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| | 49:4 |
[But because you were] unstable as water, you will no longer be first. This is because you moved your father's beds, committing a profane act. He moved my bed!
Pachaz kamayim al-totar ki alita mishkevey avicha az chilalta yetsu'i alah. |
| 49:5 |
'Simeon and Levi are a pair; instruments of crime are their wares.
Shim'on veLevi achim kley chamas mecheroteyhem. |
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Commentary:
you moved
(Sh'muel ben Chofni; Radak; Sherashim; Ibn Ezra; Bereshith Rabbah 98). See 1 Chronicles 5:1, that as a result of this, Reuben lost the birthright. There is a question as to whether this refers to the episode with the mandrakes (Genesis 30:14) or that with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22) (Bereshith Rabbah 98). The Hebrew can also be translated, 'he went up [on] his father's bed.' See note on Genesis 49:4, 'He moved my bed!'.
| He moved my bed!
(Ralbag; following cantellation notes). Literally, 'then you profaned my couch - went up.' Variously interpreted, 'You profaned that which went up on my couch' (Rashi); 'You profaned my couch, [but] went up [and repented]' (Lekach Tov); 'You profaned my exalted couch' (Saadia; Sekhel Tov); 'You profaned my couch; it is cut off' (Radak, Sherashim, s.v. Alah; Ibn Ezra; Bereshith Rabbah 98); 'You profaned my couch by removing it' (translation of Sh'muel ben Chofni); or '[Your instability] arose when you profaned my couch' (Radak, Sherashim).
| a pair
(Bereshith Rabbah 98; Rashi). Literally, 'brothers.'
| wares
(Saadia; Sh'muel ben Chofni; Ibn Ezra). Or 'weapons' (Rashi); 'brother' (Rashbam); 'companions' (Sekhel Tov); 'food' (Sh'muel ben Chofni); 'troops' (Ibn Janach). Others translate the verse, 'They are at home with instruments of crime' (Rashi; Ralbag; Bereshith Rabbah 98); or 'They plot with instruments of violence' (Septuagint).
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