Genesis 49 - New International Version (NIV)

Jacob Blesses His Sons(A)

49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.(B)

2 “Assemble(C) and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel.(D)

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,(E)
my might, the first sign of my strength,(F)
excelling in honor,(G) excelling in power.
4 Turbulent as the waters,(H) you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.(I)

5 “Simeon(J) and Levi(K) are brothers—
their swords[a] are weapons of violence.(L)
6 Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly,(M)
for they have killed men in their anger(N)
and hamstrung(O) oxen as they pleased.
7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
and their fury,(P) so cruel!(Q)
I will scatter them in Jacob
and disperse them in Israel.(R)

8 “Judah,[b](S) your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck(T) of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.(U)
9 You are a lion’s(V) cub,(W) Judah;(X)
you return from the prey,(Y) my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,(Z)
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[c]
until he to whom it belongs[d] shall come(AA)
and the obedience of the nations shall be his.(AB)
11 He will tether his donkey(AC) to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;(AD)
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.(AE)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.[e](AF)

13 “Zebulun(AG) will live by the seashore
and become a haven for ships;
his border will extend toward Sidon.(AH)

14 “Issachar(AI) is a rawboned[f] donkey
lying down among the sheep pens.[g](AJ)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
and how pleasant is his land,(AK)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden(AL)
and submit to forced labor.(AM)

16 “Dan[h](AN) will provide justice for his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.(AO)
17 Dan(AP) will be a snake by the roadside,
a viper along the path,(AQ)
that bites the horse’s heels(AR)
so that its rider tumbles backward.

18 “I look for your deliverance,(AS) Lord.(AT)

19 “Gad[i](AU) will be attacked by a band of raiders,
but he will attack them at their heels.(AV)

20 “Asher’s(AW) food will be rich;(AX)
he will provide delicacies fit for a king.(AY)

21 “Naphtali(AZ) is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns.[j](BA)

22 “Joseph(BB) is a fruitful vine,(BC)
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches(BD) climb over a wall.[k]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(BE)
they shot at him with hostility.(BF)
24 But his bow remained steady,(BG)
his strong arms(BH) stayed[l] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(BI)
because of the Shepherd,(BJ) the Rock of Israel,(BK)
25 because of your father’s God,(BL) who helps(BM) you,
because of the Almighty,[m](BN) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,(BO)
blessings of the breast(BP) and womb.(BQ)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than[n] the bounty of the age-old hills.(BR)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(BS)
on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.(BT)

27 “Benjamin(BU) is a ravenous wolf;(BV)
in the morning he devours the prey,(BW)
in the evening he divides the plunder.”(BX)

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,(BY) and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing(BZ) appropriate to him.

The Death of Jacob

29 Then he gave them these instructions:(CA) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(CB) Bury me with my fathers(CC) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(CD) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(CE) near Mamre(CF) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(CG) as a burial place(CH) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(CI) and his wife Sarah(CJ) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(CK) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(CL) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[p](CM)”

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.(CN)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  3. Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
  4. Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  5. Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
  6. Genesis 49:14 Or strong
  7. Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  8. Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
  9. Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
  10. Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
  11. Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
  12. Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
  13. Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
  14. Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
  15. Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
  16. Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth

Cross references

  1. Genesis 49:1 : 49:1-28Ref — Dt 33:1-29
  2. Genesis 49:1 : Nu 24:14; Dt 31:29; Jer 23:20; Da 2:28, 45
  3. Genesis 49:2 : Jos 24:1
  4. Genesis 49:2 : ver 16, 28; Ps 34:11
  5. Genesis 49:3 : S Ge 29:32; S 41:51
  6. Genesis 49:3 : Dt 21:17; Ps 78:51; 105:36
  7. Genesis 49:3 : S Ge 34:19
  8. Genesis 49:4 : Isa 57:20; Jer 49:23
  9. Genesis 49:4 : S Ge 29:29; S 34:5
  10. Genesis 49:5 : S Ge 29:33
  11. Genesis 49:5 : Ge 29:34
  12. Genesis 49:5 : S Ge 34:25; S Pr 4:17
  13. Genesis 49:6 : Ps 1:1; Pr 1:15; Eph 5:11
  14. Genesis 49:6 : S Ge 34:26
  15. Genesis 49:6 : Jos 11:6, 9; 2Sa 8:4; 1Ch 18:4
  16. Genesis 49:7 : Ge 34:7
  17. Genesis 49:7 : Ge 34:25
  18. Genesis 49:7 : Jos 19:1, 9; 21:1-42
  19. Genesis 49:8 : S Ge 29:35
  20. Genesis 49:8 : Dt 28:48
  21. Genesis 49:8 : S Ge 9:25; 1Ch 5:2
  22. Genesis 49:9 : Nu 24:9; Ps 7:2; 10:9; Eze 19:5; Mic 5:8
  23. Genesis 49:9 : Eze 19:2
  24. Genesis 49:9 : Rev 5:5
  25. Genesis 49:9 : ver 27; Nu 23:24; Job 38:39; Ps 17:12; 22:13; 104:21
  26. Genesis 49:10 : Nu 24:17, 19; Jdg 1:1-2; 20:18; 1Ch 5:2; 28:4; Ps 60:7; 108:8
  27. Genesis 49:10 : Eze 21:27
  28. Genesis 49:10 : Ps 2:9; 72:8-11; 98:3; 110:2; Isa 2:4; 26:18; 42:1, 4; 45:22; 48:20; 49:6; 51:5
  29. Genesis 49:11 : Jdg 5:10; 10:4; Zec 9:9
  30. Genesis 49:11 : Dt 8:8; 2Ki 18:32
  31. Genesis 49:11 : Dt 32:14; Isa 63:2
  32. Genesis 49:12 : SS 5:12
  33. Genesis 49:13 : S Ge 30:20
  34. Genesis 49:13 : S Ge 10:19
  35. Genesis 49:14 : S Ge 30:18
  36. Genesis 49:14 : Jdg 5:16; Ps 68:13
  37. Genesis 49:15 : Jos 19:17-23
  38. Genesis 49:15 : Eze 29:18
  39. Genesis 49:15 : 1Ki 4:6; 5:13; 9:21; Isa 14:2; 31:8
  40. Genesis 49:16 : Ge 30:6
  41. Genesis 49:16 : S ver 2
  42. Genesis 49:17 : Jdg 18:27
  43. Genesis 49:17 : Jer 8:17; Am 9:3
  44. Genesis 49:17 : ver 19
  45. Genesis 49:18 : S Ge 45:7; Ps 40:1-3
  46. Genesis 49:18 : Ps 119:166, 174
  47. Genesis 49:19 : S Ge 30:11
  48. Genesis 49:19 : ver 17
  49. Genesis 49:20 : S Ge 30:13
  50. Genesis 49:20 : Isa 25:6
  51. Genesis 49:20 : Job 29:6
  52. Genesis 49:21 : S Ge 30:8
  53. Genesis 49:21 : Job 39:1
  54. Genesis 49:22 : Ge 30:24
  55. Genesis 49:22 : S Ge 17:6; Ps 128:3; Eze 19:10
  56. Genesis 49:22 : Ps 80:10
  57. Genesis 49:23 : 1Ch 10:3
  58. Genesis 49:23 : S Ge 27:41; S 37:24
  59. Genesis 49:24 : Job 29:20
  60. Genesis 49:24 : Ps 18:34; Isa 63:12
  61. Genesis 49:24 : Ps 132:2, 5; Isa 1:24; 10:34; 49:26; 60:16
  62. Genesis 49:24 : S Ge 48:15
  63. Genesis 49:24 : Dt 32:4, 15, 18, 31; 1Sa 2:2; 2Sa 22:32; Ps 18:2, 31; 19:14; 78:35; 89:26; 144:1; Isa 17:10; 26:4; 30:29; 44:8; Hab 1:12
  64. Genesis 49:25 : S Ge 28:13
  65. Genesis 49:25 : Ex 18:4; Ps 27:9
  66. Genesis 49:25 : S Ge 17:1
  67. Genesis 49:25 : S Ge 27:28
  68. Genesis 49:25 : Isa 66:11
  69. Genesis 49:25 : Dt 7:13; 28:4; Ps 107:38; Pr 10:22
  70. Genesis 49:26 : Hab 3:6
  71. Genesis 49:26 : 1Ch 5:1; Eze 47:13
  72. Genesis 49:26 : S Ge 37:8
  73. Genesis 49:27 : Ge 35:18; Jdg 20:12-13
  74. Genesis 49:27 : Hab 1:8; Zep 3:3
  75. Genesis 49:27 : S ver 9
  76. Genesis 49:27 : Nu 31:11; Dt 2:35; Jos 7:21; 8:2; 22:8; Jdg 8:24
  77. Genesis 49:28 : S ver 2
  78. Genesis 49:28 : S Ge 27:4
  79. Genesis 49:29 : Ge 50:16
  80. Genesis 49:29 : S Ge 25:8
  81. Genesis 49:29 : S Ge 15:15; 50:25; 2Sa 2:32; 19:37
  82. Genesis 49:29 : S Ge 25:9
  83. Genesis 49:30 : S Ge 23:9
  84. Genesis 49:30 : S Ge 13:18
  85. Genesis 49:30 : S Ge 23:20
  86. Genesis 49:30 : S Ge 23:4
  87. Genesis 49:31 : Ge 25:9
  88. Genesis 49:31 : Ge 23:19
  89. Genesis 49:31 : S Ge 24:67
  90. Genesis 49:31 : S Ge 23:20; S 29:16
  91. Genesis 49:32 : S Ge 10:15
  92. Genesis 49:33 : S Ge 25:8; Ac 7:15

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