Genesis — Chapter 49

1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

3Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

4Unstable 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.

5Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

7Cursed 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.

8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

9Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

11Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

12His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

13Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

14Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

15And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

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

17Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

18I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

19Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

20Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

21Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

22Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

23The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

24But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

25Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

26The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

27Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

29And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

31There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

32The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

33And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the latter days.

2Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; And hearken unto Israel your father.

3Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.

4Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father`s bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

5Simeon and Levi are brethren; Weapons of violence are their swords.

6O my soul, come not thou into their council; Unto their assembly, my glory, be not thou united; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hocked an ox.

7Cursed 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.

8Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise: Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; Thy father`s sons shall bow down before thee.

9Judah is a lion`s whelp; From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?

10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler`s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come: And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.

11Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass`s colt unto the choice vine; He hath washed his garments in wine, And his vesture in the blood of grapes:

12His eyes shall be red with wine, And his teeth white with milk.

13Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; And he shall be for a haven of ships; And his border shall be upon Sidon.

14Issachar is a strong ass, Couching down between the sheepfolds:

15And he saw a resting-place that it was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And became a servant under taskwork.

16Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.

17Dan shall be a serpent in the way, An adder in the path, That biteth the horse`s heels, So that his rider falleth backward.

18I have waited for thy salvation, O Jehovah.

19Gad, a troop shall press upon him; But he shall press upon their heel.

20Out of the Asher his bread shall be fat, And he shall yield royal dainties.

21Naphtali is a hind let loose: He giveth goodly words.

22Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a fountain; His branches run over the wall.

23The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and persecute him:

24But his bow abode in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong, By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),

25Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, And by the Almighty, who shall bless thee, With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that coucheth beneath, Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

26The blessings of thy father Have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

27Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth: In the morning she shall devour the prey, And at even he shall divide the spoil.

28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

29And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30in 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 for a possession of a burying-place.

31there they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah:

32the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.

33And when Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

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

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

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

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

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

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

7Cursed 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!

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

9You 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17May 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.

18I wait for your deliverance, O Lord.

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

20Asher’s food will be rich, and he will provide delicacies to royalty.

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

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

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

24But his bow will remain steady, and his hands will be skillful; because of the hands of the Powerful One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

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

26The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the eternal mountains 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.

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

28These 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.

29Then he instructed them, “I am about to go to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.

30It 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.

31There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.

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

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

1Jacob 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.

2Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.

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

4Boiling 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 brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.

6My 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.

7Cursed 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. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow down before you.

9Judah 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?

10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. To him will the obedience of the peoples be.

11Binding 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.

12His eyes will be red with wine, his teeth white with milk.

13“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 the saddlebags.

15He 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 labor.

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

17Dan will be a serpent on the trail, an adder in the path, That bites the horse’s heels, so that his rider falls backward.

18I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.

19“A troop will press on Gad, but he will press on their heel.

20“Asher’s food will be rich. He will produce royal dainties.

21“Naphtali is a doe set free, who bears beautiful fawns.

22“Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring. His branches run over the wall.

23The archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecuted him:

24But 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),

25even 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.

26The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of your 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 ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the plunder.”

28All 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 blessing.

29He 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,

30in 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.

31There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:

32the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.”

33When Jacob finished charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.