Not Untied

In Deuteronomy 33, Moses records the various “blessings” which he prophesied over the tribes of the children of Israel before his death. “And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of [Reuben] before his death… Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few [Deuteronomy 33:1 & 6]." In adding one three- letter word (“not”) to the text of verse 6, the translators turned the text against itself.

If the added “not” is removed from Deuteronomy 33:6, the result reads: “Let Reuben live, and not die; and let his men be few.” This is a complete sentence and a full thought. Why would the translators add “not” to a text which is complete without it, if not to overturn the gist of the text? Why would the king's translators edit what they've been commissioned to translate, unless under political pressure to do so? After all, this isn't be the first blessing- turned- into- a- curse recorded in the ‘Holy Bible' canon: therefore the case for leaving the text alone enjoys precedent- based merit.

In Genesis 49, the “blessings” bestowed upon the twelve patriarchs [“Every [patriarch] according to his blessing [Jacob] blessed them.”] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel by their father “Israel” (which is to say Jacob) are recorded by Moses. Of these twelve blessings, two are explicit, overt curses.

In his “parting shot,” Jacob (according to Moses) takes a swipe at two of his children– Simeon and Levi– saying the trademark of their brotherhood is their cruelty; and cursing it as unconscionable. Moses says Jacob (“Israel”) said, “5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. 6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united… 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 [Genesis 49:5 - 7].”

Scattered- and- divided is not established- and- united. Jacob's “blessing” of Simeon and Levi is a curse (uttered by “Israel [Genesis 49:2]”) dividing brothers. Why, then, would the translators add “not” to the text of Deuteronomy 33:6? Where's the coverup? What’s the caper? Perhaps the addition of “not” to Deuteronomy 33:6 is simply a Vatican- style figleaf applied by the translators to the text to cover Reuben's nakedness uncovered therein. Jacob (“Israel”) also cursed Reuben in “blessing” all his children before the day of his death, after all.

According to Moses, Jacob (“Israel”) himself said of Reuben: “Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch [Genesis 49:4].” The inspiration for Jacob's (which is to say “Israel's”) ‘blessed’ cursing of Reuben, alluded to by Moses in Genesis 49, is found in Genesis 35:22: “...Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it.” Cometh, then, the curse of Deuteronomy 33:6 without cause? Why cover it up?