Jacob Blesses His Sons
Genesis 49:1-28
Gen.49.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויקרא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- יעקב: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- בניו: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- האספו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- ואגידה: VERB,qal,impf,1,c,sg
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יקרא: VERB,niphal,impf,3,m,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- באחרית: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,const
- הימים: NOUN,m,pl,def
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 31:28 (structural): Moses commands an assembly of Israel's leaders to hear his final words before his death—parallel structure to Jacob calling his sons to pronounce final oracles.
- Deuteronomy 33:1 (thematic): Moses' blessing of the tribes ('this is the blessing') functions as a final, prophetic farewell like Jacob's speeches to his sons in Genesis 49.
- Joshua 24:1 (structural): Joshua gathers all the tribes at Shechem to address them and renew the covenant—another instance of a leader assembling Israel to deliver decisive, concluding addresses.
- Joel 2:28 (verbal): Uses the phrase 'in the last days' (Heb. 'in the latter days/afterward'), the same eschatological expression found in Gen 49:1; Acts 2:17 later quotes Joel's wording in the New Testament context.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jacob called to his sons and said, Gather yourselves, that I may tell you what will befall you in the latter days.
- And Jacob called to his sons and said, Gather yourselves, that I may tell you what will befall you in days to come.
Gen.49.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הקבצו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- ושמעו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- יעקב: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ושמעו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- אל: NEG
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אביכם: NOUN,m,sg,abs,2,mp
Parallels
- Deut.6.4 (verbal): Both verses open with the imperative ‘Hear/Shema’ addressed to Israel — a concise communal summons to listen to authoritative instruction.
- Deut.33.1 (structural): Moses’ final ‘blessing’ speech to the tribes of Israel parallels Jacob’s series of prophetic/blessing addresses to his sons (both are farewell oracle-structures over the tribes).
- Gen.27.27–29 (thematic): Isaac’s blessing of Jacob (a patriarchal father pronouncing blessings/prophetic words over sons) parallels Jacob’s act of gathering his sons to deliver blessings in Genesis 49.
- Josh.24.1–2 (structural): Joshua’s gathering of all the tribes to Shechem and his opening address mirrors the motif of assembling Israel’s sons/tribes for a culminating, authoritative speech.
Alternative generated candidates
- Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob; and listen to Israel your father.
- Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob; listen to Israel your father.
Gen.49.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ראובן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בכרי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1s
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- כחי: NOUN,m,sg,poss,1,sg
- וראשית: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אוני: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRONSUF,1,sg
- יתר: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- שאת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ויתר: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- עז: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Genesis 49:4 (structural): Immediate continuation of Jacob's address to Reuben — contrasts the honor of firstborn in v.3 with v.4's statement that Reuben will not excel because he 'went up to his father's bed.'
- Genesis 35:22 (allusion): Reports Reuben's intercourse with Bilhah — the incident that explains Jacob's later loss of firstborn privileges mentioned in Gen 49:3–4.
- Genesis 48:5,22 (verbal): Jacob's earlier transfer of firstborn status to Joseph's sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) shows how the rights and preeminence of the firstborn (theme of Gen 49:3) are reassigned within the narrative.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1–2 (thematic): Echoes the tradition that Reuben was the firstborn but lost his birthright because of his sin, so the rights of the firstborn passed to Joseph — a later summary of the consequence implicit in Gen 49:3–4.
- Deuteronomy 21:15–17 (thematic): Law specifying the legal rights of a firstborn (double portion, paternal recognition) — provides the legal-cultural background for why Reuben's status as 'firstborn' in Gen 49:3 would normally imply special privileges that he ultimately forfeits.
Alternative generated candidates
- Reuben, my firstborn are you, my might and the first of my vigor, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
- Reuben, my firstborn are you, my might and the first of my vigor, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
Gen.49.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- פחז: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- כמים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אל: NEG
- תותר: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- עלית: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- משכבי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- אביך: NOUN,m,sg,suff+2ms
- אז: ADV
- חללת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- יצועי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- עלה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Chronicles 5:1–2 (quotation): Repeats and applies Genesis 49:4 explicitly: calls Reuben unstable as water, records his defiling of his father’s bed, and explains that the birthright passed to Joseph’s sons.
- Genesis 35:22 (allusion): Narrates the underlying incident (Reuben lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine) that Genesis 49:4 condemns—provides the factual basis for Jacob’s rebuke.
- Deuteronomy 21:17 (thematic): States the legal expectation for the firstborn’s double portion and inheritance rights; Genesis 49:4 shows Reuben forfeiting the status and privileges normally due the firstborn.
