Genesis 49

Heavenly Father, give us grace to be a blessing to each member of our families, however different they are from each other.

¹ 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.

³ “Reuben, you are my firstborn, excelling in dignity, and power, [but] ⁴ you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed. (Gen 35) 
⁵ “Simeon and Levi, ⁶ My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men.  ⁷ Cursed be their fierce anger, and their cruel wrath. (Gen 34) 
⁸ “Judah, ¹⁰ The sceptre will not depart from Judah, until he comes to whom it belongs.  The obedience of the peoples will be to him. (David + Jesus) 
¹³ “Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea.
¹⁴ “Issachar ¹⁵ saw a resting place, that it was good and becomes a servant doing forced labour.
¹⁶ “Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.  ¹⁸ I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.
¹⁹ “A troop will press on Gad, but he will press on their heel.
²⁰ “Asher’s food will be rich.  He will produce royal dainties.
²¹ “Naphtali is a doe set free, who bears beautiful fawns.
²² “Joseph is a fruitful vine, ²³ [others] persecuted him: ²⁴ But his hands were made strong, ²⁵ by the God of your father, who will help you and bless you,
²⁷ “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey.” (Judges 19)

²⁸ 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.
²⁹ He said to them, “Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,” ³³ [and] breathed his last breath, and was gathered to his people.