Génesis 49
La Palabra (España)
Testamento de Jacob
49 Jacob llamó a sus hijos y les dijo:
— Reuníos, que os voy a contar lo que os va a suceder en el futuro. 2 Agrupaos y escuchadme, hijos de Jacob; escuchad a vuestro padre Israel:
3 Rubén, tú eres mi primogénito,
mi fuerza y primicia de mi virilidad,
el primero en rango,
el primero en poder.
4 Impetuoso como un torrente,
ya no tendrás la primacía,
porque deshonraste el lecho de tu padre,
profanando mi cama con tu acción.
5 Simeón y Leví son hermanos,
instrumento de violencia son sus armas.
6 No querría estar presente en sus reuniones,
ni comprometer mi honor en sus asambleas,
pues cuando se enfurecieron mataron hombres,
y en su crueldad desjarretaron bueyes.
7 Maldita su ira tan violenta,
y su furor tan feroz.
Yo los dividiré en Jacob,
los dispersaré en Israel.
8 A ti, Judá, te alabarán tus hermanos,
doblegarás el cuello de tus enemigos;
los hijos de tu padre se postrarán ante ti.
9 Cachorro de león es mi hijo Judá
que vuelve de hacer presa;
cuando se echa y se recuesta como león
o como leona, ¿quién lo desafiará?
10 No se apartará de Judá el cetro,
ni el bastón de mando
de entre sus rodillas,
hasta que llegue aquel
a quien le pertenece
y a quien obedecerán los pueblos.
11 Él amarra su burro a una vid,
y a una cepa las crías de su asna.
Él lava en vino su vestido,
en sangre de uvas su manto.
12 Son sus ojos más oscuros que el vino,
sus dientes más blancos que la leche.
13 Zabulón habita junto al mar,
servirá de puerto a los barcos,
sus fronteras llegarán hasta Sidón.
14 Isacar es un asno robusto
que se tumba entre las alforjas.
15 Viendo que el establo es bueno
y que la tierra es confortable,
inclina el lomo a la carga
y acepta trabajos de esclavo.
16 Dan gobernará a su pueblo
como una de las tribus de Israel.
17 Será como serpiente en el camino,
como víbora junto al sendero,
que muerde al caballo en las patas
y hace caer de espaldas al jinete.
18 Espero tu salvación, Señor.
19 A Gad lo asaltan los bandidos,
pero él los atacará por la espalda.
20 Aser presume de frutos sabrosos,
ofrecerá manjares de reyes.
21 Neftalí es una cierva en libertad,
sus cervatillos son preciosos.
22 José es un retoño fértil,
fértil retoño junto al agua,
sus ramas trepan por el muro.
23 Los arqueros provocaron su ira,
lo desafiaron lanzándole flechas.
24 Pero su arco se mantiene firme,
ágiles sus manos y sus brazos,
pues lo auxilia el Fuerte de Jacob,
lo ampara el Pastor, la Roca de Israel.
25 Que te proteja el Dios de tu padre,
que el Todopoderoso te bendiga
con bendiciones arriba en el cielo,
con bendiciones abajo en el abismo,
con bendiciones que colmen
pechos y senos maternos.
26 Las bendiciones de tu padre,
mejores que las de las antiguas montañas,
más deliciosas que las colinas eternas,
desciendan sobre la cabeza de José,
sobre la frente del escogido
entre todos sus hermanos.
27 Benjamín es un lobo rapaz,
que en la mañana devora a su presa
y por la tarde reparte los despojos.
28 Estas son las doce tribus de Israel, y esto es lo que su padre les dijo al bendecirlas; a cada una le dio una bendición especial.
