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Jacob’s Last Words

49 Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.[a](A)

Come together and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel:

Reuben, you are my firstborn,(B)
my strength and the firstfruits of my virility,(C)
excelling in prominence, excelling in power.
Turbulent as water, you will not excel,
because you got into your father’s bed(D)
and you defiled it—he[b] got into my bed.

Simeon and Levi are brothers;
their knives are vicious weapons.(E)
May I never enter their council;
may I never join their assembly.
For in their anger they kill men,
and on a whim they hamstring oxen.
Their anger is cursed, for it is strong,
and their fury, for it is cruel!
I will disperse them throughout Jacob
and scatter them throughout Israel.(F)

Judah, your brothers will praise you.(G)
Your hand will be on the necks of your enemies;
your father’s sons will bow down to you.(H)
Judah is a young lion(I)
my son, you return from the kill.
He crouches; he lies down like a lion
or a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah
or the staff from between his feet
until he whose right it is comes[c](J)
and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.(K)
11 He ties his donkey to a vine,
and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine
and his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.

13 Zebulun will live by the seashore
and will be a harbor for ships,
and his territory will be next to Sidon.(L)

14 Issachar is a strong donkey
lying down between the saddlebags.[d]
15 He saw that his resting place was good
and that the land was pleasant,
so he leaned his shoulder to bear a load
and became a forced laborer.(M)

16 Dan will judge his people(N)
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake by the road,
a viper beside the path,
that bites the horse’s heels
so that its rider falls backward.

18 I wait for your salvation, Lord.

19 Gad will be attacked by raiders,
but he will attack their heels.(O)

20 Asher’s[e] food will be rich,
and he will produce royal delicacies.(P)

21 Naphtali is a doe set free
that bears beautiful fawns.(Q)

22 Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine beside a spring;
its branches[f] climb over the wall.[g]
23 The archers attacked him,
shot at him, and were hostile toward him.
24 Yet his bow remained steady,
and his strong arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,(R)
by the name of[h] the Shepherd,(S) the Rock of Israel,(T)
25 by the God of your father who helps you,
and by the Almighty who blesses you
with blessings of the heavens above,
blessings of the deep that lies below,
and blessings of the breasts and the womb.
26 The blessings of your father excel
the blessings of my ancestors[i]
and[j] the bounty of the ancient hills.[k](U)
May they rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince of his brothers.

27 Benjamin is a wolf; he tears his prey.
In the morning he devours the prey,
and in the evening he divides the plunder.”(V)

28 These are the tribes of Israel, twelve in all, and this is what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.

Jacob’s Burial Instructions

29 Then he commanded them, “I am about to be gathered to my people.(W) Bury me with my ancestors(X) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hethite.(Y) 30 The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hethite as burial property.(Z) 31 Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there,(AA) Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there,(AB) and I buried Leah there.(AC) 32 The field and the cave in it were purchased from the Hethites.” 33 When Jacob had finished giving charges to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, took his last breath, and was gathered to his people.

Footnotes

  1. 49:1 Or in the last days
  2. 49:4 LXX, Syr, Tg read you
  3. 49:10 Or until tribute comes to him, or until Shiloh comes, or until he comes to Shiloh
  4. 49:14 Or sheep pens
  5. 49:19–20 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads their heel. 20 From Asher
  6. 49:22 Lit daughters
  7. 49:22 Hb obscure
  8. 49:24 Syr, Tg; MT reads Jacob, from there
  9. 49:26 Or of the mountains
  10. 49:26 Lit to
  11. 49:26 Hb obscure

Jacob bénit les douze tribus d’Israël

49 Jacob convoqua ses fils et leur dit :

Réunissez-vous et je vous révélerai ce qui vous arrivera dans les temps à venir.

Rassemblez-vous et écoutez, ╵fils de Jacob !
Ecoutez ce que dit ╵Israël, votre père.

Ruben, tu es mon premier-né,
le premier fruit de ma vigueur, ╵du temps où j’étais plein de force,
toi, tu es supérieur ╵en dignité ╵et supérieur en force.
Bouillonnant comme l’eau, ╵tu n’auras pas le premier rang !
Car tu as profané ╵la couche de ton père, ╵en entrant dans mon lit[a].

Siméon et Lévi sont frères,
ils se sont mis d’accord ╵pour semer la violence.
Non, je ne veux pas m’associer ╵à leur complot !
Je mets un point d’honneur ╵à ne pas approuver ╵leurs délibérations !
Car mus par leur colère, ╵ils ont tué des hommes ;
poussés par leur caprice, ╵ils ont mutilé des taureaux[b].
Que leur colère soit maudite, ╵car elle est violente.
Maudit soit leur emportement, ╵car il est implacable !
Moi je les éparpillerai ╵au milieu de Jacob,
je les disperserai ╵en Israël.

