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23 Now, Lord, may the promise that you have spoken concerning your servant and his house remain firm forever. Bring about what you have promised,

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“You, Judah, shall your brothers praise
    —your hand on the neck of your enemies;
    the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
Judah is a lion’s cub,
    you have grown up on prey, my son.
He crouches, lies down like a lion,
    like a lioness—who would dare rouse him?(A)
10 The scepter shall never depart from Judah,
    or the mace from between his feet,
Until tribute comes to him,[a]
    and he receives the people’s obedience.
11 He tethers his donkey to the vine,
    his donkey’s foal to the choicest stem.
In wine he washes his garments,
    his robe in the blood of grapes.[b]
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
    and his teeth are whiter than milk.

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Footnotes

  1. 49:10 Until tribute comes to him: this translation is based on a slight change in the Hebrew text, which, as it stands, would seem to mean, “until he comes to Shiloh.” A somewhat different reading of the Hebrew text would be, “until he comes to whom it belongs.” This last has been traditionally understood in a messianic sense. In any case, the passage aims at the supremacy of the tribe of Judah and of the Davidic dynasty.
  2. 49:11 In wine…the blood of grapes: Judah’s clothes are poetically pictured as soaked with grape juice from trampling in the wine press, the rich vintage of his land; cf. Is 63:2.

As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed is here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel: Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart.(A) (B)Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The Lord has not chosen him.” Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any one of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he arrives here.”(C) 12 Jesse had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth with beautiful eyes, and good looking. The Lord said: There—anoint him, for this is the one!(D) 13 Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. Then Samuel set out for Ramah.(E)

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