While Israel dwelt in that land: Israel is again used for Jacob. From chapter 37 onward Jacob will always be called Israel. Since Migdal-eder is not known, it is not possible to say what that land means. We must be satisfied to speak generally of “that region, area, place.”

Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: Reuben is Jacob’s firstborn son. Lay with means he had sexual relations with her. The verb is the same as that used in 19.33. See also 34.2 for Shechem’s lying with Dinah. There is no suggestion, however, that Reuben forced Bilhah. For concubine see 22.24.

And Israel heard of it: heard of it means he found out about it. Note that Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation differ here. Good News Translation‘s footnote explains that “one ancient translation has ‘and was furious.’ ” The reference here is to the Septuagint. Some modern versions prefer the addition of the Septuagint, and others keep the Hebrew text, as in Revised Standard Version. This is, however, one of the few places in Genesis that Hebrew Old Testament Text Project departs from the Hebrew text and suggests as a translation “And Israel heard of it, and it was offensive to him.”

Although nothing more is said here about Reuben’s sexual misconduct, we will discover in 49.3-4 that Reuben loses his rights as the firstborn son because of it.

Verse 22b introduces Jacob’s twelve sons. All except Benjamin were listed in their order of birth in chapters 29 and 30.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: this introductory statement may be placed in a new paragraph, as in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. This is the first time in Genesis that Jacob’s sons are said to be twelve. The list is probably given at this point in the text because the birth of the twelfth son, Benjamin, has been recorded in verse 18. Dinah is not included in the list.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .