(לא) וַיַּ֤רְא יְהוָה֙ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה לֵאָ֔ה וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָ֑הּ וְרָחֵ֖ל עֲקָרָֽה׃ (לב) וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּעָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃
(31) The LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. (32) Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuven; for she said: ‘Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.’
(14) Reuven went in the days of wheat harvest, and found Duda'im (flowers) in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah: ‘Give me, please, of your son’s Duda'im.’ (15) She [Leah] said to her [Rachel]: ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s Duda'im also?’ Rachel said: ‘Therefore he shall lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s Duda'im.’
(יט) וַתָּ֖מָת רָחֵ֑ל וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔תָה הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃ (כ) וַיַּצֵּ֧ב יַעֲקֹ֛ב מַצֵּבָ֖ה עַל־קְבֻרָתָ֑הּ הִ֛וא מַצֶּ֥בֶת קְבֻרַֽת־רָחֵ֖ל עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃ (כא) וַיִּסַּ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֣ט אָֽהֳלֹ֔ה מֵהָ֖לְאָה לְמִגְדַּל־עֵֽדֶר׃ (כב) וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁכֹּ֤ן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיִּשְׁכַּ֕ב֙ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֖ה֙ פִּילֶ֣גֶשׁ אָבִ֑֔יו וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵֽ֑ל וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃
(19) Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrat—the same is Bethlehem. (20) And Jacob set up a monument upon her grave; the same is the monument of Rachel’s grave to this day. (21) Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond Migdal-eder. (22) It came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuven went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it
now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף נה:
אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן: כל האומר ראובן חטא - אינו אלא טועה, שנאמר ויהיו בני יעקב שנים עשר מלמד שכולן שקולים כאחת. אלא מה אני מקיים וישכב את בלהה פילגש אביו - מלמד שבלבל מצעו של אביו, ומעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו שכב עמה.
...
אלא מה אני מקיים "וישכב את בלהה פילגש אביו" - עלבון אמו תבע. אמר: אם אחות אמי היתה צרה לאמי, שפחת אחות אמי תהא צרה לאמי? עמד ובלבל את מצעה.
Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 55b
R. Samuel b. Nahman said in R. Jonathan's name: Whoever maintains that Reuven sinned is merely making an error, for it is said,
"Now the sons of Jacob were twelve",teaching that they were all equal. Then how do I interpret, "and he lay with Bilhah his father's concubine?"
This teaches that he transposed his father's couch, and the text imputes [blame] to him as though he had lain with her.
...
But how do I interpret, "and he lay with Bilhah his father's concubine"? He resented his mother's humiliation. Said he, "If my mother's sister was a rival to my mother, shall the maidservant of my mother's sister be a rival to my mother?" [Thereupon] he arose and transposed her couch.
(ב) וישכב.
מתוך שבלבל משכבו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו שכבה ולמה בלבל וחלל יצועו, שכשמתה רחל נטל יעקב מטתו שהיתה נתונה תדיר באהל רחל ולא בשאר אהלים ונתנה באהל בלהה, בא ראובן ותבע עלבון אמו, אמר אם אחות אמי היתה צרה לאמי, שפחת אחות אמי תהא צרה לאמי, לכן בלבל:
(2) And he lay:
Since he switched his [Yaakov's] bedding, the verse refers to him [Reuven] as if he slept with her [Bilhah]. And why did he switch them and desecrate his [Yaakov's] bedding? When Rachel died, Yaakov took his bed which was always in Rachel's tent and never in the other tents, and put it in the tent of Bilhah [Rachel's maidservant].
Reuven came and demanded [to redeem] the insult to his mother [Leah].
He said: "If my mother's sister was a rival wife to my mother - should the maidservant of my mother's sister also be a rival wife to her?" Therefore he switched the bedding.
Covenant & Conversation by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
...a paragraph break in the middle of the sentence. The sentence ends: "Yaakov had twelve sons." This is very rare indeed. What it suggests is an audible silence. Communication had completely broken down between Yaakov and Reuven...
Yet according to the sages this [the sexual relations] did not happen. Had Yaakov been willing to speak to Reuven he would have discovered the truth, but Yaakov grew up in a family that lacked open, candid communication. Thus for years Reuven was suspected by his father of a sin he had not committed - all because he cared about the feelings of his mother. He was not seeking to displace Yaakov but rather to draw his father's attention to the hurt and distress of Leah. Yet Yaakov says nothing, giving Reuven no opportunity to clear his name or explain why he did what he did.
(יח) וַיִּרְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק וּבְטֶ֙רֶם֙ יִקְרַ֣ב אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃ (יט) וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו הִנֵּ֗ה בַּ֛עַל הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַלָּזֶ֖ה בָּֽא׃ (כ) וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ לְכ֣וּ וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַבֹּר֔וֹת וְאָמַ֕רְנוּ חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ וְנִרְאֶ֕ה מַה־יִּהְי֖וּ חֲלֹמֹתָֽיו׃ (כא) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיַּצִּלֵ֖הוּ מִיָּדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א נַכֶּ֖נּוּ נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (כב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֣ם׀ רְאוּבֵן֮ אַל־תִּשְׁפְּכוּ־דָם֒ הַשְׁלִ֣יכוּ אֹת֗וֹ אֶל־הַבּ֤וֹר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְיָ֖ד אַל־תִּשְׁלְחוּ־ב֑וֹ לְמַ֗עַן הַצִּ֤יל אֹתוֹ֙ מִיָּדָ֔ם לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ אֶל־אָבִֽיו׃
(18) They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to slay him. (19) They said one to another: ‘Behold, this dreamer comes! (20) Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say: An evil beast has devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams.’ (21) Reuven heard it, and saved him [Joseph] from their hands and said: ‘Let us not take his life.’ (22) Reuven said unto them: ‘Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him’—that he [Reuven] might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
(כט) וַיָּ֤שָׁב רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־הַבּ֔וֹר וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵין־יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבּ֑וֹר וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃ (ל) וַיָּ֥שָׁב אֶל־אֶחָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וַאֲנִ֖י אָ֥נָה אֲנִי־בָֽא׃
(29) Reuven returned to the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. (30) He returned to his brothers, and said: ‘The child is gone; and as for me, where shall I go?’
