Genesis 49

1 Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather around. I want to tell you what you can expect in the days to come."
2 Come together, listen sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.
3-4 Reuben, you're my firstborn, my strength, first proof of my manhood, at the top in honor and at the top in power, But like a bucket of water spilled, you'll be at the top no more, Because you climbed into your father's marriage bed, mounting that couch, and you defiled it.
5-6 Simeon and Levi are two of a kind, ready to fight at the drop of a hat. I don't want anything to do with their vendettas, want no part in their bitter feuds; They kill men in fits of temper, slash oxen on a whim.
7 A curse on their uncontrolled anger, on their indiscriminate wrath. I'll throw them out with the trash; I'll shred and scatter them like confetti throughout Israel.
8-12 You, Judah, your brothers will praise you: Your fingers on your enemies' throat, while your brothers honor you. You're a lion's cub, Judah, home fresh from the kill, my son. Look at him, crouched like a lion, king of beasts; who dares mess with him? The scepter shall not leave Judah; he'll keep a firm grip on the command staff Until the ultimate ruler comes and the nations obey him. He'll tie up his donkey to the grapevine, his purebred prize to a sturdy branch. He will wash his shirt in wine and his cloak in the blood of grapes, His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.
13 Zebulun settles down on the seashore; he's a safe harbor for ships, right alongside Sidon.
14-15 Issachar is one tough donkey crouching between the corrals; When he saw how good the place was, how pleasant the country, He gave up his freedom and went to work as a slave.
16-17 Dan will handle matters of justice for his people; he will hold his own just fine among the tribes of Israel. Dan is only a small snake in the grass, a lethal serpent in ambush by the road When he strikes a horse in the heel, and brings its huge rider crashing down.
18 I wait in hope for your salvation, God.
19 Gad will be attacked by bandits, but he will trip them up.
20 Asher will become famous for rich foods, candies and sweets fit for kings.
21-26 Naphtali is a deer running free that gives birth to lovely fawns. Joseph is a wild donkey, a wild donkey by a spring, spirited donkeys on a hill. The archers with malice attacked, shooting their hate-tipped arrows; But he held steady under fire, his bow firm, his arms limber, With the backing of the Champion of Jacob, the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel. The God of your father—may he help you! And may The Strong God—may he give you his blessings, Blessings tumbling out of the skies, blessings bursting up from the Earth— blessings of breasts and womb. May the blessings of your father exceed the blessings of the ancient mountains, surpass the delights of the eternal hills; May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the one consecrated among his brothers.
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; all morning he gorges on his kill, at evening divides up what's left over.

28  All these are the tribes of Israel, the twelve tribes. And this is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each one with his own special farewell blessing.

29-32  Then he instructed them: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah facing Mamre in the land of Canaan, the field Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial plot. Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there; Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried there; I also buried Leah there. The field and the cave were bought from the Hittites."

33  Jacob finished instructing his sons, pulled his feet into bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 49

The Blessing of Jacob

1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell yout what will happen to you in the future.t

2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might and the beginning of my strength,
outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.

4 You are destructivet like water and will not excel,t
for you got on your father’s bed,s
then you defiled it – he got on my couch!t

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,
weapons of violence are their knives!t

6 O my soul, do not come into their council,
do not be united to their assembly, my heart,t
for in their anger they have killed men,
and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen.

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

8 Judah,s your brothers will praise you.
Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies,
your father’s sons will bow down before you.

9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He crouches and lies down like a lion;
like a lioness – who will rouse him?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,t
until he comes to whom it belongs;t
the nations will obey him.t

11 Binding his foal to the vine,
and his colt to the choicest vine,
he will washt his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes will be dark from wine,
and his teeth white from milk.t

13 Zebulun will livet by the haven of the sea
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend to Sidon.

14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey
lying down between two saddlebags.

15 When he seest a good resting place,
and the pleasant land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
and become a slave laborer.s

16 Dans will judget his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 May Dan be a snake beside the road,
a viper by the path,
that bites the heels of the horse
so that its rider falls backward.s

18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord.s

19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands,
but he will attack them at their heels.ss

20 Asher’ss food will be rich,t
and he will provide delicaciest to royalty.

21 Naphtali is a free running doe,t
he speaks delightful words.ts

22 Joseph is a fruitful bough,t
a fruitful bough near a spring
whose branchest climb over the wall.

23 The archers will attack him,t
they will shoot at him and oppose him.

24 But his bow will remain steady,
and his handst will be skillful;
because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because oft the Shepherd, the Rockt of Israel,

25 because of the God of your father,
who will help you,t
because of the sovereign God,t
who will bless yout
with blessings from the sky above,
blessings from the deep that lies below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.s

26 The blessings of your father are greater
thant the blessings of the eternal mountainst
or the desirable things of the age-old hills.
They will be on the head of Joseph
and on the brow of the prince of his brothers.t

27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
in the morning devouring the prey,
and in the evening dividing the plunder.”

28 Theset are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing.t
29 Then he instructed them,t “I am about to got to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.30 It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite.31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.

32 The field and the cave in it were acquired from the sons of Heth.”t

33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and wentt to his people.