem, Levi, together with his brother Simeon, slew all the males in the city of Shechem by craftiness (Gen. 34:1-29). This incident frightened Jacob to such an extent that before his death, when he was going to bless his sons, he still could not forget it. Concerning Levi and Simeon, he said, “In their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hocked an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel.” Therefore, Jacob could not give them any blessing. Rather, he exercised judgment over them to scatter them among the children of Israel (Gen. 49:5-7, lit.) so that they would not be able to behave according to their cruel disposition.