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Genesis Chapter Forty-nine
Preface
After Israel (Jacob) spoke privately with his son Joseph and his two grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh (chapter 48), he then invited his other sons to join him at his deathbed for both blessings and predictions regarding their future. What was prophetic then has now become to some extent (but not all) historical. He knew that from his sons would come the twelve tribes of the nation Israel that would dwell in the land of Canaan. And given that his family was safely situated in the land of Egypt along with Egypt’s approval and assistance and that the Canaanites possessed the land of Canaan, his predictions and blessings demonstrated his firm faith in God.
Jacob’s prediction regarding his sons is a final statement of one of the major themes in Genesis: God’s plan to restore the lost blessing through the offspring of Abraham. For review, a table illustrating Abraham and his progeny (Tribes of Israel) follows.
Abraham |
| (Wife Rebekah) |
| TRIBES OF ISRAEL
*Jacob’s name was changed to Israel at Peniel (Genesis 32:28-30). As patriarch of the 12 tribes, he bequeathed his new name to the nation.
**Joseph became the father of two tribes in Israel since Jacob adopted his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh.
***Levi was not included among the tribes given land allotments following the conquest of Canaan (Genesis 49:7). Instead, Moses set the Levites apart for national priestly duty as belonging to the Lord (Numbers 3:1-4, 49). Joshua awarded them 48 towns scattered throughout Israel (Joshua 21:1-45).
A review of Jacob’s forecast pertaining to his sons indicates that the way they lived their lives had an impact upon their future. This is a biblical message that today is mishandled by many well-intentioned readers of God’s Word. It is either misapplied to the lost as the possibility of losing one’s eternal salvation (justification), thereby making salvation by faith alone in Christ alone insufficient; or, it is essentially ignored as a message to those who are securely saved that their works will one day be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which will have an impact during the Kingdom Age (1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:6; 14:10; Galatians 6:7; Revelation 22:12).
Genesis 49:1, 2 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father.
Jacob (Israel) makes it clear that his predictions are about events and situations that will affect God’s chosen people “in the last days.” This phrase is used in various other places throughout the Old Testament (Numbers 24:14; Deuteronomy 4:30; 31:29; Ezekiel 38:16; Daniel 2:28) as well as in the New Testament (Hebrews 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:1; James 5:3). It has multiple meanings for the nation of Israel and the Church Age: the period of their occupation of Canaan and of the time of the Messiah’s first and second advents, e.g., end of the Tribulation Period, the history of the Gentile nations, and the present Church Age in its entirety or at its conclusion.
In this particular passage the phrase applies strictly to the nation Israel. The last days of the nation Israel will be different from the last days of the Church. This is a critical dispensational distinction that needs to be made. Here Jacob is talking about the last days of the nation Israel and what will then happen to the twelve tribes that will evolve from his sons.
Genesis 49:3, 4 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it—He went up to my couch.
Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn with his wife Leah, forfeited his place of preeminence because of his fornication with Bilhah in Genesis 35:22. Instability and ineffectiveness (“unstable as water”) was predicted for him. No prophet, judge, or hero came from this tribe (Judges 5:15, 16; 1 Chronicles 5:1, 2).
Genesis 49:5-7 Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
Because Simeon and Levi instigated bloodshed against the defenseless city of Shechem (Genesis 34:25), resulting in Jacob’s strong disapproval (Genesis 34:30), these two tribes would have no portion in the inheritance of the land. The tribe of Simeon virtually disappears from the biblical narrative after the time of the Conquest, since they were virtually absorbed by the tribe of Judah—Joshua 19:9; see also 1 Chronicles 4:39-43). The Levites had no inheritance of their own, only 48 cities scattered throughout the land (Joshua 21:1-3); although they redeemed themselves by opposing the idolatry connected with the golden calf (Exodus 32:26) and became the priestly tribe. The expression “hamstrung an ox” was the act of cutting the leg tendons, a wanton act of destruction and cruelty.
