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Jacob’s Final Blessings

49 After this, Jacob called his sons together and told them, “Assemble yourselves around me[a] so I can tell you all what is going to happen to you in the last days.[b]

“Gather together and listen,
    you children of Jacob.
        Listen to your father Israel.”

On the Future of Reuben

“Reuben, you’re my firstborn,
    my strength,
        and the first fruit of my vitality.
You excel in rank
    and excel in power.
But you’re as undisciplined as a roaring river,
    so eventually you won’t succeed,
because you got in your father’s bed,[c]
    defiled it, and then approached my couch.”

On the Future of Simeon and Levi

“Simeon and Levi are brothers;
    their swords are violent weapons.
I’ll[d] never join their council;
    I’ll never enter their assembly.
In their anger they committed murder
    and lamed cattle just for fun.
Their anger is cursed,
    because it is so fierce,
as is their vehemence,
    because it is so cruel.
I will separate them throughout Jacob’s territory[e]
    and disperse them throughout Israel.”

On the Future of Judah

“Your brothers will praise you, Judah.[f]
    Your hand will be at the throat of your enemies,
and your father’s children will bow down to you.
Judah is a lion cub.
    My son, you have gone up from the prey.
Crouching like a lion,
    he lies down,
Like a lioness,
    who would dare rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until the one[g] comes, who owns them both,[h]
    and to him will belong the allegiance[i] of nations.
11 Binding his donkey to the vine
    and his mare’s foal to its thick tendrils,
he will wash his garments in wine
    and his robe in the juice of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine
    and his teeth whiter than milk.”

On the Future of Zebulun

13 “Zebulun will settle down near the sea shore
    and become a safe haven for shipping,
        bordering Sidon.”

On the Future of Issachar

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey,
    resting between sheepfolds.
15 He observed that his resting place was excellent,
    and that the land was pleasant;
he bent down,
    picked up his burdens,
        and became a slave at forced labor.”

On the Future of Dan

16 “Dan will judge[j] his people
    as one of Israel’s tribes.
17 Dan will be a snake on the path,
    a viper on the road
that snaps at the heels of horses,
    causing their riders to fall off.

18 Lord, I’m waiting for your salvation.”

On the Future of Gad

19 “Bandits will raid Gad,
    but Gad will raid them back.”[k]

On the Future of Asher

20 “Asher’s food will be delicious;
    he will be a provider of delicacies fit for royalty.”

On the Future of Naphtali

21 “Naphtali is a free running deer
    who produces eloquent literature.”

On the Future of Joseph

22 “Joseph is descended from a fruitful vine,
    a fruitful vine planted near springs of water.
        His branches climb over walls.
23 Even though enemies[l] attacked him,
    shooting at him
        and pursuing him viciously,
24 nevertheless his bow remained steady
    and his arms kept in shape
        by the strength of Jacob’s Mighty One,
in the name of the Shepherd,
    Israel’s Rock,
25 by your father’s God
    who helps you,
by the Almighty
    who will keep on blessing you
with blessings from heaven above,
    with blessings from the deepest ocean,
with blessing from the breasts and the womb.
26 Your father’s blessings will prove to be stronger
    than blessings from the eternal mountains
        or bounties from the everlasting hills.
May they come to rest on Joseph’s head,
    May they be set upon the brow of the one
        who was separated from his own brothers.”

On the Future of Benjamin

27 “Benjamin is vicious like a wolf;
    what he kills in the morning
        he devours in the evening.”

Jacob Dies and is Buried

28 That’s how Israel blessed these[m] twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father told them when he pronounced his blessing for them, blessing each one with a blessing suitable for them. 29 In his last words, Jacob[n] issued this set of instructions to them all: “I’m about to join[o] our ancestors. Bury me alongside my ancestors in the cave in the field that used to belong to Ephron the Hittite. 30 It’s the cave in the field near Mamre at Machpelah in the land of Canaan that Abraham bought to serve as a cemetery. 31 It’s where Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, where Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and where I buried Leah. 32 Both the field and the cave that’s in it were purchased from the Hittites.”

