Genesis 49

Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather around me, so I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come.

1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.

NoteWhat follows is a poem, not ordinary speech. Each saying plays on the sound or meaning of the son's name, and describes not only the man but the tribe descended from him. "The days to come" translates a Hebrew phrase meaning literally "the after part of the days", the distant future, not necessarily the end of the world.

2Come together and listen, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel your father.

2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

NoteIsrael is the second name given to Jacob (Genesis 32). Here it is used both for the man and, by implication, for the family that will carry the name.

3Reuben, you are my firstborn son, my might, and the first sign of my strength, first in dignity and first in power.

3Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

Note"The first sign of my strength" means the first child a man fathered. A firstborn son normally received a double share of the inheritance and the leadership of the family after his father's death. Reuben has both of these, and the next verse takes them away.

4Unsteady as water, you will not be first, because you went up onto your father's bed. You made it unclean then. He went up onto my couch.

4Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

NoteThis refers to Genesis 35:22, where Reuben slept with Bilhah, one of Jacob's concubines. Taking a man's woman was a recognized way of claiming his position, so the act was a grab at his father's authority as much as a sexual offense. Note also that the last clause switches from "you" to "he," as if Jacob turns away and speaks about Reuben instead of to him.

5Simeon and Levi are brothers. Tools of cruelty are in the places where they live.

5Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

NoteThis looks back to Genesis 34, where Simeon and Levi killed the men of the town of Shechem after their sister Dinah was violated. The Hebrew word behind "tools" occurs nowhere else and its meaning is uncertain, guesses include weapons, swords, or plans.

6My soul, do not go into their secret plans. My honor, do not join their gathering. For in their anger they killed a man, and when they pleased themselves they hamstrung an ox.

6O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

Note"My soul" and "my honor" are Hebrew ways of saying simply "I myself." To hamstring an animal is to cut the tendon at the back of its leg, crippling it for life so it can never work again. The King James "digged down a wall" comes from reading one Hebrew word differently; the ox reading is now the usual one.

7A curse on their anger, because it was fierce, and on their fury, because it was cruel. I will divide them within Jacob and scatter them within Israel.

7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

NoteThe tribe of Levi never received a block of territory of its own but lived in towns scattered among the other tribes; Simeon's land lay inside Judah's and its identity faded early. The words describe that outcome.

8Judah, you are the one your brothers will praise. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's children will bow down before you.

8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.

NoteJudah's name sounds like the Hebrew verb "to praise." "Your hand on the neck of your enemies" pictures gripping a fleeing man from behind, a standard image of victory.

9Judah is a lion's cub. My son, you have gone up from the prey. He bent down, he lay stretched out like a lion, and like an old lion. Who will stir him up?

9Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

Note"Old lion" translates a poetic Hebrew word for a full-grown lion, which many take to mean a lioness. The picture is of an animal that has eaten and now lies down where no one dares disturb it.

10The ruler's staff will not leave Judah, nor the lawgiver's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. And the peoples will gather to him.

10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

NoteA ruler's staff was an ornamented rod held as the visible sign of authority; a seated ruler rested it on the ground between his feet, which is what "from between his feet" most likely pictures, though some read it as meaning "from his descendants." "Until Shiloh comes" is one of the most disputed phrases in the Hebrew Bible: the same letters can be read as a personal name, as "until he comes to Shiloh" (a town in Israel), as "until tribute comes to him," or as "until the one to whom it belongs comes." Translators usually leave the word untranslated rather than choose.

11He ties his young donkey to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the best vine. He washed his clothes in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes.

11Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

NoteVines were valuable and easily damaged, and a tethered donkey would strip one. The image is of a place with so many grapes that ruining a vine does not matter, the same point as washing clothes in wine. "The blood of grapes" means their red juice.

12His eyes will be red from wine, and his teeth white from milk.

12His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

NoteThe Hebrew is ambiguous in two ways: the word can mean "dark" or "red," and the grammar can mean either "red from wine" or "darker than wine," "whiter than milk." Both readings are ancient.

13Zebulun will live at the shore of the seas. He will be a shore for ships, and his border will reach to Zidon.

13Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

NoteZidon (usually spelled Sidon) was a Phoenician port on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel, standing here for the whole coastal trading region.

14Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between two loads.

14Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

NoteThe Hebrew word rendered "two loads" occurs only here and in one other passage, and no one is certain what it means: the two packs slung over a pack donkey, two sheepfolds, or two campfires. All the suggested senses picture an animal settling down comfortably rather than moving on.

15He saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant. So he bent his shoulder to carry the load and became a servant doing forced labor.

15And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

Note"Forced labor" means conscripted, unpaid work gangs. Conquered or subject populations were routinely drafted this way for a ruler's building projects and farm work.

16Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

16Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

NoteDan's name comes from the Hebrew verb "to judge." In Hebrew that verb means to govern and to secure justice for people generally, not only to decide court cases.

17Dan will be a snake beside the road, a poisonous snake in the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider falls backward.

17Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

NoteThe Hebrew names a particular snake, probably the horned viper, which lies half-buried in sand beside a track and strikes at whatever passes.

18I have waited for your salvation, LORD.

18I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

NoteThis line interrupts the sayings about the tribes. It is addressed to God rather than to a son, and no one has explained with certainty why it stands here. "Salvation" in Hebrew means rescue or deliverance from danger, without any narrower sense.

19Gad, a band of raiders will raid him, but he will raid at their heel.

19Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

NoteThe Hebrew packs three words that sound like Gad's name into one line: Gad, gedud (a raiding band), and the verb to raid. "At their heel" translates a word meaning heel; it can mean he strikes at their rear as they retreat, or, as the King James took it, that he wins in the end.

20Asher's food will be rich, and he will produce food fit for a king.

20Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

NoteAsher's later territory lay on the fertile northern coastal plain, a region known for olive oil and rich produce.

21Naphtali is a deer set loose. He gives beautiful words.

21Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

NoteThis verse can be read two ways. The King James takes it as "he gives beautiful words"; with a different reading of the same consonants it becomes "a doe set loose, that bears beautiful fawns." Both are defensible and translations divide.

22Joseph is a fruitful branch, a fruitful branch beside a well, whose branches climb over the wall.

22Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

NoteThe Hebrew reads literally "son of a fruit-bearer," and the following phrase literally "daughters march over a wall." Some scholars read the same consonants as "a wild colt," which turns the whole picture into a young donkey beside a spring with wild asses on a hillside. The plant image is traditional; the animal image is a live alternative.

23The archers hurt him badly, and shot at him, and hated him.

23The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

24But his bow stayed strong, and his arms and hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. (From there comes the shepherd, the stone of Israel.)

24But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Note"The arms of his hands" is a word-for-word rendering of a Hebrew phrase meaning his forearms, that is, his grip. "Mighty" here translates a rare word meaning the Strong One, a term connected with bulls. "Shepherd" and "stone" are titles: a shepherd protects and leads, and a stone or rock is the standard image for something solid to stand on. The Hebrew of this line is damaged or compressed, which is why translations of it differ widely.

25He was helped by the God of your father, who will help you, and by the Almighty, who will bless you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep water that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

25Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

Note"The Almighty" translates the Hebrew name Shaddai, whose meaning is genuinely unknown; suggestions include "of the mountain" and "of the breast." "The deep that lies below" refers to the fresh water the ancient world pictured as lying under the earth and feeding springs and wells. "Blessings of the breasts and of the womb" means many children and young animals, and milk enough to raise them.

26The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of my ancestors, reaching to the farthest edge of the everlasting hills. They will rest on the head of Joseph, on the top of the head of the one who was set apart from his brothers.

26The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

Note"My ancestors" and "the ancient mountains" differ in Hebrew only by vowels, which the oldest text did not write; the parallel with "everlasting hills" in the same line leads most modern translators to read mountains. "The one who was set apart" translates a word meaning someone singled out or consecrated; it is also used of a prince, one marked out from his fellows.

27Benjamin will tear like a wolf. In the morning he will eat what he has caught, and at night he will divide what he has taken.

27Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

NoteBenjamin was the smallest tribe but had a fighting reputation. "Morning" and "evening" together are a Hebrew way of saying "all day long."

28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with the blessing that fit him.

28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

Note"Blessed" here covers the whole set of pronouncements, including the harsh ones spoken over Reuben, Simeon and Levi. The Hebrew word means an authoritative word spoken over someone that fixes their future, not simply a good wish.

29Then he gave them instructions 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,

29And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

Note"Gathered to my people" is a set phrase for dying and joining one's ancestors. Here it is also literal: the dead of the family were laid in one tomb, so joining them meant being placed in the same cave.

30in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought that cave, along with the field, from Ephron the Hittite to own as a burial place.

30In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.

NoteThe cave of Machpelah, near Mamre by the town of Hebron, is the burial plot Abraham bought in Genesis 23. It was the only piece of the land of Canaan the family actually owned, which is why its purchase and location are set out so carefully.

31There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah. There they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah. And there I buried Leah.

31There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

32The field and the cave in it were bought from the children of Heth."

32The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.

NoteThe children of Heth are the Hittites, the local people Abraham dealt with when he bought the cave. Naming the sellers stresses that the sale was a public, legally binding transaction rather than a favor that could later be withdrawn.

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

33And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

NoteHe had been sitting up on the edge of the bed to speak to his sons; now he swings his legs back onto it and lies down. The King James "yielded up the ghost" is older English for breathing one's last.