Genesis 49:1-7
New American Standard Bible
2Gather together and listen, sons of Jacob; Yes, listen to Israel your father.
3'Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 Uncontrollable as water, you shall not have preeminence, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.
5'Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence.
6May my soul not enter into their council; May my glory not be united with their assembly; For in their anger they killed men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen.
7Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them in Jacob, And disperse them among Israel.
King James Version
Christian Standard Bible
2Come together and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel:
3Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the firstfruits of my virility, excelling in prominence, excelling in power.
4Turbulent as water, you will not excel, because you got into your father’s bed and you defiled it—he got into my bed.
5Simeon and Levi are brothers; their knives are vicious weapons.
6May 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.
New Living Translation
3'Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power.
4But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.
5'Simeon and Levi are two of a kind; their weapons are instruments of violence.
6May I never join in their meetings; may I never be a party to their plans. For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport.
7A curse on their anger, for it is fierce; a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.
English Standard Version
2"Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.
3"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father 's bed; then you defiled it — he went up to my couch!
5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.
6Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
7Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
New International Version
2"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.
3"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
4Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.
5"Simeon and Levi are brothers— their swords are weapons of violence.
6Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
New King James Version
2“Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.
3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
4Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it— He went up to my couch.
5“Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
6 Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
7Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob And scatter them in Israel.
