Jacob Blesses His Twelve Sons
1 And Jacob called to his sons and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in the days to come.
1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
1 Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you (A)in the (a)days to come.
1 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)
1 After this, Jacob called his sons together and told them, "Assemble yourselves around me so I can tell you all what is going to happen to you in the last days.
2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father.
2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
2 Come together and listen, sons of Jacob;listen to your father Israel:
2 "Gather together and listen, you children of Jacob. Listen to your father Israel."
3 Reuben, you are my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn;My might and (C)the beginning of my strength,(b)Preeminent in dignity and (c)preeminent in power.
3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,(B)my strength and the firstfruits of my virility,(C)excelling in prominence, excelling in power.
3 "Reuben, you're my firstborn, my strength, and the first fruit of my vitality. You excel in rank and excel in power.
4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it. He went up to my couch.
4 Unstable 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.
4 “(d)Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,(D)Because you went up to your father’s bed;Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.
4 Turbulent as water, you will no longer excel,because you got into your father’s bed(D)and you defiled it—he(b) got into my bed.
4 But you're as undisciplined as a roaring river, so eventually you won't succeed, because you got in your father's bed, defiled it, and then approached my couch."
6 Oh my soul, do not come into their secret. Let not my honor be united with their assembly. For in their anger they killed a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung a bull.
6 O 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.
6 “(F)Let my soul not enter into their council;Let not my glory be united with their assembly;Because in their anger they slew (e)men,And in their self-will they lamed (f)oxen.
6 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.
6 I'll never join their council; I'll never enter their assembly. In their anger they committed murder and lamed cattle just for fun.
7 Let their anger be cursed, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
7 Cursed 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.
7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;And their wrath, for it is cruel.(G)I will (g)disperse them in Jacob,And scatter them in Israel.
7 Their anger is cursed, for it is strong,and their fury, for it is cruel!I will disperse them throughout Jacoband scatter them throughout Israel.(F)
7 Their anger is cursed, because it is so fierce, as is their vehemence, because it is so cruel. I will separate them throughout Jacob's territory and disperse them throughout Israel."
8 Judah, may your brothers praise you. May your hand be in the neck of your enemies. May your father's sons bow before you.
8 Judah, 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.
8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;(H)Your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
8 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)
8 "Your brothers will praise you, Judah. Your hand will be at the throat of your enemies, and your father's children will bow down to you.
9 Judah is a lion's whelp. My son, you have gone up from the prey. He stooped, he crouched like a lion; and like a lioness, who shall rouse him?
9 Judah 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?
9 “Judah is a (I)lion’s whelp;From the prey, my son, you have gone up.(J)He (h)couches, he lies down as a lion,And as a (i)lion, who (j)dares rouse him up?
9 Judah is a young lion(I)—my son, you return from the kill.He crouches; he lies down like a lionor a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
9 Judah is a lion cub. My son, you have gone up from the prey. Crouching like a lion, he lies down, Like a lioness, who would dare rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. And the obedience of the peoples to him.
10 The 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.
10 “(K)The scepter shall not depart from Judah,Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,(k)Until Shiloh comes,And (L)to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
10 The scepter will not depart from Judahor the staff from between his feetuntil He whose right it is comes(c)(J)and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him.(K)
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor a ruler's staff from between his feet, until the one comes, who owns them both, and to him will belong the allegiance of nations.
11 Binding his foal to the vine, and his ass's colt to the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.
11 Binding 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:
11 “(l)(M)He ties his foal to the vine,And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine;(N)He washes his garments in wine,And his robes in the blood of grapes.
11 He ties his donkey to a vine,and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine.He washes his clothes in wineand his robes in the blood of grapes.
11 Binding his donkey to the vine and his mare's foal to its thick tendrils, he will wash his garments in wine and his robe in the juice of grapes.
13 Zebulun shall live at the sea shore. And he shall be a haven for ships, and his border beside Sidon.
13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
13 “(O)Zebulun will dwell at the seashore;And he shall be (o)a haven for ships,And his flank shall be toward Sidon.
13 Zebulun will live by the seashoreand will be a harbor for ships,and his territory will be next to Sidon.(L)
13 "Zebulun will settle down near the sea shore and become a safe haven for shipping, bordering Sidon."
15 And he saw that rest was good and that the land was pleasant. And he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a tribute-slave.
15 And 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.
15 “When he saw that a resting place was goodAnd that the land was pleasant,He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens,And became a slave at forced labor.
15 He saw that his resting place was goodand that the land was pleasant,so he leaned his shoulder to bear a loadand became a forced laborer.(M)
15 He observed that his resting place was excellent, and that the land was pleasant; he bent down, picked up his burdens, and became a slave at forced labor."
17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that its rider shall fall backward.
17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
17 “Dan shall be a serpent in the way,A horned snake in the path,That bites the horse’s heels,So that his rider falls backward.
