1 Jacob called for his sons and said, "Gather around, and I will tell you what will hapen to you in the future:
2"Come together and listen, sons
of Jacob.
Listen to your father Israel.
3 Return, my first-born, you are my strength
And thr first child of my
manfood,
The product and strongest of all
my sons.
4 You are like a raging flood,
But you will not be the most
important,
For you slept with my concubine
And didhonored your
father's bed.
5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers.
They use their weapons to
commit violence.
6 I will not join in their secret
talks,
Nor will I take part in their
meetings,
For they killed people in anger
And they crippled bulls for sport.
7 A curse be on their anger,
because it is so fierce,
And on their fury, because it is
so cruel.
I will scatter them throughout
the land of Israel.
I will disperse them among its
people.
8 "Judah, your brothers will
praise you.
You hold your enemies by the
neck.
Your brother will bow down
before you.
9 Judah is like a lion,
Killing his victim and returning
to his den,
Streching out and lying down.
No one dares disturb him.
10 Judah will hold the royal scepter,
And his descendants will always
rule.
Nations will bring him tribute
And bow in obedience
before him.
11 He ties his young donkey to a
grapvine,
To the very best of the vines.
He washes his clothes in
blood-red wine.
12 His eyes are bloodshot from
drinking wine,
His teeth white from drinking
milk.
13 "Zebulun will live beside the sea.
His shore will be a haven for
ships.
His territory will reach as far as
Sidon.
14 " Issachar is no better than a
donkey
That lies stretches out between
its saddlebags.
15 But he sees that the resting
place is good
And that the land is delightful.
So he bends his back to carry
the load
And is forced to work as a slave.
16 "Dan will be a ruler for his
people.
They will be like the other tribes
of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake at the side
of the road,
A poisonous snake beside the
path,
That strikes at the horse's heel,
So that the rider is thrown off
backward.
18 "I wait for your deliverance,
LORD.
19"Gad will be attacked by a band
of robbers,
But the he will turn and pursue
them.
20"Asher's land will produce rich
food.
He will provide food fit for a
king.
21 "Naphtali is a deer that runs
free,
Who bears lovely fawns.
22 "Joseph is like a wild donkey by
a spring,
A wild colt on a hillside.
23 His enemies attack him fiercely
And pursue him with their bows
and arrows.
24 But his bow remains steady,
And his arms are made srong
By the power of the Mighty God
of Jacob,
By the Shepherd, the Protector of
Israel.
25 It is your father's God who
helps you,
The Almighty God who
blesses you
With blessings of rain from
above
And of deep waters from beneath
the ground,
Blessings of many cattle and
children,
26 Blessing of grain and flowers,
Blessing of ancient mountains,
Delightful things from
everlasting hills.
May these blessing rest on the head of Joseph,
On the brow of the one set apart
from his brothers.
27 "Benjamin is like a vicious wolf.
Morning and evening he kills
and devours."
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he spoke a suitable word of farewell to each son
2"Come together and listen, sons
of Jacob.
Listen to your father Israel.
3 Return, my first-born, you are my strength
And thr first child of my
manfood,
The product and strongest of all
my sons.
4 You are like a raging flood,
But you will not be the most
important,
For you slept with my concubine
And didhonored your
father's bed.
5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers.
They use their weapons to
commit violence.
6 I will not join in their secret
talks,
Nor will I take part in their
meetings,
For they killed people in anger
And they crippled bulls for sport.
7 A curse be on their anger,
because it is so fierce,
And on their fury, because it is
so cruel.
I will scatter them throughout
the land of Israel.
I will disperse them among its
people.
8 "Judah, your brothers will
praise you.
You hold your enemies by the
neck.
Your brother will bow down
before you.
9 Judah is like a lion,
Killing his victim and returning
to his den,
Streching out and lying down.
No one dares disturb him.
10 Judah will hold the royal scepter,
And his descendants will always
rule.
Nations will bring him tribute
And bow in obedience
before him.
11 He ties his young donkey to a
grapvine,
To the very best of the vines.
He washes his clothes in
blood-red wine.
12 His eyes are bloodshot from
drinking wine,
His teeth white from drinking
milk.
13 "Zebulun will live beside the sea.
His shore will be a haven for
ships.
His territory will reach as far as
Sidon.
14 " Issachar is no better than a
donkey
That lies stretches out between
its saddlebags.
15 But he sees that the resting
place is good
And that the land is delightful.
So he bends his back to carry
the load
And is forced to work as a slave.
16 "Dan will be a ruler for his
people.
They will be like the other tribes
of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake at the side
of the road,
A poisonous snake beside the
path,
That strikes at the horse's heel,
So that the rider is thrown off
backward.
18 "I wait for your deliverance,
LORD.
19"Gad will be attacked by a band
of robbers,
But the he will turn and pursue
them.
20"Asher's land will produce rich
food.
He will provide food fit for a
king.
21 "Naphtali is a deer that runs
free,
Who bears lovely fawns.
22 "Joseph is like a wild donkey by
a spring,
A wild colt on a hillside.
23 His enemies attack him fiercely
And pursue him with their bows
and arrows.
24 But his bow remains steady,
And his arms are made srong
By the power of the Mighty God
of Jacob,
By the Shepherd, the Protector of
Israel.
25 It is your father's God who
helps you,
The Almighty God who
blesses you
With blessings of rain from
above
And of deep waters from beneath
the ground,
Blessings of many cattle and
children,
26 Blessing of grain and flowers,
Blessing of ancient mountains,
Delightful things from
everlasting hills.
May these blessing rest on the head of Joseph,
On the brow of the one set apart
from his brothers.
27 "Benjamin is like a vicious wolf.
Morning and evening he kills
and devours."
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he spoke a suitable word of farewell to each son