Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Genesis » Chapter 49 » Verse 1-33

Genesis 49:1-33 King James Version (KJV)

1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

4 Unstable 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.

5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall.

7 Cursed 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.

8 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.

9 Judah 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?

10 The 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.

11 Binding 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:

12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

13 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.

14 Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

15 And 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.

16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

18 I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

20 Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

24 But 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:)

25 Even 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:

26 The 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.

27 Benjamin shall raven as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

28 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.

29 And 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,

30 In 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.

31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

33 And 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.


Genesis 49:1-33 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And Jacob H3290 called H7121 unto his sons, H1121 and said, H559 Gather yourselves together, H622 that I may tell H5046 you that which shall befall H7122 you in the last H319 days. H3117

2 Gather yourselves together, H6908 and hear, H8085 ye sons H1121 of Jacob; H3290 and hearken H8085 unto Israel H3478 your father. H1

3 Reuben, H7205 thou art my firstborn, H1060 my might, H3581 and the beginning H7225 of my strength, H202 the excellency H3499 of dignity, H7613 and the excellency H3499 of power: H5794

4 Unstable H6349 as water, H4325 thou shalt not excel; H3498 because thou wentest up H5927 to thy father's H1 bed; H4904 then defiledst thou H2490 it: he went up H5927 to my couch. H3326

5 Simeon H8095 and Levi H3878 are brethren; H251 instruments H3627 of cruelty H2555 are in their habitations. H4380

6 O my soul, H5315 come H935 not thou into their secret; H5475 unto their assembly, H6951 mine honour, H3519 be not thou united: H3161 for in their anger H639 they slew H2026 a man, H376 and in their selfwill H7522 they digged down H6131 a wall. H7794

7 Cursed H779 be their anger, H639 for it was fierce; H5794 and their wrath, H5678 for it was cruel: H7185 I will divide H2505 them in Jacob, H3290 and scatter H6327 them in Israel. H3478

8 Judah, H3063 thou art he whom thy brethren H251 shall praise: H3034 thy hand H3027 shall be in the neck H6203 of thine enemies; H341 thy father's H1 children H1121 shall bow down H7812 before thee.

9 Judah H3063 is a lion's H738 whelp: H1482 from the prey, H2964 my son, H1121 thou art gone up: H5927 he stooped down, H3766 he couched H7257 as a lion, H738 and as an old lion; H3833 who shall rouse him up? H6965

10 The sceptre H7626 shall not depart H5493 from Judah, H3063 nor a lawgiver H2710 from between his feet, H7272 until H3588 Shiloh H7886 come; H935 and unto him shall the gathering H3349 of the people H5971 be.

11 Binding H631 his foal H5895 unto the vine, H1612 and his ass's H860 colt H1121 unto the choice vine; H8321 he washed H3526 his garments H3830 in wine, H3196 and his clothes H5497 in the blood H1818 of grapes: H6025

12 His eyes H5869 shall be red H2447 with wine, H3196 and his teeth H8127 white H3836 with milk. H2461

13 Zebulun H2074 shall dwell H7931 at the haven H2348 of the sea; H3220 and he shall be for an haven H2348 of ships; H591 and his border H3411 shall be unto Zidon. H6721

14 Issachar H3485 is a strong H1634 ass H2543 couching down H7257 between two burdens: H4942

15 And he saw H7200 that rest H4496 was good, H2896 and the land H776 that it was pleasant; H5276 and bowed H5186 his shoulder H7926 to bear, H5445 and became a servant H5647 unto tribute. H4522

16 Dan H1835 shall judge H1777 his people, H5971 as one H259 of the tribes H7626 of Israel. H3478

17 Dan H1835 shall be a serpent H5175 by the way, H1870 an adder H8207 in the path, H734 that biteth H5391 the horse H5483 heels, H6119 so that his rider H7392 shall fall H5307 backward. H268

