Genesis 49:1–8

aAnd Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you bin the last days.

2  Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob;

And hearken unto Israel your father.

3  Reuben, thou art cmy firstborn,

My might, dand the beginning of my strength,

The excellency of edignity, and the excellency of power:

4  Unstable as water, †thou shalt not excel;

Because thou fwentest up to thy father’s bed;

Then defiledst thou it: ||he went up to my couch.

5  gSimeon and Levi are brethren;

||Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

6  O my soul, come not thou into htheir secret;

Unto their assembly, imine honour, be not thou united:

For in their anger they slew a man,

And in their selfwill they ||digged down a wall.

7  Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;

And their wrath, for it was cruel:

I will kdivide them in Jacob,

And scatter them in Israel.

8  Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall lpraise:

Thy hand shall be in mthe neck of thine enemies;

nThy father’s children shall bow down before thee.