Genesis 49

Jacob's Last Words

1 Then Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.

2 Come together and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel:

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my strength and the firstfruits of my virility,
excelling in prominence, excelling in power.

4 Turbulent as water, you will no longer excel,
because you got into your father's bed
and you defiled it-he got into my bed.

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers;
their knives are vicious weapons.
6 May I never enter their council;
may I never join their assembly.
For in their anger they kill men,
and on a whim they hamstring oxen.

7 Their anger is cursed, for it is strong,
and their fury, for it is cruel!
I will disperse them throughout Jacob
and scatter them throughout Israel.

8 Judah, your brothers will praise you.
Your hand will be on the necks of your enemies;
your father's sons will bow down to you.
9 Judah is a young lion-
my son, you return from the kill.
He crouches; he lies down like a lion
or a lioness-who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah
or the staff from between his feet
until He whose right it is comes
and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him.
11 He ties his donkey to a vine,
and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine
and his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.

13 Zebulun will live by the seashore
and will be a harbor for ships,
and his territory will be next to Sidon.

14 Issachar is a strong donkey
lying down between the saddlebags.

15 He saw that his resting place was good
and that the land was pleasant,
so he leaned his shoulder to bear a load
and became a forced laborer.

16 Dan will judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 He will be a snake by the road,
a viper beside the path,
that bites the horses' heels
so that its rider falls backward.

18 I wait for Your salvation, Lord.

19 Gad will be attacked by raiders,
but he will attack their heels.

20 Asher's food will be rich,
and he will produce royal delicacies.

21 Naphtali is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns.

22 Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine beside a spring;
its branches climb over the wall.
23 The archers attacked him,
shot at him, and were hostile toward him.
24 Yet his bow remained steady,
and his strong arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 by the God of your father who helps you,
and by the Almighty who blesses you
with blessings of the heavens above,
blessings of the deep that lies below,
and blessings of the breasts and the womb.

26 The blessings of your father excel
the blessings of my ancestors
and the bounty of the eternal hills.
May they rest on the head of Joseph,
on the crown of the prince of his brothers.

27 Benjamin is a wolf; he tears [his prey].
In the morning he devours the prey,
and in the evening he divides the plunder."

28 These are the tribes of Israel, 12 in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.

Jacob's Burial Instructions

29 Then he commanded them: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 30 The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. 31 Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there, Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there, and I buried Leah there. 32 The field and the cave in it [were purchased] from the Hittites."

33 When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and died. He was gathered to his people.

Genesis 49

Jacob blesses his sons

1-2 Jacob called his sons together and said:
My sons, I am Jacob,
your father Israel.
Come, gather around,
as I tell your future.

3 Reuben, you are my eldest,
born at the peak of my powers;
you were an honoured leader.

4 Uncontrollable as a flood,
you slept with my wife
and disgraced my bed.
And so you no longer deserve
the place of honour.

5 Simeon and Levi,
you are brothers,
each a gruesome sword.

6 I never want to take part
in your plans or deeds.
You slaughtered people
in your anger,
and you crippled cattle
for no reason.

7 Now I place a curse on you
because of
your fierce anger.
Your descendants
will be scattered
among the tribes of Israel.

8 Judah, you will be praised
by your brothers;
they will bow down to you,
as you defeat your enemies.

9 My son, you are a liont
ready to eat your victim!
You are terribly fierce;
no one will bother you.

10 You will have power and rule
until nations obey yout
and come bringing gifts.

11 You will tie your donkey
to a choice grapevine
and wash your clothes
in wine from those grapes.

12 Your eyes are darker than wine,
your teeth whiter than milk.

13 Zebulun, you will settle
along the seashore
and provide safe harbours
as far north as Sidon.

14 Issachar, you are a strong donkey
resting in the meadows.t

15 You found them so pleasant
that you worked too hard
and became a slave.

16 Dan,t you are the tribe
that will bring justice
to Israel.

17 You are a snake that bites
the heel of a horse,
making its rider fall.

18 Our Lord, I am waiting
for you to save us.

19 Gad,t you will be attacked,
then attack your attackers.

20 Asher, you will eat food
fine enough for a king.

21 Naphtali, you are a wild deer
with lovely fawns.t

22 Joseph, you are a fruitful vine
growing near a stream
and climbing a wall.t

23 Enemies attacked with arrows,
refusing to show mercy.

24 But you stood your ground,
swiftly shooting back
with the help of Jacob's God,
the All-Powerful One—
his name is the Shepherd,
Israel's mighty rock.t

25 Your help came from the God
your father worshipped,
from God All-Powerful.
God will bless you with rain
and streams from the earth;
he will bless you
with many descendants.

26 My son, the blessings I give
are better than the promise
of ancient mountains
or eternal hills.t
Joseph, I pray these blessings
will come to you,
because you are the leader
of your brothers.

27 Benjamin, you are a fierce wolf,
destroying your enemies
morning and evening.

28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is how Jacob gave each of them their proper blessings.

Jacob's death

29-31 Jacob told his sons:tt
Soon I will die, and I want you to bury me in Machpelah Cave. Abraham bought this cave as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, and it is near the town of Mamre in Canaan. Abraham and Sarah are buried there, and so are Isaac and Rebekah. I buried Leah there too.

32 Both the cave and the land that goes with it were bought from the Hittites.
33 When Jacob had finished giving these instructions to his sons, he lay down on his bed and died.t