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Genesis 49
New International Reader's Version
Genesis 49
New International Reader's Version
Jacob Gives Blessings to His Sons
49 Then Jacob sent for his sons. He said, “Gather around me so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.
2 “Sons of Jacob, come together and listen.
Listen to your father Israel.
3 “Reuben, you are my oldest son.
You were my first child. You were the first sign of my strength.
You were first in honor. You were first in power.
4 But you are as unsteady as water. So you won’t be first anymore.
You had sex with my concubine on my bed.
You lay on my couch and made it ‘unclean.’
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers.
Their swords have killed a lot of people.
6 I won’t share in their plans.
I won’t have anything to do with them.
They became angry and killed people.
They cut the legs of oxen just for the fun of it.
7 May the Lord put a curse on them
because of their terrible anger.
I will scatter them in Jacob’s land.
I will spread them around in Israel.
8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
Your enemies will be brought under your control.
Your father’s sons will bow down to you.
9 Judah, you are like a lion’s cub.
You return from hunting, my son.
Like a lion, you lie down and sleep.
You are like a mother lion. Who dares to wake you up?
10 The right to rule will not leave Judah.
The ruler’s scepter will not be taken from between his feet.
It will be his until the king it belongs to will come.
The nations will obey that king.
11 He will tie his donkey to a vine.
He will tie his colt to the very best branch.
He will wash his clothes in wine.
He will wash his robes in the red juice of grapes.
12 His eyes will be darker than wine.
His teeth will be whiter than milk.
13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore.
He will become a safe harbor for ships.
His border will go out toward Sidon.
14 “Issachar is like a wild donkey
lying down among the sheep pens.
15 He sees how good his resting place is.
He sees that his land is pleasant.
So he will carry a heavy load on his back.
He will obey when he’s forced to work.
16 “Dan will do what is fair for his people.
He will do it as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake by the side of the road.
He will be a poisonous snake along the path.
It bites the horse’s heels
so that the rider falls off backward.
18 “Lord, I look to you to save me.
19 “Gad will be attacked by a group of robbers.
But he will attack them as they run away.
20 “Asher’s food will be rich and sweet.
He will provide food that even a king would enjoy.
21 “Naphtali is a female deer set free
and gives birth to beautiful fawns.
22 “Joseph is a vine that grows a lot of fruit.
It grows close by a spring.
Its branches climb over a wall.
23 Mean people shot arrows at him.
They shot at him because they were angry.
24 But his bow remained steady.
His strong arms moved freely.
The hand of the Mighty God of Jacob was with him.
The Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, stood by him.
25 Joseph, your father’s God helps you.
The Mighty God blesses you.
He gives you blessings from the sky above.
He gives you blessings from the deep springs below.
He blesses you with children and with a mother’s milk.
26 Your father’s blessings are great.
They are greater than the blessings from the age-old mountains.
They are greater than the gifts from the ancient hills.
Let all those blessings rest on the head of Joseph.
Let them rest on the head of the one who is prince among his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is a hungry wolf.
In the morning he eats what he has killed.
In the evening he shares what he has stolen.”
28 All these are the 12 tribes of Israel. That’s what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each one the blessing that was just right for him.
Jacob Dies
29 Then Jacob gave directions to his sons. He said, “I’m about to join the members of my family who have already died. Bury me with them in the cave in the field of Ephron, the Hittite. 30 The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre in Canaan. Abraham had bought it as a place where he could bury his wife’s body. He had bought the cave and the field from Ephron, the Hittite. 31 The bodies of Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there. So were the bodies of Isaac and his wife Rebekah. I also buried Leah’s body there. 32 Abraham bought the field and the cave from the Hittites.”
33 When Jacob had finished telling his sons what to do, he pulled his feet up into his bed. Then he took his last breath and died. He joined the members of his family who had already died.
Génesis 49
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Génesis 49
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Profecía de Israel acerca de sus hijos
49 Entonces Jacob llamó a sus hijos, y dijo: «Reúnanse para que les haga saber lo que les ha de acontecer en los días venideros[a](A).
2 -»Júntense y oigan, hijos de Jacob,
Y escuchen a Israel su padre(B).
3 ¶»Rubén, tú eres mi primogénito,
Mi poderío y el principio de mi vigor(C),
Prominente en dignidad y prominente en poder.
4 -»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).
5 ¶»Simeón y Leví son hermanos;
Sus armas instrumentos de violencia(E).
6 -»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 terquedad mutilaron bueyes[d].
7 -»Maldita su ira porque es feroz;
Y su furor porque es cruel.
Los dividiré en Jacob,
Y los dispersaré en Israel(G).
8 ¶»A ti Judá, te alabarán tus hermanos;
Tu mano estará en el cuello de tus enemigos;
Se inclinarán a ti los hijos de tu padre(H).
9 -»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 -ȃl 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 establos[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 talones del caballo,
Y cae su jinete hacia atrás.
18 -»¡Tu salvación espero, oh Señor(S)!
19 ¶»A Gad salteadores[m] lo asaltarán,
Mas él asaltará su retaguardia[n](T).
20 ¶»En cuanto a[o] Aser(U), su alimento[p] será sustancioso[q],
Y él dará manjares de rey(V).
21 ¶»Neftalí(W) es una cierva en libertad,
Que pronuncia[r] palabras hermosas.
