Reuben was Jacob's firstborn son with Leah and the ancestor of one of Israel's twelve tribes. He tried to save Joseph from his brothers' murder plans, but lost his birthright due to sin against his father. His tribe settled east of the Jordan.
14During the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found mandrakes in the field, and he brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."
15But she answered her, "Is it a small thing that you took my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes as well?" "Very well," Rachel said, "he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes."
16When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night.
22Reuben said to them, "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don't lay a hand on him." He said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
37Then Reuben said to his father, "You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will return him to you."