1Then 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:
2Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob;
3Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might,
4Uncontrolled as the waters,
5Simeon and Levi are brothers;
6May I never enter their council;
7Cursed be their anger, for it is strong,
8Judah,49:8 Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise. your brothers shall praise you.
9Judah is a young lion—
10The scepter will not depart from Judah,
11He ties his donkey to the vine,
12His eyes are darker than wine,
13Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore
14Issachar is a strong donkey,
15He saw that his resting place was good
16Dan shall provide justice for his people 49:16 Or Dan shall judge his people; Dan means He has judged or He has vindicated.
17He will be a snake by the road,
18I await Your salvation, O LORD.
19Gad 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for raid and also for band of raiders. will be attacked by raiders,
20Asher’s food will be rich;
21Naphtali is a doe set free
22Joseph is a fruitful vine—
23The archers attacked him with bitterness;
24Yet he steadied his bow,
25by the God of your father who helps you,
26The blessings of your father have surpassed
27Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
28These 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.
29Then 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.
30The 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.
31There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah.
32The field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.”
33When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people.