18 I have waited for H6960 thy salvation, H3444 O LORD. H3068

19 Gad, H1410 a troop H1416 shall overcome H1464 him: but he shall overcome H1464 at the last. H6119

20 Out of Asher H836 his bread H3899 shall be fat, H8082 and he shall yield H5414 royal H4428 dainties. H4574

21 Naphtali H5321 is a hind H355 let loose: H7971 he giveth H5414 goodly H8233 words. H561

22 Joseph H3130 is a fruitful H6509 bough, H1121 even a fruitful H6509 bough H1121 by a well; H5869 whose branches H1323 run H6805 over the wall: H7791

23 The archers H1167 H2671 have sorely grieved him, H4843 and shot H7232 at him, and hated him: H7852

24 But his bow H7198 abode H3427 in strength, H386 and the arms H2220 of his hands H3027 were made strong H6339 by the hands H3027 of the mighty H46 God of Jacob; H3290 (from thence is the shepherd, H7462 the stone H68 of Israel:) H3478

25 Even by the God H410 of thy father, H1 who shall help H5826 thee; and by H854 the Almighty, H7706 who shall bless H1288 thee with blessings H1293 of heaven H8064 above, H5920 blessings H1293 of the deep H8415 that lieth H7257 under, blessings H1293 of the breasts, H7699 and of the womb: H7356

26 The blessings H1293 of thy father H1 have prevailed H1396 above the blessings H1293 of my progenitors H2029 unto the utmost bound H8379 of the everlasting H5769 hills: H1389 they shall be on the head H7218 of Joseph, H3130 and on the crown of the head H6936 of him that was separate H5139 from his brethren. H251

27 Benjamin H1144 shall ravin H2963 as a wolf: H2061 in the morning H1242 he shall devour H398 the prey, H5706 and at night H6153 he shall divide H2505 the spoil. H7998

28 All these are the twelve H6240 H8147 tribes H7626 of Israel: H3478 and this is it that their father H1 spake H1696 unto them, and blessed H1288 them; every H834 one H376 according to his blessing H1293 he blessed H1288 them.

29 And he charged H6680 them, and said H559 unto them, I am to be gathered H622 unto my people: H5971 bury H6912 me with my fathers H1 in the cave H4631 that is in the field H7704 of Ephron H6085 the Hittite, H2850

30 In the cave H4631 that is in the field H7704 of Machpelah, H4375 which is before H6440 Mamre, H4471 in the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 which Abraham H85 bought H7069 with the field H7704 of Ephron H6085 the Hittite H2850 for a possession H272 of a buryingplace. H6913

31 There they buried H6912 Abraham H85 and Sarah H8283 his wife; H802 there they buried H6912 Isaac H3327 and Rebekah H7259 his wife; H802 and there I buried H6912 Leah. H3812

32 The purchase H4735 of the field H7704 and of the cave H4631 that is therein was from the children H1121 of Heth. H2845

33 And when Jacob H3290 had made an end H3615 of commanding H6680 his sons, H1121 he gathered up H622 his feet H7272 into the bed, H4296 and yielded up the ghost, H1478 and was gathered H622 unto his people. H5971


Genesis 49:1-33 American Standard (ASV)

1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the latter days.

2 Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; And hearken unto Israel your father.

3 Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.

4 Boiling over as water, thou shalt not have the pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; Then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; Weapons of violence are their swords.

6 O my soul, come not thou into their council; Unto their assembly, my glory, be not thou united; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hocked an ox.

7 Cursed 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.

8 Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise: Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; Thy father's sons shall bow down before thee.

9 Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?

10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come: And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.

11 Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass's colt unto the choice vine; He hath washed his garments in wine, And his vesture in the blood of grapes:

12 His eyes shall be red with wine, And his teeth white with milk.

13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; And he shall be for a haven of ships; And his border shall be upon Sidon.

14 Issachar is a strong ass, Couching down between the sheepfolds:

15 And he saw a resting-place that it was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And became a servant under taskwork.

16 Dan shall judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way, An adder in the path, That biteth the horse's heels, So that his rider falleth backward.

18 I have waited for thy salvation, O Jehovah.

19 Gad, a troop shall press upon him; But he shall press upon their heel.

20 Out of the Asher his bread shall be fat, And he shall yield royal dainties.

21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: He giveth goodly words.

22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a fountain; His branches run over the wall.

