Jacob's Deathbed Prophecy

 Son

Reuben

Pronouncement

"You will not excel." -GENESIS 49:4

Fulfillment

The tribe of Reuben never had a leadership role in Israel.  - 1 CHRONICLES 5:1, 2.

What can we learn? We need to work hard to cultivate self-control and to reject sexual misconduct. If we are ever tempted to commit a sin, we should stop and think about how our actions would hurt Jehovah, our family, and others. We should also remember that "whatever a person is sowing, this his will also reap." (Galatians 6:7) On the other hand, what happened to Reuben reminds us of Jehovah's mercy. Although Jehovah will not shield us from the consequences of our mistakes, he will bless our efforts when we do what is right.

Next time: SIMEON AND LEVI

From the jw.org publications