Genesis 49:1-15 ▼

1 And Jacob calls to his sons and says, “Be gathered together, and I declare to you that which happens with you in the latter end of the days.

2 Be assembled, and hear, sons of Jacob, || And listen to your father Israel.

3 Reuben! You [are] my firstborn, || My power, and beginning of my strength, || The abundance of exaltation, || And the abundance of strength;

4 Unstable as water, you are not abundant; For you have gone up your father’s bed; Then you have defiled [it]: He went up my couch!

5 Simeon and Levi [are] brothers! Instruments of violence—their espousals!

6 Into their secret, do not come, O my soul! Do not be united to their assembly, O my glory; For in their anger they slew a man, || And in their self-will eradicated a prince.

7 Cursed [is] their anger, for [it is] fierce, || And their wrath, for [it is] sharp; I divide them in Jacob, || And I scatter them in Israel.

8 Judah! Your brothers praise you! Your hand [is] on the neck of your enemies, || Sons of your father bow themselves to you.

9 A lion’s whelp [is] Judah, || For prey, my son, you have gone up; He has bent, he has crouched as a lion, || And as a lioness; who causes him to arise?

10 The scepter does not turn aside from Judah, || And a lawgiver from between his feet, || Until his Seed comes; And His [is] the obedience of peoples.

11 Binding to the vine his donkey, || And to the choice vine the colt of his donkey, || He has washed in wine his clothing, || And in the blood of grapes his covering;

12 Red [are] eyes with wine, || And white [are] teeth with milk!

13 Zebulun dwells at a haven of the seas, || And he [is] for a haven of ships; And his side [is] to Sidon.

14 Issachar [is] a strong donkey, || Crouching between the two folds;

15 And he sees rest, that [it is] good, || And the land, that [it is] pleasant, || And he inclines his shoulder to bear, || And is a servant for tribute.