Genesis 49

1 Then Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] called [summoned, invited] for his sons [descendants, children] and said, “Gather around [assemble yourselves, come together] so that I can tell [declare, reveal] you what will happen [befall, come to pass] to you in the days [latter days, future times] to come [in the end, at last]: word study 2 Come together [assemble, gather yourselves] and listen [hear, hearken], O sons [descendants, children] of Jacob; listen [hear, obey] to your father [parent, ancestor] Israel [the one who wrestled with God]. word study 3 Reuben, you [my oldest son, firstborn] are my firstborn [born when I was strong, conceived when I was vigorous], my might [strength, power], and the beginning [first part, starting point] of my strength [physical power, ability], excelling [pre-eminent, above all others] in honor [dignity, excellence], excelling [pre-eminent, greater] in power [strength, might]. word study 4 Uncontrolled [unstable, boiling over] as the waters [like a flood, reckless], you will no longer excel [have the pre-eminence, remain], because you went up [ascended] to your father’s [parent’s, ancestor’s] bed [couch, intimate place], onto my couch [my bed, my marriage bed], and defiled [profaned, polluted] it [the relationship, the trust]. word study 5 Simeon [Shimeon, the second son of Jacob] and Levi [a son of Jacob and Leah] are brothers [male siblings, close relatives]; their swords [instruments of war, devices for fighting] are weapons [articles, utensils] of violence [cruelty, injustice, chaos]. word study 6 May I never enter [be part of, join] their council [secret, gathering]; may I never join [unite with, participate in] their assembly [congregation, meeting]. For they kill [slay, murder] men [people, individuals] in their anger [wrath, fury], and hamstring [cripple, wound] oxen [cattle, bulls] on a whim [self-will, pleasure]. word study 7 Cursed [to execrate, wish harm upon] be their anger [fierce, strong emotions], for it is strong [intense, powerful], and their wrath [fury, outburst of passion], for it is cruel [harsh, severe]! I will disperse [divide, scatter] them in Jacob [the nation of Israel, his descendants] and scatter [disperse, drive out] them in Israel [the land, the people]. word study 8 Judah, your brothers [relatives, friends] shall praise [give thanks, honor] you. Your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] shall be on the necks [in control, dominating] of your enemies [adversaries, those who oppose]; your father’s sons [descendants, family members] shall bow down [show respect, worship] to you. word study 9 Judah [a lion’s whelp, young and powerful] is a young lion— my son [descendant, child], you return [to ascend, go up] from the prey [something torn apart, food]. Like a lion he crouches [to bow, sink down] and lies down [to stretch, rest]; like a lioness [fierce and powerful], who [what person, which one] dares to rouse him [to rise, stand up]? word study 10 The scepter [a rod or staff, a sceptre] will not depart from Judah [the tribe of Judah, the son of Jacob], nor the staff [rod of authority, lawgiver] from between his feet [in his presence, under his rule], until Shiloh [the messianic figure, tribute] comes and the allegiance [obedience, loyalty] of the nations [peoples, Gentiles] is his [belongs to him, under his rule]. word study 11 He ties [binds, secures] his donkey [ass, young ass] to the vine [the choice vine], his colt [foal, young donkey] to the choicest branch [the best vine, a choice vine]. He washes [cleanses, tramples] his garments [clothing, robes] in wine [fermented wine, red juice], his robes [vesture, covering] in the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] of grapes [a grape or grapes]. word study 12 His eyes [dull, yet sparkling with wine’s effects] are darker [red with wine’s influence] than wine [fermented, intoxicating drink], and his teeth [ivory, pearly whites] are whiter [pure, clean] than milk. word study 13 Zebulun [a tribe of Israel, descendant of Jacob] shall dwell [live, reside, settle] by the seashore [coast, shoreline, harbor] and become [be, serve as] a harbor [haven, port, refuge] for ships [vessels, boats, fleet]; his border [territory, boundary, flank] shall extend [reach, stretch, be situated] to [toward, unto, upon] Sidon [a city, a coastal town, a major port]. word study 14 Issachar [there is recompense, a strong and rewarded tribe] is a strong [powerful, robust] donkey [a male ass], lying down [to stretch, to rest] between [in the midst of, among] the sheepfolds [burdens, places of animal care, or saddle bags]. word study 15 He saw [with discernment and understanding] that his resting place [a peaceful home, state of quietness] was good [pleasant, beneficial] and that his land [territory, region] was pleasant [delightful, lovely], so he bent [to stretch, bow down] his shoulder [back] to the burden [load, task] and submitted [became a servant, to serve] to labor [work, toil] as a servant [taskworker, under tribute]. word study 16 Dan [the judge, founder of a tribe] shall provide [judge, govern, bring justice to] justice [fairness, righteousness, verdict] for his people [nation, clan, community] as [like, similar to] one [united, single] of the tribes [clans, families] of Israel [God’s chosen, descendants of Jacob]. word study 17 He will be a snake [serpent] by the road [way, path, journey], a viper [horned adder, venomous snake] in the path [way, road] that bites [to bite, attack] the horse’s heels [the back of the foot, vulnerable spot] so that its rider [one who rides, controls] tumbles [to fall, be defeated] backward [in