Genesis49
English Standard Version
1Then his and , Gather yourselves , I may you what shall to you in to .
2 and , O of , to your .
3 , you are my , my , and the of my , in and in .
4 as , you shall have , you to your ; then you it—he to my !
5 and are ; of are their .
6 my into their ; O my , be to their . in their they , and in their they .
7 be their , it is , and their , it is ! I will them in and them in .
8 , your shall you; your shall be on the of your ; your shall before you.
9 is a ; from the , my , you have gone . He ; he as a and as a ; who him?
10The shall from , nor the his , to him; and to him shall be the of the .
11 his to the and his to the , he has his in and his in the of .
12His are , and his .
13 shall at the of the ; he shall become a for , and his shall be at .
14 is a , the .
15He a was , and the was , so he his to , and became a at .
16 shall his as of the of .
17 shall be a in the , a by the , that the so that his .
18I your , O Lord.
19 shall , but he shall at their .
20 shall be , and he shall .
21 is a let that .
22 is a , a a ; his the .
23The bitterly , , and harassed him ,
24yet his ; his were by the of the One of (from there is the , the of ),
25 the of your who will you, the who will you with of , of the that , of the and of the .
26The of your are the of my , up the of the . May they be on the of , and on the of him who was from his .
27 is a , in the the and at the .
28 are the of . is their to them as he them, with the to him.
29Then he them and to them, I am to be to my ; me with my in the that is in the of the ,
30in the is in the at , the of , in the of , with the from the to as a .
31 they and his . they and his , and I —
32the and the is in it were from the .
33When his , he his into the and breathed his and was to his .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 49.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Jacob calls his sons to bless them. (1, 2). Reuben, Simeon, Levi. (3–7). Judah. (8–12). Zebulun, Issachar, Dan. (13–18). Gad, Asher, Naphtali. (19–21). Joseph and Benjamin. (22–27). Jacob's charge respecting his burial, His death. (28–33).
vv1-2
All Jacob's sons were living. His calling them together was a precept for them to unite in love, not to mingle with the Egyptians; and foretold that they should not be separated, as Abraham's sons and Isaac's were, but should all make one people. We are not to consider this address as the expression of private feelings of affection, resentment, or partiality; but as the language of the Holy Ghost, declaring the purpose of God respecting the character, circumstances, and situation of the tribes which descended from the sons of Jacob, and which may be traced in their histories.
vv3-7
Reuben was the first-born; but by gross sin, he forfeited the birthright. The character of Reuben is, that he was unstable as water. Men do not thrive, because they do not fix. Reuben's sin left a lasting infamy upon his family. Let us never do evil, then we need not fear being told of it. Simeon and Levi were passionate and revengeful. The murder of the Shechemites is a proof of this. Jacob protested against that barbarous act. Our soul is our honour; by its powers we are distinguished from, and raised above, the beasts that perish. We ought, from our hearts, to abhor all bloody and mischievous men. Cursed be their anger. Jacob does not curse their persons, but their lusts. I will divide them. The sentence as it respects Levi was turned into a blessing. This tribe performed an acceptable service in their zeal against the worshippers of the golden calf, Ex 32. Being set apart to God as priests, they were in that character scattered through the nation of Israel.
vv8-12
Judah's name signifies praise. God was praised for him, chap. 29:35, praised by him, and praised in him; therefore his brethren shall praise him. Judah should be a strong and courageous tribe. Judah is compared, not to a lion raging and ranging, but to a lion enjoying the satisfaction of his power and success, without creating vexation to others; this is to be truly great. Judah should be the royal tribe, the tribe from which Messiah the Prince should come. Shiloh, that promised Seed in whom the earth should be blessed, “that peaceable and prosperous One,” or “Saviour,” he shall come of Judah. Thus dying Jacob at a great distance saw Christ's day, and it was his comfort and support on his death-bed. Till Christ's coming, Judah possessed authority, but after his crucifixion this was shortened, and according to what Christ foretold, Jerusalem was destroyed, and all the poor harassed remnant of Jews were confounded together. Much which is here said concerning Judah, is to be applied to our Lord Jesus. In him there is plenty of all which is nourishing and refreshing to the soul, and which maintains and cheers the Divine life in it. He is the true Vine; wine is the appointed symbol of his blood, which is drink indeed, as shed for sinners, and applied in faith; and all the blessings of his gospel are wine and milk, without money and without price, to which every thirsty soul is welcome. Isa 55:1.