22 ¶»Rama fecunda[s] es José(X),
Rama fecunda[t] junto a un manantial;
Sus vástagos[u] 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[v] 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[w] 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[x] del consagrado[y] de entre sus hermanos(AG).
27 ¶»Benjamín es lobo rapaz[z];
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[aa] los bendijo. A cada uno lo bendijo con la bendición que le correspondía[ab]. 29 Después les ordenó y les dijo: «Voy a ser reunido a mi pueblo[ac](AH). Sepúltenme con mis padres(AI) en la cueva que está en el campo de Efrón el 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 junto con el campo de Efrón el 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[ad](AP).
Footnotes
- 49:1 Lit. al final de los días.
- 49:4 Lit. Desenfrenado.
- 49:6 Lit. un hombre.
- 49:6 Lit. un buey.
- 49:10 O hasta que él venga a Siloh, o hasta que él venga a quien pertenezca.
- 49:11 Lit. Atando.
- 49:12 O más oscuros que.
- 49:12 O más blancos que.
- 49:13 Lit. ribera de.
- 49:13 Lit. y su costado hacia.
- 49:14 Lit. un asno de hueso.
- 49:14 O las alforjas.
- 49:19 Lit. una banda de salteadores.
- 49:19 Lit. talón.
- 49:20 Lit. De.
- 49:20 O pan.
- 49:20 Lit. grasoso.
- 49:21 Lit. da.
- 49:22 Lit. Hijo fecundo.
- 49:22 Lit. Hijo fecundo.
- 49:22 Lit. hijas.
- 49:24 Lit. los brazos de sus manos.
- 49:25 Heb. Shaddai.
- 49:26 O coronilla.
- 49:26 O distinguido.
- 49:27 Lit. que despedaza.
- 49:28 Lit. y.
- 49:28 Lit. conforme a su bendición.
- 49:29 Lit. mis parientes.
- 49:33 Lit. sus parientes.
Genesis 49
New International Version
Genesis 49
New International Version
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)
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,(E)
my might, the first sign of my strength,(F)
excelling in honor,(G) excelling in power.
4 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)
5 “Simeon(J) and Levi(K) are brothers—
their swords[a] are weapons of violence.(L)
6 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.
7 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)
8 “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)
9 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.
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
- Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:8 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
- Genesis 49:10 Or from his descendants
- Genesis 49:10 Or to whom tribute belongs; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Genesis 49:12 Or will be dull from wine, / his teeth white from milk
- Genesis 49:14 Or strong
- Genesis 49:14 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
- Genesis 49:16 Dan here means he provides justice.
- Genesis 49:19 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for attack and also for band of raiders.
- Genesis 49:21 Or free; / he utters beautiful words
- Genesis 49:22 Or Joseph is a wild colt, / a wild colt near a spring, / a wild donkey on a terraced hill
- Genesis 49:24 Or archers will attack … will shoot … will remain … will stay
- Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
- Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
- Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from
- Genesis 49:32 Or the descendants of Heth
Genesis 49
New King James Version
Genesis 49
New King James Version
Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons
49 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may (A)tell you what shall befall you (B)in the last days:
2 “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob,
And listen to Israel your father.
3 “Reuben, you are (C)my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
Because you (D)went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—
He went up to my couch.
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of [a]cruelty are in their dwelling place.
6 (E)Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honor be united (F)to their assembly;
(G)For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they [b]hamstrung an ox.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel!
(H)I will divide them in Jacob
And scatter them in Israel.
8 “Judah,(I) you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
(J)Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
(K)Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
9 Judah is (L)a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
(M)He [c]bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
10 (N)The [d]scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor (O)a lawgiver from between his feet,
(P)Until Shiloh comes;
(Q)And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
11 Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk.
13 “Zebulun(R) shall dwell by the haven of the sea;
He shall become a haven for ships,
And his border shall (S)adjoin Sidon.
14 “Issachar(T) is a strong donkey,
Lying down between two burdens;
15 He saw that rest was good,
And that the land was pleasant;
He bowed (U)his shoulder to bear a burden,
And became a band of slaves.
16 “Dan(V) shall judge his people
As one of the tribes of Israel.
17 (W)Dan shall be a serpent by the way,
A viper by the path,
That bites the horse’s heels
So that its rider shall fall backward.
18 (X)I have waited for your salvation, O Lord!
20 “Bread from (Z)Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties.
21 “Naphtali(AA) is a deer let loose;
He uses beautiful words.
22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a well;
His branches run over the wall.
23 The archers have (AB)bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.
24 But his (AC)bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were [g]made strong
By the hands of (AD)the Mighty God of Jacob
(AE)(From there (AF)is the Shepherd, (AG)the Stone of Israel),
25 (AH)By the God of your father who will help you,
(AI)And by the Almighty (AJ)who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors,
(AK)Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
(AL)They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is a (AM)ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,
(AN)And at night he shall divide the spoil.”
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.
Jacob’s Death and Burial
29 Then he charged them and said to them: “I (AO)am to be gathered to my people; (AP)bury me with my fathers (AQ)in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, (AR)which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. 31 (AS)There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, (AT)there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” 33 And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
Footnotes
- Genesis 49:5 violence
- Genesis 49:6 lamed
- Genesis 49:9 couches
- Genesis 49:10 A symbol of kingship
- Genesis 49:19 Lit. Troop
- Genesis 49:19 Lit. raid
- Genesis 49:24 Or supple
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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Nueva Biblia de las Américas (NBLA) 
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.