Muerte de Jacob
29 Además, Jacob les dio estas instrucciones:
— Yo estoy a punto de reunirme con los míos; sepultadme junto a mis antepasados, en la cueva que está en el campo de Efrón el hitita; 30 me refiero a la cueva de Macpelá, la que compró Abrahán al hitita Efrón para tener una sepultura en propiedad y que está frente a Mambré, en la tierra de Canaán. 31 Allí sepultaron a Abrahán y a su mujer Sara; allí sepultaron a Isaac y a su mujer Rebeca, y allí sepulté yo a Lía. 32 El campo y la cueva fueron comprados a los hititas.
33 Cuando Jacob terminó de dar estas instrucciones a sus hijos, encogió sus pies en la cama, expiró y fue a reunirse con los suyos.
Genesis 49
Tree of Life Version
Jacob Speaks Over His Sons
49 Jacob called his sons and said to them:
Gather together so that I can tell you
what will happen to you in the last days.
2 Be assembled and listen, sons of Jacob,
and listen to Israel your father.
3 Reuben, my firstborn are you,
my vigor and firstborn of my power,
endowed with extra dignity,
endowed with extra strength—
4 like water boiling over
you will not have extra,
for you got up into your father’s bed,
when you defiled a maid’s couch.
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers,
instruments of violence are their knives.
6 In their secret counsel
may my soul not enter.
In their contingent may my honor
never be united.
For in their anger they slew men,
and in their self-will they maimed oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger for it was strong
and their rage for it was cruel—
I will disperse them in Jacob,
I will scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, so you are—
your brothers will praise you:
Your hand will be on your enemies’ neck.
Your father’s sons will bow down to you.
9 A lion’s cub is Judah—
from the prey, my son,
you have gone up.
He crouches, lies down like a lion,
or like a lioness—
who would rouse him?[a]
10 The scepter will not pass from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[b]
until he to whom it belongs will come.
To him will be the obedience of the peoples.[c]
11 Binding his foal to the vine,
his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,[d]
he washes his garments in wine,
and in the blood of grapes his robe.[e]
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and teeth that are whiter than milk.
13 Zebulun will dwell by the seashore,
and be by a harbor for ships—
his distant border reaches Sidon.
14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey,
lying down between two saddlebags.
15 He saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant.
He leaned his shoulder to bear a burden,
and became a forced laborer.
16 Dan will judge his people,
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Let Dan be a serpent beside a road,
a viper beside a path,
who strikes a horse’s heels,
so that its rider falls backward.
18 For your salvation I wait, Adonai!
19 Gad—attackers will attack him,
but he will attack their heels.
20 Asher—rich is his food—
he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
21 Naphtali is a doe let loose,
who offers words of beauty.
22 A fruitful son is Joseph,
a fruitful son beside a spring—
daughters walk along a wall.
23 The archers were bitter and shot arrows
and were hostile towards him.
24 Yet his bow was always filled,
and his arms quick-moving—
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob.
From there a Shepherd,
the Stone of Israel,[f]
25 from the God of your father
who helps you,
and Shaddai who blesses you,
with blessings of heavens above,
blessings of the deep that lies below,
blessings of breasts and womb.
26 The blessings of your father surpassed
the blessings of the ancient mountains,
the desire of the everlasting hills.
May they be upon Joseph’s head,
upon the crown of the one set apart from his brothers.
27 Benjamin is a ravening wolf—
in the morning he devours spoils,
and in the evening divides plunder.
28 These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this is what their father spoke to them. He blessed them, each one he blessed with a suitable blessing. 29 Then he charged them and said to them, “I am about 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, that is next to Mamre in the land of Canaan—the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a property for burial. 31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field was purchased along with the cave in it from the sons of Het.”
33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, then breathed his last and was gathered to his peoples.
Footnotes
- Genesis 49:9 cf. Rev. 5:5.
- Genesis 49:10 cf. Rev. 19:15.
- Genesis 49:10 Or tribute comes or Shiloh comes . . .
- Genesis 49:11 cf. Zech. 9:9-10; Matt. 21:5; John 12:15.
- Genesis 49:11 cf. Isa. 63:1-2; Rev. 19:13.
