10. The sceptre will not depart from Judah,nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,until he to whom it belongs shall comeand the obedience of the nations shall be his.
11. He will tether his donkey to a vine,his colt to the choicest branch;he will wash his garments in wine,his robes in the blood of grapes.
12. His eyes will be darker than wine,his teeth whiter than milk.
13. ‘Zebulun will live by the seashoreand become a haven for ships;his border will extend towards Sidon.
14. ‘Issachar is a scrawny donkeylying down among the sheepfolds.
15. When he sees how good is his resting placeand how pleasant is his land,he will bend his shoulder to the burdenand submit to forced labour.
16. ‘Dan will provide justice for his peopleas one of the tribes of Israel.
17. Dan will be a snake by the roadside,a viper along the path,that bites the horse’s heelsso that its rider tumbles backwards.
18. ‘I look for your deliverance, Lord.
19. ‘Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders,but he will attack them at their heels.
20. ‘Asher’s food will be rich;he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
21. ‘Naphtali is a doe set freethat bears beautiful fawns.
22. ‘Joseph is a fruitful vine,a fruitful vine near a spring,whose branches climb over a wall.
23. With bitterness archers attacked him;they shot at him with hostility.
24. But his bow remained steady,his strong arms stayed supple,because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25. because of your father’s God, who helps you,because of the Almighty, who blesses youwith blessings of the skies above,blessings of the deep springs below,blessings of the breast and womb.
26. Your father’s blessings are greaterthan the blessings of the ancient mountains,than the bounty of the age-old hills.Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
27. ‘Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;in the morning he devours the prey,in the evening he divides the plunder.’
28. All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.