Genesis 49:1-21 ▼

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

2 “Gather together and listen, sons of Jacob; Yes, listen to Israel your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

4 “Uncontrollable as water, you shall not have preeminence, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence.

6 “May my soul not enter into their council; May my glory not be united with their assembly; For in their anger they killed men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen.

7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them in Jacob, And disperse them among Israel.

8 “As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.

9 “Judah is a lion’s cub; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares to stir him up?

10 “The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

11 “He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 “His eyes are dull from wine, And his teeth white from milk.

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

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between the sheepfolds.

15 “When he saw that a resting place was good And that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to carry burdens, And became a slave at forced labor.

16 “Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.

17 “Dan shall be a serpent in the way, A horned viper in the path, That bites the horse’s heels, So that its rider falls backward.

18 “For Your salvation I wait, LORD.

19 “As for Gad, a band of raiders shall attack him, But he will attack at their heels.

20 “As for Asher, his food shall be rich, And he will yield royal delicacies.

21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose; He utters beautiful words.