Jacob's Final Words to His Sons
Genesis 49, verse 1. Now Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: Genesis 49, verse 2. “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father. Genesis 49, verse 3. “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my children; You are hard to bear; You are hardened in your self-will. Genesis 49, verse 4. Unstable as water in your insolence, You went up to your father's bed; Then you defiled it. Genesis 49, verse 5. “Simeon and Levi are brothers; They accomplished their injustice from their free choice. Genesis 49, verse 6. Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Genesis 49, verse 7. Cursed be their anger, for it was self-willed; And their wrath, for it was hardened. I will divide them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel. Genesis 49, verse 8. “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's sons shall bow down before you. Genesis 49, verse 9. Judah is a lion's cub; From being a shoot, my son, you have grown up. He bows down, and slept as a lion and a cub; And who shall rouse him? Genesis 49, verse 10. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from his loins, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the expectation of the nations. Genesis 49, verse 11. Binding his colt to a vine, And his donkey's colt to its branch, He will wash his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. Genesis 49, verse 12. His eyes are gladdened from the wine, And his teeth are whiter than milk. Genesis 49, verse 13. “Zebulun shall dwell by the seacoast; He shall be near a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon. Genesis 49, verse 14. “Issachar. desired what was good, Resting between the inheritances; Genesis 49, verse 15. And seeing his resting place was good And the land was fertile, He set his shoulder to hard work, And became a farmer. Genesis 49, verse 16. “Dan shall judge his own people As one of the tribes of Israel. Genesis 49, verse 17. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper lying in ambush by the path, That bites the horse's heels, That its rider may fall backward, Genesis 49, verse 18. Waiting for the Lord's salvation. Genesis 49, verse 19. “As for Gad, a raider gang shall raid him, But he shall raid them in close pursuit. Genesis 49, verse 20. “As for Asher, his food shall be abundant, And he will furnish dainties for rulers. Genesis 49, verse 21. “Naphtali is a spreading stem, Bestowing beauty by its produce. Genesis 49, verse 22. “Joseph is a grown-up son, A grown-up son that was envied. Oh my youngest son, return to me. Genesis 49, verse 23. They devised evil plans against him and reviled him, And the archers were taking aim at him. Genesis 49, verse 24. But their bows were broken by force, And the sinews of the arms of their hands were enfeebled On account of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob. Thence, he who strengthened Israel Genesis 49, verse 25. Is from the God of your father, And my God has helped you and blessed you With a blessing from heaven above And with a blessing of the earth containing everything. By reason of the blessing of breasts and the womb, Genesis 49, verse 26. He made the blessings of your father and mother Stronger than the blessings of stable mountains and everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph And on the crown of the brothers he led. Genesis 49, verse 27. “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he will still be eating, And in the evening he will provide food.”
The Death and Burial of Jacob
Genesis 49, verse 28. All these are the twelve sons of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them; and he blessed each one according to his own blessing. Genesis 49, verse 29. Then he charged them and said to them, “I am to be added to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, Genesis 49, verse 30. opposite Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. Genesis 49, verse 31. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. Genesis 49, verse 32. The field and the cave there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” Genesis 49, verse 33. Thus when Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was added to his people.