- Genesis 49:3 (structural): The immediately preceding verse establishes Reuben’s position as firstborn and prefaces verse 4’s denunciation—together they form a unit evaluating Reuben’s character and fate.
Alternative generated candidates
- Unstable as water, you shall not excel, for you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.
- Unstable as water, you shall not excel, for you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—my couch he went up.
Gen.49.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- שמעון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולוי: CONJ+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אחים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- כלי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- חמס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מכרתיהם: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Genesis 34:25-26 (thematic): Narrative enactment of Jacob’s characterization: Simeon and Levi take swords and slaughter the men of Shechem, illustrating their violent methods described as 'instruments of cruelty.'
- Joshua 19:1-9 (structural): Fulfillment/realization of Jacob’s prediction of dispersion: the tribe of Simeon receives its allotment within the territory of Judah rather than a contiguous, independent inheritance.
- 1 Chronicles 4:24-31 (thematic): Lists and settlement notices for Simeonite clans in various Canaanite towns, reflecting the tribe’s partial dispersal and localized settlement consistent with Jacob’s judgment to scatter them.
- Deuteronomy 33:8-11 (allusion): Moses’ blessing of Levi emphasizes priestly zeal and ministry rather than violence, providing a counterpoint to Jacob’s indictment of Levi (and Simeon) as violent—showing later recharacterization of Levi’s role in Israel.
Alternative generated candidates
- Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are instruments of violence.
- Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.
Gen.49.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בסדם: PREP+NOUN,prop,f,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- תבא: VERB,qal,impf,2,f,sg
- נפשי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+1cs
- בקהלם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss3m
- אל: NEG
- תחד: VERB,qal,impf,2,f,sg
- כבדי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss1s
- כי: CONJ
- באפם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss3m
- הרגו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וברצנם: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss3m
- עקרו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- שור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Gen.34:25-30 (allusion): The narrative account of Simeon and Levi's massacre at Shechem (the slaughter of the men of the city and seizure of their goods) — the concrete event behind Jacob's rebuke in Gen 49:6.
- Deut.33:8-11 (thematic): Moses' blessing of Levi emphasizes zeal and priestly function; serves as a thematic counterpoint to Jacob's condemnation of Levi's violent methods and shows the tribe's later identity as priests.
- Judg.19-21 (thematic): The episode of the concubine and the subsequent inter‑tribal slaughter (including near‑extermination of Benjamin) parallels Gen 49:6 thematically: intra‑Israelite vengeance, collective violence, and its communal consequences.
- Mal.2:4-9 (allusion): Malachi's rebuke of the Levitical priests for failing the covenant and causing strife echoes Jacob's earlier condemnation of Levi's violent behavior and its corrupting effect on priestly office.
Alternative generated candidates
- Into their council may my soul not come; in their assembly may my glory not be joined; for in their anger they killed a man, and in their will they hamstrung an ox.
- Into their council may my soul not come; in their assembly may my glory not be joined; for in their anger they killed a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
Gen.49.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ארור: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- אפם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- עז: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ועברתם: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- קשתה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- אחלקם: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- ביעקב: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ואפיצם: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- בישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Gen.34:25-31 (structural): Narrative background: Simeon and Levi's violent revenge at Shechem explains Jacob's curse on their fierce anger and cruelty.
- Josh.19:9 (thematic): Simeon's allotment is contained within Judah's territory ('within the inheritance of Judah'), reflecting the division/assimilation Jacob predicts ('I will divide them in Jacob').
- Num.35:1-8 (structural): Law prescribing cities for the Levites scattered among the tribes — institutionalizes the dispersion Jacob foretells for the priestly tribe ('I will scatter them in Israel').
- Deut.33:8-11 (allusion): Moses' blessing of Levi (their role, instructing Israel, and special status rather than territorial inheritance) stands in complex relation to Jacob's curse — Levi is not wiped out but dispersed and set apart.
Alternative generated candidates
- Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
- Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
Gen.49.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- יודוך: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,pl
- אחיך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- ידך: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss:2,f,sg
- בערף: PREP
- איביך: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ישתחוו: VERB,hithpael,imperfect,3,m,pl
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- אביך: NOUN,m,sg,suff+2ms
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 33:7 (structural): Another formal blessing addressing the tribe of Judah; like Gen 49:8 it petitions divine help and affirms Judah’s strength and leadership among his kin.
- 1 Chronicles 5:2 (thematic): Affirms Judah’s preeminence among his brothers—'Judah prevailed over his brothers'—echoing Gen 49:8’s claim that Judah will be honored above his brothers.
- Numbers 24:9 (verbal): Balaam’s oracle speaks of Israel’s invincibility and blessing—'who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee'—paralleling Gen 49:8’s image of dominance over enemies and the blessing/praise due to Judah.
- Revelation 5:5 (allusion): Refers to the 'Lion of the tribe of Judah' and the Davidic root, drawing on Genesis’ declaration of Judah’s future rule and honor as foundational to messianic kingship.
Alternative generated candidates
- Judah, you—your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
- Judah, you—your brothers shall praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you.
Gen.49.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- גור: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- אריה: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- מטרף: VERB,piel,ptc,3,m,sg
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- עלית: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- כרע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- רבץ: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- כאריה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וכלביא: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מי: PRON,interr,sg
- יקימנו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Gen.49.10 (structural): Immediate continuation of Judah’s blessing — moves from the lion imagery in v.9 to the promise of rulership ('the scepter shall not depart from Judah'), linking lion-symbolism to dynastic kingship.
- Rev.5.5 (allusion): Directly echoes the Genesis motif by calling Christ 'the Lion of the tribe of Judah,' applying the lion-as-judah image to the conquering Davidic figure promised in Genesis 49.
- 1 Kgs.10:18-20 (thematic): Solomon’s throne decorated with lions, presenting the lion as an emblem of Israelite kingship and royal authority associated with Judah and the Davidic monarchy.
- Amos 3:8 (verbal): Uses a similar rhetorical motif of the lion’s roar ('the lion has roared; who will not fear?'), paralleling the verse’s challenge ('who can rouse him?') and the lion-as-power imagery.
Alternative generated candidates
- A lion’s whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down like a lion, and like a lioness—who will rouse him?
- A lion’s cub is Judah; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped, he crouched like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him?
Gen.49.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לא: PART_NEG
- יסור: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- שבט: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מיהודה: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ומחקק: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מבין: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רגליו: NOUN,m,pl,abs,suff:3,m
- עד: PREP
- כי: CONJ
- יבא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- שילו: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ולו: CONJ+PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- יקהת: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עמים: NOUN,pl,m,abs
Parallels
- Numbers 24:17 (verbal): Balaam’s oracle speaks of a 'star out of Jacob' and a 'scepter' rising out of Israel—directly echoing the scepter/ruler imagery and expectation of a future ruler from Israel/Judah.
- 2 Samuel 7:12-16 (thematic): God’s covenant with David promises an enduring dynasty and an everlasting throne—develops the Genesis motif that rulership (the scepter) will remain in Judah/David’s line.
- Psalm 2:7-9 (thematic): Speaks of the LORD’s anointed king, his installation and rule over the nations—parallels Genesis 49:10’s expectation that peoples/nations will submit to the promised ruler.
- Isaiah 11:1-10 (thematic): Foretells a righteous shoot from Jesse (Davidic line) who will judge and gather the nations—echoes Genesis’ 'until Shiloh comes' and the motif of a Davidic ruler bringing obedience and peace.
- Micah 5:2 (thematic): Predicts a ruler from Bethlehem in Judah whose origins are from ancient times—connects geographic and messianic expectations tied to Judah’s scepter.
Alternative generated candidates
- The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of peoples.
- The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to him shall be the obedience of peoples.
Gen.49.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אסרי: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לגפן: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עירו: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss:3,m,sg
- ולשרקה: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- אתנו: PRON,1,pl
- כבס: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ביין: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לבשו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
- ובדם: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ענבים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- סותו: VERB,qal,perf,3,pl
Parallels
- Isaiah 63:1-3 (verbal): Image of treading the winepress and garments stained by the press — language of garments 'covered with blood' echoes Genesis 49:11's 'clothed in the blood of grapes.'
- Revelation 14:18-20 (allusion): Angelic imagery of treading the great winepress and blood flowing like a river echoes the 'blood of grapes' motif; New Testament apocalyptic develops the vineyard/winepress trope found here.
- Joel 3:13 (verbal): Call to 'tread the winepress' (or 'shout, for the day of the Lord is near; tread, for the press is full')—directly parallels the vineyard/winepress vocabulary and harvest-wrath imagery related to grape blood.
- Psalm 80:8-11 (thematic): The vine as communal/kingly symbol (You brought a vine out of Egypt; you planted it) parallels Genesis' tying of a foal to the vine as an image of prosperity, planting/transplanting and national identity.
- Isaiah 5:1-2 (thematic): The 'Song of the Vineyard' uses vineyard/vine imagery to speak of expected fruit, care, and ultimate judgment—thematically linked to Genesis' use of the vine as a symbol of blessing, fruitfulness and social/royal life.
Alternative generated candidates
- Binding his foal to the vine and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine, he washes his garments in wine and his robe in the blood of grapes.
