Genesis 49
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
NLT — New Living Translation Bible (NLT)
Verse 1
Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.
Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come.
Verse 2
“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel.
listen to your father Israel.
“Come and listen, you sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel, your father.
listen to Israel, your father.
Verse 3
“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, the first sign of my strength,
excelling in honor, excelling in power.
my might, the first sign of my strength,
excelling in honor, excelling in power.
“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength,
the child of my vigorous youth.
You are first in rank and first in power.
the child of my vigorous youth.
You are first in rank and first in power.
Verse 4
Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.
But you are as unruly as a flood,
and you will be first no longer.
For you went to bed with my wife;
you defiled my marriage couch.
and you will be first no longer.
For you went to bed with my wife;
you defiled my marriage couch.
Verse 5
“Simeon and Levi are two of a kind;
their weapons are instruments of violence.
their weapons are instruments of violence.
Verse 6
Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger
and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger
and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
May I never join in their meetings;
may I never be a party to their plans.
For in their anger they murdered men,
and they crippled oxen just for sport.
may I never be a party to their plans.
For in their anger they murdered men,
and they crippled oxen just for sport.
Verse 7
Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.
and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.
A curse on their anger, for it is fierce;
a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob;
I will disperse them throughout Israel.
a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob;
I will disperse them throughout Israel.
Verse 8
“Judah,[b] your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.
“Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
Verse 9
You are a lion’s cub, Judah;
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
Judah, my son, is a young lion
that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
Verse 10
Verse 11
He will tether his donkey to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
He ties his foal to a grapevine,
the colt of his donkey to a choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
the colt of his donkey to a choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
Verse 12
His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.[e]
his teeth whiter than milk.[e]
His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.
and his teeth are whiter than milk.
Verse 13
“Zebulun will live by the seashore
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend toward Sidon.
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend toward Sidon.
“Zebulun will settle by the seashore
and will be a harbor for ships;
his borders will extend to Sidon.
and will be a harbor for ships;
his borders will extend to Sidon.
Verse 14
Verse 15
When he sees how good is his resting place
and how pleasant is his land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
and submit to forced labor.
and how pleasant is his land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
and submit to forced labor.
When he sees how good the countryside is
and how pleasant the land,
he will bend his shoulder to the load
and submit himself to hard labor.
and how pleasant the land,
he will bend his shoulder to the load
and submit himself to hard labor.
Verse 16
“Dan will govern his people,
like any other tribe in Israel.
like any other tribe in Israel.
Verse 17
Dan will be a snake by the roadside,
a viper along the path,
that bites the horse’s heels
so that its rider tumbles backward.
a viper along the path,
that bites the horse’s heels
so that its rider tumbles backward.
Dan will be a snake beside the road,
a poisonous viper along the path
that bites the horse’s hooves
so its rider is thrown off.
a poisonous viper along the path
that bites the horse’s hooves
so its rider is thrown off.
Verse 18
“I look for your deliverance, Lord.
I trust in you for salvation, O Lord!
Verse 19
“Gad will be attacked by marauding bands,
but he will attack them when they retreat.
but he will attack them when they retreat.
Verse 20
“Asher’s food will be rich;
he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
“Asher will dine on rich foods
and produce food fit for kings.
and produce food fit for kings.
Verse 21
“Naphtali is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns.[j]
that bears beautiful fawns.[j]
“Naphtali is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns.
that bears beautiful fawns.
Verse 22
“Joseph is the foal of a wild donkey,
the foal of a wild donkey at a spring—
one of the wild donkeys on the ridge.[d]
the foal of a wild donkey at a spring—
one of the wild donkeys on the ridge.[d]
Verse 23
With bitterness archers attacked him;
they shot at him with hostility.
they shot at him with hostility.
Archers attacked him savagely;
they shot at him and harassed him.
they shot at him and harassed him.
Verse 24
But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed[l] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
his strong arms stayed[l] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
But his bow remained taut,
and his arms were strengthened
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
and his arms were strengthened
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
Verse 25
because of your father’s God, who helps you,
because of the Almighty,[m] who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,
blessings of the breast and womb.
because of the Almighty,[m] who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,
blessings of the breast and womb.
May the God of your father help you;
may the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above,
and blessings of the watery depths below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.
may the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above,
and blessings of the watery depths below,
and blessings of the breasts and womb.
Verse 26
Your father’s blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than[n] the bounty of the age-old hills.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than[n] the bounty of the age-old hills.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.
May my fatherly blessings on you
surpass the blessings of my ancestors,[e]
reaching to the heights of the eternal hills.
May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,
who is a prince among his brothers.
surpass the blessings of my ancestors,[e]
reaching to the heights of the eternal hills.
May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,
who is a prince among his brothers.
Verse 27
“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
in the morning he devours the prey,
in the evening he divides the plunder.”
in the morning he devours the prey,
in the evening he divides the plunder.”
“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
devouring his enemies in the morning
and dividing his plunder in the evening.”
devouring his enemies in the morning
and dividing his plunder in the evening.”
Verse 28
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 appropriate to him.
The Death of Jacob
These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he told his sons good-bye. He blessed each one with an appropriate message.
Jacob’s Death and Burial
Verse 29
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,
Then Jacob instructed them, “Soon I will die and join my ancestors. Bury me with my father and grandfather in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
Verse 30
the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.
This is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a permanent burial site.
Verse 31
There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah.
There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried. There Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, are buried. And there I buried Leah.
Verse 32
The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[p]”
It is the plot of land and the cave that my grandfather Abraham bought from the Hittites.”
Verse 33
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.
When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.