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GenesisChapter 49

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Show the blessingsProphetic words over the 12 sons

On his deathbed, Jacob gathered his sons and prophesied over each of them. These words shaped Israel's 12 tribes.

1
Reuben

Firstborn, but lost his birthright due to sin with his father's concubine.

unstable as water
2
Simeon

Scattered in Israel because of violence. The tribe was later absorbed into Judah.

violent together with Levi
3
Levi

Scattered in Israel, but became the priestly tribe. Did not receive its own territory.

became the priests
4
Judah

The lion of Judah. The royal tribe from which David and Jesus came.

royal line
5
Zebulun

Would dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships.

by the sea
6
Issachar

Compared to a strong donkey that bows under its burden.

hardworking
7
Dan

Would judge his people. Compared to a snake by the road.

judges
8
Gad

Would be attacked by raiding bands, but would attack them at their heels.

warriors
9
Asher

Would have rich food and provide royal delicacies.

prosperity
10
Naphtali

A deer set free that speaks beautiful words.

freedom
11
Joseph

The most blessed. A fruitful tree by a spring, blessed by heaven and earth.

double blessing
12
Benjamin

A ravenous wolf that devours its prey in the morning and divides the spoil in the evening.

warriors
Then Jacob called for his sons and said: "Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first fruit of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
Let me never enter their council, never join their assembly, for in their anger they killed men, and on a whim they crippled oxen.
Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
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.
Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down like a lion, like a lioness—who dares rouse him?
until he comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is his.[^1] [^1]: Hebrew Shiloh; the meaning of the word is uncertain.
He tethers his donkey to the vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he washes his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
His eyes are darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.
Zebulun will dwell by the shore of the sea; he will be a haven for ships, and his border will reach to Sidon.
Issachar is a strong-boned donkey, lying down between the saddlebags.
He saw that his resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, so he bent his shoulder to the load and became a slave at forced labor.
Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan will be a serpent by the road, a viper along the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider falls backward.
Gad will be raided by raiders, but he will raid at their heels.
Asher's food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.[^1] [^1]: Or "who speaks beautiful words."
Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine beside a spring, whose branches climb over the wall.
Archers attacked him bitterly; they shot at him and harassed him.
But his bow remained steady, and his arms stayed strong and nimble, from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob—from there comes the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel—
by the God of your father, who helps you, by the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts and the womb.
The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of my forebears, reaching to the bounty of the everlasting hills. May they crown the head of Joseph, the brow of him who was set apart among his brothers.
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the spoil."
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing that belonged to him.
Then he gave them these instructions: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, the field Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.
There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried; there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried; and there I buried Leah.
The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites."
When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
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