The Meaning of Genesis 49:4 Explained

Genesis 49:4

KJV: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

YLT: Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!

Darby: Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my bed.

ASV: Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Unstable  as water,  thou shalt not excel;  because thou wentest up  to thy father's  bed;  then defiledst thou  [it]: he went up  to my couch. 

What does Genesis 49:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 49:1-13 - Jacob Foretells The Future Of His Sons
Once more Joseph visited his father's dying-bed. This was the third time and the last. He stood as one of twelve strong bearded men, gathered around the aged form, whose face was shadowed by death, but aglow with the light of prophecy. How intense their silent awe as they heard their names called one by one, by the old man's trembling voice, speaking with difficulty! The character of each was delineated with unerring insight: the outstanding incidents of their past history enumerated and their future forecasted. The scene was an anticipation of the final judgment, where men shall hear their lives reviewed and the sentence passed. Shiloh means Peace-Giver. What a fragrant name for our Lord! What wonder that He shall gather the nations to His cross and throne! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 49

1  Jacob calls his sons to bless them
3  Their blessing in particular
29  He charges them about his burial
33  He dies

What do the individual words in Genesis 49:4 mean?

Uncontrolled as the waters not you shall excel because you went up to the bed of your father then you defiled [it] to my couch he went up -
פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־ תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז --חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה פ

פַּ֤חַז  Uncontrolled 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַז  
Sense: recklessness, wantonness, unbridled license, frothiness.
כַּמַּ֙יִם֙  as  the  waters 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
תּוֹתַ֔ר  you  shall  excel 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
כִּ֥י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עָלִ֖יתָ  you  went  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י  to  the  bed 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מִשְׁכָּב  
Sense: a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying.
אָבִ֑יךָ  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
--חִלַּ֖לְתָּ  you  defiled  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
יְצוּעִ֥י  to  my  couch 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָצוּעַ 
Sense: couch, bed.
עָלָֽה  he  went  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation