Genesis 49:13
New International Version
“Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.

New Living Translation
“Zebulun will settle by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships; his borders will extend to Sidon.

English Standard Version
“Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.

Berean Standard Bible
Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.

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

New King James Version
“Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon.

New American Standard Bible
“Zebulun will reside at the seashore; And he shall be a harbor for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

NASB 1995
“Zebulun will dwell at the seashore; And he shall be a haven for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

NASB 1977
“Zebulun shall dwell at the seashore; And he shall be a haven for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Zebulun will dwell at the seashore; And he shall be a shore for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

Amplified Bible
“Zebulun shall dwell at the seashore; And he shall be a haven (landing place) for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

Christian Standard Bible
Zebulun will live by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships, and his territory will be next to Sidon.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Zebulun will live by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships, and his territory will be next to Sidon.

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

Contemporary English Version
Zebulun, you will settle along the seashore and provide safe harbors as far north as Sidon.

English Revised Version
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea: And he shall be for an haven of ships; And his border shall be upon Zidon.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"[Zebulun] will live by the coast. He will have ships by the coast. His border will go as far as Sidon.

Good News Translation
"Zebulun will live beside the sea. His shore will be a haven for ships. His territory will reach as far as Sidon.

International Standard Version
"Zebulun will settle down near the sea shore and become a safe haven for shipping, bordering Sidon."

Majority Standard Bible
Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.

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

New Heart English Bible
Zebulun will dwell at the seashore, and he will be a harbor for ships, and his border will be at Sidon.

Webster's Bible Translation
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his border shall be to Zidon.

World English Bible
“Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Zebulun dwells at a haven of the seas, "" And he [is] for a haven of ships; And his side [is] to Sidon.

Young's Literal Translation
Zebulun at a haven of the seas doth dwell, And he is for a haven of ships; And his side is unto Zidon.

Smith's Literal Translation
Zebulon shall dwell by the coast of the sea; and he by a coast of ships, and the extremities, even to Zidon.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Zabulon shall dwell on the sea shore, and in the road of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Zebulun will live at the seashore and by the outpost of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.

New American Bible
“Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore; he will be a haven for ships, and his flank shall rest on Sidon.

New Revised Standard Version
Zebulun shall settle at the shore of the sea; he shall be a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the seas; and he shall be a haven for ships; and his border shall extend as far as Zidon.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Zabalaun will dwell on the shore of the sea and he is by the beauty of ships and his border is unto Tsidon.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea, And he shall be a shore for ships, And his flank shall be upon Zidon.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Zabulon shall dwell on the coast, and he shall be by a haven of ships, and shall extend to Sidon.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Blesses His Sons
12His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk. 13Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon. 14Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 33:18-19
Concerning Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents. / They will call the peoples to a mountain; there they will offer sacrifices of righteousness. For they will feast on the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”

Joshua 19:10-16
The third lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Zebulun: The border of their inheritance stretched as far as Sarid. / It went up westward to Maralah, reached Dabbesheth, and met the brook east of Jokneam. / From Sarid it turned eastward along the border of Chisloth-tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia. ...

Judges 5:17
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.

Isaiah 9:1
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:

Matthew 4:13-16
Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, / to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: / “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— ...

Ezekiel 48:1-7
“Now these are the names of the tribes: At the northern frontier, Dan will have one portion bordering the road of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath and running on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus with Hamath to the north, and extending from the east side to the west side. / Asher will have one portion bordering the territory of Dan from east to west. / Naphtali will have one portion bordering the territory of Asher from east to west. ...

Ezekiel 48:23-27
As for the rest of the tribes: Benjamin will have one portion extending from the east side to the west side. / Simeon will have one portion bordering the territory of Benjamin from east to west. / Issachar will have one portion bordering the territory of Simeon from east to west. ...

1 Kings 9:26
King Solomon also assembled a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.

1 Chronicles 12:33-37
From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David. / From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear. / From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle. ...

Isaiah 23:1-18
This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus. / Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea. / On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations. ...

Jeremiah 25:22
all the kings of Tyre and Sidon; the kings of the coastlands across the sea;

Jeremiah 47:4
For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.

Zechariah 9:1-4
This is the burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach and Damascus its resting place—for the eyes of men and of all the tribes of Israel are upon the LORD— / and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd. / Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. ...

