‘Reuben, you are my firstborn,
    my might, the first sign of my strength,
    excelling in honour, excelling in power.
Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.

‘Simeon and Levi are brothers –
    their swords[a] are weapons of violence.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,(A)
    my might, the first sign of my strength,(B)
    excelling in honor,(C) excelling in power.
Turbulent as the waters,(D) you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.(E)

“Simeon(F) and Levi(G) are brothers—
    their swords[a] are weapons of violence.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.