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.
Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which 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 might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in dignity, and excelling 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.
Boiling over like water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to 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.
My soul, don’t come into their council. My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In their self-will they hamstrung cattle.
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 was fierce; and their wrath, 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 have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, 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 sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. The obedience of the peoples will be to him.
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, his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine, 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 red with wine, his teeth white with 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 haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on 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.
He saw a resting place, that it was good, the land, that it was pleasant. He bows his shoulder to the burden, and becomes a servant doing forced labour.
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 trail, an adder in the path, that bites the horse’s heels, so that his rider falls backward.
18 I trust in you to save me, Lord.
I have waited for your salvation, LORD.
19 Raiders will attack Gad, but he will attack their heels.
“A troop will press on Gad, but he will press on their heel.
20 Asher will have delicious food—he'll produce fancy food for royalty.
“Asher’s food will be rich. He will produce royal dainties.
21 Naphtali is a deer that's free to run; it gives birth to beautiful fawns.
“Naphtali is a doe set free, who 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 vine, a fruitful vine by a spring. His branches run over the wall.
23 The archers viciously attacked him; they shot their arrows at him with hate.
The archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecuted 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.
But his bow remained strong. The arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (from there is the shepherd, the stone 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.
even by the God of your father, who will help you, by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, 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 have prevailed above the blessings of my ancestors, above the boundaries of the ancient hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who is separated from 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. 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 spoke to them, and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his own 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.
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 Hittite,
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 before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite 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 Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:
32 The field and the cave were bought from the Hittites.”
the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children 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 charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, breathed his last breath, and was gathered to his people.
