Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 4. Pouring out like the waters] This is an obscure sentence because unfinished. It evidently relates to the defilement of his father's couch; and the word zjp pachaz, here translated pouring out, and in our Version unstable, has a bad meaning in other places of the Scripture, being applied to dissolute, debauched, and licentious conduct. See Judg. ix. 4; Zeph. iii. 4; Jeremiah xxiii. 14, 32; xxix. 23.
Thou shalt not excel] This tribe never rose to any eminence in Israel; was not so numerous by one third as either Judah, Joseph, or Dan, when Moses took the sum of them in the wilderness, Num. i. 21; and was among the first that were carried into captivity, 1 Chron. v. 26.
Then thou didst defile] Another unfinished sentence, similar to the former, and upon the same subject, passing over a transaction covertly, which delicacy forbade Jacob to enlarge on. For the crime of Reuben, See on ""chap. xxxv. 22"".
5. Simeon and Levi, brethren: They have accomplished their fraudulent purposes. 6. Into their secret council my soul did not come; In their confederacy my honour was not united: For in their anger they slew a man, ( ¨ya ish, a noble,) And in their pleasure they murdered a prince. 7. Cursed was their anger, for it was fierce! And their excessive wrath, for it was inflexible! I will divide them out in Jacob, And I will disperse them in Israel.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-7 - Reuben was the first-born; but by gross sin, he forfeited the birthright. The character of Reuben is, that he was unstable as water Men do not thrive, because they do not fix. Reuben's sin left a lastin infamy upon his family. Let us never do evil, then we need not fea being told of it. Simeon and Levi were passionate and revengeful. The murder of the Shechemites is a proof of this. Jacob protested agains that barbarous act. Our soul is our honour; by its powers we ar distinguished from, and raised above, the beasts that perish. We ought from our hearts, to abhor all bloody and mischievous men. Cursed by their anger. Jacob does not curse their persons, but their lusts. will divide them. The sentence as it respects Levi was turned into blessing. This tribe performed an acceptable service in their zea against the worshippers of the golden calf, Ex 32. Being set apart to God as priests, they were in that character scattered through the nation of Israel.
Original Hebrew פחז6349 כמים4325 אל408 תותר3498 כי3588 עלית5927 משׁכבי4904 אביך1 אז227 חללת2490 יצועי3326 עלה׃5927
