Jacob’s final words over his twelve sons span rebuke, exile, and exaltation - and land on one of the earliest messianic prophecies in Scripture: the scepter of Judah will not depart until Shiloh comes.
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
Jacob called to his sons and said Gather yourselves together that I may tell you That which will happen to you in the days to come Assemble yourselves and hear you sons of Jacob Listen to Israel your father
Reuben you are my firstborn my might And the beginning of my strength excelling in dignity and excelling in power Boiling over like water you shall not excel Because you went up to your father’s bed then defiled it Simeon and Levi are brothers Their swords are weapons of violence
My soul do not come into their council My glory do not be united to their assembly For in their anger they killed men In their self-will they hamstrung cattle Cursed be their anger for it was fierce And their wrath for it was cruel
I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Judah your brothers will praise you Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies Your father’s sons will bow down before you Judah is a lion’s cub from the prey my son You have gone up
He stooped down he crouched as a lion as a lioness Who will rouse him up? The sceptre will not depart from Judah Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet Until he comes to whom it belongs The obedience of the peoples will be to him Binding his foal to the vine His donkey’s colt to the choice vine
He has washed his garments in wine his robes in the blood of grapes His eyes will be red with wine his teeth white with milk Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea He will be for a haven of ships His border will be on Sidon Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the saddlebags
He saw a resting place that it was good The land that it was pleasant He bows his shoulder to the burden and becomes a servant doing forced labour Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel Dan will be a serpent on the trail an adder in the path That bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls backward
I have waited for your salvation LORD A troop will press on Gad but he will press on their heel Asher’s food will be rich He will produce royal dainties Naphtali is a doe set free who bears beautiful fawns Joseph is a fruitful vine a fruitful vine by a spring
His branches run over the wall The archers have severely grieved him shot at him and persecuted him But his bow remained strong The arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob From there is the shepherd the stone of Israel Even by the God of your father who will help you By the Almighty who will bless you
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf In the morning he will devour the prey At evening he will divide the plunder All these are the twelve tribes of Israel And this is what their father spoke to them And blessed them He blessed everyone according to his own blessing
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Genesis 49 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.