1Jacob called for his sons and said: "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come."
2Come together and listen, sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.
3"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, and the first sign of my power; you were outstanding in dignity and outstanding in power.
4But you were wild like uncontrolled water, so you will no longer be outstanding; because you went into your father's bed and defiled it. He went up onto my couch."
5"Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are tools of violence."
6May I not be part of their secret plans, nor be associated with their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. By their own will, they crippled cattle."
7Their anger is cursed, because it was wild, and their fury, because it was cruel. I will divide their descendants in Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.
8“Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will defeat your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow before you.
9Judah is like a lion cub that has just eaten its prey. He lies down and crouches like a lion, like a lioness—who would dare to disturb him?
10Judah will always have a king from his family, and he will hold the royal staff until the rightful ruler comes. Then the people will obey him.
11He ties his donkey to a vine, even his young donkey to the choicest vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
12His eyes will be dark from wine, and his teeth will be white from milk.
13“Zebulun will live by the sea and be a harbor for ships. His border will extend to Sidon.
14“Issachar is a strong donkey, resting among the sheepfolds.
15He saw how good his resting place was and how pleasant the land was. So he willingly took on heavy burdens and became a slave doing forced labor.
16“Dan will govern his own people, like any other tribe of Israel.
17Dan will be like a snake in the road, a poisonous viper on the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider falls backward.
18Yahweh, I wait for your rescue.
19“Raiders will attack Gad, but he will turn and pursue them.
20“Asher will have rich food; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
21“Naphtali is like a free doe that gives birth to beautiful fawns.
22“Joseph is like a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring. Its branches spread over the wall.
23Archers have bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and persecuted him.
24But his bow remained strong, and his arms were made powerful by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there comes the Shepherd, the Protector of Israel).
25This comes from the God of your father, who will help you; from the Almighty, who will bless you—with blessings from the heavens above, blessings from the deep waters below, and blessings of fertility and birth.
26The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of my ancestors, and they reach to the boundaries of the ancient hills. These blessings will rest on Joseph, on the head of the one set apart from his brothers.”
27Benjamin is like a hungry wolf. In the morning he eats his prey. In the evening he shares what he has taken.
28These are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them and how he blessed them. He gave each one a blessing that fit him.
29Then he gave them instructions, saying, "I am about to die and join my ancestors. Bury me with my fathers in the cave located in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
30in the cave in the field of Machpelah, which is near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite to be a burial place."
31"The bodies of Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there. The bodies of Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried there, and I buried Leah there."
32"The field and the cave in it were bought from the descendants of Heth."
33After Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up into the bed, took his last breath, and died, joining his ancestors.