Turbulent as water, you will not excel,
because you got into your father’s bed(A)
and you defiled it—he[a] got into my bed.

Simeon and Levi are brothers;
their knives are vicious weapons.(B)
May I never enter their council;
may I never join their assembly.
For in their anger they kill men,
and on a whim they hamstring oxen.

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Footnotes

  1. 49:4 LXX, Syr, Tg read you

Turbulent as the waters,(A) you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.(B)

“Simeon(C) and Levi(D) are brothers—
    their swords[a] are weapons of violence.(E)
Let me not enter their council,
    let me not join their assembly,(F)
for they have killed men in their anger(G)
    and hamstrung(H) oxen as they pleased.

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Footnotes

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