For Kids · 4 min with a grown-up
Jacob gathers all twelve of his sons one last time, to bless each one — and to point to a special promise about the future.
Today's Story
Jacob called all twelve of his sons to his bedside. “Gather around,” he said. “I want to bless each of you before I go.”
One by one, Jacob spoke to each son, giving each a blessing that fit who he was — like a good father who knows every one of his children by heart. Some blessings were gentle, some were strong, and each one was special.
When he came to Judah — the brother who had offered to take Benjamin's place — Jacob gave a blessing that pointed far into the future. He said a great King would come from Judah's family, a ruler the nations would obey. (Long, long after, that promise came true: King David came from Judah's family — and one day, so did Jesus.) Even from his deathbed, Jacob was looking ahead to God's biggest plan.
The twelve sons would become the twelve tribes of Israel, God's people. From this one family, God would build a whole nation — and one day bring a Savior for the whole world.
Then Jacob finished blessing his sons, lay back, and breathed his last. He went to be with God, full of years and full of faith. His long, winding, God-shepherded life was complete.
A Big Word
Memory Verse
Talk About It
- Jacob knew each of his sons and blessed each one differently. How does it feel to know God knows YOU, completely and personally?
- Jacob pointed to a great King who would come from his family — all the way to Jesus! How does it feel that God was planning for Jesus that long ago?
- Jacob's long life was full of mistakes AND God's faithfulness. What does that tell you about how God works in our lives?