Matthew 11:21-22
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

Mark 7:31
Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Genesis 30:20
And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

Deuteronomy 33:18,19
And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents…

Joshua 19:10-16
And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid: …

Jump to Previous
Border Dwell Edge Extend Flank Harbour Haven Live Resting-Place Sea Seas Seashore Ships Shore Side Sidon Zebulun Zeb'ulun Zidon
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Border Dwell Edge Extend Flank Harbour Haven Live Resting-Place Sea Seas Seashore Ships Shore Side Sidon Zebulun Zeb'ulun Zidon
Genesis 49
1. Jacob calls his sons to bless them.
3. Their blessing in particular.
29. He charges them about his burial.
33. He dies.














Zebulun
The name "Zebulun" is derived from the Hebrew root "zabal," meaning "to dwell" or "to honor." Zebulun was the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, and his name prophetically signifies his tribe's future role and location. In the context of Jacob's blessings, Zebulun's name foreshadows the tribe's significant position in trade and commerce, as well as its strategic location near the sea.

shall dwell by the seashore
The phrase "shall dwell by the seashore" indicates Zebulun's geographical positioning. Although the tribe of Zebulun did not have a direct coastline, their territory was close enough to the Mediterranean Sea to benefit from maritime trade. This proximity to the sea suggests a life of prosperity and interaction with other cultures, highlighting the tribe's role in facilitating trade and communication.

and become a harbor for ships
This phrase emphasizes Zebulun's future economic importance. The Hebrew word for "harbor" can also imply a place of refuge or safety. Zebulun's territory would serve as a safe haven for ships, indicating a thriving trade industry. This role as a harbor underscores the tribe's contribution to the economic vitality of Israel, serving as a gateway for goods and cultural exchange.

his border shall extend to Sidon
Sidon was a prominent Phoenician city known for its maritime prowess and trade networks. The mention of Zebulun's border extending to Sidon suggests a connection with this influential city, further emphasizing the tribe's involvement in trade. Historically, this connection would have provided Zebulun with access to the wealth and resources of the Phoenician trade routes, enhancing their economic and cultural influence.

(13) Zebulun . . . --"Sea" is plural in the Heb., and is rightly so rendered in the Syriac. The territory of the tribe lay upon the inland sea of Gennesaret, but did not extend to the shore of the Mediterranean. We do not know of any literal fulfilment of the prediction, but Moses also speaks of Zebulun and Issachar as tribes that would "suck of the abundance of the seas." It is very possible that, living in the neighbourhood of the Ph?nicians, they took part in maritime pursuits; and thus the general meaning of the blessing may be that Zebulun would be a tribe, not of agriculturists, but of traders. It is also remarkable that Tyre, which was much nearer the tribe of Zebulun, and was the leading city in David's time, is not mentioned, but only the more ancient town of Sidon.

Verse 13. - Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; - not παρ ὅρμον πλοίων (LXX.), in statione navium (Vulgate), but to, or at, or beside, the. shore (from the idea of being washed by the waters of the ocean) of the waters, i.e. of the Galilean and Mediterranean seas - and he shall be for an haven of ships; - literally, and he to, at, or on, a shore of ships, i.e. a shore where ships are unloaded (so. shall dwell), the words being a repetition of the previous thought, with only the expansion, suggested by the term ships, that Zebulun's calling should be in the direction of commerce; - and his border shall be unto Zidon - literally, and his side, or hinder part (sc. shall be, or extend), towards, rather than unto, - usque ad (Vulgate), ἕως (LXX.), - Zidon, since the territory subsequently allotted to Zebulun neither actually touched the Mediterranean, nor reached to Zidon - a circumstance that may be noted as an indirect hint that this prophecy was not spoken, or even first written, after the occupation of the land.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Zebulun
זְבוּלֻ֕ן (zə·ḇū·lun)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2074: Zebulun -- a son of Jacob, also his descendants and their territory

shall dwell
יִשְׁכֹּ֑ן (yiš·kōn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7931: To settle down, abide, dwell

by the seashore
לְח֥וֹף (lə·ḥō·wp̄)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2348: Shore, coast

and become a harbor
לְח֣וֹף (lə·ḥō·wp̄)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2348: Shore, coast

for ships;
אֳנִיּ֔וֹת (’o·nî·yō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 591: A ship

his border
וְיַרְכָת֖וֹ (wə·yar·ḵā·ṯōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3411: Flank, side, extreme parts, recesses

shall extend
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

to Sidon.
צִידֹֽן׃ (ṣî·ḏōn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6721: Sidon -- a Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast, also a son of Canaan


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OT Law: Genesis 49:13 Zebulun will dwell at the haven (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 49:12
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