In this verse Jacob curses the anger of Simeon and Levi.

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce: for Cursed see 3.14. Anger renders the same Hebrew word as in Gen 49.6. Fierce when describing anger suggests anger that leads to violent, extreme, or cruel actions, as was the case of the slaughter of Shechem.

And their wrath, for it is cruel: this line expresses the same thought as the one before it. If translators find that the repetition does not emphasize the first idea but distracts from it, it will be better to use only one line.

The thought of the second half of the verse is that the descendants of Simeon and Levi are to be scattered among the other tribes in the land of Israel and will not possess their own territories. In the context of the dying father’s last words, this will say to readers in some cultures that Simeon and Levi, the next two sons in order of birth after Reuben, are also disqualified from the most important inheritance: “I do not pass on to you-two any of the family land.” See comments on Gen 49.4.

I will divide them in Jacob: for the translation see Good News Translation. The verbs translated divide and scatter are closely similar in meaning. Since the reference is not just to Simeon and Levi as individuals but more particularly to their descendants, it may be clearer to say, for example, “I will scatter your descendants throughout the land of Israel and make them live where the other tribes of Israel live” or “your descendants will not be able to stay together in one place—they will be scattered everywhere and mixed up with all the other clans.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .