The Last Words of Jacob
1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the future:
2 “Come together and listen, sons of Jacob.
Listen to your father Israel.
3 “Reuben, my first-born, you are my strength
And the first child of my manhood,
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
And 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,
Nor will I take part in their meetings,
For they killed people in anger
And they crippled bulls for sport.
7 A curse be on their anger, because it is so fierce,
And 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,
Stretching out and lying down.
No one dares disturb him.
10 Judah will hold the royal scepter,
And his descendants will always rule.
Nations will bring him tribute
And bow in obedience before him.
11 He ties his young donkey to a grapevine,
To the very best of the vines.
He washes his clothes in blood-red wine.
12 His eyes are bloodshot from drinking wine,
His teeth white from drinking milk.
13 “Zebulun will live beside the sea.
His shore will be a haven for ships.
His territory will reach as far as Sidon.
14 “Issachar is no better than a donkey
That lies stretched out between its saddlebags.
15 But he sees that the resting place is good
And that the land is delightful.
So he bends his back to carry the load
And is forced to work as a slave.
16 “Dan will be a ruler for his people.
They will be like the other tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake at the side of the road,
A poisonous snake beside the path,
That strikes at the horse's heel,
So that the rider is thrown off backward.
18 “I wait for your deliverance, Lord.
19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of robbers,
But he will turn and pursue them.
20 “Asher's land will produce rich food.
He will provide food fit for a king.
21 “Naphtali is a deer that runs free,
Who bears lovely fawns.
22 “Joseph is like a wild donkey by a spring,
A wild colt on a hillside.
23 His enemies attack him fiercely
And pursue him with their bows and arrows.
24 But his bow remains steady,
And his arms are made strong
By the power of the Mighty God of Jacob,
By the Shepherd, the Protector of Israel.
25 It is your father's God who helps you,
The Almighty God who blesses you
With blessings of rain from above
And of deep waters from beneath the ground,
Blessings of many cattle and children,
26 Blessings of grain and flowers,
Blessings of ancient mountains,
Delightful things from everlasting hills.
May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,
On the brow of the one set apart from his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is like a vicious wolf.
Morning and evening he kills and devours.”
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he spoke a suitable word of farewell to each son.
The Death and Burial of Jacob
29 Then Jacob commanded his sons, “Now that I am going to join my people in death, bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 at Machpelah east of Mamre in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought this cave and field from Ephron for a burial ground. 31 That is where they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; that is where they buried Isaac and his wife Rebecca; and that is where I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites. Bury me there.” 33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he lay back down and died.
Jēkabs svētī savus dēlus
1 Jēkabs sasauca savus dēlus un teica: “Sanāciet kopā, un es teikšu jums to, kas ar jums notiks nākamajās dienās!
2 Sapulcējieties un klausieties, Jēkaba dēli!
Klausieties Israēlu, savu tēvu!
3 Rūben – tu mans pirmdzimtais!
Mans spēks, manas vīrišķības pirmais!
Izcils dižumā un izcils spēkā!
4 Kā ūdens mutuļo,
bet priekšroku tu nedabūsi –
jo sava tēva gultā tu kāpi,
uzkāpdams manas cisas tu sagānīji!
5 Šimons un Levī – brāļi!
Varasdarbu rīki ir viņu milnas!
6 Viņu lokā mana dvēsele nenāks,
viņu pulkam mana godība nepievienosies –
jo savās dusmās viņi kauj vīru,
kā iegrib, tā pārgriež vērsim cīpslas!
7 Nolādētas viņu dusmas – par savu spēku,
un viņu niknums – par savu stiprumu,
es viņus pa Jēkabu izkliedēšu,
pa Israēlu viņus izkaisīšu!
8 Jūda – tavi brāļi tevi slavēs,
tava roka pie naidnieka spranda,
tev zemosies tava tēva dēli!
9 Lauvu jaunulis Jūda!
No medījuma, mans dēls, tu celies,
gulsties kā lauva,
kā lauvene – kas gan piecels!?
10 Jūdam zizli neatņems,
ne valdnieka scepteri viņa ceļiem –
kamēr nenāks Šīlo !
Viņam paklausīs tautas!
11 Pie vīnakoka viņš savu ēzeli piesies,
pie vīnstīgas – savu ēzelēnu,
viņš mazgās vīnā savas drānas
un vīnogu asinīs – savu ģērbu!
12 Tumšākas viņa acis par vīnu,
un baltāki viņa zobi par pienu!
13 Zebulūns mitīs jūras krastā!
Viņš kļūs par piestātni kuģiem,
viņa robežas ies līdz Sidonai!
14 Jisašhars – stiprs ēzelis,
ganās pie gardumiem…
15 Ieraudzīja, ka labi,
ka tīkama zeme,
un pastiepa savu plecu, lai nestu!
Kļuva par klaušu vergu!
16 Dāns – savu tautu tiesās
kā vienu no Israēla ciltīm!
17 Dāns būs čūska uz ceļa, odze uz takas –
dzels papēdī zirgam,
ka jātnieks augšpēdu kritīs!
18 Uz tavu glābiņu ceru, Kungs!
19 Gāds – uzbrucēji tam uzbruks,
bet viņš tiem bruks pretī!
20 Par Ašēru – trekna tam maize,
viņš dabūs ķēnišķus kārumus!
21 Naftālī – brīvībā skrejoša briežumāte,
kas dod brangus briedulēnus!
22 Auglīgs koks – Jāzeps,
auglīgs koks pie avota,
kam atvases kāpj pa mūri!
23 Viņam darīs jo rūgti – apšaudīs bultām,
ar viņu naidosies tie, kas tver bultu maku!
24 Bet viņa loks paliks stiprs,
viņa roku delmi būs veikli!
No Jēkaba Varenā,
no turienes – gans, Israēla klints!
25 No tava tēva Dieva – viņš tev palīdzēs,
no Visuvarenā – viņš tevi svētīs
ar debesu svētībām no augšienes,
ar dzīļu svētībām, kas apakšā mīt,
ar svētībām, kas no krūtīm un klēpja!
26 Tava tēva svētības varenākas
par mūžīgu kalnu svētību,
par sensenu augstieņu dārgumu!
Lai tās nāk pār Jāzepa galvu,
uz pakauša tam, kas nošķirts no brāļiem!
27 Benjāmins – plēsīgs vilks!
No rīta viņš ēdīs medījumu,
pret vakaru dalīs laupījumu!”
28 Visi šie ir divpadsmit Israēla ciltis, un šo tiem sacīja viņu tēvs. Viņš tos svētīja – katru svētīja ar savu svētību!
Jēkaba nāve un apbedīšana
29 Viņš tiem pavēlēja un teica: “Nu es tieku piepulcināts savai tautai. Apglabājiet mani pie maniem tēviem, alā, kas hetieša Efrona laukā, 30 tajā alā, kas Mahpēlas laukā, kas pret Mamri Kanaāna zemē, ko Ābrahāms kopā ar lauku nopirka no hetieša Efrona, lai iemantotu kapavietu. 31 Tur apglabāja Ābrahāmu un viņa sievu Sāru, tur apglabāja Īzaku un viņa sievu Rebeku, un tur es apglabāju Leu. 32 Tas lauks un ala, kas tajā, ir pirkti no Hēta dēliem.” 33 Kad Jēkabs bija izteicis pavēli saviem dēliem, viņš ievilka kājas gultā, nomira un tika piepulcināts savai tautai.
