Genesis 49:1-10 ▼

1 Then Jacob summoned his sons, and said: |Gather yourselves together so that I may tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.

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

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, and the the firstfruits of my virility, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

4 Uncontrolled as the waters, you will not have excel, because you went up to your father's bed, you went up and defiled my couch.

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.

6 May I never enter their council. May my honor never be joined with their assembly. For in their anger they killed men, and for pleasure they hamstrung oxen.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it has been fierce, and their fury, 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.

9 Judah is a lion’s cub. From the prey, my son, you rise up. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?

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