- Binding his foal to the vine and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine, he washes his garments in wine and his robe in the blood of grapes.
Gen.49.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- חכלילי: ADJ,m,pl,construct
- עינים: NOUN,f,du,abs
- מיין: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ולבן: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- מחלב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Song of Solomon 5:11-12 (verbal): The lover is described with dark/black hair and eyes and with milk imagery: “his locks are black as a raven… his eyes are like doves… washed with milk,” echoing the coupling of darkness (like wine/blackness) and milk used to describe beauty in Gen 49:12.
- Song of Solomon 4:2 (verbal): Physical praise includes dental imagery: “Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes,” a parallel to Gen 49:12’s comparison of teeth/whiteness (‘whiter than milk’), linking teeth-as-beauty motifs.
- Song of Solomon 6:6 (thematic): Reiterates the motif of ‘eyes like doves’ (beautiful, gentle eyes), paralleling Gen 49:12’s focus on striking eyes (here described by darkness like wine) as a mark of attractiveness.
- Gen.29:17 (structural): Within Genesis beauty is marked by the eyes (e.g., ‘Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was beautiful’), showing the same narrative use of ocular description as an index of attractiveness echoed in Jacob’s remark about Judah’s eye/teeth appearance.
Alternative generated candidates
- His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
- Darker are his eyes than wine, and whiter his teeth than milk.
Gen.49.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- זבולן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לחוף: PREP
- ימים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ישכן: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- והוא: CONJ+PRON,3,m,sg
- לחוף: PREP
- אניות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- וירכתו: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- צידן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 33:18-19 (verbal): Moses’ blessing of Zebulun explicitly links Zebulun to the sea and its riches (“suck of the abundance of the seas”), echoing Genesis’ language about dwelling by a haven and association with ships.
- Joshua 19:10-16 (structural): The tribal allotment of Zebulun describes its territorial borders toward the sea/Sea of Galilee and lists coastal-adjacent towns, paralleling Genesis’ statement that Zebulun will dwell by the seaport and have a border toward Sidon.
- Isaiah 9:1-2 (thematic): Isaiah locates the ministry area in ‘the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali’ ‘by the way of the sea,’ connecting the Zebulun region with the coastal/sea route and the broader theme of Galilee’s maritime setting.
- Ezekiel 27:3-6 (allusion): Ezekiel’s lament for Tyre emphasizes Sidon, harbors and maritime commerce (ships and trade), providing a regional maritime context that parallels Genesis’ mention of ships and a border toward Sidon.
Alternative generated candidates
- Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of seas; he shall be a haven for ships, and his flank shall be toward Sidon.
- Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of seas; he shall be a shore for ships, and his flank shall be toward Sidon.
Gen.49.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יששכר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חמר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- גרם: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- רבץ: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- בין: PREP
- המשפתים: NOUN,m,pl,def
Parallels
- Gen.49:15 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same oracle—verse 15 completes the Issachar image: ‘he saw that rest was good… and became a servant at forced labor,’ directly expanding the donkey/servitude motif.
- Exod.1:14 (verbal): The language of hard service/forced labor echoes Genesis 49:15’s ‘became a servant at forced labor,’ linking the tribe’s subjection imagery with Israel’s later experience of bondage in Egypt.
- Judg.5:15 (thematic): Deborah’s song portrays Issachar as an active supporter in Israel’s war (standing with Barak), providing a contrasting tribal portrayal to Jacob’s image of Issachar as a docile, burden‑bearing donkey.
- 1 Chr.12:32 (thematic): Later tradition depicts the sons of Issachar as wise and discerning of the times; this characterization (understanding/leadership) offers a counterpoint to Jacob’s depiction of Issachar’s passive, servile role.
Alternative generated candidates
- Issachar is a strong-boned donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds.
- Issachar is a strong-boned donkey, crouching between the sheepfolds.
Gen.49.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מנחה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- טוב: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- הארץ: NOUN,f,sg,def
- כי: CONJ
- נעמה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- ויט: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- שכמו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- לסבל: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- למס: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עבד: NOUN,m,sg,cons
Parallels
- Deut.33.23 (thematic): Moses' blessing of Naphtali is another tribal blessing that ascribes favor and blessing to Naphtali, echoing the positive, beneficent tone of Genesis 49:15.
- Judg.5.18 (thematic): Deborah's song (the Song of Deborah) praises Naphtali's swift, valorous role among the tribes; both passages celebrate Naphtali poetically and associate the tribe with decisive, praiseworthy action.
- Ps.18.33 (verbal): Psalm 18:33 uses the image of making one's feet like a deer’s (hind) to convey speed and agility — paralleling Genesis' 'hind let loose' metaphor for Naphtali's swiftness and freedom.
- Isa.52.7 (verbal): Isaiah praises 'beautiful/pleasant words' brought by a messenger ('how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news'), paralleling Genesis 49:15's attribution of 'goodly/pleasant words' to Naphtali (the image of pleasing speech or good news).
Alternative generated candidates
- He saw that rest was good and that the land was pleasant; he bent his shoulder to the burden and became a laborer under tribute.
- He saw a resting-place that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear and became a servant to forced labor.
Gen.49.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- דן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ידין: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עמו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- כאחד: PREP
- שבטי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Deut.33.22 (thematic): Moses’ blessing calls Dan “a lion’s whelp,” portraying Dan as a forceful/leading tribe — a parallel characterization to Genesis’ statement that Dan will ‘judge his people.’
- Judg.18:30 (allusion): The Danite establishment of a graven image and a local priest (Judg.18:30) stands in ironic contrast to the expectation that Dan would ‘judge’ his people, showing a divergent historical outcome.
- Judg.5:17 (thematic): Deborah’s song notes that Dan ‘remained in ships,’ highlighting Dan’s limited participation in Israel’s central affairs and contrasting with the portrayal of Dan as a judging/leading tribe.
- Judg.17:6 (structural): The account’s repeated refrain ‘In those days there was no king in Israel’ frames the Micah–Dan narratives, emphasizing decentralized rule and social disorder that undercut tribal leadership functions such as judging.
Alternative generated candidates
- Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
- Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
Gen.49.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יהי: VERB,qal,juss,3,m,sg
- דן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נחש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- דרך: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שפיפן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- ארח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הנשך: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- עקבי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- סוס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויפל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- רכבו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- אחור: ADV
Parallels
- Judges 18:27 (thematic): Narrative fulfillment/illustration: the Danites launch a sudden, violent raid on Laish (smite and capture the city), echoing Jacob’s image of Dan as a striking/ambushing serpent that causes the rider to fall.
- Judges 18:29–30 (structural): Development of Dan’s tribal identity: the tribe establishes its own city (Dan) and cultic independence—background to Jacob’s distinctive, problematic characterization of Dan.
- Proverbs 23:32 (verbal): Uses the same simile of a serpent’s biting as a metaphor for sudden, harmful results (“at the last it biteth like a serpent”), paralleling Genesis’ ‘serpent by the way’ and the image of a crippling bite.
- Psalm 58:4–5 (verbal): Describes the wicked’ words/acts as the poison of a serpent and compares them to an adder—verbal and imagistic parallel to Genesis’ ‘adder in the path’ motif.
Alternative generated candidates
- Dan shall be a serpent on the road, a viper on the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider falls backward.
- Let Dan be a serpent on the way, a horned viper on the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider falls backward.
Gen.49.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לישועתך: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- קויתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Micah 7:7 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language of waiting for the LORD as the God of salvation ("I will wait for the God of my salvation").
- Psalm 130:5 (verbal): Personal expression of waiting and hoping in the LORD for deliverance ("I wait for the LORD; my soul waits; in his word I hope").
- Psalm 25:5 (verbal): Explicitly calls God 'the God of my salvation' and links that title with continual waiting ("for you I wait all the day").
- Isaiah 25:9 (thematic): Corporate proclamation of waiting for the Lord and his saving action ("we have waited for him, and he will save us"), echoing the hope for divine salvation.
Alternative generated candidates
- For your salvation I wait, O LORD.
- I wait for your salvation, O LORD.
Gen.49.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- גד: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- גדוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יגודנו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- והוא: CONJ+PRON,3,m,sg
- יגד: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עקב: PREP
Parallels
- Deut.33.20-21 (allusion): Moses' blessing of Gad echoes Genesis 49's tribal characterization, portraying Gad as a warlike, lion‑like people who take the foremost portion (leadership in battle).
- Num.32.1-5 (structural): Numbers describes the tribe of Gad (with Reuben) settling east of the Jordan because of their large herds and military capacity—context for Jacob's image of Gad as a troop and battlefield presence.
- 1 Chr.12.8 (verbal): Lists men of Gad as valiant warriors skilled with shields, spears and bows, directly paralleling Jacob's depiction of Gad as a troop/warrior‑band.
- 1 Chr.5.18-22 (thematic): Records Gad's military engagements east of the Jordan (battles with the Hagrites and others), illustrating the tribe's martial activity that Jacob prophesies in Genesis 49:19.
Alternative generated candidates
- Gad—raiders shall raid him, but he will raid at their heels.
- Gad—a raiding band shall raid him, but he shall press on their heels.
Gen.49.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מאשר: PREP+REL
- שמנה: NUM,card,f,pl,abs
- לחמו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss:3,m,sg
- והוא: CONJ+PRON,3,m,sg
- יתן: VERB,qal,imperf,3,m,sg
- מעדני: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 33:24 (verbal): Moses' blessing of Asher uses similar imagery of prosperity (oil/fruitfulness) — a parallel tribal blessing promising abundance and favor.
- Genesis 49:26 (structural): Neighboring line in Jacob's oracle that likewise celebrates overflowing blessings and choicest gifts — continues the theme of material prosperity for the tribes.
- Deuteronomy 8:7-8 (thematic): Description of the Promised Land as rich in grain, vines, fig trees, olive oil and honey — echoes the motif of fertile provision and ‘rich bread’.
- Psalm 104:14-15 (thematic): Speaks of God providing 'bread' and 'oil' for human sustenance and delight; parallels the image of abundance and food-sustaining blessing found in Gen 49:20.
- Amos 6:4-6 (thematic): Images of luxury and indulgent 'delicacies' (rich foods, wine, anointing oils) provide a thematic contrast to Gen 49:20's promise of royal dainties and material plenty.
Alternative generated candidates
- Asher—rich shall be his bread, and he shall provide delicacies fit for a king.
- From Asher—rich is his bread, and he shall provide royal delicacies.
Gen.49.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- נפתלי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אילה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שלחה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- הנתן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אמרי: VERB,qal,impv,2,f,sg
- שפר: ADJ,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 33:23 (allusion): Moses' blessing of Naphtali echoes Jacob's brief encomium—both are tribal blessings that associate Naphtali with favor and blessing.
- Song of Songs 2:9 (verbal): Uses the image of a roe/hind ('behold, he stands behind our wall, he leaps upon the mountains like a roe')—parallels Jacob's 'hind let loose' animal imagery.
- Proverbs 25:11 (verbal): 'A word fitly spoken' / 'pleasant words' parallels Genesis' phrase 'he gives beautiful/pleasant words' (אומרי־שפר), linking the tribe to eloquent or pleasing speech.
- Judges 5:18 (thematic): Deborah's song praises Naphtali's role in battle ('Naphtali on the heights of the field'), associating the tribe with swiftness, vigor and praised action—complementary to the image of a free, swift hind.
Alternative generated candidates
- Naphtali is a doe let loose; he gives words of beauty.
- Naphtali is a doe let loose; he gives words of beauty.
Gen.49.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- פרת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יוסף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- פרת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- עין: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- בנות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- צעדה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- עלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- שור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Gen.30:22-24 (thematic): The birth and naming of Joseph (Rachel conceives and names him Yosef) provides the narrative background for Joseph's fruitfulness and legacy celebrated in Gen 49:22.
- Deut.33:13-17 (thematic): Moses' blessing of Joseph depicts prosperity and abundance (fruitfulness, numerous offspring, wealth), echoing Jacob's image of Joseph as a flourishing bough.
- Ps.1:3 (verbal): Uses the image of a tree planted by streams that yields fruit in season — closely parallels 'a fruitful bough by a spring' and the life-giving water imagery of Gen 49:22.
- Jer.17:7-8 (verbal): The righteous man is compared to a tree by water that does not fear heat and yields fruit — a similar simile emphasizing steady nourishment and ongoing fruitfulness as in Gen 49:22.
- Ps.128:3 (thematic): Speaks of a wife as a fruitful vine and children as olive shoots around the table; similar family/fruitfulness imagery used to express blessing and prosperity like Jacob's description of Joseph.
Alternative generated candidates
- Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; its branches run over the wall.
- Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; its branches run over the wall.
Gen.49.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וימררהו: VERB,piel,impf,3,m,pl
- ורבו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- וישטמהו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- בעלי: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- חצים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Gen.37:23-28 (structural): Narrative parallel — these verses describe Joseph's brothers stripping him, throwing him into a pit and selling him, the concrete events that 'embittered' and brought hostile attacks upon Joseph referenced in Gen 49:23.
- Ps.105:17-22 (allusion): Retells Joseph's affliction and exile — the psalm recounts Joseph being sold, bound and tested before rising to power, echoing the motif of suffering and vindication implied in Jacob's words about Joseph's trials.
- Gen.50:15-21 (thematic): Later resolution of the conflict — Joseph's brothers recall how they harmed him and fear retaliation; Joseph's forgiveness and interpretation of their actions as part of God's plan parallels the theme of suffering followed by preservation in Gen 49:22–26.
- Isa.53:3-5 (thematic): Suffering-servant motif — though in a different context, Isaiah's portrait of one despised, afflicted and struck (pierced) resonates thematically with the image of being embittered and attacked by arrows in Gen 49:23, and has often been read as a typological echo of righteous suffering.
Alternative generated candidates
- The archers sorely attacked him; they shot at him and harried him.
- The archers bitterly provoked him; they shot at him and harried him.
Gen.49.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ותשב: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- באיתן: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- קשתו: NOUN,f,sg,abs+3ms
- ויפזו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- זרעי: NOUN,m,pl,cs
- ידיו: NOUN,f,pl,abs,suff:3,m,sg
- מידי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- אביר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יעקב: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- משם: PREP
- רעה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אבן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 18:34 (verbal): Both verses use the imagery of God training or steadying the hands/arms for battle — “He trains my hands for war…my arms can bend a bow” echoes Jacob’s “his bow remained steady…his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One.”
- Psalm 144:1 (verbal): “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle” parallels the theme of divine empowerment for combat and also resonates with the ‘rock/stone’ language in Gen 49:24’s ‘Stone of Israel.’
- Psalm 23:1 (thematic): Gen 49:24’s phrase “from there is the Shepherd” echoes the shepherd motif for God or God’s leader (cf. “The Lord is my shepherd”), emphasizing guidance, care, and leadership.
- Isaiah 28:16 (allusion): Isaiah’s proclamation of a laid foundation stone in Zion (“behold, I lay in Zion a tested stone, a precious cornerstone”) parallels the title “Stone of Israel” in Gen 49:24, both carrying foundational/eschatological connotations.
Alternative generated candidates
- Yet his bow remained steady, and the arms of his hands were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob—from there, the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel—
- But his bow stayed steady, and the arms of his hands were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob—from there, the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel—
Gen.49.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מאל: PREP
- אביך: NOUN,m,sg,suff+2ms
- ויעזרך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg+SUF,2,ms
- ואת: CONJ
- שדי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויברכך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg+SUF,2,ms
- ברכת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- שמים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- מעל: PREP
- ברכת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- תהום: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- רבצת: VERB,qal,ptc,f,sg
- תחת: PREP
- ברכת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- שדים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ורחם: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Gen.28:3 (verbal): Uses the same title El Shaddai (God Almighty) in a blessing formula—'El Shaddai bless you and make you fruitful'—paralleling Gen 49:25's invocation of Shaddai to bless.
- Gen.35:11 (verbal): God identifies himself as El Shaddai and promises fruitfulness and offspring ('be fruitful and multiply'), echoing the fertility aspects ('breasts and womb') of Gen 49:25.
- Gen.48:15-16 (thematic): Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons invoking 'the God before whom my fathers walked... the God who has been my shepherd' is closely parallel in theme and function to the God-of-your-father blessing language of Gen 49:25.
- Gen.27:28-29 (thematic): Isaac's blessing on Jacob—'May God give you the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth'—resembles Gen 49:25's 'blessings of the heavens above' and blessings of abundance/fertility.
- Deut.28:12 (thematic): A covenantal blessing formula promising the heavens' bounty ('the LORD will open for you his good storehouse, the heavens') parallels Gen 49:25's 'blessings of heaven above' motif of divine provision.
Alternative generated candidates
- by the God of your father—may he help you—and by the Almighty—may he bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of breasts and womb.
- by the God of your father, who will help you, and by the Almighty, who will bless you—with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of breasts and womb.
Gen.49.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ברכת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- אביך: NOUN,m,sg,suff+2ms
- גברו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- על: PREP
- ברכת: NOUN,f,sg,const
- הורי: NOUN,m,pl,abs,suf:1s
- עד: PREP
- תאות: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- גבעת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- עולם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- תהיין: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,pl
- לראש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יוסף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולקדקד: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נזיר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחיו: NOUN,3,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Gen.48:15-16 (verbal): Jacob's earlier blessing on Joseph/Ephraim and Manasseh uses the same blessing-formula and references God who has been with the patriarchs—close verbal and thematic continuity with Gen 49:26's parental blessing language.
- Deut.33:13-17 (thematic): Moses' blessing of Joseph (Ephraim/Manasseh) likewise promises abundant, enduring blessings—richness of field and heavens—and echoes the motif of ancestral/tribal blessing extending into future possession.
- Ps.105:16-22 (thematic): This psalm recounts Joseph's suffering and subsequent exaltation by God, emphasizing divine favor and elevation that underlie Jacob's blessing of Joseph as head/crown over his brothers.
- Gen.41:41-43 (thematic): Pharaoh's elevation of Joseph to second ruler—robe, signet, and authority—parallels the imagery of head/crown and exalted status that Jacob pronounces in Gen 49:26.