O toi, Juda, ╵tes frères te rendront hommage,
ta main fera ployer ╵la nuque de tes ennemis,
et les fils de ton père ╵se prosterneront devant toi.
Oui, Juda est un jeune lion[c].
Mon fils, tu reviens de la chasse
et tu t’es accroupi ╵et couché comme un lion,
comme une lionne : ╵qui te ferait lever ?
10 Le sceptre ne s’écartera ╵pas de Juda,
et l’insigne de chef ╵ne sera pas ôté ╵d’entre ses pieds
jusqu’à la venue de celui ╵auquel ils appartiennent[d]
et à qui tous les peuples ╵rendront obéissance.
11 Son âne, il l’attache à la vigne,
et, à un cep de choix, ╵le petit de l’ânesse.
Il lave dans le vin ╵son vêtement,
dans le jus des raisins ╵il nettoie son manteau[e].
12 Il a les yeux plus rouges que le vin,
les dents plus blanches que le lait[f].

13 Zabulon aura sa demeure ╵sur le rivage de la mer,
il aura sur sa côte ╵un port pour les navires,
son territoire s’étendra ╵jusqu’à Sidon.

14 Issacar est un âne ╵très vigoureux
couché au beau milieu ╵de deux enclos.
15 Il a trouvé ╵que le repos est bon,
que le pays est agréable,
il tend l’épaule ╵pour porter le fardeau,
et il s’assujettit ╵à la corvée.

16 Dan jugera son peuple,
comme les autres tribus d’Israël.
17 Que Dan soit un serpent ╵sur le chemin,
qu’il soit une vipère ╵sur le sentier,
mordant les jarrets du cheval,
pour que le cavalier ╵en tombe à la renverse.

18 Je compte sur toi, Eternel ╵pour accorder la délivrance.

19 Gad agressé par une troupe ╵l’assaillira
et c’est sa troupe à lui ╵qui poursuivra la troupe adverse.

20 Aser a une riche nourriture.
C’est lui qui fournira ╵des mets dignes d’un roi.

21 Nephtali est semblable ╵à une biche en liberté ╵qui donne de beaux faons.

22 Joseph est un rameau fertile
d’un arbre plein de fruits ╵planté près d’une source.
Ses branches grimpent et s’élancent ╵par-dessus la muraille.
23 Des archers le provoquent, ╵le prennent à partie,
et le harcèlent de leurs flèches.
24 Mais son arc reste ferme
car ses bras pleins de force ╵conservent leur souplesse
grâce au secours ╵du Puissant de Jacob,
qui est le berger et le Roc ╵sur lequel Israël se fonde.
25 Oui, le Dieu de ton père ╵viendra à ton secours,
le Tout-Puissant te bénira.
Qu’il veuille te bénir d’en haut ╵par des pluies abondantes
et par des eaux d’en bas ╵où repose l’abîme,
par de nombreux enfants ╵et beaucoup de troupeaux.
26 Les bénédictions de ton père surpassent
celles des montagnes antiques
et les meilleurs produits ╵des collines anciennes.
Que ces bénédictions ╵soient sur la tête de Joseph,
et sur le front ╵du prince de ses frères[g] !

27 Benjamin est semblable ╵à un loup qui déchire.
Dès le matin, ╵il dévore sa proie,
et sur le soir encore, ╵répartit le butin.

28 Tous ceux-là ont formé les douze tribus d’Israël, c’est ainsi que leur parla leur père et qu’il les bénit, en prononçant pour chacun sa bénédiction propre.

La mort de Jacob

29 Jacob leur donna ses instructions : Je vais aller rejoindre mes ancêtres, enterrez-moi auprès de mes pères dans la caverne qui se trouve dans le champ d’Ephrôn le Hittite, 30 dans la caverne du champ de Makpéla, vis-à-vis de Mamré, au pays de Canaan, la caverne qu’Abraham a achetée, avec le champ, à Ephrôn le Hittite en propriété funéraire[h]. 31 C’est là qu’on a enterré Abraham et sa femme Sara ; c’est là qu’on a enterré Isaac et sa femme Rébecca. C’est là aussi que j’ai enterré Léa. 32 Le champ et la caverne qui s’y trouve ont été achetés aux Hittites.

33 Lorsque Jacob eut achevé d’énoncer ses instructions à ses fils, il ramena ses pieds sur son lit, expira et fut réuni à ses ancêtres[i].