Key Words
יַעֲקֹב: Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch
קָרָא: to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
אָסַף: to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
נָגַד: properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise
קָרָא: to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
אַחֲרִית: the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity
Cross References
Genesis 49Reuben lost his birthright due to defiling his father's bed; his double portion was given to Joseph.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Jesus Christ, descending from Judah, is explicitly crowned as the 'Lion of the tribe of Judah.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Moses' blessing on Joseph directly echoes Jacob's language of deep, womb, and heaven blessings.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Repeats blessing on the head of Joseph, "him that was separate from his brethren."
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The historical account of Reuben's sin with Bilhah, which prompted Jacob's dying rebuke.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The violent assault on Shechem by Simeon and Levi, which Jacob severely condemns here.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Jacob's prior solemn oath requested of Joseph to bury him in the family buryingplace.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Detailed historical record of the purchase of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfilment of Jacob's dying command; his sons carry him to the cave of Machpelah.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Simeon's inheritance was scattered within Judah's territory, fulfilling Jacob's prophecy of dispersion.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The Levites were scattered throughout Israel in forty-eight designated cities, turning judgment into blessing.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
New Testament confirmation that our Lord Jesus Christ sprang physically from the tribe of Judah.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Moses' later prophetic blessing of Dan, paralleling Jacob's description of Dan's sudden, martial power.
Supported by JFB
Jacob's dying expectation of salvation reflects the patriarchs living and dying in active faith.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Moses also blesses Asher with exceptional material prosperity, dipping his foot in rich oil.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Moses' blessing of Naphtali, echoing the theme of a satisfied and blessed inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel tribal blessing detailing the massive numbers and strength of Joseph's sons.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The historical reality of Joseph being sold by his envious brethren (the archers).
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Though imprisoned and sorely grieved, Jehovah was with Joseph in Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies God as the Shepherd of Israel who leads Joseph like a flock.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The legal definition of the firstborn son as the 'beginning of strength' in Israel's law.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The poetic idiom of the firstborn being called 'the chief of all their strength.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Leah names Judah 'praise,' directly matching Jacob's play on words: 'thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise.'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Balaam employs identical poetic imagery comparing Israel to a couching lion whom none dare rouse.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Poetically declares Ephraim as strength and Judah as the lawgiver or sceptre-bearer.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses links Zebulun's maritime outgoing and Issachar's domestic tents in a shared blessing.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Samson of Dan judged Israel twenty years, proving Dan would judge his people.
Supported by JFB
Samson's final act demonstrates Dan's subtle, devastating victory over superior Philsitine force.
Supported by JFB
Moses describes Gad as a lion dwelling securely, ready to tear the arm and crown.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stephen's speech recalling the patriarchs, moved with envy, selling Joseph into Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Moses' blessing on Benjamin, complementing Jacob's depiction of Benjamin's tribal destiny.
Supported by Matthew Henry
These all died in faith, embracing the promises from afar as strangers on earth.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Matches the formulaic patriarchal language of being "gathered unto my people."
Supported by Matthew Henry
Isaac's gathering to his people and burial in the family tomb.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jacob's immediate, fearful protest after Simeon and Levi's slaughter of the Shechemites.
Supported by John Calvin
Isaac's original blessing that brethren would bow down, now legally concentrated on Judah.
Supported by John Calvin