22 “Joseph(A) is a fruitful vine,(B)
    a fruitful vine near a spring,
    whose branches(C) climb over a wall.[a]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(D)
    they shot at him with hostility.(E)
24 But his bow remained steady,(F)
    his strong arms(G) stayed[b] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(H)
    because of the Shepherd,(I) the Rock of Israel,(J)
25 because of your father’s God,(K) who helps(L) you,
    because of the Almighty,[c](M) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
    blessings of the deep springs below,(N)
    blessings of the breast(O) and womb.(P)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    than[d] the bounty of the age-old hills.(Q)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(R)
    on the brow of the prince among[e] his brothers.(S)

27 “Benjamin(T) is a ravenous wolf;(U)
    in the morning he devours the prey,(V)
    in the evening he divides the plunder.”(W)

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,(X) and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing(Y) appropriate to him.

The Death of Jacob

29 Then he gave them these instructions:(Z) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(AA) Bury me with my fathers(AB) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(AC) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(AD) near Mamre(AE) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(AF) as a burial place(AG) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(AH) and his wife Sarah(AI) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(AJ) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(AK) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[f](AL)

33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.(AM)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
  2. Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
  3. Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
  4. Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
  5. Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
  6. Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth

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