Genesis

Genesis 49:3–7

³Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might,

and the beginning of my strength,

excelling in honor,

excelling in power.

⁴Uncontrolled as the waters,

you will no longer excel,

because you went up to your father’s bed,

onto my couch, and defiled it.

⁵Simeon and Levi are brothers;

their swords^a are weapons of violence.

⁶May I never enter their council;

may I never join their assembly.

For they kill men in their anger,

and hamstring oxen on a whim.

⁷Cursed be their anger, for it is strong,

and their wrath, for it is cruel!

I will disperse them in Jacob

and scatter them in Israel.

Footnotes

a 49:5 Or dwelling places

Read all of Genesis 49

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 49:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Reuben	רְאוּבֵן֙	rə·’ū·ḇên	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7205 Reuben
you	אַ֔תָּה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are my firstborn	בְּכֹ֣רִי	bə·ḵō·rî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1060 first-born
my might	כֹּחִ֖י	kō·ḥî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3581 strength, power
and the beginning	וְרֵאשִׁ֣ית	wə·rê·šîṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H7225 beginning, chief
of my strength	אוֹנִ֑י	’ō·w·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H202 vigour, wealth
excelling	יֶ֥תֶר	ye·ṯer	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3499 remainder, excellence, excess
in honor	שְׂאֵ֖ת	śə·’êṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H7613 exaltation, dignity
excelling	וְיֶ֥תֶר	wə·ye·ṯer	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3499 remainder, excellence, excess
in power	עָֽז׃	‘āz	Adjective - masculine singular	H5794 strong, mighty, fierce

Genesis 49:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Uncontrolled	פַּ֤חַז	pa·ḥaz	Noun - masculine singular	H6349 wantonness, recklessness, unbridled license
as the waters	כַּמַּ֙יִם֙	kam·ma·yim	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
you will no	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
longer excel	תּוֹתַ֔ר	tō·w·ṯar	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular	H3498 remain over
because	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you went up	עָלִ֖יתָ	‘ā·lî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
to your father’s	אָבִ֑יךָ	’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
bed	מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י	miš·kə·ḇê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4904 place of lying, couch; act of lying
onto	עָלָֽה׃פ	‘ā·lāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
my couch	יְצוּעִ֥י	yə·ṣū·‘î	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3326 couch, bed
and	אָ֥ז	’āz	Adverb	H227 at that time, then
defiled it	חִלַּ֖לְתָּ	ḥil·lal·tā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H2490 bore, pierce

Genesis 49:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Simeon	שִׁמְע֥וֹן	šim·‘ō·wn	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8095 Shimon
and Levi	וְלֵוִ֖י	wə·lê·wî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3878 Levi
are brothers	אַחִ֑ים	’a·ḥîm	Noun - masculine plural	H251 brother
their swords	מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶֽם׃	mə·ḵê·rō·ṯê·hem	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4380 sword
are weapons	כְּלֵ֥י	kə·lê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3627 article, utensil, vessel
of violence	חָמָ֖ס	ḥā·mās	Noun - masculine singular	H2555 violence, wrong

Genesis 49:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May I	נַפְשִׁ֔י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
never	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
enter	תָּבֹ֣א	tā·ḇō	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
their council	בְּסֹדָם֙	bə·sō·ḏām	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5475 council, counsel
may I	כְּבֹדִ֑י	kə·ḇō·ḏî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3519 abundance, honour, glory
never	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
join	תֵּחַ֣ד	tê·ḥaḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3161 be united
their assembly	בִּקְהָלָ֖ם	biq·hā·lām	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine plural	H6951 assembly, convocation, congregation
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they kill	הָ֣רְגוּ	hā·rə·ḡū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2026 kill, slay
men	אִ֔ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
in their anger	בְאַפָּם֙	ḇə·’ap·pām	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
and hamstring	עִקְּרוּ־	‘iq·qə·rū-	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H6131 pluck or root up
oxen	שֽׁוֹר׃	šō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H7794 head of cattle
on a whim	וּבִרְצֹנָ֖ם	ū·ḇir·ṣō·nām	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H7522 goodwill, favour, acceptance, will

Genesis 49:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Cursed	אָר֤וּר	’ā·rūr	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H779 curse
their anger	אַפָּם֙	’ap·pām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it is strong	עָ֔ז	‘āz	Adjective - masculine singular	H5794 strong, mighty, fierce
and their wrath	וְעֶבְרָתָ֖ם	wə·‘eḇ·rā·ṯām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5678 overflow, arrogance, fury
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it is cruel	קָשָׁ֑תָה	qā·šā·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H7185 be hard, severe, fierce
I will disperse them	אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם	’ă·ḥal·lə·qêm	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine plural	H2505 divide, share
in Jacob	בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב	bə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
and scatter them	וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם	wa·’ă·p̄î·ṣêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine plural	H6327 be dispersed, scattered
in Israel	בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ס	bə·yiś·rā·’êl	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel