וַיִּקְרָ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶל־בָּנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לָכֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים׃

Jacob called to his sons, and he said: Gather and I will tell you that which shall befall you at the end of days.

הִקָּבְצ֥וּ וְשִׁמְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְשִׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֲבִיכֶֽם׃

Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob, and heed Israel your father.

רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣רִי אַ֔תָּה כֹּחִ֖י וְרֵאשִׁ֣ית אוֹנִ֑י יֶ֥תֶר שְׂאֵ֖ת וְיֶ֥תֶר עָֽז׃

Jacob’s first few blessings follow his sons’ order of age. Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the first of my potency; as the eldest, you were born when my strength was at its greatest. Therefore, you should have merited greater honor and greater power and ruled over your brothers.

פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃ (פ)

However, because you were impetuous as water, you shall not excel, as you lost your precedence because you mounted your father’s bed, the bed of your father’ wife, which is the prime example of your impetuousness. Then you desecrated he who ascended my couch, yourself. Alternatively, this is referring to the Divine Presence that resides there. Others explain that the phrase “he who ascended [ala]” means “removed.” In other words, from that day the couch, or Jacob’s honor, was removed, as he was forced to separate from Bilha due to this incident. Yet another explanation is that Jacob is saying to Reuben: You desecrated my bed and marital activities, which should have been above [lema’ala] and beyond your concerns; therefore, you forfeited your status as firstborn.

שִׁמְע֥וֹן וְלֵוִ֖י אַחִ֑ים כְּלֵ֥י חָמָ֖ס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶֽם׃

Simeon and Levi are brothers. These two brothers were apparently very close. They acted together, and Jacob likewise addresses them together. Weapons of villainy are their heritage. They grew up using weapons from a young age.

בְּסֹדָם֙ אַל־תָּבֹ֣א נַפְשִׁ֔י בִּקְהָלָ֖ם אַל־תֵּחַ֣ד כְּבֹדִ֑י כִּ֤י בְאַפָּם֙ הָ֣רְגוּ אִ֔ישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָ֖ם עִקְּרוּ־שֽׁוֹר׃

My self shall not come in their company [sodam]. Alternatively, this is referring to their secret [sod] actions. With their assembly may my glory not be associated; for in their anger they killed men, the inhabitants of Shekhem, and with their will they hamstrung oxen, they cut the legs of the oxen of those inhabitants, so that they no longer would be usable.

אָר֤וּר אַפָּם֙ כִּ֣י עָ֔ז וְעֶבְרָתָ֖ם כִּ֣י קָשָׁ֑תָה אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס)

Cursed be their anger, as it is unacceptably fierce, and their wrath, as it is too harsh; I will divide them in Jacob, and I will disperse them in Israel. They will continue to be identified as two tribes, but they will be scattered and will not inherit a permanent portion of land as their brothers will. It should be noted that Jacob did not curse Simeon and Levi themselves, but only their anger.

יְהוּדָ֗ה אַתָּה֙ יוֹד֣וּךָ אַחֶ֔יךָ יָדְךָ֖ בְּעֹ֣רֶף אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ לְךָ֖ בְּנֵ֥י אָבִֽיךָ׃

The Sages state that when Judah heard Jacob’s harsh comments to his three older brothers, he was concerned that his father would rebuke him as well, as he too had sinned in the past. Indeed, he began to retreat in hesitation, but his father called him back: Judah, not only are you not inferior to the others, but you, your brothers shall acknowledge you and give you honor; since your hand shall be at the neck of your enemies, as you will subjugate them. In addition, your father’s sons shall prostrate themselves to you, for you will rule over your brothers.

גּ֤וּר אַרְיֵה֙ יְהוּדָ֔ה מִטֶּ֖רֶף בְּנִ֣י עָלִ֑יתָ כָּרַ֨ע רָבַ֧ץ כְּאַרְיֵ֛ה וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֥י יְקִימֶֽנּוּ׃

Judah is the first of many of the sons to be compared to an animal. Judah is a lion cub; from prey, my son, you rose up. Like a predatory lion, you emerge from each battle with the upper hand. Alternatively, this is possibly an allusion to the sale of Joseph. Jacob, who by now was likely aware of the details of the story, states that Judah saved Joseph and prevented his death. He crouched, lay like a lion; and like a great cat, who shall rouse him? Just as no one would challenge a rising lion, so too the tribe of Judah shall be full of warriors, and its fear shall be upon the surrounding region.

לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלָ֑יו עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א שילה [שִׁיל֔וֹ] וְל֖וֹ יִקְּהַ֥ת עַמִּֽים׃

In addition to the fact that Judah will remain a tribe of warriors, the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff, a writing tool with which the king writes laws, from between his feet, as his descendants shall continue to rule and legislate the law; until Shilo, the redeemer, the king to whom everything belongs [shelo], arrives. To him, nations shall assemble. The tribe of Judah shall continue to lead the people until the coming of the Messiah.

אֹסְרִ֤י לַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ עירה [עִיר֔וֹ] וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָ֖ה בְּנִ֣י אֲתֹנ֑וֹ כִּבֵּ֤ס בַּיַּ֙יִן֙ לְבֻשׁ֔וֹ וּבְדַם־עֲנָבִ֖ים סותה [סוּתֽוֹ׃]

Jacob now grants Judah an economic blessing: He shall bind his foal to the vine and will not be concerned about its possible destruction, as grape vines will abound in his inheritance; and to the branch of the vine he shall bind his jenny’s foal. He launders his garments in wine. Due to the abundance of wine flowing from his grapes, he could use it not only for drinking, but also for laundering instead of water. And in the blood of grapes, wine, he shall launder his clothes.

חַכְלִילִ֥י עֵינַ֖יִם מִיָּ֑יִן וּלְבֶן־שִׁנַּ֖יִם מֵחָלָֽב׃ (פ)

Red-eyed from drinking much wine, and white-toothed from milk.

זְבוּלֻ֕ן לְח֥וֹף יַמִּ֖ים יִשְׁכֹּ֑ן וְהוּא֙ לְח֣וֹף אֳנִיּ֔וֹת וְיַרְכָת֖וֹ עַל־צִידֹֽן׃ (ס)

At this point, Jacob deviates from his sons’ birth order by placing the sons of Leah before those of the maidservants. He also changes the internal order of the sons of Leah, as Zebulun is blessed before the older Issachar. Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of seas; he shall be a shore for ships, as his inheritance will be on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and his border will be upon Sidon, as his portion was located in the north. Sidon was always a center of maritime commercial trade. It is possible that the tribe of Zebulun, located in close proximity to Sidon, had significant commercial ties to that city. Zebulun’s border might also have extended to the Sea of Galilee, but the reference here to the shore of seas, and a harbor for ships, refers specifically to the Mediterranean.

יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר חֲמֹ֣ר גָּ֑רֶם רֹבֵ֖ץ בֵּ֥ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתָֽיִם׃

Issachar is a strong-boned donkey, lying between the sheep folds, places of pasture. Issachar is depicted here as a donkey lying tranquilly. There is nothing negative in this choice of animal, even though the word for donkey [ḥamor] was the name of the prince of Shekhem (see 34:2).

וַיַּ֤רְא מְנֻחָה֙ כִּ֣י ט֔וֹב וְאֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ כִּ֣י נָעֵ֑מָה וַיֵּ֤ט שִׁכְמוֹ֙ לִסְבֹּ֔ל וַיְהִ֖י לְמַס־עֹבֵֽד׃ (ס)

He saw rest that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant. Issachar will find blessing and enjoyment by living peacefully in his own land. Generally, he will not participate in major battles of conquest but will be satisfied with his portion. He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens like a donkey, as his tribe would engage in agriculture as a livelihood. And he became an indentured servant. Some explain that the Canaanites left in his inheritance would pay him a tax.

דָּ֖ן יָדִ֣ין עַמּ֑וֹ כְּאַחַ֖ד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

After addressing the sons of Leah, Jacob turns to the firstborn of Bilha, Rachel’s maidservant: Dan shall avenge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. His status will not be lower than the other tribes. Jacob is emphasizing that the sons of his wives and the sons of the maidservants are equal in his eyes. Some explain that this prophetic blessing is referring not to the entire tribe but to the lone hero known from this tribe, Samson.

יְהִי־דָן֙ נָחָ֣שׁ עֲלֵי־דֶ֔רֶךְ שְׁפִיפֹ֖ן עֲלֵי־אֹ֑רַח הַנֹּשֵׁךְ֙ עִקְּבֵי־ס֔וּס וַיִּפֹּ֥ל רֹכְב֖וֹ אָחֽוֹר׃

Dan shall be a serpent on the road, a viper on the path, that bites a horse’s heels and his rider falls backward. In this scenario, the horse cannot remain standing, and when it falls, the rider falls with it. This depiction of a biting snake alludes to Samson, who did not engage in a military war and was not the head of an army, but acted alone and killed his enemies in unusual ways.

לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֖ קִוִּ֥יתִי יְהוָֽה׃

For your salvation I await, Lord. When Jacob saw this terrifying snake in his vision that symbolized Dan, he turned to God and requested salvation from Him. Alternatively, following the explanation that the snake symbolizes Samson, Jacob perceived the suffering and tribulations that accompanied Samson’s heroic actions, and he therefore prayed for his salvation.