▼49:1This passage is the eschatological discourse of Jacob. It describes the state of the twelve parts of the one Catholic Church prior to the Return of Christ. Currently, the Church as two parts, east and west. After the unification of all the Christian Churches in one Catholic Church, there will be seven parts within the one Church. Much later, these seven will become twelve parts of one Church, like the twelve tribes of Israel. It is these twelve tribes of the future Church that Jacob describes on his death bed.(Conte)