Genesis 49:8-26

New International Version

⁸ “Judah,^[a](A) your brothers will praise you;
    your hand will be on the neck^(B) of your enemies;
    your father’s sons will bow down to you.^(C)
9 You are a lion’s^(D) cub,^(E) Judah;^(F)
    you return from the prey,^(G) my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
    like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,^(H)
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,^[b]
until he to whom it belongs^[c] shall come^(I)
    and the obedience of the nations shall be his.^(J)
11 He will tether his donkey^(K) to a vine,
    his colt to the choicest branch;^(L)
he will wash his garments in wine,
    his robes in the blood of grapes.^(M)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
    his teeth whiter than milk.^[d](N)

¹³ “Zebulun^(O) will live by the seashore
    and become a haven for ships;
    his border will extend toward Sidon.^(P)

¹⁴ “Issachar^(Q) is a rawboned^[e] donkey
    lying down among the sheep pens.^[f](R)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
    and how pleasant is his land,^(S)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden^(T)
    and submit to forced labor.^(U)

¹⁶ “Dan^[g](V) will provide justice for his people
    as one of the tribes of Israel.^(W)
17 Dan^(X) will be a snake by the roadside,
    a viper along the path,^(Y)
that bites the horse’s heels^(Z)
    so that its rider tumbles backward.

¹⁸ “I look for your deliverance,^(AA) Lord.^(AB)

¹⁹ “Gad^[h](AC) will be attacked by a band of raiders,
    but he will attack them at their heels.^(AD)

²⁰ “Asher’s^(AE) food will be rich;^(AF)
    he will provide delicacies fit for a king.^(AG)

²¹ “Naphtali^(AH) is a doe set free
    that bears beautiful fawns.^[i](AI)

²² “Joseph^(AJ) is a fruitful vine,^(AK)
    a fruitful vine near a spring,
    whose branches^(AL) climb over a wall.^[j]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;^(AM)
    they shot at him with hostility.^(AN)
24 But his bow remained steady,^(AO)
    his strong arms^(AP) stayed^[k] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,^(AQ)
    because of the Shepherd,^(AR) the Rock of Israel,^(AS)
25 because of your father’s God,^(AT) who helps^(AU) you,
    because of the Almighty,^[l](AV) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
    blessings of the deep springs below,^(AW)
    blessings of the breast^(AX) and womb.^(AY)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    than^[m] the bounty of the age-old hills.^(AZ)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,^(BA)
    on the brow of the prince among^[n] his brothers.^(BB)