23 The archers have sorely grieved him, And shot at him, and persecute him:

24 But his bow abode in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong, By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),

25 Even 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 coucheth beneath, Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

26 The 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.

27 Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth: In the morning she shall devour the prey, And at even he shall divide the spoil.

28 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.

29 And 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,

30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying-place.

31 there they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah:

32 the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.

33 And when Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.


Genesis 49:1-33 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Jacob calleth unto his sons and saith, `Be gathered together, and I declare to you that which doth happen with you in the latter end of the days.

2 `Be assembled, and hear, sons of Jacob, And hearken unto Israel your father.

3 Reuben! my first-born thou, My power, and beginning of my strength, The abundance of exaltation, And the abundance of strength;

4 Unstable as water, thou art not abundant; For thou hast gone up thy father's bed; Then thou hast polluted: My couch he went up!

5 Simeon and Levi `are' brethren! Instruments of violence -- their espousals!

6 Into their secret, come not, O my soul! Unto their assembly be not united, O mine honour; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will eradicated a prince.

7 Cursed `is' their anger, for `it is' fierce, And their wrath, for `it is' sharp; I divide them in Jacob, And I scatter them in Israel.

8 Judah! thou -- thy brethren praise thee! Thy hand `is' on the neck of thine enemies, Sons of thy father bow themselves to thee.

9 A lion's whelp `is' Judah, For prey, my son, thou hast gone up; He hath bent, he hath crouched as a lion, And as a lioness; who causeth him to arise?

10 The sceptre turneth not aside from Judah, And a lawgiver from between his feet, Till his Seed come; And his `is' the obedience of peoples.

11 Binding to the vine his ass, And to the choice vine the colt of his ass, He hath washed in wine his clothing, And in the blood of grapes his covering;

12 Red `are' eyes with wine, And white `are' teeth with milk!

13 Zebulun at a haven of the seas doth dwell, And he `is' for a haven of ships; And his side `is' unto Zidon.

14 Issacher `is' a strong ass, Crouching between the two folds;

15 And he seeth rest that `it is' good, And the land that `it is' pleasant, And he inclineth his shoulder to bear, And is to tribute a servant.

16 Dan doth judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel;

17 Dan is a serpent by the way, An adder by the path, Which is biting the horse's heels, And its rider falleth backward.

18 For Thy salvation I have waited, Jehovah!

19 Gad! a troop assaulteth him, But he assaulteth last.

20 Out of Asher his bread `is' fat; And he giveth dainties of a king.

21 Naphtali `is' a hind sent away, Who is giving beauteous young ones.

22 Joseph `is' a fruitful son; A fruitful son by a fountain, Daughters step over the wall;

23 And embitter him -- yea, they have striven, Yea, hate him do archers;

24 And his bow abideth in strength, And strengthened are the arms of his hands By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, Whence is a shepherd, a son of Israel.

25 By the God of thy father who helpeth thee, And the Mighty One who blesseth thee, Blessings of the heavens from above, Blessings of the deep lying under, Blessings of breasts and womb; --

26 Thy father's blessings have been mighty Above the blessings of my progenitors, Unto the limit of the heights age-during They are for the head of Joseph, And for the crown of the one Separate `from' his brethren.

27 Benjamin! a wolf teareth; In the morning he eateth prey, And at evening he apportioneth spoil.'

28 All these `are' the twelve tribes of Israel, and this `is' that which their father hath spoken unto them, and he blesseth them; each according to his blessing he hath blessed them.

29 And he commandeth them, and saith unto them, `I am being gathered unto my people; bury me by my fathers, at the cave which `is' in the field of Ephron the Hittite;

30 in the cave which `is' in the field of Machpelah, which `is' on the front of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying-place;

31 (there they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah);

32 the purchase of the field and of the cave which `is' in it, `is' from Sons of Heth.'

33 And Jacob finisheth commanding his sons, and gathereth up his feet unto the bed, and expireth, and is gathered unto his people.


Genesis 49:1-33 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, and I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days.

2 Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.

3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, My might, and the firstfruits of my vigour: Excellency of dignity, and excellency of strength.

