<t /><p class="bodytext">Jacob called for his sons and said, &#8220;Gather together so I can tell you<n id="1" /> what will happen to you in the future.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">But his bow will remain steady,p> <p class="poetry">and his hands<n id="1" /> will be skillful;p> <p class="poetry">because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">because of<n id="2" /> the Shepherd, the Rock<n id="3" /> of Israel,p>

<p class="bodytext">When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went<n id="1" /> to his people.p>

God heard their groaning,<n id="1" /> God remembered<n id="2" /> his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob,

He added, &#8220;I am the God of your father,<n id="1" /> the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.&#8221; Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look<n id="2" /> at God.p>

&#8220;that they may believe that the <sc>Lordsc>, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.&#8221;p>

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as<n id="1" /> God Almighty,<n id="2" /> but by<n id="3" /> my name &#8216;the <sc>Lord&#8217;sc><n id="4" /> I was not known to them.<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">Moses<n id="1" /> went up to God, and the <sc>Lordsc> called to him from the mountain, &#8220;Thus you will tell the house of Jacob, and declare to the people<n id="2" /> of Israel:

Then Balaam<n id="1" /> uttered<n id="2" /> his oracle, saying,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Balak, the king of Moab, brought me<n id="3" /> from Aram,p> <p class="poetry">out of the mountains of the east, saying,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me;p> <p class="poetry">come, denounce Israel.&#8217;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Who<n id="1" /> can count<n id="2" /> the dust<n id="3" /> of Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">Or number<n id="4" /> the fourth part of Israel?p> <p class="poetry">Let me<n id="5" /> die the death of the upright,<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">and let the end of my life<n id="7" /> be like theirs.&#8221;<n id="8" />p>

<p class="poetry">Israel lives in safety,p> <p class="poetry">the fountain of Jacob is quite secure,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">in a land of grain and new wine;p> <p class="poetry">indeed, its heavens<n id="2" /> rain down dew.<n id="3" />p>

and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned Mount Seir,<n id="1" /> while Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

<t /><p class="bodytext">These are the final words of David:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The oracle of David son of Jesse,p> <p class="poetry">the oracle of the man raised up asp> <p class="poetry">the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Israel&#8217;s beloved<n id="2" /> singer of songs:p>

Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the <sc>Lordsc> had said, &#8220;Israel will be your new<n id="1" /> name.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">I wish the deliverance<n id="1" /> of Israel would come from Zion!p> <p class="poetry">When the <sc>Lordsc> restores the well-being of his people,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">may Jacob rejoice,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">may Israel be happy!<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You loyal followers of the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> praise him!p> <p class="poetry">All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!p> <p class="poetry">All you descendants of Israel, stand in awe of him!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I wish the deliverance<n id="1" /> of Israel would come from Zion!p> <p class="poetry">When God restores the well-being of his people,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">may Jacob rejoice,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">may Israel be happy!<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Indeed, O <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> you have abandoned your people,p> <p class="poetry">the descendants of Jacob.p> <p class="poetry">For diviners from the east are everywhere;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they consult omen readers like the Philistines do.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Plenty of foreigners are around.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">For when they see their children,p> <p class="poetry">whom I will produce among them,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they will honor<n id="2" /> my name.p> <p class="poetry">They will honor the Holy One of Jacob;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">they will respect<n id="4" /> the God of Israel.p>

<p class="poetry">Don&#8217;t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">men of<n id="2" /> Israel.p> <p class="poetry">I am helping you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">your protector,<n id="3" /> the Holy One of Israel.<n id="4" />p>