Genesis 49:7

Genesis 49:7

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.

a. NLT: A 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. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: 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.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Cursed is their anger, for it is fierce, And their wrath, for it is sharp; I divide them in Jacob, And I scatter them in Israel. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and [d]scatter them in Israel.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: Cursed be their wrath, for it was willful, and their anger, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. 

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Accursed is their rage for it is intense, and their wrath for it is harsh; I will separate them within Jacob, and I will disperse them in Israel. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel…”

a. Cursed [Strong: 779 'arar aw-rar' a primitive root; to execrate:--X bitterly curse.]

b. [be] their] anger [Strong: 639 'aph af from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, + forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril, snout, X worthy, wrath.]

c. for [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

d. [it was] fierce [Strong: 5794 `az az from 5810; strong, vehement, harsh:--fierce, + greedy, mighty, power, roughly, strong.]

e. [and their] wrath [Strong: 5678 `ebrah eb-raw' feminine of 5676; an outburst of passion:--anger, rage, wrath.]

f. for [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

g. [it was] cruel [Strong: 7185 qashah kaw-shaw' a primitive root; properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe (in various applications):--be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ((ask a), be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en, (labour), -ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff(-en, (-necked)).]

2. “...I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”

a. [i will] divide [them] [Strong: 2505 chalaq khaw-lak' a primitive root; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate:--deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have, im-)part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self, (be) smooth(-er).]

b. [in] Jacob [Strong: 3290 Ya`aqob yah-ak-obe' from 6117; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch:--Jacob.]

c. [and] scatter [them] [Strong: 6327 puwts poots a primitive root; to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse):--break (dash, shake) in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive, retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad.]

d. [in] Israel [Strong: 3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale' from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: --Israel.]

1). William Varner, Jacob’s Dozen: Because of their misdeeds, Jacob pronounced the following prophecy on the descendants of Simeon and Levi: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:7). The meaning is simple: neither Simeon nor Levi would possess his own separate portion of the Promised Land...Simeon and Levi would be scattered throughout the tribal portions...Simeon’s portion is given in Joshua 19:1-9. The cities within Judah that were assigned to Simeon were all in the arid and barren region known as the Negev, a most inhospitable area for cultivation and the settled life. This divided existence without a centralized tribal organization.

a). Joshua 19:1-9  And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

19:2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and Moladah,

19:3 And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem,

19:4 And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,

19:5 And Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusah,

19:6 And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:

19:7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:

19:8 And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.

19:9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.

2). William Varner, Jacob’s Dozen: Although landless regarding their inheritance, the Levites actually were the most privileged of all the tribes. Not only was the LORD was Levi’s inheritance, Levi had the privilege of standing before the LORD for all of Israel. 

a). Deuteronomy 10:1 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him.

b). Deuteronomy 18:1-5 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance.

18:2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.

18:3 And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

18:4 The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

18:5 For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever.

3). William Varner, Jacob’s Dozen: How is it that the prophecy which proved to be a curse for the Simeonites actually turned into a blessing for the Levites? The answer is found in Exodus 32, and the sin of worshipping the golden calf, and the zeal that the Levites demonstrated in obeying the command of Moses in executing divine punishment. By obeying the command of Moses they were awarded place in the priesthood and Tabernacle.

a). Exodus 32:25-29 And when Moses saw that the people were unruly and unrestrained (for Aaron had let them get out of control, so that they were a derision and object of shame among their enemies),

32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoever is on the Lord’s side, let him come to me. And all the Levites [the priestly tribe] gathered together to him.

32:27 And he said to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Every man put his sword on his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.

32:28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about 3000 men.

32:29 And Moses said [to the Levites, By your obedience to God’s command] you have consecrated yourselves today [as priests] to the Lord, each man [at the cost of being] against his own son and his own brother, that the Lord may restore and bestow His blessing upon you this day.