Genesis 49:3-15

NSB(i) 3 »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. 4 »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. 5 »Simeon and Levi are brothers. They use their weapons to commit violence. 6 »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. 7 »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. 8 »Judah, your brothers will praise you. You hold your enemies by the neck. Your brothers will bow down before you. 9 »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. 10 »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. 11 »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. 12 »His eyes are darker than wine. His teeth are whiter than milk. 13 »Zebulun will live by the coast. He will have ships by the coast. His border will go as far as Sidon. 14 »Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags. 15 »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.