Jacob Blesses His Sons
Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come: Jer 23:20Num 24:14Dan 10:14Deu 4:30Amo 3:7Deu 31:12Deu 33:1-29Heb 1:2
Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; Psa 34:11Pro 1:8-9Pro 23:22Pro 23:26Pro 4:1-4Pro 5:1Pro 6:20Pro 7:1
listen to your father Israel.
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, Deu 21:17Psa 78:51Gen 29:32Psa 105:361Ch 2:11Ch 5:11Ch 5:3Gen 48:18
and the beginning of my strength,
excelling in honor,
excelling in power.
Uncontrolled as the waters, Gen 35:221Ch 5:1Deu 27:20Deu 33:61Co 5:1Jas 1:6-8Deu 5:21Gen 46:8
you will no longer excel,
because you went up to your father’s bed,
onto my couch, and defiled it.
Simeon and Levi are brothers; Gen 34:25-31Gen 29:33-34Gen 46:10-11Pro 18:9
their swords 1are weapons of violence.
May I never enter their council; Gen 34:30Psa 26:9Psa 16:92Co 6:14Gen 34:25-26Jer 15:17Jer 4:19Luk 12:19
may I never join their assembly.
For they kill men in their anger,
and hamstring oxen on a whim.
Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, 1Ch 4:24-311Ch 6:65Jos 19:1-91Ch 4:39-402Sa 13:152Sa 13:22-28Jos 21:1-45Pro 26:24-25
and their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will disperse them in Jacob
and scatter them in Israel.
Judah, 2 your brothers shall praise you. 1Ch 5:2Gen 27:29Heb 7:14Deu 33:7Gen 29:35Jos 10:24Psa 18:40-431Ch 12:1-40
Your hand shall be on the necks of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
Judah is a young lion— Num 24:9Num 23:24Rev 5:5Mic 5:8Hos 5:14Ezk 19:51Co 15:24Hos 5:4
my son, you return from the prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down;
like a lioness, who dares to rouse him?
The scepter will not depart from Judah, Num 24:17Luk 1:32-33Isa 9:6Psa 60:7Isa 33:22Jer 23:5-6Isa 42:1Heb 7:14
nor the staff from between his feet, 3
until Shiloh 4comes
and the allegiance of the nations is his.
He ties his donkey to the vine, Isa 63:1-3Jol 3:18Rev 7:141Ki 4:201Ki 4:25Mic 4:4Rev 19:182Ki 18:32
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, Pro 23:29
and his teeth are whiter than milk.
Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore Deu 33:18-19Gen 30:20Jos 19:10-16
and become a harbor for ships;
his border shall extend to Sidon.
Issachar is a strong donkey, 1Ch 12:32Gen 30:18Deu 33:18Jos 19:17-23Jdg 10:1Jdg 5:15-16
lying down between the sheepfolds. 5
He saw that his resting place was good 2Sa 7:1Ezk 29:18Jdg 3:11Jos 14:15Mat 23:4Psa 81:6
and that his land was pleasant,
so he bent his shoulder to the burden
and submitted to labor as a servant.
Dan shall provide justice for his people 6 Deu 33:22Gen 30:6Jdg 13:2Jdg 13:24-25Jdg 15:20Jdg 18:1-2Jdg 18:26-27Num 10:25
as one of the tribes of Israel.
He will be a snake by the road, 1Ch 12:35Jdg 18:22-31Jdg 14:1-15Jdg 16:22-30
a viper in the path
that bites the horse’s heels
so that its rider tumbles backward.
I await Your salvation, O LORD. Isa 25:9Psa 119:166Psa 119:174Mic 7:7Psa 130:51Th 1:10Lam 3:25Luk 2:25
Gad 7will be attacked by raiders, 1Ch 5:11-22Deu 33:20-21Gen 30:111Ch 3:18-221Ch 5:26Gen 46:16Jdg 10:1-11Jos 13:8
but he will attack their heels.
Asher’s food will be rich; Deu 33:24-25Gen 30:13Gen 46:17Jos 19:24-31
he shall provide royal delicacies.
Naphtali is a doe set free Deu 33:23Gen 30:8Gen 46:24Jdg 4:10Jdg 4:6Jdg 5:18Jos 19:32-39Mat 4:15-16
that bears beautiful fawns. 8
Joseph is a fruitful vine— Gen 41:52Psa 1:1-3Psa 128:3Gen 30:22-24Gen 46:27Jos 16:1-10Jos 17:14-17Deu 33:13-17
a fruitful vine by a spring,
whose branches scale the wall. 9
The archers attacked him with bitterness; Gen 37:24Psa 118:13Gen 37:28Gen 37:4Psa 64:3Act 14:22Gen 37:18Gen 39:7-20
they aimed at him in hostility.
Yet he steadied his bow, Psa 132:2Isa 28:16Psa 132:5Job 29:20Psa 80:12Ti 4:17Psa 18:301Pe 2:4-8
and his strong arms were tempered
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
by the God of your father who helps you, Gen 28:13Gen 35:11Php 4:19Deu 28:2-12Deu 33:13-17Deu 8:17Gen 43:231Ti 4:8
and by the Almighty 10who blesses you,
with blessings of the heavens above,
with blessings of the depths below,
with blessings of the breasts and womb.
The blessings of your father have surpassed Deu 33:15-16Hab 3:6Ezk 37:25-26Gen 27:27-29Gen 27:39-40Gen 28:3-4Gen 37:28Isa 54:10
the blessings of the ancient mountains 11
and the bounty of the everlasting hills.
May they rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince of his brothers.
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; Jdg 20:21Jdg 20:25Ezk 22:27Gen 35:18Gen 46:21Num 23:241Sa 11:4-111Sa 14:1-15
in the morning he devours the prey,
in the evening he divides the plunder.”
These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing. Est 8:11Ezk 39:8-10Rev 7:41Ki 18:31Act 26:7Est 8:7Est 8:9Est 9:1-10
The Death of Jacob
Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. Gen 47:30Gen 50:13Gen 15:152Sa 19:37Gen 25:8-17Gen 35:29Rom 12:6-21Heb 12:23 The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. Gen 23:16-18Gen 23:20Gen 23:8-9 There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah. Gen 25:9Gen 35:29Act 7:16Gen 23:16-20Gen 23:3Gen 47:30Gen 50:13 The field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.” Gen 23:17-20
When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people. Gen 49:29Gen 25:8Gen 35:29Act 7:15Ecc 12:7Gen 15:5Gen 25:17Gen 49:1