Context No. 2751 of 4322 · Genesis

Context · Reflection

Genesis 49:1-16: in context

1Jacob 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. 2Assemble 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, excelling in dignity, and excelling in power. 4Boiling over like water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch. 5“Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence. 6My soul, don’t come into their council. My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In their self-will they hamstrung cattle. 7Cursed 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, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow down before you. 9Judah 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? 10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. The obedience of the peoples will be to him. 11Binding 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. 12His 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. 15He 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.