Lessons We Can Learn From the Last Thing Dem Jacob Say—Part 2

1. Wetin we coming talk about in this article?

ALL Jacob sons wor around him, listening good-good to what their pa wor telling them. In the article before this one, we learn that Jacob tell Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah some thing dem that surprise them. So they really wanted to hear what their pa Jacob wor coming tell his other eight sons. Let see wetin we can learn from the thing dem Jacob say to Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin.a

ZEBULUN

2. What blessing Jacob give to Zebulun, and how it happen? (Genesis 49:13) (Also see the box.)

² Read Genesis 49:13. Jacob say that the tribe of Zebulun wor coming live near the sea, to the north part of the Promise Land. After 200 years, the tribe of Zebulun get the land that Jacob talk about. It wor between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. Moses say: “Rejoice, O Zebulun, in your going out.” (Deut. 33:18) Maybe Moses wor talking about the way it wor coming be easy for the tribe of Zebulun to make business, because they wor between two sea. So we can say that the tribe of Zebulun wor having good reason to be happy.

3. Wetin can help us to be satisfy with what we get?

³ Wetin we can learn? We get good reason to be happy no matter our situation or where we living. To continue to be happy, we must be satisfy with what we get. (Ps. 16:6; 24:5) Sometime it can be easy to focus on the thing dem we not get instead of focusing on the good-good thing dem we enjoying. So try to focus on the good-good thing dem you get and enjoy your life.—Gal. 6:4.

ISSACHAR

4. What blessing Jacob give to Issachar, and how it happen? (Genesis 49:​14, 15) (Also see the box.)

⁴ Read Genesis 49:​14, 15. Jacob praise Issachar for working hard. He say Issachar looking just like strong animal that can carry heavy load. He also say Issachar wor coming get good land. And what Jacob say happen when the tribe of Issachar get rich land for making farm near the Jordan River. (Josh. 19:22) They work hard to take care of their land and also work hard to help other people. (1 Ki. 4:​7, 17) For example, when Judge Barak and the prophet Deborah ask for people to help them to go fight war, the tribe of Issachar wor willing to help.—Judg. 5:15

5. How we can follow the tribe of Issachar example and why?

⁵ Wetin we can learn? Jehovah value the hard work we can do for him just how he value the hard work the tribe of Issachar use to do. (Eccl. 2:24) For example, think about the brother dem who working hard to take care of the congregation. (1 Tim. 3:1) This brother dem can’t go fight real war. But they must work hard to protect God people from anything that can spoil their friendship with Him. (1 Cor. 5:​1, 5; Jude 17-23) They can also work hard to prepare and give talks that will encourage the congregation.—1 Tim. 5:17.

DAN

6. What kindna work the tribe of Dan use to do? (Genesis 49:​17, 18) (Also see the box.)

⁶ Read Genesis 49:​17, 18. Jacob say Dan looking just like snake that can attack big-big animal, like horse that they can use to fight war. The tribe of Dan wor coming be brave to fight Israel enemy dem. When they wor going to the Promise Land, the tribe of Dan use to be way behind to protect the Isrealite dem. (Num. 10:25) That important work they wor doing, even though the other tribe dem not use to see it.

7. How we must feel about any work we do for Jehovah?

⁷ Wetin we can learn? You na ever do some work before and feel that nobody notice you? Maybe you na help to clean and take care of the Kingdom Hall. Or you na help to work to the assembly or convention, or to do other work dem. If so, we want tell you thank you plenty. Always remember that Jehovah can see anything you do for him and he value it. He can really be happy when you serve him because you love him, and not because you want other people to praise you.—Matt. 6:​1-4.

GAD

8. Why it wor easy for other nations to attack the tribe of Gad? (Genesis 49:19) (Also see the box.)

⁸ Read Genesis 49:19. Jacob say some army people wor coming attack Gad. After 200 years, the tribe of Gad get their land to the east side of the Jordan River. This land wor having borders with plenty nations that wor against them. So it wor easy for their enemy to attack them. But the tribe of Gad decide to live there because the land wor having plenty area where their animal dem can get food to eat. (Num. 32:​1, 5) They wor brave people. They wor convince that Jehovah wor coming help them to attack their enemy and defend the land He gave them. They even send their army to help the other tribe dem for plenty years, to capture the other area dem in the Promise Land that wor to the west part of the Jordan. (Num. 32:​16-19) They trust Jehovah that even if the men dem go fight, He wor coming protect their wives and children dem. Jehovah bless them because they wor brave and they wor willing to make sacrifice.—Josh. 22:​1-4.

9. How we can show that we trust Jehovah?

⁹ Wetin we can learn? For us to continue serving Jehovah when we going through problems, we must continue to trust him. (Ps. 37:3) Today, plenty brothers and sisters can show that they trust Jehovah. They can do it by trying their best to support the organization building projects, to serve where they need plenty people to preach, or to do other thing dem for Jehovah. They do it because they convince that Jehovah will always take care of them.—Ps. 23:1.

ASHER

10. Wetin the tribe of Asher refuse to do? (Genesis 49:20) (Also see the box.)

¹⁰ Read Genesis 49:20. Jacob say the tribe of Asher wor coming to be rich, and that just what happen. The land the tribe of Asher get wor really rich. (Deut. 33:24) It wor also near the Mediterranean Sea and the rich seaport city they call Phoenicia. But, the tribe of Asher not drive the Canaanites from the land. (Judg. 1:​31, 32) Maybe the Canaanites bad example and the way the tribe of Asher wor rich, made the tribe of Asher to not get zeal for true worship. For example, when Judge Barak ask for help to fight the Canaanites, the tribe of Asher refuse to help. Because of that, they not see how Jehovah help the Israelite dem to win the war “by the waters of Megiddo.” (Judg. 5:​19-21) Maybe the tribe of Asher wor shame to hear Barak and Deborah singing the victory song that say: “Asher sat idle at the seashore.”—Judg. 5:17.

