Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
May their anger be cursed, because it was so fierce; and may their rage be cursed, because it was so cruel. I will separate them throughout Jacob's family and scatter them across Israel.
The writer is pronouncing judgment on destructive anger and rage, declaring that those who acted cruelly will be divided and scattered as consequence.
📚 Historical Context
In Genesis 49, Jacob is on his deathbed blessing his twelve sons and foretelling the future of their descendants in the nation of Israel. This particular verse addresses Simeon and Levi, condemning their fierce anger demonstrated in the earlier event at Shechem, where they violently avenged their sister Dinah by killing the men of the city. As a consequence, Jacob declares that their tribes will be divided and scattered throughout Israel, which later history shows as the tribe of Simeon being absorbed into Judah and Levi becoming scattered as priests.
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