As a number, 12 is often associated with government or administration in God’s eyes. There are 12 tribes, 12 apostles, 12 princes of Ishmael, 12 pillars on Moses’ altar, 12 stones on the high priest’s breastplate, 12 cakes of showbread, 12 silver platters, silver bowls, and gold pans for the service of the tabernacle, 12 spies to search out the land, 12 memorial stones, 12 governors under Solomon, 12 stones in Elijah’s altar, 12 in each group of musicians and singers for Israel’s worship, 12 hours in a day, 12 months in a year, 12 Ephesian men filled with the Holy Spirit, 12,000 from 12 tribes sealed and preserved through the tribulation, heaven has 12 gates of 12 pearls, and 12 angels at the gates, the New Jerusalem has 12 foundations, each with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb, it’s length, breadth, and height are all 12,000 furlongs, and the tree of life in heaven has 12 fruits. The number 12 is special to God. David Guzik
Genesis 49:1-33 NLT
Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons
1 Then Jacob called together all his sons and said, “Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come.
2 “Come and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth.
You are first in rank and first in power.
You are first in rank and first in power.
4 But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer.
For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.
For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.
5 “Simeon and Levi are two of a kind; their weapons are instruments of violence.
6 May I never join in their meetings; may I never be a party to their plans.
For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport.
For in their anger they murdered men, and they crippled oxen just for sport.
7 A curse on their anger, for it is fierce; a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.
I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.
8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will grasp your enemies by the neck.
All your relatives will bow before you.
All your relatives will bow before you.
9 Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.
11 He ties his foal to a grapevine, the colt of his donkey to a choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.
13 “Zebulun will settle by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships;
his borders will extend to Sidon.
his borders will extend to Sidon.
14 “Issachar is a sturdy donkey, resting between two saddlepacks.
15 When he sees how good the countryside is and how pleasant the land,
he will bend his shoulder to the load and submit himself to hard labor.
he will bend his shoulder to the load and submit himself to hard labor.
16 “Dan will govern his people, like any other tribe in Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake beside the road, a poisonous viper along the path
that bites the horse’s hooves so its rider is thrown off.
that bites the horse’s hooves so its rider is thrown off.
18 I trust in you for salvation, O LORD!
19 “Gad will be attacked by marauding bands, but he will attack them when they retreat.
20 "Asher will dine on rich foods and produce food fit for kings.
21 “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
22 “Joseph is the foal of a wild donkey, the foal of a wild donkey at a spring—
one of the wild donkeys on the ridge.
one of the wild donkeys on the ridge.
23 Archers attacked him savagely; they shot at him and harassed him.
24 But his bow remained taut, and his arms were strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
25 May the God of your father help you; may the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above, and blessings of the watery depths below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.
with the blessings of the heavens above, and blessings of the watery depths below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.
26 May the blessings of your father surpass the blessings of the ancient mountains, reaching to the heights of the eternal hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, who is a prince among his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, devouring his enemies in the morning and dividing his plunder in the evening.”
28 These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said as he told his sons good-bye. He blessed each one with an appropriate message.
Blessings, Cecilia
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