33 After concluding this set of instructions to his sons, Jacob[p] tucked his feet up into bed, quit breathing, and was gathered to his ancestors.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:1 The Heb. lacks around me
  2. Genesis 49:1 Or in days to come
  3. Genesis 49:4 Cf. Gen 35:22
  4. Genesis 49:6 Lit. Let my soul
  5. Genesis 49:7 The Heb. lacks ‘s territory
  6. Genesis 49:8 The Heb. verb praise is a word play on the name Judah
  7. Genesis 49:10 Or until Shiloh
  8. Genesis 49:10 Lit. comes to whom it belongs; i.e. the authority represented by the scepter and ruler’s staff
  9. Genesis 49:10 Or obedience
  10. Genesis 49:16 The Heb. name Dan means judge
  11. Genesis 49:19 Lit. raid the heel
  12. Genesis 49:23 The Heb. lacks enemies
  13. Genesis 49:28 Lit. All these are the
  14. Genesis 49:29 Lit. he
  15. Genesis 49:29 Lit. to be gathered to
  16. Genesis 49:33 Lit. he

Jacob Blesses His Sons(A)

49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.(B)

“Assemble(C) and listen, sons of Jacob;
    listen to your father Israel.(D)

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,(E)
    my might, the first sign of my strength,(F)
    excelling in honor,(G) excelling in power.
Turbulent as the waters,(H) you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.(I)

“Simeon(J) and Levi(K) are brothers—
    their swords[a] are weapons of violence.(L)
Let me not enter their council,
    let me not join their assembly,(M)
for they have killed men in their anger(N)
    and hamstrung(O) oxen as they pleased.
Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
    and their fury,(P) so cruel!(Q)
I will scatter them in Jacob
    and disperse them in Israel.(R)

“Judah,[b](S) your brothers will praise you;
    your hand will be on the neck(T) of your enemies;
    your father’s sons will bow down to you.(U)
You are a lion’s(V) cub,(W) Judah;(X)
    you return from the prey,(Y) my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
    like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,(Z)
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[c]
until he to whom it belongs[d] shall come(AA)
    and the obedience of the nations shall be his.(AB)
11 He will tether his donkey(AC) to a vine,
    his colt to the choicest branch;(AD)
he will wash his garments in wine,
    his robes in the blood of grapes.(AE)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
    his teeth whiter than milk.[e](AF)

13 “Zebulun(AG) will live by the seashore
    and become a haven for ships;
    his border will extend toward Sidon.(AH)

14 “Issachar(AI) is a rawboned[f] donkey
    lying down among the sheep pens.[g](AJ)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
    and how pleasant is his land,(AK)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden(AL)
    and submit to forced labor.(AM)

16 “Dan[h](AN) will provide justice for his people
    as one of the tribes of Israel.(AO)
17 Dan(AP) will be a snake by the roadside,
    a viper along the path,(AQ)
that bites the horse’s heels(AR)
    so that its rider tumbles backward.

18 “I look for your deliverance,(AS) Lord.(AT)

19 “Gad[i](AU) will be attacked by a band of raiders,
    but he will attack them at their heels.(AV)

20 “Asher’s(AW) food will be rich;(AX)
    he will provide delicacies fit for a king.(AY)

21 “Naphtali(AZ) is a doe set free
    that bears beautiful fawns.[j](BA)

22 “Joseph(BB) is a fruitful vine,(BC)
    a fruitful vine near a spring,
    whose branches(BD) climb over a wall.[k]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(BE)
    they shot at him with hostility.(BF)
24 But his bow remained steady,(BG)
    his strong arms(BH) stayed[l] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(BI)
    because of the Shepherd,(BJ) the Rock of Israel,(BK)
25 because of your father’s God,(BL) who helps(BM) you,
    because of the Almighty,[m](BN) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
    blessings of the deep springs below,(BO)
    blessings of the breast(BP) and womb.(BQ)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    than[n] the bounty of the age-old hills.(BR)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(BS)
    on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.(BT)

27 “Benjamin(BU) is a ravenous wolf;(BV)
    in the morning he devours the prey,(BW)
    in the evening he divides the plunder.”(BX)

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,(BY) and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing(BZ) appropriate to him.

The Death of Jacob

29 Then he gave them these instructions:(CA) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(CB) Bury me with my fathers(CC) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(CD) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(CE) near Mamre(CF) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(CG) as a burial place(CH) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(CI) and his wife Sarah(CJ) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(CK) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(CL) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[p](CM)

33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.(CN)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  3. Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
  4. Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  5. Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
  6. Genesis 49:14 Or strong
  7. Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  8. Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
  9. Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
  10. Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
  11. Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
  12. Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
  13. Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
  14. Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
  15. Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
  16. Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth