Genesis 49
49
Jacob’s Last Words
1Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the days to come. # Or in the last days # Nm 24:14; Dt 4:30; 31:29; Is 2:2; Jr 23:20; Dn 2:28; 10:14; Hs 3:5
2Come together and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel:
3Reuben, you are my firstborn, # Gn 29:32
my strength and the firstfruits of my virility, # Dt 21:17
excelling in prominence, excelling in power.
4Turbulent as water, you will no longer excel,
because you got into your father’s bed # Gn 35:22
and you defiled it — he # LXX, Syr, Tg read you got into my bed.
5Simeon and Levi are brothers;
their knives are vicious weapons. # Gn 34:25,30
6May I never enter their council;
may I never join their assembly.
For in their anger they kill men,
and on a whim they hamstring oxen.
7Their anger is cursed, for it is strong,
and their fury, for it is cruel!
I will disperse them throughout Jacob
and scatter them throughout Israel. # Ex 32:28; Nm 3:5-13; Dt 33:10; Jos 19:1-9; 1Ch 4:24-39; 2Ch 34:6; Neh 11:25-28
8Judah, your brothers will praise you. # Gn 29:35
Your hand will be on the necks of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you. # Gn 27:29; 1Ch 5:2
9Judah is a young lion # Nm 24:9; Ezk 19:5-7; Mc 5:8; Rv 5:5 —
my son, you return from the kill.
He crouches; he lies down like a lion
or a lioness — who dares to rouse him?
10The scepter will not depart from Judah
or the staff from between his feet
until He whose right it is comes # Or until tribute comes to him, or until Shiloh comes, or until He comes to Shiloh # Nm 2:9; 10:14; 24:17; Jdg 1:1-2; Ps 60:7; 108:8; Ezk 21:27
and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him. # Ps 2:6-9; 72:8-11; Is 42:1,4; 49:6
11He ties his donkey to a vine,
and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine
and his robes in the blood of grapes.
12His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.
13Zebulun will live by the seashore
and will be a harbor for ships,
and his territory will be next to Sidon. # Dt 33:19; Jos 19:10-16
14Issachar is a strong donkey
lying down between the saddlebags. # Or sheepfolds
15He saw that his resting place was good
and that the land was pleasant,
so he leaned his shoulder to bear a load
and became a forced laborer. # Jdg 5:15-16
16Dan will judge his people # Dt 33:22; Jdg 13:2,25; 18:25-27
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17He will be a snake by the road,
a viper beside the path,
that bites the horses’ heels
so that its rider falls backward.
18I wait for Your salvation, Lord.
19Gad will be attacked by raiders,
but he will attack their heels. # Dt 33:20; 1Ch 5:18-22; Jr 49:1
20Asher’s # LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads their heel. 20 From Asher food will be rich,
and he will produce royal delicacies. # Dt 33:24-25; Jos 19:24-31; Jdg 5:17; 1Kg 4:7
21Naphtali is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns. # Jos 19:32-39
22Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine beside a spring;
its branches # Lit daughters climb over the wall. # Hb obscure
23The archers attacked him,
shot at him, and were hostile toward him.
24Yet his bow remained steady,
and his strong # Lit and the hands of his arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, # Gn 31:42; Ps 132:2,5; Is 1:24; 49:26
by the name of # Syr, Tg; MT reads Jacob, from there the Shepherd, # Gn 48:15; Ps 23:1; Jr 31:10 the Rock of Israel, # Ps 118:22; Is 28:16; 1Pt 2:6-8
25by the God of your father who helps you,
and by the Almighty who blesses you
with blessings of the heavens above,
blessings of the deep that lies below,
and blessings of the breasts and the womb.
26The blessings of your father excel
the blessings of my ancestors # Or of the mountains
and # Lit to the bounty of the eternal hills. # Hb obscure # Dt 33:15-16
May they rest on the head of Joseph,
on the crown of the prince of his brothers.
27Benjamin is a wolf; he tears his prey.
In the morning he devours the prey,
and in the evening he divides the plunder.” # Jdg 5:14; 20:21; 1Sm 14:47-48
28These are the tribes of Israel, 12 in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.
Jacob’s Burial Instructions
29Then he commanded them: “I am about to be gathered to my people. # Gn 25:8 Bury me with my fathers # Gn 47:30 in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. # Gn 23:16-20; 50:13 30The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. # Gn 23:3-20 31Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there, # Gn 23:19; 25:9 Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there, # Gn 35:29 and I buried Leah there. # Gn 48:7 32The field and the cave in it were purchased from the Hittites.” 33When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and died. He was gathered to his people.
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Genesis 49: HCSB
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Genesis 49
49
Jacob Blesses His Sons
1Jacob called his sons together and said:
My sons, I am Jacob,
your father Israel.
2Come, gather around,
as I tell your future.
3Reuben, you are my oldest,
born at the peak of my powers;
you were an honored leader.
4Uncontrollable as a flood,
you slept with my wife
and disgraced my bed.
And so you no longer deserve
the place of honor.
5Simeon and Levi,
you are brothers,
each a gruesome sword.
6I never want to take part
in your plans or deeds.
You slaughtered people
in your anger,
and you crippled cattle
for no reason.
7Now I place a curse on you
because of
your fierce anger.
Your descendants
will be scattered
among the tribes of Israel.
8Judah, you will be praised
by your brothers;
they will bow down to you,
as you defeat your enemies.
9 #
Nu 24.9; Rev 5.5. My son, you are a lion
ready to eat your victim!
You are terribly fierce;
no one will bother you.
10You will have power and rule
until nations obey you#49.10 until … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
and come bringing gifts.
11You will tie your donkey
to a choice grapevine
and wash your clothes
in wine from those grapes.
12Your eyes are darker than wine,
your teeth whiter than milk.
13Zebulun, you will settle
along the seashore
and provide safe harbors
as far north as Sidon.
14Issachar, you are a strong donkey
resting in the meadows.#49.14 resting … meadows: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
15You found them so pleasant
that you worked too hard
and became a slave.
16Dan,#49.16 Dan: In Hebrew “Dan” means “justice” or “judgment.” you are the tribe
that will bring justice
to Israel.
17You are a snake that bites
the heel of a horse,
making its rider fall.
18Our Lord, I am waiting
for you to save us.
19Gad,#49.19 Gad: In Hebrew “Gad” sounds like “attack.” you will be attacked,
then attack your attackers.
20Asher, you will eat food
fancy enough for a king.
21Naphtali, you are a wild deer
with lovely fawns.#49.21 with lovely fawns: Or “speaking lovely words.”
22Joseph, you are a fruitful vine
growing near a stream
and climbing a wall.#49.22 wall: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
23Enemies attacked with arrows,
refusing to show mercy.
24But you stood your ground,
swiftly shooting back
with the help of Jacob's God,
the All-Powerful One—
his name is the Shepherd,
Israel's mighty rock.#49.24 mighty rock: The Hebrew text has “rock,” which is sometimes used in poetry to compare the Lord to a mountain where his people can run for protection from their enemies.
25Your help came from the God
your father worshiped,
from God All-Powerful.
God will bless you with rain
and streams from the earth;
he will bless you
with many descendants.
26My son, the blessings I give
are better than the promise
of ancient mountains
or eternal hills.#49.26 eternal hills: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Joseph, I pray these blessings
will come to you,
because you are the leader
of your brothers.
27Benjamin, you are a fierce wolf,
destroying your enemies
morning and evening.
28These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is how Jacob gave each of them their proper blessings.
Jacob's Death
29-31 #
Gn 23.3-20;
Gn 25.9,10;
Gn 35.28,29. Jacob told his sons:
Soon I will die, and I want you to bury me in Machpelah Cave. Abraham bought this cave as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, and it is near the town of Mamre in Canaan. Abraham and Sarah are buried there, and so are Isaac and Rebekah. I buried Leah there too. 32Both the cave and the land that goes with it were bought from the Hittites.
33 #
Ac 7.15. When Jacob had finished giving these instructions to his sons, he lay down on his bed and died.
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