Genesis 49:2-27

2Gather together and listen, sons of Jacob; Yes, 1listen to Israel your father.

3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and 2the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.43Uncontrollable as water, you shall not have preeminence, 4Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it--he went up to my couch.

5“5Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their 6swords are implements of violence.67May my soul not enter into their council; May my glory not be united with their assembly; For in their anger they killed 8men, And in their self-will they lamed 9oxen.7Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. 10I will scatter them in Jacob, And disperse them among Israel.

8“As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; 11Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.9Judah is a 12lion’s cub; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. 13He 14crouches, he lies down as a lion, And as a 15lion, who 16dares to stir him up?1017The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, 18Until Shiloh comes, And 19to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.1120He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; 21He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes.12His eyes are 22dull from wine, And his teeth 23white from milk.

13“24Zebulun will reside at the seashore; And he shall be 25a harbor for ships, And his flank shall be toward Sidon.

14“Issachar is a 26strong donkey, 27Lying down between the sheepfolds.15When he saw that a resting place was good And that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to carry burdens, And became a slave at forced labor.

16“28Dan shall 29judge his people, As one of the tribes of Israel.17Dan shall be a serpent in the way, A horned viper in the path, That bites the horse’s heels, So that its rider falls backward.1830For Your salvation I wait, Lord.

19“31As for Gad, a band of raiders shall attack him, But he will attack at their 32heels.

20“3334As for 35Asher, his 36food shall be 37rich, And he will yield royal delicacies.

21“38Naphtali is a doe let loose; He utters beautiful words.

22“39Joseph is a fruitful 40branch, A fruitful 41branch by a spring; Its 42branches hang over a wall.23The archers provoked him, And shot at him and were hostile toward him;24But his 43bow remained 44firm, And 4546his arms were agile, From the hands of the 47Mighty One of Jacob (From there is 48the Shepherd, 49the Stone of Israel),25From 50the God of your father who helps you, And 5152by the 53Almighty who blesses you With 54blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.26The blessings of your father Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors Up to the 55furthest boundary of 56the everlasting hills; May they be on the head of Joseph, And on the top of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.

27“Benjamin is a 57ravenous wolf; In the morning he devours the prey, And in the evening he divides the spoils.”