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Reuben, my firstborn are you,
my vigor and firstborn of my power,
    endowed with extra dignity,
    endowed with extra strength—
like water boiling over
you will not have extra,
for you got up into your father’s bed,
when you defiled a maid’s couch.

Simeon and Levi are brothers,
    instruments of violence are their knives.

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“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.