Genesis 49:7
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. 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.
Cursed anger in the verse is part of Jacob's dying blessing spoken under the Spirit with prophetic sight reaching far into the future, laying open past lives and future history to reveal God's purposes. It was uttered as he lay dying in Egypt, when he remembered and denounced the bloody deed at Shechem nearly fifty years afterward. The words were not spoken from an unforgiving or resentful paternal heart, for he had forgiven his children and loved them to the last. He had mourned the loss of Joseph and grieved over Simeon detained in Egypt, and by natural fatherly feeling would have uttered only love and tenderness in his dying testimony. God by prophecy lifted his mind above natural feeling, with angels around him in his last hours and the power of grace shining upon him, so he spoke painful truth by inspiration.
Spoken to his sorrowing sons, the word presents God's view of their deeds of violence and declares that God would visit them for their sins. It is gloomier than the prophetic words concerning his other sons, pronouncing a curse on fierce anger and cruel wrath. It shows that God by no means sanctions cruelty or wickedness but visits deeds of violence with judgment. The fierce, cruel, vindictive anger refers to deceptive dealing with the Shechemites followed by treacherous murder and cruel revengeful slaughter. Though Simeon and Levi had been provoked, their actions were grievously sinful. The anger also refers to their leading and most guilty part in the wicked treatment of Joseph in selling him.
The sentence to divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel is God's decree and judgment upon them for their sins. For Simeon this was fulfilled in becoming the smallest tribe, receiving only a small portion within Judah's territory, with some of its families later settling beyond the land's borders. For Levi this was fulfilled in receiving no territorial inheritance, but forty-eight cities scattered through the land. The Levites were instead supported by tithes and offerings rather than a landed inheritance. Repentance and faithfulness to God, maintained when the other tribes turned to apostasy, transformed that scattering curse into honor and blessing. The Levites were set apart for sanctuary service as ministers, teachers of the people, and representatives of God.