Footnotes

  1. 49.4 Voir Gn 35.22.
  2. 49.6 Voir Gn 34.25.
  3. 49.9 Voir Nb 24.9 ; Ap 5.5.
  4. 49.10 Nom diversement traduit : le Pacifique, le Dominateur, l’Envoyé. celui… appartiennent: rend un mot hébreu dont l’interprétation est discutée. Ez 21.32 semble confirmer la lecture adoptée ici. Cette prophétie est généralement rapportée au Messie qui devait naître de la tribu de Juda.
  5. 49.11 Image soulignant l’abondance (voir Ap 7.14 ; 19.13).
  6. 49.12 Autre traduction : Ses yeux ont été rendus sombres par le vin, et ses dents blanches par le lait.
  7. 49.26 Voir Dt 33.15.
  8. 49.30 Voir Gn 23.3-18.
  9. 49.33 Voir Ac 7.15.

Profecía de Israel acerca de sus hijos

49 Entonces Jacob llamó a sus hijos, y dijo: Reuníos para que os haga saber lo que os ha de acontecer en los días venideros[a](A).

Juntaos y oíd, hijos de Jacob,
y escuchad a Israel vuestro padre(B).

Rubén, tú eres mi primogénito,
mi poderío y el principio de mi vigor(C),
prominente en dignidad y prominente en poder.
Incontrolable[b] como el agua, no tendrás preeminencia,
porque subiste a la cama de tu padre,
y la profanaste: él subió a mi lecho(D).

Simeón y Leví son hermanos;
sus armas instrumentos de violencia(E).
En su consejo no entre mi alma(F),
a su asamblea no se una mi gloria,
porque en su ira mataron hombres[c],
y en su obstinación desjarretaron bueyes[d].
Maldita su ira porque es feroz;
y su furor porque es cruel.
Los dividiré en Jacob,
y los dispersaré en Israel(G).

A ti Judá, te alabarán tus hermanos;
tu mano en la cerviz de tus enemigos;
se inclinarán a ti los hijos de tu padre(H).
Cachorro de león es Judá(I);
de la presa, hijo mío, has subido.
Se agazapa, se echa como león,
o como leona, ¿quién lo despertará(J)?
10 El cetro no se apartará de Judá(K),
ni la vara de gobernante de entre sus pies,
hasta que venga Siloh[e],
y a él sea dada la obediencia de los pueblos(L).
11 Él ata[f] a la vid su pollino,
y a la mejor cepa el hijo de su asna(M);
él lava en vino sus vestiduras,
y en la sangre de las uvas su manto(N).
12 Sus ojos están apagados por[g] el vino,
y sus dientes blancos por[h] la leche.

13 Zabulón habitará a la orilla del mar(O);
y él será puerto para[i] naves,
y su límite será hasta[j] Sidón.

14 Isacar es un asno fuerte[k],
echado entre los apriscos[l](P).
15 Al ver que el lugar de reposo era bueno
y que la tierra era agradable,
inclinó su hombro para cargar,
y llegó a ser esclavo en trabajos forzados.

16 Dan(Q) juzgará a su pueblo(R),
como una de las tribus de Israel.
17 Sea Dan serpiente junto al camino,
víbora junto al sendero,
que muerde los jarretes[m] del caballo,
y cae su jinete hacia atrás.
18 ¡Tu salvación espero, oh Señor(S)!

19 A Gad salteadores[n] lo asaltarán,
mas él asaltará su retaguardia[o](T).

20 En cuanto a[p] Aser(U), su alimento[q] será sustancioso[r],
y él dará manjares de rey(V).

21 Neftalí(W) es una cierva en libertad,
que pronuncia[s] palabras hermosas.

22 Rama fecunda[t] es José(X),
rama fecunda[u] junto a un manantial;
sus vástagos[v] se extienden sobre el muro.
23 Los arqueros lo atacaron con furor,
lo asaetearon y lo hostigaron;
24 pero su arco permaneció firme(Y)
y sus brazos[w] fueron ágiles(Z)
por las manos del Poderoso de Jacob(AA)
(de allí es el Pastor(AB), la Roca de Israel(AC)),
25 por el Dios de tu padre que te ayuda(AD),
y por el Todopoderoso[x] que te bendice(AE)
con bendiciones de los cielos de arriba,
bendiciones del abismo que está abajo(AF),
bendiciones de los pechos y del seno materno.
26 Las bendiciones de tu padre
han sobrepasado las bendiciones de mis antepasados
hasta el límite de los collados eternos;
sean ellas sobre la cabeza de José,
y sobre la cabeza[y] del consagrado[z] de entre tus hermanos(AG).

