Jacob Blesses His Sons(A)

49 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.(B)

“Assemble(C) and listen, sons of Jacob;
    listen to your father Israel.(D)

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,(E)
    my might, the first sign of my strength,(F)
    excelling in honor,(G) excelling in power.
Turbulent as the waters,(H) you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.(I)

“Simeon(J) and Levi(K) are brothers—
    their swords[a] are weapons of violence.(L)
Let me not enter their council,
    let me not join their assembly,(M)
for they have killed men in their anger(N)
    and hamstrung(O) oxen as they pleased.
Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
    and their fury,(P) so cruel!(Q)
I will scatter them in Jacob
    and disperse them in Israel.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:22 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.
  2. Matthew 6:23 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,(A) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded(B) and unstable(C) in all they do.

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At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi(A) to carry the ark of the covenant(B) of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister(C) and to pronounce blessings(D) in his name, as they still do today.(E) That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance,(F) as the Lord your God told them.)

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About Levi(A) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim(B) belong
    to your faithful servant.(C)
You tested(D) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(E)
He said of his father and mother,(F)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.(G)
10 He teaches(H) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.(I)
He offers incense before you(J)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.(K)

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20 The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them;(A) I am your share and your inheritance(B) among the Israelites.

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