(א) וּבְנֵ֨י רְאוּבֵ֥ן בְּכֽוֹר־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ כִּ֣י ה֣וּא הַבְּכוֹר֒ וּֽבְחַלְּלוֹ֙ יְצוּעֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו נִתְּנָה֙ בְּכֹ֣רָת֔וֹ לִבְנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֖ף בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֥א לְהִתְיַחֵ֖שׂ לַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ (ב) כִּ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ גָּבַ֣ר בְּאֶחָ֔יו וּלְנָגִ֖יד מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְהַבְּכֹרָ֖ה לְיוֹסֵֽף׃ (ס)
(1) And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel—for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, yet not so that he was to be reckoned in the genealogy as first-born. (2) For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came he that is the prince; but the birthright was Joseph’s—
(יד) וַיָּבֹ֨א יְהוּדָ֤ה וְאֶחָיו֙ בֵּ֣יתָה יוֹסֵ֔ף וְה֖וּא עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּפְּל֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃
(14) And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house, and he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.
(ו) וְיוֹסֵ֗ף ה֚וּא הַשַּׁלִּ֣יט עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ ה֥וּא הַמַּשְׁבִּ֖יר לְכָל־עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֲחֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃
(6) And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down to him with their faces to the earth.
(ב) וַיִּוָּֽתְרוּ֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־חָלְק֖וּ אֶת־נַֽחֲלָתָ֑ם שִׁבְעָ֖ה שְׁבָטִֽים׃
(2) And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
(ב) אמרו: מלכים מדיינים אלו עם אלו, אנו מה איכפת לנו!
- The largest census numbers
- Battle against Amalek
- Successful spies
- Successfully capture their [relatively large] portions in the land of Israel