REU

rection life has its origin in the spiritual union of bap-tized Christians with Christ (cf. Ro 6"-, Col 212, Gal 3"), and the tremendous possibilities of development are, according to St. Paul, due to a transcendent fellowship with the glorified Jesus (see Eph l2"-2i»- "«■). His resurrection is the power by which this union, in all its aspects, is perfected (Ph 3>»'-, cf. Ro l'). It was doubtless the one-sided presentation of Pauline eschatology that led to the heresy of Hymenseus and Philetus (2 Ti 2'«), and the Apostle seems to have felt the necessity of balancing his mystical interpretation by an emphatic insistence on the literal truth that the resurrection is a future objective fact in the progressive life of man.

That St. Paul held the doctrine of the resurrection of the wicked as well as of the righteous is evident not only from the words of his defence before Felix at CsEsarea (Ac 24", cf. Lk 14»), but also from incidental remarks in his Epistles (see X Th 416 and 1 Co 15»'-, where the emphasis which is laid on the first resurrection implies a second and a separate event ; cf . Ac 26"- and Ph 3", where the same implication may be observed). What the connexion is, however, between these two distinct resurrections does not appear to have occurred to the Apostle's mind, and there seems to be little ground for the supposition that he believed in a dis-tinction between them as regards time. Indeed, the particular passage upon which millenarians rely to prove the affinity of the Pauline and Apocalyptic doctrines in this respect says nothing of any resurrection except that of 'those that are Christ's' (cf. 1 Co 15™). The resurrection of the wicked occupies a very sub-ordinate place in Pauline eschatology, and we need not be surprised at the scanty notice taken of it, when we remember how constantly he is pressing on his readers' attention the power by which the resurrection to life is brought about (Ro 8", 1 Co 1S«; cf. Jn 840. M. M 521 for the teaching that it is the quickening Spirit of Christ which causes the resurrection 'at the last day'). It is sufficient for him to urge men to the attainment of this resurrection which was the goal of his own aspirations (cf. Ph 3"), and to warn them of the fate attendant on the rejection of Christ (note the expressions 'day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,' Ro 2?; 'eternal destruc-tion from the face of the Lord,' 2 Th V; cf. 1 Th l", Ph 3" etc.).

6. The Apocalypse. — The principal contribution of the apocalyptic eschatology to the doctrine of the resurrection is contained in ch. 20. Although there is no specific reference to the resurrection of the wicked, this is implied in the expression 'the first resurrection' (20'), as well as in the connexion established between the Resurrection and the Judgment. Rewards and punishments are meted out to all as they stand ' before the throne,' for 'death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works' (v.'^t-). What precisely is the interpretation by which the millennial reign of the martyrs and loyal followers of Jesus is to be ade-quately explained it is difficult to conjecture. See, further, artt. Chiliasm, Millennium.

For the Resurrection of Christ, see, further, Jesus Christ, p. 456 ff. J. R. Willis.

RETT.— Son of Peleg (Gn ll's-a, 1 Ch 1», Lk 3^).

REUBEN.— The firstborn of Jacob by Leah, Gn 29=2 (J) 352s (P) 468 (R). The popular etymology connects the name with Leah's distress, because of Jacob's previous dislike of her. She called his name Reuben: for she said, because Jahweh hath looked upon my affliction (rS'ah be'onyi). This, however, is clearly a paronomasia, though evidently intended seriously; otherwise the passage has no meaning. The Hebrew word = ' Behold ye a son.' In Josephus the form is Bubd, and in Syriac it is BubU. Lengthy discussions have been given of the

794

REUBEN

name, and numerous theories advanced by way of solution of the problems it raises, but no conclusion that can be accepted has been reached. Cheyne regards Reubel as the correct form, and makes both it and Reuel corruptions of Jerahme'el, but this conclusion is based upon his own peculiar theories of the history of Israel and of the Hebrew text.

The remarkable thing about Reuben is that he was of so little importance in the history of Israel, and yet in all the traditions he is represented as the firstborn. He, however, lost his birthright, the reason for which is apparently given by J (Gn 35^2), viz., because he had lain with his father's concubine, Bilhah. Unfortunately, the remainder of the story, which probably told what Israel did when ' he heard of it,' has been dropped. The Blessing of Jacob (Gn 493- >) attributes his decadence to the curse pronounced upon him for the act: 'Reuben, thou wast my firstborn. My strength, and the first of my virility; Over-impetuous, exceedingly passionate. Seething like water, thou ehalt not excel; For thou didst ascend thy father's bed. Then cursed I my couch thou didst ascend* [Reading the first part of the last line with Gunkel (p. 434) and the second part with LXX.]

In the 'Blessing of Moses' (Dt 33») the curse has sealed his doom, and a pitiful remnant depleted in strength is all that remains:

' Let Reuben live, and let him not die. Yet, let his men be very few.' The meaning of this alleged incest, stated in the language of tribal history, seems to be that the Reubenites com-mitted some outrage upon the Bilhah clans, which was resented and punished by Israel, Dan, and Naphtali and perhaps other tribes. As Dan and Naphtali were settled together in the north, it is not improbable (and there are some indications of this) that at an earlier time they may have been neighbours in the south, and there have come into conflict with Reuben.

It is worth noticing in this connexion that two of the descendants of Reuben given in the genealogy of Reuben (Gn 46^ etc.) , viz. Hezron and Carmi, reappear as Judahites; Hezron as the grandson of Judah ((jn. 46^2 etc.} and Carmi in Joa 7'- ^^. Moreover, Shimei is a Heubenite 1 Ch 5*, a Simeonite 1 Ch 4", and a Levite Ex 6". In Jos 15= P, in describing the lot of Judah, makes the north border ' go up by the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben.' Either, then, as it would seem, Reuben must have first settled in the West, or else Reubenite clans migrated thither from the East. These facts are not conclusive, but they support the theory that Reuben was first settled in the West. Another explanation is given, e.o. by Stade (GF/, p. 151), to the effect that the Reuben-Bilhah story may refer to the custom in vogue among the heathen Arabs of inheriting the father's con-cubines with his other possessions, and that the tribe of Reuben may have held to it, being less advanced culturally than the others. In this way, therefore, it is implied, they may have brought upon themselves the displeasure of the other tribes who stood upon a higher moral plane. This is not in harmony with the tradition which makes Reuben's offence one against Israel. Besides, it is an illustration of CT writing in which the virtues of a later age are ascribed to the earlier. Bathsheba did not scruple to ask Abishag for Adonijah, and Solomon did not object on moral grounds (IK 2).

P in his Sinai census (Nu l^i 2U) enumerates the tribe at 46,500 fighting men. At Moab it had decreased to 43,730 (26').

Reuben is linked with Gad (Nu 32) in connexion with the conquest. The inviting pasturage of the East Jordan is said to have determined these pastoral tribes to settle on the east. Moses, however, requires of them that they shall first cross over and aid the other tribes in getting possession of their respective lots. When this was effected, we are told in Jos 22™' that Joshua sent them back with great riches of spoils to their tents (see Gad). Nothing is said, however, of the previous settle-ment of Judah; nor, indeed, are we told of that any-where.

The territory of the tribe is said In Nu 32"- " (P) to