11. Why we must not make money and material things to be the most important things in our life?

¹¹ Wetin we can learn? We want give Jehovah our best. To do it, we must not look at money and material things to be the most important things in our life. (Prov. 18:11) We must be careful with the way we can do money business. (Eccl. 7:12; Heb. 13:5) We must not allow material things to stop us from doing more for Jehovah. But, we must try our best to use our time and energy for Jehovah now-now, because we know that he will give us good life in the future.—Ps. 4:8.

NAPHTALI

12. The thing Jacob say to Naphtali, how it happen? (Genesis 49:21) (Also see the box.)

¹² Read Genesis 49:21. When Jacob say that Naphtali wor coming speak “words of elegance,” maybe he wor talking about the way Jesus wor coming speak during his ministry. People use to know Jesus to be somebody who can really teach, and he stay long living in Capernaum in Naphtali territory. That the reason why they call Capernaum “the city where he wor living.” (Matt. 4:13; 9:1; John 7:46) Talking about Jesus, Isaiah say that the people of Zebulun and Naphtali wor coming see “a great light.” (Isa. 9:​1, 2) Jesus wor “the real light that can shine on all kindna people” by the thing dem he wor teaching.—John 1:9.

13. How we can make Jehovah happy by the thing dem we can say?

¹³ Wetin we can learn? The thing dem we can say and the way we can say it, important to Jehovah. How we can say things that can make Jehovah happy? We must always talk the truth. (Ps. 15:​1, 2) The thing dem we can say must encourage other people. We must tell them thank you when they do good thing, and we must not be quick to criticize them or complain when they make mistake. (Eph. 4:29) We must make it our goal to improve the way we can start talking with people so we can tell them something about Jehovah.

JOSEPH

14. The blessing Jacob give to Joseph, how it happen? (Genesis 49:​22, 26) (Also see the box.)

¹⁴ Read Genesis 49:​22, 26. Jacob wor really happy with Joseph because he wor “singled out from his brothers.” Jacob call him “the offshoot of a fruitful tree.” Jacob self wor the tree, and Joseph wor the branch that come from that tree. Joseph wor the first son Jacob born by Rachel, who he really love. Jacob say Joseph wor coming get the blessing that he suppose to give to his first son Reuben, who Leah born for him. (Gen. 48:​5, 6; 1 Chron. 5:​1, 2) The thing that Jacob say happen when two of Joseph sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, become two different tribes in Isreal and get their own land.—Gen. 49:25; Josh. 14:4.

15. Wetin Joseph do when people not treat him fair?

¹⁵ Jacob also say that people who can shoot bow and arrow “shot at [Joseph] and kept harboring animosity against him.” (Gen. 49:23) They wor Joseph own brother dem who wor jealous of him and who wor responsible for plenty of the bad-bad thing dem that happen to him. But Joseph not keep grudge for his brother dem or blame Jehovah for what happen to him. Like what Jacob say: “[Joseph’s] bow remained in place, and his hands stayed strong and agile.” (Gen. 49:24) Joseph depend on Jehovah when he wor going through all this problem dem. He not only forgave his brother dem, but he wor also kind to them. (Gen. 47:​11, 12) Joseph allow the problem dem he wor going through to make him to be better person. (Ps. 105:​17-19) Because of that, Jehovah use him to do plenty thing dem.

16. How we can follow Joseph example when we going through problem?

¹⁶ Wetin we can learn? We must never allow the problem dem we going through to make us to go far from Jehovah and our brother dem. Remember, sometime Jehovah can allow this thing dem to happen so he can train us. (Heb. 12:​7, ftn.) This kindna training can help us to get good-good Christian qualities, like mercy and forgiveness. (Heb. 12:11) Jehovah will bless us just like Joseph if we remain faithful.

BENJAMIN

17. How the thing dem Jacob say about Benjamin happen? (Genesis 49:27) (Also see the box.)

¹⁷ Read Genesis 49:27. Jacob say the tribe of Benjamin wor coming be good fighters just like wolf. (Judg. 20:​15, 16; 1 Chron. 12:2) Saul wor the first king for Isreal and he wor from the tribe of Benjamin. He wor brave when he wor fighting against the Philistines. (1 Sam. 9:​15-17, 21) After plenty years, Queen Esther and Mordecai who wor from the tribe of Benjamin, save the Israelite dem from the Persian Empire who wanted to kill all of them.—Esther 2:​5-7; 8:3; 10:3.

18. How we can follow Benjamin example today?

¹⁸ Wetin we can learn? The tribe of Benjamin wor happy to see Saul who come from their tribe to be king. But when Jehovah turn the kingship over to David from the tribe of Judah, they support David. (2 Sam. 3:​17-19) After some years, when the other ten tribes go against the tribe of Judah, the tribe of Benjamin stick to Judah and remain faithful to the king that Jehovah appoint. (1 Ki. 11:​31, 32; 12:​19, 21) We ourself too must continue to support the men dem Jehovah using to take the lead today.—1 Thess. 5:12.

19. How we can benefit from the last thing dem Jacob say when he wor coming die?

¹⁹ Yes, we can really learn good-good lessons from the last thing dem Jacob say when he wor coming die. The thing dem he say and the way it happen convince us that all the thing dem Jehovah say will happen. And when we think about the way Jehovah bless Jacob sons, it can help us to know how we can really make Jehovah happy.