1. Then Jacob sent for his sons. He said, "Gather around me so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.
2. "Sons of Jacob, come together and listen. Listen to your father Israel.
3. "Reuben, you are my oldest son. You were my first child. You were the first sign of my strength. You were first in honor. You were first in power.
4. But you are as unsteady as water. So you won't be first anymore. You had sex with your father's concubine in his bed. You lay on his couch and made it 'unclean.'
5. "Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords have killed a lot of people.
6. I won't share in their plans. I won't have anything to do with them. They became angry and killed people. They cut the legs of oxen just for the fun of it.
7. May the Lord put a curse on them because of their terrible anger. I will scatter them in Jacob's land. I will spread them around in Israel.