17 He will be a snake by the road,a viper beside the path,that bites the horses’ heelsso that its rider falls backward.
17 Dan will be a snake on the path, a viper on the road that snaps at the heels of horses, causing their riders to fall off.
22 Joseph is a fruitful son, a fruitful son by a well, whose branches run over the wall.
22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
22 “(X)Joseph is a fruitful (w)bough,A fruitful (x)bough by a spring;Its (y)branches run over a wall.
22 Joseph is a fruitful vine,a fruitful vine beside a spring;its branches(f) climb over the wall.(g)
22 "Joseph is descended from a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine planted near springs of water. His branches climb over walls.
23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and an archer lurks for him.
23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
23 “The archers bitterly attacked him,And shot at him and harassed him;
23 The archers attacked him,shot at him, and were hostile toward him.
23 Even though enemies attacked him, shooting at him and pursuing him viciously,
24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob (from the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel);
24 But 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:)
24 But his (Y)bow remained (z)firm,And (aa)(Z)his arms were agile,From the hands of the (AA)Mighty One of Jacob(From there is (AB)the Shepherd, (AC)the Stone of Israel),
24 Yet his bow remained steady,and his strong(h) arms were made agileby the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,(R)by the name of(i) the Shepherd,(S) the Rock of Israel,(T)
24 nevertheless his bow remained steady and his arms kept in shape by the strength of Jacob's Mighty One, in the name of the Shepherd, Israel's Rock,
25 by the God of your father, who shall help you. And may the Almighty bless you with blessings of Heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
25 Even 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:
25 From (AD)the God of your father who helps you,And (ab)(AE)by the (ac)Almighty who blesses youWith (AF)blessings of heaven above,Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
25 by the God of your father who helps you,and by the Almighty who blesses youwith blessings of the heavens above,blessings of the deep that lies below,and blessings of the breasts and the womb.
25 by your father's God who helps you, by the Almighty who will keep on blessing you with blessings from heaven above, with blessings from the deepest ocean, with blessing from the breasts and the womb.
26 The blessings of your father are above the blessings of my ancestors, to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him, the ruler, the leader of his brothers.
26 The 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.
26 “The blessings of your fatherHave surpassed the blessings of my ancestorsUp to the (ad)utmost bound of (AG)the everlasting hills;May they be on the head of Joseph,And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.
26 The blessings of your father excelthe blessings of my ancestors(j)and(k) the bounty of the eternal hills.(l)(U)May they rest on the head of Joseph,on the crown of the prince of his brothers.
26 Your father's blessings will prove to be stronger than blessings from the eternal mountains or bounties from the everlasting hills. May they come to rest on Joseph's head, May they be set upon the brow of the one who was separated from his own brothers."
27 Benjamin is a wolf that tears in pieces. In the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
27 “Benjamin is a (ae)ravenous wolf;In the morning he devours the prey,And in the evening he divides the spoil.”
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)
27 "Benjamin is vicious like a wolf; what he kills in the morning he devours in the evening."
The Death And Burial Of Jacob
28 All these were the twelve tribes of Israel. And this is what their father spoke to them, and blessed them; everyone according to his blessing he blessed them.
28 All 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.
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them (af)when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one (ag)with the blessing appropriate to him.
28 These are the tribes of Israel, 12 in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.
28 That's how Israel blessed these twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father told them when he pronounced his blessing for them, blessing each one with a blessing suitable for them.
Jacob's Burial Instructions
29 And he charged them and said to them, I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
29 And 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,
29 Then he charged them and said to them, “I am about to be (AH)gathered to my people; (AI)bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in (AJ)the field of Ephron the Hittite,
29 Then he commanded them: “I am about to be gathered to my people.(W) Bury me with my fathers(X) in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.(Y)
29 In his last words, Jacob issued this set of instructions to them all: "I'm about to join our ancestors. Bury me alongside my ancestors in the cave in the field that used to belong to Ephron the Hittite.
30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burying-place.
30 In 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.
30 in the (AK)cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a (ah)burial site.
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 Hittite as a burial site.(Z)
30 It's the cave in the field near Mamre at Machpelah in the land of Canaan that Abraham bought to serve as a cemetery.
31 They buried Abraham and his wife Sarah there, and they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah. And I buried Leah there;
31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
31 There they buried (AL)Abraham and his wife (AM)Sarah, there they buried (AN)Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah—
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)
31 It's where Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, where Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and where I buried Leah.
32 the purchase of the field and the cave in it, from the sons of Heth.
32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
32 the field and the cave that is in it, purchased from the sons of Heth.”
32 The field and the cave in it were purchased from the Hittites.”
32 Both the field and the cave that's in it were purchased from the Hittites."
33 And Jacob finished commanding his sons, and he gathered his feet into the bed. And he expired, and was gathered to his people.
33 And 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.
33 When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and (AO)breathed his last, and was (AP)gathered to his people.
33 When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and died. He was gathered to his people.
33 After concluding this set of instructions to his sons, Jacob tucked his feet up into bed, quit breathing, and was gathered to his ancestors.