1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
2And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
3Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
4Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
5¶ Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
6¶ Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
7Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.49.4 thou shalt…: Heb. do not thou excel49.4 he went…: or, my couch is gone
8Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.49.4 thou shalt…: Heb. do not thou excel49.4 he went…: or, my couch is gone
9¶ Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.49.5 instruments…: or, their swords are weapons of violence
10¶ Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.49.5 instruments…: or, their swords are weapons of violence
11O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.49.6 digged…: or, houghed oxen
12O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.49.6 digged…: or, houghed oxen
13Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
14Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
15¶ Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
16¶ Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
17Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
18Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
19The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
20The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
21Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
22Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
23His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
24His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
25¶ Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
26¶ Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
27¶ Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
28¶ Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
29And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.
30And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.
31¶ Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
32¶ Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
33Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.49.17 an adder: Heb. an arrow-snake
34Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.49.17 an adder: Heb. an arrow-snake
35I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
36I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
37¶ Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
38¶ Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
39¶ Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
40¶ Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
41¶ Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
42¶ Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
43¶ Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:49.22 branches: Heb. daughters
44¶ Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:49.22 branches: Heb. daughters
45The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
46The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
47But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
48But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
49Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
50Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
51The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
52The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
53¶ Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
54¶ Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
55¶ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
56¶ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
57And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
58And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
59In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.
60In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.
61There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
62There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
63The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
64The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
65And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
66And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.