27 Benjamín es lobo rapaz[aa];
de mañana devora la presa,
y a la tarde reparte los despojos.

Muerte de Jacob

28 Todas estas son las doce tribus de Israel, y esto es lo que les dijo su padre cuando[ab] los bendijo. A cada uno lo bendijo con la bendición que le correspondía[ac]. 29 Después les ordenó y les dijo: Voy a ser reunido a mi pueblo[ad](AH); sepultadme con mis padres(AI) en la cueva que está en el campo de Efrón hitita(AJ), 30 en la cueva que está en el campo de Macpela, que está frente a Mamre, en la tierra de Canaán, la cual Abraham compró juntamente con el campo de Efrón hitita, para posesión de una sepultura(AK). 31 Allí sepultaron a Abraham(AL) y a su mujer Sara(AM); allí sepultaron a Isaac(AN) y a su mujer Rebeca, y allí sepulté yo a Lea. 32 El campo y la cueva que hay en él, fueron comprados de los hijos de Het. 33 Cuando Jacob terminó de encargar estas cosas a sus hijos, recogió sus pies en la cama y expiró(AO), y fue reunido a su pueblo[ae](AP).

Footnotes

  1. Génesis 49:1 Lit., al final de los días
  2. Génesis 49:4 Lit., Desenfrenado
  3. Génesis 49:6 Lit., un hombre
  4. Génesis 49:6 Lit., un buey
  5. Génesis 49:10 O, hasta que él venga a Siloh, o, hasta que él venga a quien pertenezca
  6. Génesis 49:11 Lit., Atando
  7. Génesis 49:12 O, más oscuros que
  8. Génesis 49:12 O, más blancos que
  9. Génesis 49:13 Lit., ribera de
  10. Génesis 49:13 Lit., y su costado hacia
  11. Génesis 49:14 Lit., un asno de hueso
  12. Génesis 49:14 O, las alforjas
  13. Génesis 49:17 Lit., talones
  14. Génesis 49:19 Lit., una banda de salteadores
  15. Génesis 49:19 Lit., talón
  16. Génesis 49:20 Lit., De
  17. Génesis 49:20 O, pan
  18. Génesis 49:20 Lit., grasoso
  19. Génesis 49:21 Lit., da
  20. Génesis 49:22 Lit., Hijo fecundo
  21. Génesis 49:22 Lit., Hijo fecundo
  22. Génesis 49:22 Lit., hijas
  23. Génesis 49:24 Lit., los brazos de sus manos
  24. Génesis 49:25 Heb., Shaddai
  25. Génesis 49:26 O, coronilla
  26. Génesis 49:26 O, distinguido
  27. Génesis 49:27 Lit., que despedaza
  28. Génesis 49:28 Lit., y
  29. Génesis 49:28 Lit., conforme a su bendición
  30. Génesis 49:29 Lit., mis parientes
  31. Génesis 49:33 Lit., sus parientes

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)

“Judah,[b](S) your brothers will praise you;
    your hand will be on the neck(T) of your enemies;
    your father’s sons will bow down to you.(U)
You are a lion’s(V) cub,(W) Judah;(X)
    you return from the prey,(Y) 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,(Z)
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[c]
until he to whom it belongs[d] shall come(AA)
    and the obedience of the nations shall be his.(AB)
11 He will tether his donkey(AC) to a vine,
    his colt to the choicest branch;(AD)
he will wash his garments in wine,
    his robes in the blood of grapes.(AE)
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
    his teeth whiter than milk.[e](AF)

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

14 “Issachar(AI) is a rawboned[f] donkey
    lying down among the sheep pens.[g](AJ)
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
    and how pleasant is his land,(AK)
he will bend his shoulder to the burden(AL)
    and submit to forced labor.(AM)

16 “Dan[h](AN) will provide justice for his people
    as one of the tribes of Israel.(AO)
17 Dan(AP) will be a snake by the roadside,
    a viper along the path,(AQ)
that bites the horse’s heels(AR)
    so that its rider tumbles backward.

