Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



The sons of Leah's slave Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These were Jacob's sons, who were born in Paddan-aram.

Dan and Naphtali and Gad and Asher.

Leah said: How fortunate. She called him Gad.

Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders. He will strike back at their heels.

The families descended from Gad were the family of Zephon, the family of Haggi, the family of Shuni,

The Gadites lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salecah:


Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders. He will strike back at their heels.


Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders. He will strike back at their heels.

Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad. He lies down as a lion and tears the arm, also the crown of the head. He provided the first part for himself. There the ruler's portion was reserved. He came with the leaders of the people and executed his ordinance of Israel and the justice of Jehovah.


Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders. He will strike back at their heels.


Jacob blessed Joseph. He said: May God, in whose presence my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac walked, may this God who has been my shepherd all my life to this very day, May the being who rescued me from all evil bless these boys! May they be called by my name and by the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac. May they have many children on the earth. Joseph saw that his father had put his right hand on Ephraim's head. Joseph did not like it. So he took his father's hand in order to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's. read more.
He said to his father: That is not right, Father! This is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head. His father refused and said: I know, Son, I know! Manasseh, too, will become a nation. He, too, will be important. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be more important than he. His descendants will become many nations. That day he blessed them. He said: Because of you, Israel will speak this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!' In this way Israel put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

Jacob called for his sons. He said: Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the future. Come together and listen, sons of Jacob. Listen to your father Israel. Reuben, you are my firstborn; you are my strength and the first child of my manhood. You are the proudest and strongest of all my sons. read more.
You are like a raging flood. But you will not be the most important, for you slept with my concubine. You dishonored your father's bed. Simeon and Levi are brothers. They use their weapons to commit violence. I will not join in their secret talks. I will not take part in their meetings. They killed people in anger. They crippled bulls for sport. A curse is on their anger, because it is so fierce. And a curse is on their fury, because it is so cruel. I will scatter them throughout the land of Israel. I will disperse them among its people. Judah, your brothers will praise you. You hold your enemies by the neck. Your brothers will bow down before you. Judah is like a lion, killing his victim and returning to his den. He is like a lion stretching out and lying down. No one dares disturb him. The royal scepter shall not depart from Judah. His descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute and bow in obedience before him. This, until Shiloh comes and all will obey him. He will tie his donkey to a grapevine, his colt to the best vine. He will wash his clothes in wine, his garments in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine. His teeth are whiter than milk. Zebulun will live by the coast. He will have ships by the coast. His border will go as far as Sidon. Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags. When he sees that his resting place is good and that the land is pleasant, he will bend his back to the burden and will become a slave laborer. Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a snake on a road, a viper on a path that bites a horse's heels so that its rider falls backwards. I wait with hope for your salvation, O Jehovah. Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders. He will strike back at their heels. Asher's food will be rich. He will provide delicacies fit for a king. Naphtali is a deer set free with beautiful fawns (words). Joseph is a fruitful tree, a fruitful tree by a spring, with branches climbing over a wall. Archers provoked him, shot at him, and harassed him. His bow stayed steady! His arms remained limber because of the help of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of the God of your father who helps you, because of the Almighty who blesses you from the heavens above, blessings from the deep springs below the ground, blessings from breasts and womb. The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the oldest mountains and the riches of the ancient hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the prince among his brothers. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning and evening he destroys his enemies. These are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is how Jacob blessed each of them.


Reuben, you are my firstborn; you are my strength and the first child of my manhood. You are the proudest and strongest of all my sons. You are like a raging flood. But you will not be the most important, for you slept with my concubine. You dishonored your father's bed. Simeon and Levi are brothers. They use their weapons to commit violence. read more.
I will not join in their secret talks. I will not take part in their meetings. They killed people in anger. They crippled bulls for sport. A curse is on their anger, because it is so fierce. And a curse is on their fury, because it is so cruel. I will scatter them throughout the land of Israel. I will disperse them among its people. Judah, your brothers will praise you. You hold your enemies by the neck. Your brothers will bow down before you. Judah is like a lion, killing his victim and returning to his den. He is like a lion stretching out and lying down. No one dares disturb him. The royal scepter shall not depart from Judah. His descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute and bow in obedience before him. This, until Shiloh comes and all will obey him. He will tie his donkey to a grapevine, his colt to the best vine. He will wash his clothes in wine, his garments in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine. His teeth are whiter than milk. Zebulun will live by the coast. He will have ships by the coast. His border will go as far as Sidon. Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags. When he sees that his resting place is good and that the land is pleasant, he will bend his back to the burden and will become a slave laborer. Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a snake on a road, a viper on a path that bites a horse's heels so that its rider falls backwards. I wait with hope for your salvation, O Jehovah. Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders. He will strike back at their heels. Asher's food will be rich. He will provide delicacies fit for a king. Naphtali is a deer set free with beautiful fawns (words). Joseph is a fruitful tree, a fruitful tree by a spring, with branches climbing over a wall. Archers provoked him, shot at him, and harassed him. His bow stayed steady! His arms remained limber because of the help of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of the God of your father who helps you, because of the Almighty who blesses you from the heavens above, blessings from the deep springs below the ground, blessings from breasts and womb. The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the oldest mountains and the riches of the ancient hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the prince among his brothers. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning and evening he destroys his enemies.

Do not let his men be few. Hear, O Jehovah, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for them. May you (Jehovah) be help against his adversaries. Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to your godly man, whom you tested at Massah and with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah. read more.
Who said of his father and mother: 'I have not seen them; and he did not acknowledge his brothers, nor did he regard his own sons. They observed your word and kept your covenant.' They will teach your ordinances to Jacob, and your Law to Israel. They will burn incense before you, and whole burnt offerings on your altar. O Jehovah, bless his skills and accept the work of his hands. Shatter the loins of those who rise up against him and those who hate him, so that they will not rise again. May the beloved of Jehovah dwell in security by him who shields him all the day. He dwells between his shoulders. Blessed of Jehovah is his land. Bless it with the dew from heaven above and with the deep waters lying below. Bless with the choice yield of the sun, and with the bounty produced each month. Bless with the best things of the ancient mountains, and with the choice things of the everlasting hills. Bless with the choice things of the earth and its fullness. Let the favor of him who dwelt in the bush come to the head of Joseph and to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. As the firstborn of his bulls, majesty is his. His horns are the horns of the wild bull. With them he will push the peoples, all at once, to the ends of the earth. They are the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh. Rejoice Zebulun in your going out. And rejoice Issachar in your tents. They will call peoples to the mountain. There they will offer righteous sacrifices. They will draw out the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand. Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad. He lies down as a lion and tears the arm, also the crown of the head. He provided the first part for himself. There the ruler's portion was reserved. He came with the leaders of the people and executed his ordinance of Israel and the justice of Jehovah. Dan is a lion's cub. He leaps forth from Bashan. O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of Jehovah, take possession of the sea and the south. Asher is the most blessed with sons. May his brothers favor him. And may he dip his foot in oil. Your locks will be iron and bronze. According to your days, so will your leisurely walk be. There is none like the God of Jeshurun (Israel). He rides the heavens to give you help. He goes through the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms. He drove out the enemy from before you, and said: 'Destroy!' Israel dwells in security. The fountain of Jacob is secluded in a land of grain and new wine. His heavens also drop down dew. You are blessed O Israel. Who is like you, a people saved by Jehovah? He is the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you and you will tread upon their high places.