Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 49:7

7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel .

Or, Cursed was. It was execrable and abominable both before God and Men, such as deserved and brought the curse of God upon themselves, which I, as Gods instrument, am now to pronounce against them.

(i. e.) I do here declare in the name of God that they shall be divided and dispersed in Iacob, &c. that is, among the children or Tribes of Iacob or Israel. Prophets are said to do what they foretel that God will do, as Ieremy is said to ro[illegible: 1+ letters]t out and pull down Kingdomes, Ier. 1. 10. and Ezekiel to d[illegible: 1+ letters]stroy the city. Ezek. 43. 3. Adde Hos. 6. 5. Note here how suitable their punishment was to their crime. They sinned by conspiracy and consederation in the counsel and action, and they are punished with division or separation not onely of the two brethren and their tribes, but of the children and families of the several Tribes, one from another. This was eminently fulfilled in the tribe of Levi, which had no proper portion or inheritance, but was scattered among all the Tribes, Ios. 18. 7. though afterwards God turned this curse into a blessing. And for Si[illegible: 1+ letters]on, he had no part of his own in the division of the land, but, the portion of Iudah being too large for that Tribe, he was taken into that lot, and was as an inmate to them, Ios. 19. 1, 2, 9. and afterwards part of them were forced to seek new seats, and so were divided from the rest of their brethren, 1 Chron. 4. 27, 39, 42. And moreover the Jewish Doctors write, that that Tribe was so straitned in their habitations and conveniencies, that a very great number of them were forced to scatter themselves amongst the other Tribes to get a subsistence by teaching their children.

Marginal references: Josh. 21. 5, 6, 7.