Genesis 49
1 Jacob called his sons together, and said, “Gather round so I can tell you what's going to happen to you in the future.
Then Jacob summoned his sons, and said: "Gather yourselves together so that I may tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.
2 Come here, sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father.
Assemble yourselves and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.
3 Reuben. You are my firstborn, conceived when I was strong, born when I was vigorous! You were above all others is position, above all others in power.
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, and the the firstfruits of my virility, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 But you boil over like water, so you won't be above anyone anymore, because you went and slept with my concubine; you violated my marriage bed.
Uncontrolled as the waters, you will not have excel, because you went up to your father's bed, you went up and defiled my couch.
5 Simeon and Levi are two of the same kind—they use their weapons for destructive violence.
Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.
6 I refuse to be part of their decisions; I refuse to participate in what they do. For they killed men in their anger; they crippled cattle just for fun.
May I never enter their council. May my honor never be joined with their assembly. For in their anger they killed men, and for pleasure they hamstrung oxen.
7 I curse their anger because it is too harsh; I curse their fury because it is too cruel! I will separate their descendants throughout Jacob; I will scatter them throughout Israel.
Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce, and their fury, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will defeat your enemies. Your father's sons shall bow down to you in respect.
Judah, 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 My son Judah is a young lion coming back from eating its prey. He crouches and lies down like a lion. Like a lion, who would dare to disturb him?
Judah is a lion's cub. From the prey, my son, you rise up. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?
10 Judah will always hold the scepter, and the staff of authority will always be at his feet until Shiloh comes; the nations will obey him.
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. And it is he whom the peoples will obey.
11 He ties his donkey to the vine, his donkey's colt to the best vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the red juice of grapes.
Binding his foal to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the choice vine. He will wash his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes sparkle more than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.
His eyes will be darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
13 Zebulun will live on the seashore and provide a harbor for ships; his territory will extend towards Sidon.
Zebulun will dwell at the seashore, and he will be a harbor for ships, and his border will be at Sidon.
14 Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between two saddle bags.
Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the saddlebags.
15 He sees that the place where he's resting is good, and the land is lovely, so he's willing to lower his back to accept the burden and to work as a slave.
When he sees a good resting place, that the land is pleasant, he will bend his back to the burden, and become a slave doing forced labor.
16 Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be as dangerous as a snake beside the road, a viper by the path that bites the horse's heel, throwing its rider off backwards.
Dan will be a serpent on the road, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels so that his rider falls backward.
18 I trust in you to save me, Lord.
I wait for your salvation, God.
19 Raiders will attack Gad, but he will attack their heels.
Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will raid at their heels.
20 Asher will have delicious food—he'll produce fancy food for royalty.
Asher's food will be rich, and he will provide royal delicacies.
21 Naphtali is a deer that's free to run; it gives birth to beautiful fawns.
Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
22 Joseph is a fruitful tree, a fruitful tree beside a spring, whose branches climb over the wall.
Joseph is a fruitful son, a fruitful son by a spring. His branches run over a wall.
23 The archers viciously attacked him; they shot their arrows at him with hate.
The archers will attack him with bitterness, and shoot at him, and harass him.
24 But he held his bow steady, and his arms and hands moved quickly in the strength of the Mighty One of Jacob, who is called the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
Yet his bow will remain steady, and his arms will be made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 The God of your father will help you and the Almighty will bless you with blessings from the heavens above, with blessings from the depths below, with blessings for many children.
by the God of your father, who will help you, and El Shaddai, who will bless you with blessings of the sky above, blessings of the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings your father received were greater than the blessings of his forefathers, more than the blessings of the eternal mountains. May they be upon the head of Joseph, on the forehead of the one set apart as a leader from his brothers.
The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, and the bounty of the everlasting hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
27 Benjamin is a vicious wolf. In the morning he destroys his enemies, in the evening he divides the loot.”
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey, and at evening he will divide the plunder."
28 These are all of the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father told them as he blessed them, each according to their respective blessings.
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed each one with his own individual blessing.
29 Then he gave them the following instructions: “I'm going to die soon. Bury me with my forefathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
Then he instructed them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hethite,
30 This is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, that Abraham bought together with the field from Ephron the Hittite to own as a burial site.
in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hethite as a burial place.
31 Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there, Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried there, and I buried Leah there.
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 were bought from the Hittites.”
The field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the sons of Heth."
33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions he pulled up his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his forefathers in death.
When Jacob finished instructing his sons, he drew his legs up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
