Genesis 49

Israel’s Prophecy concerning His Sons

1Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves [around me] that I may tell you what will happen to you and your descendants #See Deut 33, where Moses blesses the same tribes in a similar prophetic way.in the days to come.

2Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob;

And listen to Israel (Jacob) your father.

3“Reuben, you are my #Reuben was the eldest of Jacob’s twelve sons and therefore entitled to the birthright, which would make him successor to his father as head of the family or tribe, and inheritor of a double portion of his father’s estate. But Reuben forfeited all this by his conduct with Bilhah, his father’s concubine (35:22). By adopting Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and giving each of them a portion of the inheritance, Jacob virtually gave Joseph the extra portion of the land that would have gone to Reuben. Judah became the tribal leader in Reuben’s place (49:8-10).firstborn;

My might, the beginning of my strength and vigor,

Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power [that should have been your birthright].

4But unstable and reckless and boiling over like water [in sinful lust], you shall #The fertile land once occupied by the tribe of Reuben was deserted by its settled inhabitants and given over to the tribal nomads of the desert. Because of his behavior, Reuben had forfeited his rights as the firstborn even before Jacob’s prophecy.not excel or have the preeminence [of the firstborn],

Because you went up to your father’s bed [with Bilhah];

You defiled it—he went up to my couch.

5“Simeon and Levi are brothers [equally headstrong, deceitful, vindictive, and cruel];

Their swords are weapons of violence and revenge.

6O my soul, do not come into their secret council;

Let not my glory (honor) be united with their assembly [for I knew nothing of their plot];

Because in their anger they killed men [an honored man, Shechem, and the Shechemites],

And in their self-will they lamed oxen.

7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;

And their wrath, for it was cruel.

I will divide and disperse them in Jacob,

And #This prophecy was fulfilled when the tribe of Levi received no inheritance except forty-eight towns scattered throughout different parts of Canaan. The tribe of Simeon was originally given only a few towns and villages in the midst of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah (Josh 19:1).scatter them in [the midst of the land of] Israel.

8“Judah, you are the one whom your brothers shall praise;

Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;

Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.

9Judah, a lion’s cub;

With the prey, my son, you have gone high up [the mountain].

He stooped down, he crouched like a lion,

And like a lion—who dares rouse him?

10The scepter [of royalty] shall not depart from Judah,

Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

Until Shiloh [the Messiah, the Peaceful One] comes,

And to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

11Tying #I.e. the tribe of Judah.his foal to the [strong] vine

And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

He washes his clothing in wine [because the grapevine produces abundantly],

And his robes in the blood of grapes.

12His eyes are darker and sparkle more than wine,

And his teeth whiter than milk.

13“Zebulun shall dwell at the seashore;

And he shall be a haven (landing place) for ships,

And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

14“Issachar is [like] a strong-boned donkey,

Crouching down between the sheepfolds.

15When he saw that the resting place was good

And that the land was pleasant,

He bowed his shoulder to bear [burdens],

And became a servant at forced labor.

16“Dan shall judge his people,

As one of the tribes of Israel.

17Dan shall be a [venomous] serpent in the way,

A fanged snake in the path,

That bites the horse’s heels,

So that his rider falls backward.

18I wait for Your salvation, O Lord.

19“As for #The Hebrew word from which the name “Gad” is derived has two meanings. In this verse the Hebrew meaning is associated with a “raiding troop” but in 30:11 it is associated with “good fortune.”Gad—a raiding troop shall raid him,

But he shall raid at their heels and assault them [victoriously].

20“Asher’s food [supply] shall be rich and bountiful,

And he shall yield and deliver royal delights.

21“Naphtali is a doe let loose, [a swift warrior,]

Which yields branched antlers (eloquent words).

22“Joseph is a fruitful bough (a main branch of the vine),

A fruitful bough by a spring (a well, a fountain);

Its branches run over the wall [influencing others].

23The [skilled] archers have bitterly attacked and provoked him;

They have shot [at him] and harassed him.

24But his bow remained firm and steady [in the Strength that does not fail],

For his arms were made strong and agile

By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

(By the name of the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),

25By the God of your father who will help you,

And by the #Heb Shaddai.Almighty who blesses you

With blessings of the heavens above,

Blessings lying in the deep that couches beneath,

Blessings of the [nursing] breasts and of the [fertile] womb.