4 Impetuous as the waters, thou shalt have no pre-eminence; Because thou wentest up to thy father's couch: Then defiledst thou [it]: he went up to my bed.

5 Simeon and Levi are brethren: Instruments of violence their swords.

6 My soul, come not into their council; Mine honour, be not united with their assembly; For in their anger they slew men, And in their wantonness houghed oxen.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it [was] violent; And their rage, for it [was] cruel! I will divide them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel.

8 Judah -- [as to] thee, thy brethren will praise thee; Thy hand will be upon the neck of thine enemies; Thy father's children will bow down to thee.

9 Judah is a young lion; From the prey, my son, thou art gone up. He stoopeth, he layeth himself down as a lion, And as a lioness: who will rouse him up?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come, And to him will be the obedience of peoples.

11 He bindeth his foal to the vine, And his ass's colt to the choice vine; He washeth his dress in wine, And his garment in the blood of grapes.

12 The eyes are red with wine, And the teeth [are] white with milk.

13 Zebulun will dwell at the shore of the seas; Yea, he will be at the shore of the ships, And his side [toucheth] upon Sidon.

14 Issachar is a bony ass, Crouching down between two hurdles.

15 And he saw the rest that it was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And was a tributary servant.

16 Dan will judge his people, As another of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan will be a serpent on the way, A horned snake on the path, Which biteth the horse's heels, So that the rider falleth backwards.

18 I wait for thy salvation, O Jehovah.

19 Gad -- troops will rush upon him; But he will rush upon the heel.

20 Out of Asher, his bread shall be fat, And he will give royal dainties.

21 Naphtali is a hind let loose; He giveth goodly words.

22 Joseph is a fruitful bough; A fruitful bough by a well; [His] branches shoot over the wall.

23 The archers have provoked him, And shot at, and hated him;

24 But his bow abideth firm, And the arms of his hands are supple By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:

25 From the ùGod of thy father, and he will help thee; And from the Almighty, and he will bless thee -- With blessings of heaven from above, With blessings of the deep that lieth under, With blessings of the breast and of the womb.

26 The blessings of thy father surpass the blessings of my ancestors, Unto the bounds of the everlasting hills: They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

27 Benjamin -- [as] a wolf will he tear to pieces; In the morning he will devour the prey, And in the evening he will divide the booty.

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them; and he blessed them: every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

29 And he charged them, and said to them, I am gathered to my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is opposite to Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought of Ephron the Hittite along with the field for a possession of a sepulchre.

31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebecca his wife; and there I buried Leah.

32 The purchase of the field, and of the cave that is in it, was from the children of Heth.

33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered his feet into the bed, and expired, and was gathered to his peoples.


Genesis 49:1-33 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Jacob called to his sons, and said: "Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.

2 Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob; Listen to Israel, your father.

3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.

4 Boiling over as water, you shall not have the pre-eminence; Because you went up to your father's bed; Then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers; Weapons of violence are their swords.

6 My soul, don't come into their council; My glory, don't be united to their assembly; For in their anger they killed a man, In their self-will they hamstrung an ox.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; And their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, Scatter them in Israel.

8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you: Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's sons will bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion's cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, As a lioness. Who will rouse him up?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until he comes to whom it belongs. To him will the obedience of the peoples be.

11 Binding his foal to the vine, His donkey's colt to the choice vine; He has washed his garments in wine, His robes in the blood of grapes:

12 His eyes will be red with wine, His teeth white with milk.

13 "Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.

14 "Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between the saddlebags.

15 He saw a resting-place, that it was good, The land, that it was pleasant; He bows his shoulder to the burden, And becomes a servant doing forced labor.

16 "Dan will judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, An adder in the path, That bites the horse's heels, So that his rider falls backward.

18 I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.

19 "Gad, a troop will press on him; But he will press on their heel.

20 Out of Asher his bread will be fat, He will yield royal dainties.

21 "Naphtali is a doe set free, Who bears beautiful fawns.

22 "Joseph is a fruitful vine, A fruitful vine by a spring; His branches run over the wall.

