Genesis 49:1-10

1 Jacob called for his sons and said, "Gather around, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the future:

2 "Come together and listen, sons of Jacob. Listen to your father Israel.

3 "Reuben, my first-born, you are my strength And the first child of my manhood, The proudest and strongest of all my sons.

4 You are like a raging flood, But you will not be the most important, For you slept with my concubine And dishonored your father's bed.

5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers. They use their weapons to commit violence.

6 I will not join in their secret talks, Nor will I take part in their meetings, For they killed people in anger And they crippled bulls for sport.

7 A curse be on their anger, because it is so fierce, And on their fury, because it is so cruel. I will scatter them throughout the land of Israel. I will disperse them among its people.

8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you. You hold your enemies by the neck. Your brothers will bow down before you.

9 Judah is like a lion, ¹ Killing his victim and returning to his den, Stretching out and lying down. No one dares disturb him.

10 Judah will hold the royal scepter, And his descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute And bow in obedience before him.

Genesis 49:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 49

This chapter contains a prophecy of future things, relating to the twelve sons of Jacob, and to the twelve tribes, as descending from them, and which he delivered to his sons on his death bed, having called them together for that purpose, Ge 49:1,2, he begins with Reuben his firstborn, whose incest he takes notice of, on which account he should not excel, Ge 49:3,4, next Simeon and Levi have a curse denounced on them for their cruelty at Shechem, Ge 49:5,6, but Judah is praised, and good things prophesied of him; and particularly that Shiloh, or the Messiah, should spring from him, the time of whose coming is pointed at, Ge 49:7-12, the predictions concerning Zebulun, Issachar, and Dan, follow, at the close of which Jacob expresses his longing expectation of God's salvation, Ge 49:13-18 and after foretelling what should befall Gad, Asher, and Naphtali, Ge 49:19-21, a large account is given of Joseph, his troubles, his trials, and his blessings, Ge 49:22-26, and Benjamin the youngest son is taken notice of last of all, all the tribes being blessed in their order according to the nature of their blessing, Ge 49:27,28, and the chapter is closed with a charge of Jacob's to his sons to bury him in Canaan, which having delivered, he died, Ge 49:29-33.

Cross References

• 1. 49.9Numbers 24.9;Revelation 5.5.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Probable text] Nations . . . tribute; [Hebrew unclear.]