3. Reuben, you are my eldest,born at the peak of my powers;you were an honoured leader.
4. Uncontrollable as a flood,you slept with my wifeand disgraced my bed.And so you no longer deservethe place of honour.
5. Simeon and Levi,you are brothers,each a gruesome sword.
6. I never want to take partin your plans or deeds.You slaughtered peoplein your anger,and you crippled cattlefor no reason.
7. Now I place a curse on youbecause ofyour fierce anger.Your descendantswill be scatteredamong the tribes of Israel.
8. Judah, you will be praisedby your brothers;they will bow down to you,as you defeat your enemies.
9. My son, you are a lionready to eat your victim!You are terribly fierce;no one will bother you.
29-31. Jacob told his sons:Soon I will die, and I want you to bury me in Machpelah Cave. Abraham bought this cave as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, and it is near the town of Mamre in Canaan. Abraham and Sarah are buried there, and so are Isaac and Rebekah. I buried Leah there too.
32. Both the cave and the land that goes with it were bought from the Hittites.
33. When Jacob had finished giving these instructions to his sons, he lay down on his bed and died.