Ῥουβήν
Rhoubḗn
G4502 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Reuben. Refers to (1) the eldest son of Jacob (Israel) and Leah, one of the twelve patriarchs of the Israelites; (2) by extension, the tribe descended from him; (3) occasionally, the territory allotted to this tribe. In Hellenistic and Roman-era texts this form is used almost exclusively as a personal or tribal name, sometimes denoting tribal association or genealogical descent.
Semantic Range
Reuben (eldest son of Jacob), eponymous ancestor, tribe of Reuben, tribal association, territory of the tribe
Root / Etymology
The Greek Ῥουβήν (Rhoubēn) is a transliteration of the Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (Re'ūvên), itself traditionally understood as 'behold, a son' or 'see, a son' (from רָאָה 'to see' + בֵּן 'son'). In Greek, the form is adapted to suit phonetic and morphological patterns. Not derived from a native Greek root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ῥουβήν is the standard Greek rendering of the Hebrew patriarch's name in both the Septuagint and New Testament. In the Septuagint, it designates the individual Reuben (eldest son of Jacob), his descendants, the tribal group, and their territory east of the Jordan. In the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 10:2; Revelation 7:5), it appears in genealogical lists or symbolic references to the twelve tribes. The term functions strictly as a proper noun in Koine Greek, with limited semantic range. The translation 'Reuben' in English Bibles is conventional, but the Greek preserves the Hebrew sound and form. There is no evidence of divergence in meaning from its Hebrew antecedent in either the LXX or New Testament periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (רְאוּבֵן); Ruben (i.e. Reuben), an Israelite:--Reuben.
Root Family
Ῥουβήν (Rhoubēn) — personal name, tribal ancestor, eponymous tribe
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4502-01 |
Ῥουβὴν | rouben | N GEN M SG |
of Reuben | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4502-01 |
Revelation 7:5 | Ῥουβὴν | rouben | N GEN M SG |
of Reuben |