him alone the preservation of Joseph’s life appears to have been due and afterward he becomes
responsible for his safety. (Genesis 37:18-30; 42:37) Of the repulsive crime which mars his history,
and which turned the blessing of his dying father into a curse—his adulterous connection with
Bilhah— we know from the Scriptures only the fact. (Genesis 35:22) He was of an ardent, impetuous,
unbalanced but not ungenerous nature; not crafty and cruel, as were Simeon and Levi, but rather,
to use the metaphor of the dying patriarch, boiling up like a vessel of water over a rapid wood fire,
and as quickly subsiding when the fuel was withdrawn. At the time of the migration into Egypt,
Reuben’s sons were four. (Genesis 46:9; 1 Chronicles 5:3) The census at Mount Sinai, (Numbers
1:20,21; 2:11) shows that at the exodus the men of the tribe above twenty years of age and fit for
active warlike service numbered 46,600. The Reubenites maintained the ancient calling of their
forefathers. Their cattle accompanied them in their flight from Egypt. (Exodus 12:38) Territory of
the tribe .—The portion of the promised land selected by Reuben had the special name of “the
Mishor,” with reference possibly to its evenness. Under its modern name of the Belka it is still
esteemed beyond all others by the Arab sheep-masters. It was a fine pasture-land east of the Jordan,
lying between the river Arnon on the south and Gilead on the north. Though the Israelites all aided
the Reubenites in conquering the land, and they in return helped their brothers to secure their own
possessions, still there was always afterward a bar, a difference in feeling and habits, between the
eastern and western tribes. The pile of stones which they erected on the west bank of the Jordan to
mark their boundary was erected in accordance with the unalterable habits of Bedouin tribes both
before and since. This act was completely misunderstood and was construed into an attempt to set
up a rival altar to that of the sacred tent. No Judge, no prophet, no hero of the tribe of Reuben is
handed down to us. The Reubenites disliked war clinging to their fields and pastures even when
their brethren were in great distress. Being remote from the seat of the national government and of
the national religion, it is not to be wondered at that the Reubenites relinquished the faith of Jehovah.
The last historical notice which we possess of them, while it records this fact, records also as its
natural consequence that they and the Gadites and the half-tribe Manasseh were carried off by Pul
and Tiglath-pileser. (1 Chronicles 5:26)
Reuel
(friend of God) One of the sons of Esau, by his wife Bashemath, sister of Ishmael. (Genesis
36:4,10,13,17; 1 Chronicles 1:36,37) (B.C. about 1790.)
•One of the names of Moses’ father-in-law. (Exodus 2:18) (B.C. 1530.)
•Father of Eliasaph, the leader of the tribe of Gad at the time of the census at Sinai. (Numbers 2:14)
(B.C. 1490.)
•A Benjamite, ancestor of Elah. (1 Chronicles 9:8)
Reumah
(elevated), the concubine of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. (Genesis 22:4) (B.C. about 1870.)
Revelation Of St. John
the last book of the New Testament. It is often called the Apocalypse, which is its title in Greek,
signifying “Revelation,”
•Canonical authority and authorship.—The inquiry as to the canonical authority of the Revelation
resolves itself into a question of authorship. Was St. John the apostle and evangelist the writer of
the Revelation? The evidence adduced in support of his being the author consists of (1) the
assertions of the author and (2) historical tradition. (1) The author’s description of himself in the
1st and 22d chapters is certainly equivalent to an assertion that he is the apostle. He names himself
frankie
(Frankie)
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