18 “I look for your deliverance,(AS) Lord.(AT)

19 “Gad[i](AU) will be attacked by a band of raiders,
    but he will attack them at their heels.(AV)

20 “Asher’s(AW) food will be rich;(AX)
    he will provide delicacies fit for a king.(AY)

21 “Naphtali(AZ) is a doe set free
    that bears beautiful fawns.[j](BA)

22 “Joseph(BB) is a fruitful vine,(BC)
    a fruitful vine near a spring,
    whose branches(BD) climb over a wall.[k]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;(BE)
    they shot at him with hostility.(BF)
24 But his bow remained steady,(BG)
    his strong arms(BH) stayed[l] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,(BI)
    because of the Shepherd,(BJ) the Rock of Israel,(BK)
25 because of your father’s God,(BL) who helps(BM) you,
    because of the Almighty,[m](BN) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
    blessings of the deep springs below,(BO)
    blessings of the breast(BP) and womb.(BQ)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    than[n] the bounty of the age-old hills.(BR)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(BS)
    on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.(BT)

27 “Benjamin(BU) is a ravenous wolf;(BV)
    in the morning he devours the prey,(BW)
    in the evening he divides the plunder.”(BX)

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

The Death of Jacob

29 Then he gave them these instructions:(CA) “I am about to be gathered to my people.(CB) Bury me with my fathers(CC) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,(CD) 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah,(CE) near Mamre(CF) in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field(CG) as a burial place(CH) from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham(CI) and his wife Sarah(CJ) were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah(CK) were buried, and there I buried Leah.(CL) 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[p](CM)

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.(CN)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  3. Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
  4. Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  5. Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
  6. Genesis 49:14 Or strong
  7. Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  8. Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
  9. Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
  10. Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
  11. Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
  12. Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
  13. Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
  14. Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
  15. Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
  16. Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth

49 Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather around. I want to tell you what you can expect in the days to come.”

Come together, listen sons of Jacob,
    listen to Israel your father.

3-4 Reuben, you’re my firstborn,
    my strength, first proof of my manhood,
    at the top in honor and at the top in power,
But like a bucket of water spilled,
    you’ll be at the top no more,
Because you climbed into your father’s marriage bed,
    mounting that couch, and you defiled it.

5-6 Simeon and Levi are two of a kind,
    ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
I don’t want anything to do with their vendettas,
    want no part in their bitter feuds;
They kill men in fits of temper,
    slash oxen on a whim.
A curse on their uncontrolled anger,
    on their indiscriminate wrath.
I’ll throw them out with the trash;
    I’ll shred and scatter them like confetti throughout Israel.

8-12 You, Judah, your brothers will praise you:
    Your fingers on your enemies’ throat,
    while your brothers honor you.
You’re a lion’s cub, Judah,
    home fresh from the kill, my son.
Look at him, crouched like a lion, king of beasts;
    who dares mess with him?
The scepter shall not leave Judah;
    he’ll keep a firm grip on the command staff
Until the ultimate ruler comes
    and the nations obey him.
He’ll tie up his donkey to the grapevine,
    his purebred prize to a sturdy branch.
He will wash his shirt in wine
    and his cloak in the blood of grapes,
His eyes will be darker than wine,
    his teeth whiter than milk.

13 Zebulun settles down on the seashore;
    he’s a safe harbor for ships,
    right alongside Sidon.

14-15 Issachar is one tough donkey
    crouching between the corrals;
When he saw how good the place was,
    how pleasant the country,
He gave up his freedom
    and went to work as a slave.

16-17 Dan will handle matters of justice for his people;
    he will hold his own just fine among the tribes of Israel.
Dan is only a small snake in the grass,
    a lethal serpent in ambush by the road
When he strikes a horse in the heel,
    and brings its huge rider crashing down.

18 I wait in hope
    for your salvation, God.

19 Gad will be attacked by bandits,
    but he will trip them up.

20 Asher will become famous for rich foods,
    candies and sweets fit for kings.

21-26 Naphtali is a deer running free
    that gives birth to lovely fawns.

Joseph is a wild donkey,
    a wild donkey by a spring,
    spirited donkeys on a hill.
The archers with malice attacked,
    shooting their hate-tipped arrows;
But he held steady under fire,
    his bow firm, his arms limber,
With the backing of the Champion of Jacob,
    the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
The God of your father—may he help you!
    And may The Strong God—may he give you his blessings,
Blessings tumbling out of the skies,
    blessings bursting up from the Earth—
    blessings of breasts and womb.
May the blessings of your father
    exceed the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    surpass the delights of the eternal hills;
May they rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the one consecrated among his brothers.

27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
    all morning he gorges on his kill,
    at evening divides up what’s left over.

28 All these are the tribes of Israel, the twelve tribes. And this is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each one with his own special farewell blessing.

* * *

29-32 Then he instructed them: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah facing Mamre in the land of Canaan, the field Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial plot. Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there; Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried there; I also buried Leah there. The field and the cave were bought from the Hittites.”

33 Jacob finished instructing his sons, pulled his feet into bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.