Ʋnstable as water] Water hath a qualitie to coole, and make cleane, but Reuben is not likened to it for that, because he was hot by lust, and uncleane by polluting his father bed; but he is compared to water for its lightnesse, and unstabilitie, which is easily moved by the windes into waves, and naturally cannot containe it selfe in its owne bounds, but wheresoever it is powred out runneth to the lowest place; and for the greatest part of it, the Sea, it is in continuall motion of ebbing, and flowing; such is the mind of a man led away with his lust, as Reuben was: for concupiscence of women taketh off the constancie of man, (as we see in Solomon) making his hear too effeminate, and feeble to be stable and stedfast in any good thing. The word here used is joyned with vaine, Judg. 9. 4. [vaine and light: or, unstable persons] the word in the Originall rendred light, is the same which is here used; and with [treacherous] Zeph. 3. 4. for they that are unstable, or light, or vaine men, by their lightnesse, and unconstancie are easily drawne to be treacherous towards those that trust them, being apt to be deceived themselves, 1 Pet. 2. 14. they are ready to be used for deceit of others, and to divide from them to whom they should adhere; thence were the divisions and grudgings of the Reubenites among themselves, Judg. 5. 5: 15, 16. thou shalt not excell] The words in the Originall are Imperative, doe thou not excell, or excell thou not, but the sense is Indicative, or prophetick; as our Translation hath it; and yet th Hebrew phrase imports, that though Reuben may seeme in his levitie and unstablenesse to follow his owne mind, and to doe his owne will, he doth thereby undergoe the curse which God as by a kind of commanding law hath laid upon him, as David observed of Shimei his cursing, 2 Samuel 16:11. and accordingly it appeareth in the holy Historie, that he did not excell either in the number of his Tribe, as it is in the 33. of Deut. vers. 6. after the Originall reading; or in valour, or any excellen atchievement. Because thou wentest up] For a pang of lawlesse lust, and a moment or two of sinfull pleasure, he lost the prerogative of his birth-right, which would have been a setled and perpetuall honour to him, and his posterity: So far doth sensuality besot and befoole men, when they give way unto it, and therefore is the lustfull wanton by the Wise-man called a simple one, a young man void of understanding, Proverbs 7:7. and his going to the house of an harlot compared to a fooles going to the correction of the stocks, vers. 22. Reuben might haply think that this fact, committed about forty yeares before, was now both forgiven, and forgotten; and it is but barely related, not reproved, in the first notice taken of it, Chap. 35. 22. But it is not time, (how long soever) but true repentance that taketh off the guilt of sin; and God is alwayes free to take his own time, either to reprove, or punish it, to whom al things are alwayes present, though in years, or ages they be never so far distant, and not only slipped out of the memory of man, but rased out of all Records, and human memorials: which must admonish us still to renew our repentance, and in our riper yeares to bewaile the wickednesse of youth, and to pray for pardon of it, as David did, Psalms 25:7. and withall, to beware that we misdeem not the judgement of God, when it doth not presently proceed to the punishment of offenders, since it neither winkes nor sleeps towards the wicked, but forbeareth, that his goodnesse may lead them to repentance, Romans 2:4. or if they remaine impenitent, that upon their treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath, they may be more lyable to the righteous judgement of God, vers. 5. He went up] He spake to him before, now, as in indignation at him turning his eyes from him, he directeth his speech to his brethren, that they may take his censure as a cantion unto themselves; whereby we see that zeale against sin may consist with charity to the sinner, for Jacob, as Reubens father, as inspired now by the Holy Ghost, as a dying man, was doubtlesse free from malice towards him, and all the world; So it was with dying David, when he gave advice to Salomon to do justice upon Shimei; 1 Kings 2:9.