reverse, away from the intended direction]. word study 18 I await [have waited, trust in] Your salvation [deliverance, rescue, victory], O [Yehovah] LORD [the supreme God, Savior]. word study 19 Gad [a troop, a band of soldiers] will be attacked [raided, overcome] by raiders [a group of bandits, an army], but he [as a tribe, his descendants] will attack [press upon, overcome] their heels [the rear, the last part of the enemy]. word study 20 Asher’s [descendants will eat] food [bread, grain, or nourishment] will be [fat, abundant, and rich] rich; he [as a tribe or nation] shall provide [yield, give, or offer] royal [fit for a king, luxurious] delicacies [dainties, pleasures, or fine dishes]. word study 21 Naphtali is a doe [hind, female deer] set free [let loose, sent away] that bears [gives, brings forth] beautiful [goodly, beauteous] fawns [young ones, children]. word study 22 Joseph [a fruitful son, added by God] is a fruitful vine [a tree by a fountain, producing much fruit]— a fruitful vine [with abundant branches] by a spring [a fountain, source of life], whose branches [extending far and wide] scale [run over, climb] the wall [a barrier, a row of plants]. word study 23 The archers [masters of the bow, skilled marksmen] attacked him with bitterness [intense anger, hostility]; they aimed at him [shot at him, persecuted him] in hostility [with hatred, a long-held grudge]. word study 24 Yet he steadied his bow [remaining strong, abiding in strength], and his strong [mighty, powerful] arms were tempered [made strong, strengthened] by the hands [power, direction] of the Mighty One [the powerful God] of Jacob [Israel, the father of the faithful], in the name [authority, character] of the Shepherd [the one who cares for his people], the Rock [a stone of refuge] of Israel [the people of God, the descendants of Jacob], word study 25 by the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of your father [the patriarchal head] who helps [assists, supports, and protects] you, and by the Almighty [Shadday, the all-powerful One] who blesses [pours out divine favor and prosperity] you, with blessings [gifts of divine grace and provision] of the heavens [the sky, the celestial realm] above, with blessings of the depths [the deep waters, the abyss] below, with blessings of the breasts [the source of nourishment and life] and womb [the place of conception and birth]. word study 26 The blessings [gifts from God, bringing prosperity and praise] of your father [the patriarch, ancestor] have surpassed [prevailed above, been stronger than] the blessings [good things, prosperity] of the ancient [eternal, everlasting] mountains and the bounty [riches, abundance] of the everlasting [forever, age-during] hills. May they rest [be upon, come to] on the head [the topmost part of the body] of Joseph [Jehovah has added], on the brow [crown, top] of the prince [leader, ruler] of his brothers [male siblings, relatives]. word study 27 Benjamin [son of the right hand] is a ravenous [vicious, fierce] wolf [a predator]; in the morning [at the break of day, a time of new beginnings] he devours [eats, consumes] the prey [spoils of war, booty], in the evening [at sunset, a time of reflection] he divides [shares, apportions] the plunder [spoils, loot].” word study 28 These [specific, particular] are the tribes [clans, families] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people], twelve in all, and this [what follows, the subsequent words] was what their father [Jacob, the patriarch] said [spoke, communicated] to them. He blessed [praised, honored] them, and he blessed [bestowed divine favor upon] each one [individually, uniquely] with a suitable [personal, fitting] blessing [gift, expression of divine favor]. word study 29 Then Jacob instructed [gave orders to, commanded] them, “I am about to be gathered [collected, brought together] to my people [my nation, my family]. Bury me with my fathers [ancestors, predecessors] in the cave [hollow rock, burial place] in the field [land, territory] of Ephron [a Hittite, a son of Zohar] the Hittite [a descendant of Heth, a Canaanite]. word study 30 The cave [in the rock, a hidden place] is in the field [a flat area of land, for cultivation] of Machpelah [a place of burial, near Hebron] near Mamre [a place of strength, an Amorite’s territory], in the land [the earth, a country] of Canaan [a region, the promised land]. This is the field Abraham [the father of many, a key figure] purchased [acquired, bought] from Ephron [a Canaanite, a Hittite] the Hittite [a descendant of Heth, a son of Canaan] as a burial site [a possession, a grave, a place to bury]. word study 31 There [in that specific location, at the burial site] Abraham [the father of faith] and his wife Sarah [the noblewoman, mother of Isaac] are buried, there [in the same place] Isaac [the son of promise] and his wife Rebekah [the mother of Esau and Jacob] are buried, and there [in that same location] I buried Leah [the first wife of Jacob, mother of many tribes]. word study 32 The field [a flat area of land, often used for cultivation] and the cave [a dark or hidden place, a hole or hollow] that is in it were purchased [bought, acquired as property] from the Hittites [the children of Heth, descendants of Canaan].” word study 33 When Jacob [the father of the Israelites] had finished [completed, made an end of] instructing [commanding, charging] his sons, he pulled [gathered up, drew] his feet [the lower extremities] into the bed [a place of rest, a couch] and breathed [yielded up, expired] his last [final breath], and he was gathered [collected, united] to his people [his ancestors, the nation of Israel]. word study