Alternative generated candidates
- The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my forebears, to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; may they be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the one set apart from his brothers.
- The blessings of your father have prevailed over the blessings of my progenitors, to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. May they be upon the head of Joseph and upon the crown of the one set apart from his brothers.
Gen.49.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בנימין: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- זאב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יטרף: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- בבקר: PREP
- יאכל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עד: PREP
- ולערב: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יחלק: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- שלל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Judges 19:22-25 (thematic): A violent episode in Gibeah carried out by men of Benjamin (night–morning sequence, sexual violence and killing) that reflects the tribe's savage, predatory character implied by 'a ravenous wolf.'
- Judges 20:45-48 (thematic): The civil war against Benjamin and the slaughter of Benjaminite warriors shows the tribe's fierce martial capacity and the bloody consequences of their predations, echoing Jacob's image of devouring and spoil.
- Matthew 7:15 (verbal): Uses the same 'ravenous wolves' metaphor to describe predatory, destructive agents; a verbal/template parallel in the Bible's use of wolf imagery for violent or dangerous actors.
- Deuteronomy 33:12 (structural): Moses' blessing of Benjamin ('the beloved of the LORD dwells in safety') provides a contrasting tribal characterization within the corpus of Israelite blessings—another authoritative typology to compare with Jacob's 'wolf' oracle.
- 1 Chronicles 12:2-3 (thematic): Lists brave Benjaminites who joined David as warriors—an independent tradition portraying Benjamin as a source of fighters, resonant with Jacob's prediction of a warlike, predatory tribe.
Alternative generated candidates
- Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours prey, and at evening he divides spoil.
- Benjamin is a ravening wolf; in the morning he devours prey, and at evening he divides spoil.
Gen.49.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כל: DET
- אלה: DEM,pl,abs
- שבטי: NOUN,m,pl,con
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- עשר: NUM,card,m,sg,cons
- וזאת: CONJ+DEM,f,sg
- אשר: PRON,rel
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- אביהם: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
- ויברך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אותם: PRON,3,m,pl,obj
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- כברכתו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- ברך: VERB,qal,inf,NA,NA,NA,NA
- אתם: PRON,2,m,pl
Parallels
- Genesis 48:14-20 (verbal): Jacob expressly blesses Ephraim and Manasseh with language of blessing ('and he blessed them'), part of the same blessing sequence immediately preceding chapter 49.
- Genesis 35:22-26 (structural): Gives the roster of Jacob's twelve sons — the progenitors of the tribes — paralleling the declaration 'all these are the twelve tribes of Israel.'
- Deuteronomy 33 (thematic): Moses' blessing of the tribes parallels Jacob's per‑tribe pronouncements in form and function, offering a later, comparable tribal blessing tradition.
- Numbers 24:2-9 (thematic): Balaam's oracle functions as an external blessing of Israel (and tribal elements), thematically comparable to Jacob's blessings of the tribes.
Alternative generated candidates
- All these are the tribes of Israel—twelve—and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them; each according to his blessing he blessed them.
- All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them, and he blessed them—each according to his blessing he blessed them.
And Jacob called to his sons and said, Gather yourselves, that I may tell you what will befall you in days to come.
Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob; listen to Israel your father.
Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the first of my vigor—exceeding in dignity and exceeding in power.
Unstable as water, you shall not excel, for you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!
Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their implements.
Let my soul not come into their council; let my glory not be joined with their assembly. For in their anger they killed a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung a bull.
Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
Judah—you, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
A lion’s whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouched, he lay down like a lion, and like a lioness—who will rouse him?
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of peoples.
Binding his foal to the vine, and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his robe in the blood of grapes.
His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the seas; he shall be a haven for ships, and his flank shall be toward Sidon.
Issachar is a strong-boned donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds. And he saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant, and he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant to forced labor.
Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a serpent by the road, a viper on the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider falls backward.
For your salvation I wait, O LORD.
Gad—a raiding band shall raid him, but he shall raid at their heels.
From Asher, his food shall be rich, and he shall provide delicacies fit for a king.
Naphtali is a doe let loose; he gives beautiful words.
A fruitful bough is Joseph, a fruitful bough by a spring; its branches run over the wall.
The archers bitterly attacked him; they shot at him and harassed him.
Yet his bow remained steady, and the arms of his hands were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob—from there, the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel—
by the God of your father, who helps you, and by the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of breasts and womb.
The blessings of your father have surpassed 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 one set apart from his brothers.
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours prey, and at evening he divides spoil.
All these are the tribes of Israel—twelve—and this is what their father spoke to them, and he blessed them; each according to his blessing he blessed them.