23 The archers have sorely grieved him, Shot at him, and persecute him:

24 But his bow abode in strength, The arms of his hands were made strong, By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (From there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),

25 Even by the God of your father, who will help you, By the Almighty, who will bless you, With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies below, Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

26 The blessings of your father Have prevailed above the blessings of the ancient mountains, Above the bounty of the age-old hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, On the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.

27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the spoil."

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his blessing.

29 He charged them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place.

31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:

32 the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth."

33 When Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.


Genesis 49:1-33 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And Jacob sent for his sons, and said, Come together, all of you, so that I may give you news of your fate in future times.

2 Come near, O sons of Jacob, and give ear to the words of Israel your father.

3 Reuben, you are my oldest son, the first-fruit of my strength, first in pride and first in power:

4 But because you were uncontrolled, the first place will not be yours; for you went up to your father's bed, even his bride-bed, and made it unclean.

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers; deceit and force are their secret designs.

6 Take no part in their secrets, O my soul; keep far away, O my heart, from their meetings; for in their wrath they put men to death, and for their pleasure even oxen were wounded.

7 A curse on their passion for it was bitter; and on their wrath for it was cruel. I will let their heritage in Jacob be broken up, driving them from their places in Israel.

8 To you, Judah, will your brothers give praise: your hand will be on the neck of your haters; your father's sons will go down to the earth before you.

9 Judah is a young lion; like a lion full of meat you have become great, my son; now he takes his rest like a lion stretched out and like an old lion; by whom will his sleep be broken?

10 The rod of authority will not be taken from Judah, and he will not be without a law-giver, till he comes who has the right to it, and the peoples will put themselves under his rule.

11 Knotting his ass's cord to the vine, and his young ass to the best vine; washing his robe in wine, and his clothing in the blood of grapes:

12 His eyes will be dark with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

13 The resting-place of Zebulun will be by the sea, and he will be a harbour for ships; the edge of his land will be by Zidon.

14 Issachar is a strong ass stretched out among the flocks:

15 And he saw that rest was good and the land was pleasing; so he let them put weights on his back and became a servant.

16 Dan will be the judge of his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 May Dan be a snake in the way, a horned snake by the road, biting the horse's foot so that the horseman has a fall.

18 I have been waiting for your salvation, O Lord.

19 Gad, an army will come against him, but he will come down on them in their flight.

20 Asher's bread is fat; he gives delicate food for kings.

21 Naphtali is a roe let loose, giving fair young ones.

22 Joseph is a young ox, whose steps are turned to the fountain;

23 He was troubled by the archers; they sent out their arrows against him, cruelly wounding him:

24 But their bows were broken by a strong one, and the cords of their arms were cut by the Strength of Jacob, by the name of the Stone of Israel:

25 Even by the God of your father, who will be your help, and by the Ruler of all, who will make you full with blessings from heaven on high, blessings of the deep stretched out under the earth, blessings of the breasts and of the fertile body:

26 Blessings of sons, old and young, to the father: blessings of the oldest mountains and the fruit of the eternal hills: let them come on the head of Joseph, on the crown of him who was separate from his brothers.

27 Benjamin is a wolf, searching for meat: in the morning he takes his food, and in the evening he makes division of what he has taken.

28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel: and these are the words their father said to them, blessing them; to every one he gave his blessing.

29 And he gave orders to them, saying, Put me to rest with my people and with my fathers, in the hollow of the rock in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30 In the rock in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham got from Ephron the Hittite, to be his resting-place.

31 There Abraham and Sarah his wife were put to rest, and there they put Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I put Leah to rest.

32 In the rock in the field which was got for a price from the people of Heth.

33 And when Jacob had come to the end of these words to his sons, stretching himself on his bed, he gave up his spirit, and went the way of his people.

Commentary on Genesis 49 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 49

Ge 49:1-33. Patriarchal Blessing.

1. Jacob called unto his sons—It is not to the sayings of the dying saint, so much as of the inspired prophet, that attention is called in this chapter. Under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit he pronounced his prophetic benediction and described the condition of their respective descendants in the last days, or future times.

Ge 49:3, 4. Reuben forfeited by his crime the rights and honors of primogeniture. His posterity never made any figure; no judge, prophet, nor ruler, sprang from this tribe.

Ge 49:5-7. Simeon and Levi were associate in wickedness, and the same prediction would be equally applicable to both their tribes. Levi had cities allotted to them (Jos 21:1-45) in every tribe. On account of their zeal against idolatry, they were honorably "divided in Jacob"; whereas the tribe of Simeon, which was guilty of the grossest idolatry and the vices inseparable from it, were ignominiously "scattered."

Ge 49:8-12. Judah—A high pre-eminence is destined to this tribe (Nu 10:14; Jud 1:2). Besides the honor of giving name to the Promised Land, David, and a greater than David—the Messiah—sprang from it. Chief among the tribes, "it grew up from a lion's whelp"—that is, a little power—till it became "an old lion"—that is, calm and quiet, yet still formidable.

10. until Shiloh come—Shiloh—this obscure word is variously interpreted to mean "the sent" (Joh 17:3), "the seed" (Isa 11:1), the "peaceable or prosperous one" (Eph 2:14)—that is, the Messiah (Isa 11:10; Ro 15:12); and when He should come, "the tribe of Judah should no longer boast either an independent king or a judge of their own" [Calvin]. The Jews have been for eighteen centuries without a ruler and without a judge since Shiloh came, and "to Him the gathering of the people has been."

Ge 49:13. Zebulun was to have its lot on the seacoast, close to Zidon, and to engage, like that state, in maritime pursuits and commerce.

Ge 49:14, 15. Issachar

14. a strong ass couching down between two burdens—that is, it was to be active, patient, given to agricultural labors. It was established in lower Galilee—a "good land," settling down in the midst of the Canaanites, where, for the sake of quiet, they "bowed their shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute."

Ge 49:16-18. Dan—though the son of a secondary wife, was to be "as one of the tribes of Israel."

17. Dan—"a judge."

a serpent … an adder—A serpent, an adder, implies subtlety and stratagem; such was pre-eminently the character of Samson, the most illustrious of its judges.

Ge 49:19. Gad—This tribe should be often attacked and wasted by hostile powers on their borders (Jud 10:8; Jer 49:1). But they were generally victorious in the close of their wars.

Ge 49:20. Asher—"Blessed." Its allotment was the seacoast between Tyre and Carmel, a district fertile in the production of the finest corn and oil in all Palestine.

Ge 49:21. Naphtali—The best rendering we know is this, "Naphtali is a deer roaming at liberty; he shooteth forth goodly branches," or majestic antlers [Taylor, Scripture Illustrations], and the meaning of the prophecy seems to be that the tribe of Naphtali would be located in a territory so fertile and peaceable, that, feeding on the richest pasture, he would spread out, like a deer, branching antlers.

Ge 49:22-26. Joseph

22. a fruitful bough, &c.—denotes the extraordinary increase of that tribe (compare Nu 1:33-35; Jos 17:17; De 33:17). The patriarch describes him as attacked by envy, revenge, temptation, ingratitude; yet still, by the grace of God, he triumphed over all opposition, so that he became the sustainer of Israel; and then he proceeds to shower blessings of every kind upon the head of this favorite son. The history of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh shows how fully these blessings were realized.

Ge 49:27-33. Benjamin

27. shall ravin like a wolf—This tribe in its early history spent its energies in petty or inglorious warfare and especially in the violent and unjust contest (Jud 19:1-20:48), in which it engaged with the other tribes, when, notwithstanding two victories, it was almost exterminated.

28. all these are the twelve tribes of Israel—or ancestors. Jacob's prophetic words obviously refer not so much to the sons as to the tribes of Israel.

29. he charged them—The charge had already been given and solemnly undertaken (Ge 47:31). But in mentioning his wishes now and rehearsing all the circumstances connected with the purchase of Machpelah, he wished to declare, with his latest breath, before all his family, that he died in the same faith as Abraham.

33. when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons—It is probable that he was supernaturally strengthened for this last momentous office of the patriarch, and that when the divine afflatus ceased, his exhausted powers giving way, he yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.