- Genesis 49:24 cf. Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; 1 Pet. 2:6-8.
Genesis 49
Good News Translation
The Last Words of Jacob
49 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the future:
2 “Come together and listen, sons of Jacob.
Listen to your father Israel.
3 “Reuben, my first-born, you are my strength
And the first child of my manhood,
The proudest and strongest of all my sons.
4 You are like a raging flood,
But you will not be the most important,
For you slept with my concubine
And dishonored your father's bed.
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers.
They use their weapons to commit violence.
6 I will not join in their secret talks,
Nor will I take part in their meetings,
For they killed people in anger
And they crippled bulls for sport.
7 A curse be on their anger, because it is so fierce,
And on their fury, because it is so cruel.
I will scatter them throughout the land of Israel.
I will disperse them among its people.
8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You hold your enemies by the neck.
Your brothers will bow down before you.
9 (A)Judah is like a lion,
Killing his victim and returning to his den,
Stretching out and lying down.
No one dares disturb him.
10 Judah will hold the royal scepter,
And his descendants will always rule.
Nations will bring him tribute[a]
And bow in obedience before him.
11 He ties his young donkey to a grapevine,
To the very best of the vines.
He washes his clothes in blood-red wine.
12 His eyes are bloodshot from drinking wine,
His teeth white from drinking milk.[b]
13 “Zebulun will live beside the sea.
His shore will be a haven for ships.
His territory will reach as far as Sidon.
14 “Issachar is no better than a donkey
That lies stretched out between its saddlebags.
15 But he sees that the resting place is good
And that the land is delightful.
So he bends his back to carry the load
And is forced to work as a slave.
16 “Dan will be a ruler for his people.
They will be like the other tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake at the side of the road,
A poisonous snake beside the path,
That strikes at the horse's heel,
So that the rider is thrown off backward.
18 “I wait for your deliverance, Lord.
19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of robbers,
But he will turn and pursue them.
20 “Asher's land will produce rich food.
He will provide food fit for a king.
21 “Naphtali is a deer that runs free,
Who bears lovely fawns.[c]
22 “Joseph is like a wild donkey by a spring,
A wild colt on a hillside.[d]
23 His enemies attack him fiercely
And pursue him with their bows and arrows.
24 But his bow remains steady,
And his arms are made strong[e]
By the power of the Mighty God of Jacob,
By the Shepherd, the Protector of Israel.
25 It is your father's God who helps you,
The Almighty God who blesses you
With blessings of rain from above
And of deep waters from beneath the ground,
Blessings of many cattle and children,
26 Blessings of grain and flowers,[f]
Blessings of ancient mountains,[g]
Delightful things from everlasting hills.
May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,
On the brow of the one set apart from his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is like a vicious wolf.
Morning and evening he kills and devours.”
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he spoke a suitable word of farewell to each son.
The Death and Burial of Jacob
29 Then Jacob commanded his sons, “Now that I am going to join my people in death, bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 (B)at Machpelah east of Mamre in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought this cave and field from Ephron for a burial ground. 31 (C)That is where they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; that is where they buried Isaac and his wife Rebecca; and that is where I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites. Bury me there.” 33 (D)When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he lay back down and died.
Footnotes
- Genesis 49:10 Probable text Nations … tribute; Hebrew unclear.
- Genesis 49:12 His eyes … milk; or His eyes are darker than wine, his teeth are whiter than milk.
- Genesis 49:21 Naphtali … fawns or Naphtali is a spreading tree that puts out lovely branches.
- Genesis 49:22 Joseph … hillside; or Joseph is like a tree by a spring, a fruitful tree that spreads over a wall.
- Genesis 49:24 But … strong; or But their bows were broken and splintered, the muscles of their arms torn apart.
- Genesis 49:26 Probable text grain and flowers; Hebrew your fathers are mightier than.
- Genesis 49:26 One ancient translation ancient mountains; Hebrew my ancestors to.
La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
