Genesis 49

¹And Jacob sent for his sons, and said, Come together, all of you, so that I may give you news of your fate in future times.

²Come near, O sons of Jacob, and give ear to the words of Israel your father.

³Reuben, you are my oldest son, the first-fruit of my strength, first in pride and first in power:

⁴But because you were uncontrolled, the first place will not be yours; for you went up to your father's bed, even his bride-bed, and made it unclean.

⁵Simeon and Levi are brothers; deceit and force are their secret designs.

⁶Take no part in their secrets, O my soul; keep far away, O my heart, from their meetings; for in their wrath they put men to death, and for their pleasure even oxen were wounded.

⁷A curse on their passion for it was bitter; and on their wrath for it was cruel. I will let their heritage in Jacob be broken up, driving them from their places in Israel.

⁸To you, Judah, will your brothers give praise: your hand will be on the neck of your haters; your father's sons will go down to the earth before you.

⁹Judah is a young lion; like a lion full of meat you have become great, my son; now he takes his rest like a lion stretched out and like an old lion; by whom will his sleep be broken?

¹⁰The rod of authority will not be taken from Judah, and he will not be without a law-giver, till he comes who has the right to it, and the peoples will put themselves under his rule.

¹¹Knotting his ass's cord to the vine, and his young ass to the best vine; washing his robe in wine, and his clothing in the blood of grapes: