Genesis 49:1-11 ▼

1 And Jacob called to his sons and he said, “Gather together, and I will tell you? what shall befall you? in the last days.

2 Assemble yourselves, and listen, sons of Jacob; and listen to Israel your? father.

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the first of my strength, exceeding in rank, and exceeding in power.

4 Uncontrolled as the waters, you shall not excel, because you went up to the bed of your father; then you defiled it—he went up onto my couch.

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of violence are their swords.

6 Into their council let not my soul enter; to their assembly let not my honor be united; for in their anger they killed a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

8 Judah—you, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; sons of your father shall bow down to you.

9 Judah is a whelp of a lion; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouched, he lay down as a lion, and like a lioness, who shall rouse him?

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until that he comes to Shiloh; and to him is the obedience of the peoples.

11 Binding his donkey to the vine, and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine; he washed in the wine his garment, and in the blood of grapes his robe.