Genesis 49:8-12 Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
Judah (meaning “praise”) would become the leader among the tribes. Though not having the right of the firstborn according to Genesis 48:5, which belonged to Joseph (see above and 1 Chronicles 5:1, 2), Judah had been chosen over all the others as the royal tribe. Just as Joseph inherited the birthright with regard to territory, Judah inherited it with regard to government. He would be praised and respected by his brothers because of his victories over his enemies. Rulership would continue in this tribe until Shiloh (the “Messiah”) would come, and in Him it would remain forever. Another translation of “Shiloh” is “He whose right it is.” His people would give Him willing obedience in the day of His power. At His second coming, the Messiah will receive international acknowledgment. Here the millennial prosperity is described with the vines so plentiful that no one will hesitate to tie a donkey to them (even though donkeys are herbivorous animals). Wine (symbol of prosperity) is as plentiful as water, and all will be in superlative health.
Why was Judah—known for selling Joseph into slavery and trying to defraud his daughter-in-law—so greatly blessed? God had chosen Judah to be the ancestor of Israel’s line of kings (that is the meaning of “the scepter will not depart from Judah”). This may have been due to Judah’s dramatic change of character (44:33, 34). Judah’s line would produce the promised Messiah, Jesus. (Life Application Bible, NIV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. and Zondervan Publishing House, 1991)
The following rather extensive but appropriate comments are from Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1981):
“Until Shiloh come”—Shiloh is the ruler. This is one of the more remarkable prophecies in all the Word of God. Already we have been told that there will be a seed of the woman. That was the first prophecy of Christ: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise they head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen 3:15). The “seed” of the woman is the One who will do the bruising of the serpent’s head. He will be the One to get the victory. This first prophecy was in Genesis; then that Seed was confirmed to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Now it is confirmed to Judah—out of Judah’s line He is coming. Also, the word “Shiloh” means “rest and tranquility.” Christ is the One who will bring rest. Remember that when the Lord Jesus walked here on earth, He turned from those who had rejected Him, and He said to the populace, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11.28). That is Shiloh—Shiloh had come.
Not only is Christ Shiloh, but also he is the One who will hold the scepter. The scepter of this universe will be held in nail-pierced hands. In the last part of verse 24 of this chapter we read that from God will come the “Shepherd,” the “Stone” of Israel. So this Shiloh is also a shepherd and a stone. When we get to Numbers 24:17 we will find that a Star is prophesied. Think of all that the coming of Christ means. He is the “Seed” promised to the woman and to the patriarchs. He is the “Shiloh” who brings rest. He is the “King” who holds the scepter. He is the “Shepherd” who gave His life, and He is the “chief Shepherd” who is coming someday. He is the “Stone” that the builders disallowed but who now becomes the headstone of the corner. He is the “Star,” the bright and morning Star for His church. This is the line that went from Adam to Seth (after Abel was murdered). From Seth it went through Noah to Shem and to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and now to Judah.
Genesis 49:13 Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall adjoin Sidon.
Joseph’s words regarding the remaining sons, with the exception of Joseph, are noticeably brief. But they harbor cryptic allusions to the epic events that at the time lay in the future—most likely the millennial kingdom. The central theme uniting each image is that of prosperity. Just as the victorious King from the tribe of Judah will reign over all the people (nations) in a time of rich blessing, so also each of the remaining brothers will experience the same sort of prosperity and blessing.
Zebulun would enjoy prosperity from maritime commerce. Since this tribe’s territory in Old Testament times was landlocked, this prophecy probably looks forward to the Millennium.
Genesis 49:14, 15 Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between two burdens; he saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant; he bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, and became a band of slaves.
Issachar was located up in the northern part of the land. This tribe did a great deal of the work that constituted the backbone of the nation Israel.
Issachar, whose name is a play on the word “wages” (cf. 30:18), is pictured as a strong donkey who sees that his land of rest is good and applies his back to the burden. The expression “he sees how good is his resting place” is perhaps an allusion to ch. 1, where the similar expression—“and God saw that it was good”—is a constant reminder that God’s purpose in Creation was to provide the “good” for humankind. The use of the term “resting place” or “land of rest” aligns the words of Jacob with the theme of the future rest that God will give his people in the Promised Land (cf. Ps 95:11). (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Volume 1: Old Testament, Zondervan Publishing House, 1994)
Genesis 49:16-18 Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider shall fall backward. I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!