ילקוט שמעוני תורה פרשת וישב
...שאלו היה יודע ראובן שהקב"ה כותב אחריו "וישמע ראובן ויצילהו מידם" [ל"ז, כ"א] -בכתפיו היה טוענו ומוליכו אצל אביו...
Yalkut Shimoni - Parshat VaYeshev
Aggadic compilation on the books of the Hebrew Bible - 16th century
...For if Reuven had only known that the Holy One, blessed be He, would write of him, "And Reuven heard and saved him from their hands", he would have picked Joseph up on his shoulders and carried him back to his father.
(כא) וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֗יו אֲבָל֮ אֲשֵׁמִ֣ים׀ אֲנַחְנוּ֮ עַל־אָחִינוּ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר רָאִ֜ינוּ צָרַ֥ת נַפְשׁ֛וֹ בְּהִתְחַֽנְנ֥וֹ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ עַל־כֵּן֙ בָּ֣אָה אֵלֵ֔ינוּ הַצָּרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ (כב) וַיַּעַן֩ רְאוּבֵ֨ן אֹתָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲלוֹא֩ אָמַ֨רְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֧ם׀ לֵאמֹ֛ר אַל־תֶּחֶטְא֥וּ בַיֶּ֖לֶד וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם וְגַם־דָּמ֖וֹ הִנֵּ֥ה נִדְרָֽשׁ׃
...
(לו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יַעֲקֹ֣ב אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֹתִ֖י שִׁכַּלְתֶּ֑ם יוֹסֵ֤ף אֵינֶ֙נּוּ֙ וְשִׁמְע֣וֹן אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֣ן תִּקָּ֔חוּ עָלַ֖י הָי֥וּ כֻלָּֽנָה׃ (לז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־אָבִ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י בָנַי֙ תָּמִ֔ית אִם־לֹ֥א אֲבִיאֶ֖נּוּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ תְּנָ֤ה אֹתוֹ֙ עַל־יָדִ֔י וַאֲנִ֖י אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (לח) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹֽא־יֵרֵ֥ד בְּנִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אָחִ֨יו מֵ֜ת וְה֧וּא לְבַדּ֣וֹ נִשְׁאָ֗ר וּקְרָאָ֤הוּ אָסוֹן֙ בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ וְהוֹרַדְתֶּ֧ם אֶת־שֵׂיבָתִ֛י בְּיָג֖וֹן שְׁאֽוֹלָה׃
(21) They said one to another: ‘We are very guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.’ (22) Reuven answered them, saying: ‘Spoke I not to you, saying: Do not sin against the child; and you would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is demanded.’
....
(36) Yaakov their father said to them: ‘Me - have you bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Shimon is not, and you will take Benjamin away; upon me are all these things come.’ (37) Reuven spoke to his father, saying: ‘You shall slay my two sons, if I bring him not to you; deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him back to you.’ (38) He said: ‘My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and only he is left; if harm befall him by the way in which you go, then will you bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
(ג) רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣רִי אַ֔תָּה כֹּחִ֖י וְרֵאשִׁ֣ית אוֹנִ֑י יֶ֥תֶר שְׂאֵ֖ת וְיֶ֥תֶר עָֽז׃ (ד) פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃
(3) Reuven, you are my first-born, My might, and the first-fruits of my strength; The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. (4) Unstable as water, you have not the excellency; Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled [G-d's name] which ascends on my bed.
(טו) כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֨יןָ לְאִ֜ישׁ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה וְיָֽלְדוּ־ל֣וֹ בָנִ֔ים הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכ֖וֹר לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃(טז) וְהָיָ֗ה בְּיוֹם֙ הַנְחִיל֣וֹ אֶת־בָּנָ֔יו אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶ֖ה ל֑וֹ לֹ֣א יוּכַ֗ל לְבַכֵּר֙ אֶת־בֶּן־הָ֣אֲהוּבָ֔ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י בֶן־ הַשְּׂנוּאָ֖ה הַבְּכֹֽר׃(יז) כִּי֩ אֶת־הַבְּכֹ֨ר בֶּן־ הַשְּׂנוּאָ֜ה יַכִּ֗יר לָ֤תֶת לוֹ֙ פִּ֣י שְׁנַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־ יִמָּצֵ֖א ל֑וֹ כִּי־הוּא֙ רֵאשִׁ֣ית אֹנ֔וֹ ל֖וֹ מִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃
(15) If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, but the first-born is the son of the unloved one— (16) when he wills his property to his sons, he may not treat as first-born the son of the loved one in disregard of the son of the unloved one who is older. (17) Instead, he must accept the first-born, the son of the unloved one, and allot him a double portion of all he possesses; since he is the first fruit of his vigor, the birthright is his due.
(י) כִּי אָבִי וְאִמִּי עֲזָבוּנִי וַיהוָה יַאַסְפֵנִי.
Though my father and my mother have forsaken me, The LORD will gather me up.