Reuben: behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Genesis 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father's malediction (Genesis 48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (Genesis 37:21,22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in 49:3,4.