Dan, true to the tribe’s name, would concern itself with judging the people. Verse 17 is difficult. It may allude to Dan’s introducing the idolatry which caused the nation’s fall (Judges 18:30, 31). Many think that it is a veiled reference to the Antichrist’s springing from Dan, and that this why this tribe goes unmentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:3—8:40 and Revelation 7:3-8. In verse 18, Jacob injects a prayer for the final deliverance of his people from their foes or for his own deliverance. (Believer’s Bible Commentary, William MacDonald, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995)
Samson, a Danite (Judges 13:2), judged Israel for 20 years. At the end of Jacob’s prophecy for Dan, he exclaims “I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!” He may have been emphasizing to Dan that he would be a strong leader only if his trust was in God, not in his natural strength or ability. Those who are strong, attractive, or talented often find it easier to trust themselves than to trust in God who gave them their life and gifts.
Genesis 49:19 Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, but he shall triumph at last.
The tribe of Gad was situated in the northern most region of the land. When the extent of the land of Israel is later described, it is expressed as “from Dan to Beer-sheba.” In this area east of the Jordan the tribe of Gad would be subjected to frequent enemy raids, but it would trample the troops of its foes (1 Chronicles 5:18; 12:8). Cryptically, it refers to the hope of the final defeat of the enemies of God.
Genesis 49:20 Bread from Asher shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.
The tribe of Asher (happy) was given the rich seacoast area north of Mount Carmel (Joshua 19:24-31)—it would have fertile agricultural land, producing delicacies fit for a king. This territory brought the tribe into contact with the Phoenicians, who were famous for their extensive commerce. But Asher failed to drive the Canaanites out of their cities (Judges 1:31, 32). The method of taking possession of their allotted land seems to have been by peaceful penetration rather than by outright conquest. They gave their energies to the cultivation of the olive; thus the mention in Deuteronomy 33:24 that they would dip their feet in oil. The tribe did not distinguish itself during all of Israel’s history.
Genesis 49:21 Naphtali is a deer let loose; he uses beautiful words.
Naphtali is likened to a deer (doe), known for its swiftness, and as eloquent of speech (Judges 4:6, 15; 5:1-31). All the disciples except the traitor came from the territory of Naphtali, and much of the Lord’s ministry was conducted there (Matthew 4:13-16).
Genesis 49:22-26 Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.
Compassing the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph is a fruitful bough, sending out blessing far beyond his own borders. He was the object of bitter hostility but he did not yield, because he was strengthened by the Mighty God of Jacob—the One from whom the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel (that is, the Messiah) comes forth. God blesses Joseph with rain in abundance, wells and gushing springs, and numerous progeny. Jacob humbly felt that he had been blessed more richly than his ancestors. Now he wishes that such blessings might come to Joseph, the one who was separate from his brothers. (Believer’s Bible Commentary, William MacDonald, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995)
Genesis 49:27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil.”
Benjamin would be like a ravenous wolf, successful in war, but also cruel (Judges 20). King Saul and the apostle Paul were Benjamites (1 Samuel 9:1, 2; Romans 11:1). Benjamin may have been the most spirited and warlike of all the tribes. Benjamin was closely identified with Judah, so much so that Benjamin went with the tribe of Judah at the division of the kingdom. It was the only tribe that stayed with the house of David.
Genesis 49:28-33 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing. Then he charged them and said to them: “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
Now at death’s door, Jacob once more requested that he be buried in the Land of Promise with his fathers. He specified “Machpelah,” the burial place (cave) purchased by Abraham in chapter 23. Although he had previously made this request (47:29, 30), this final one was more specific. He wanted to be buried with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah. His faith was evident in this request, believing that God would keep His promise to His people pertaining to the land. He also believed in the future resurrection of the dead, and he wanted to rise from the Promised Land. Upon these words, Jacob drew himself back up into his bed and passed through death’s door.
Speaking of Jacob, as well as other Old Testament patriarchs, the writer of the book of Hebrews penned their epitaph, one that should be applicable to every child of God.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13)
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