26The blessings of your father

Are greater than the blessings of my ancestors [Abraham and Isaac]

Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills;

They shall be on the head of Joseph,

Even on the crown of the head of him who was the distinguished one and the one who is prince among (separate from) his brothers.

27“Benjamin is a #The tribe of Benjamin invariably displayed courage and ferocity, particularly in their war with the other tribes. The tribe of Benjamin was absorbed by the tribe of Judah and is not mentioned after the return from the Babylonian captivity, except in connection with its former land or as the source of some individual person. Ehud, Saul, Jonathan, and the apostle Paul were Benjamites.ravenous wolf;

In the morning he devours the prey,

And at night he divides the spoil.”

28All these are the [beginnings of the] twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each one according to the blessing appropriate to him. 29He charged 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 in the field at Machpelah, east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, that Abraham bought, along with the field from Ephron the Hittite, to possess as a burial site. 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 in it was purchased from the sons of Heth.” 33When Jacob (Israel) had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was #See note 25:8.gathered to his people [who had preceded him in death].

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Genesis 49

Jacob [Israel] Blesses His 12 Sons

1Jacob called for his sons and said, “Come here, and let me tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.

2“Gather around and listen, sons of Jacob.

Listen to your father Israel.

3“Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my strength, the very first son I had,

first in majesty and first in power.

4You will no longer be first

because you were out of control like a flood

and you climbed into your father’s bed.

Then you dishonored it.

He climbed up on my couch.

5“Simeon and Levi are brothers.

Their swords are weapons of violence.

6Do not let me attend their secret meetings.

Do not let me join their assembly.

In their anger they murdered men.

At their whim they crippled cattle.

7May their anger be cursed because it’s so fierce.

May their fury be cursed because it’s so cruel.

I will divide them among ⌞the sons of⌟ Jacob

and scatter them among ⌞the tribes of⌟ 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 to you.

9Judah, you are a lion cub.

You have come back from the kill, my son.

He lies down and rests like a lion.

He is like a lioness. Who dares to disturb him?

10A scepter will never depart from Judah

nor a ruler’s staff from between his feet

until Shiloh comes

and the people obey him.

11He will tie his donkey to a grapevine,

his colt to the best vine.

He will wash his clothes in wine,

his garments in the blood of grapes.

12His eyes are darker than wine.

His teeth are whiter than milk.

13“Zebulun will live by the coast.

He will have ships by the coast.

His border will go as far as Sidon.

14“Issachar is a strong donkey,

lying down between the saddlebags.

15When he sees that his resting place is good

and that the land is pleasant,

he will bend his back to the burden

and will become a slave laborer.

16“Dan will hand down decisions #49:16 There is a play on words here between Hebrew Dan and yadin (he will hand down decisions). for his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

17Dan will be a snake on a road,

a viper on a path,

that bites a horse’s heels

so that its rider falls off backwards.

18“I wait with hope for you to rescue me, O Lord.

19“Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders,

but he will strike back at their heels.

20“Asher’s food will be rich.

He will provide delicacies fit for a king.

21“Naphtali is a doe set free

that has beautiful fawns.

22“Joseph is a fruitful tree,

a fruitful tree by a spring,

with branches climbing over a wall.

23Archers provoked him,

shot at him,

and attacked him.

24But his bow stayed steady, and his arms remained limber

because of the help of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

25because of the God of your father who helps you,

because of the Almighty who gives you

blessings from the heavens above,

blessings from the deep springs below the ground,

blessings from breasts and womb.

26The blessings of your father are greater than

the blessings of the oldest mountains

and the riches of the ancient hills.

May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,

on the crown of the prince among his brothers.

27“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf.

In the morning he devours his prey.

In the evening he divides the plunder.”

28These are the 12 tribes of Israel and what their father said to them when he gave each of them his special blessing.

29Then he gave them these instructions, “I am about to join my ancestors in death. Bury me with my ancestors in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 30Abraham bought the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre in Canaan, from Ephron the Hittite to use as a tomb. 31Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there. Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there. I also buried Leah there. 32The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”

33When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet into his bed. He took his last breath and joined his ancestors in death.

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