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And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:
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"Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.
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"Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
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Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father's bed; Then you defiled it-- He went up to my couch.
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"Simeon and Levi are brothers; Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
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Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly; For in their anger they slew a man, And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
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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.
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"Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you.
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Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
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The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
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Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
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His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk.
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"Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; He shall become a haven for ships, And his border shall adjoin Sidon.
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"Issachar is a strong donkey, Lying down between two burdens;
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He saw that rest was good, And that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, And became a band of slaves.
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"Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel.
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Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward.
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I have waited for your salvation, O Lord!
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"Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last.
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"Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties.
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"Naphtali is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words.