![CEB Common English Bible with Apocrypha - eBook [ePub] - Common English Bible](/cover_715844.jpg "CEB Common English Bible with Apocrypha - eBook [ePub] - Common English Bible")
and Isaac walked,
may the God who was my shepherd
from the beginning until this day,
16may the divine messenger who protected me from all harm,
bless the young men.
Through them may my name be kept alive
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.
May they grow into a great multitude
throughout the land."
17When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, he was upset and grasped his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18Joseph said to his father, "No, my father! This is the oldest son. Put your right hand on his head."
19But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He'll become a people too, and he'll also be great. But his younger brother will be greater than he will, and his descendants will become many nations."20Israel blessed them that day, saying,
"Through you, Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,
'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'"
So Israel put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21Then Israel said to Joseph, "I'm about to die. God will be with you and return you to the land of your fathers. 22I'm giving you one portion more than to your brothers,u a portion that I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow."
Jacob reveals his sons' destinies
Genesis 49Jacob summoned his sons and said, "Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the coming days.
2Assemble yourselves and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to Israel your father.
3Reuben, you are my oldest son,
my strength and my first contender,v
superior in status and superior in might.
4As wild as the waters, you won't endure,
for you went up to your father's bed,
you went upw and violated my couch.
5Simeon and Levi are brothers,
weapons of violence their stock in trade.
6May I myself never enter their council.
May my honor never be linked to their group;
for when they were angry, they killed men,
and whenever they wished, they maimed oxen.
7Cursed be their anger; it is violent,
their rage; it is relentless.
I'll divide them up within Jacob
and disperse them within Israel.
8Judah, you are the one your brothers will honor;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons will bow down to you.
9Judah is a lion's cub;
from the prey, my son, you rise up.
He lies down and crouches like a lion;
like a lioness--who dares disturb him?
10The scepter won't depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from among his banners.x
Gifts will be brought to him;
people will obey him.
11He ties his male donkey to the vine,
the colt of his female donkey to the vine's branches.
He washes his clothes in wine,
his garments in the blood of grapes.
12His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.
13Zebulun will live at the seashore;
he'll live at the harbor of ships,
his border will be at Sidon.
14Issachar is a sturdy donkey,
bedding down beside the village hearths.y
15He saw that a resting place was good
and that the land was pleasant.
He lowered his shoulder to haul loads
and joined the work gangs.
16Danz will settle disputes for his people,
as one of Israel's tribes.
17Dan will be a snake on the road,
a serpent on the path,
biting a horse's heels,
so its rider falls backward.
18I long for your victory, LORD.
19Gada will be attacked by attackers,
but he'll attack their back.
20Asherb grows fine foods,
and he will supply the king's delicacies.
21Naphtali is a wild doe
that gives birth to beautiful fawns.c
22Joseph is a young bull,d
a young bull by a spring,
who strides with oxen.e
23They attacked him fiercely and fired arrows;
the archers attacked him furiously.
24But his bow stayed strong,
and his forearms were nimble,f
by the hands of the strong one of Jacob,
by the name of the shepherd,
