Genesis 49:8-12

Judah

8 Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will win against your enemies. Your father's sons will bend down towards the ground in front of you.

9 Judah is like a young lion who has eaten good food. He has eaten what he killed and now he rests. Nobody would want to try and wake him up!

10 Judah's descendants will always rule as king. They will continue to hold the stick and the sceptre that show the king's authority. They will do that until the man comes who truly has that authority. People from all nations will obey that king.

49:10King David was from the tribe of Judah, and so was Jesus Christ. Jesus is the true king who rules for ever. A sceptre is something that a king holds. Its shape is like a stick with a ball on the top.

11 Judah will tie his young donkey to a vine. It will be a vine that has the best grapes. He will wash his clothes in the red wine that is made from those grapes.

49:11Vines were valuable plants in Old Testament times. Jacob is saying that Judah will be very rich. He will tie his donkey to the best of his valuable plants. He will wash his clothes in wine. He will be very rich.

12 His eyes will become red because he drinks so much wine. His teeth will become white because he drinks so much milk.

49:12Jacob is saying that Judah will have plenty of everything.