Genesis 49:2

2 "Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.

Genesis 49:2 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 49:2

Gather yourselves together
This is repeated to hasten them, and to suggest that he had something of importance to make known unto them, which he chose to do, when they were together: and hear, ye sons of Jacob, and hearken to Israel your father:
these words are used and doubled to excite their attention to what he was about to say, and which is urged from the near relation there was between them.

Genesis 49:2 In-Context

1 Then Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.

2 "Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.

3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it--he went up to my couch!

5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.