BRAGADAYJAH 158

Israel is getting ready to leave the world, and so he summoned his sons and told them that he was going to tell them about themselves, how he saw them in the future. First he addressed Rueben as he was the eldest and told him that he possessed his might, the beginning of his strength, and the excellency of his power. But alas, he told him he was as unstable as water and as such he would not exceed in life because he had a character flaw which manifested itself when he defiled his father’s bed. To Simeon and Levi he said, “you are alike. As such you are instruments of cruelty, and cruelty dwell in your habitation. In your anger you slew a man, and cursed is your anger and your wrath.” Addressing Judah he said, “you are he whom your brethren shall praise; thy hand shall be in the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you.” Judah is a lion’s whelp from the prey; my son; you behave like a lion when it crouches down and when it rises up. The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from beneath his feet, until Shiloh comes; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” “He shall bind his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine, he shall wash his garment in wine; in his clothes is the blood of grapes. His eyes shall be red with wine and his teeth white with milk.” To Zebulun he said, “you shall dwell in the haven of the sea and you shall be a seafarer and your domain shall be Zidon. Essachar he said is a strong ass crouching down between to burdens and he saw that rest was good and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear and become a servant unto tribute. Dan, he said, shall be a serpent by the way; an adder in the path that bites the horse heels so that his rider shall fall backwards. To Gad he said a troop shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last. Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. Naphtali, he said is a hind let loose. About Joseph whom likened unto a fruitful bough, he had much to say; but the rest will have to wait for tomorrow. More