Gen 49:1-27 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gen 49:1-28: 49:1-28 Jacob, by faith and as God’s spokesman, looked forward to Israel’s settlement in the land, and beyond that to the glorious future. Here at the end of the patriarchal age, he foretold what would happen to each tribe as he evaluated his sons one by one, just as Noah had done at the end of the primeval era (cp. 9:25-27 ). The character and acts of each ancestor affected the lives of his descendants (Exod 20:5-6 ; 34:6-7 ; Num 14:18 ; Jer 32:18 ). Summary for Gen 49:1-2: 49:1-2 Jacob’s words were deliberately chosen prophetic oracles. The days to come refer to the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land, and beyond that to the messianic age. They would all share in the blessing; all the tribes would enter the land with Joshua, but they would not all participate equally.

Summary for Gen 49:1-28: 49:1-28 ^a Jacob, by faith and as God’s spokesman, looked forward to Israel’s settlement in the land, and beyond that to the glorious future. Here at the end of the patriarchal age, he foretold what would happen to each tribe as he evaluated his sons one by one, just as Noah had done at the end of the primeval era (cp. 9:25-27 ^b). The character and acts of each ancestor affected the lives of his descendants (Exod 20:5-6 ^c; 34:6-7 ^d; Num 14:18 ^e; Jer 32:18 ^f).
Summary for Gen 49:1-2: 49:1-2 ^g Jacob’s words were deliberately chosen prophetic oracles. The days to come refer to the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land, and beyond that to the messianic age. They would all share in the blessing; all the tribes would enter the land with Joshua, but they would not all participate equally.
Summary for Gen 49:3-4: 49:3-4 ^h As firstborn, Reuben was entitled to be head of the family, but because he had the ungoverned impulses of boiling or turbulent waters (35:22 ⁱ), Jacob prophesied that Reuben would fail in leadership (see 37:21-22 ^j, 29 ^k; 42:22 ^l, 37-38 ^m; cp. Judg 5:15-16 ⁿ; 1 Chr 5:1-2 ^o).
Summary for Gen 49:5-7: 49:5-7 ^p Simeon and Levi were violent and lawless; instead of serving justice, they indulged their uncontrolled anger and disregarded life (34:24-29 ^q).

• I will scatter them: Simeon’s land was largely absorbed into Judah’s (Josh 19:1 ^r, 9 ^s); Levi was given a more honorable future because the Levites became the priestly tribe (see Exod 32:25-29 ^t), but they had no region of their own (Josh 21 ^u).
Summary for Gen 49:8-12: 49:8-12 ^v The blessing on Judah commands the most attention. In this oracle, Jacob predicted the fierce, lion-like dominance of Judah over his enemies and over his brothers, who would praise him (cp. 29:35 ^w; see, e.g., Ruth 4:11-12 ^x; 1 Sam 18:6-7 ^y; Pss 2 ^z, 45 ^aa, 72 ^ab; Isa 11:1-13 ^ac).
49:10 ^ad This verse anticipates the kingship in Judah (cp. 17:6 ^ae, 16 ^af; 35:11 ^ag). Although the birthright blessing went to Joseph, Judah would provide Israel’s rulers (see 1 Chr 5:1-2 ^ah). A long line of kings from Judah would retain the scepter, the symbol of rule; the last king would be the one to whom it belongs, the promised Messiah (see 2 Sam 7:4-16 ^ai; Pss 2 ^aj, 45 ^ak, 60 ^al; Isa 11 ^am; Ezek 21:26-27 ^an; Zech 9:9 ^ao; Rev 5:5 ^ap).

• from his descendants: Literally from between his feet, a poetic euphemism for reproductive organs.

• until the coming of the one to whom it belongs (Or until tribute is brought to him and the peoples obey; traditionally rendered until Shiloh comes): These differences arise from ambiguities in the Hebrew text. Rule of Israel belongs to Judah’s descendant through David’s line (2 Sam 7:8-16 ^aq), and he will eventually rule all nations, as signified by the bringing of tribute (see Pss 68:29 ^ar; 72:8-11 ^as; Isa 2:2-4 ^at; Eph 4:8-10 ^au).
Summary for Gen 49:11-12: 49:11-12 ^av These descriptions envision the abundance of the Messiah’s kingdom (see Isa 61:6-7 ^aw; 65:21-25 ^ax; Zech 3:10 ^ay). When the Messiah comes, there will be paradise-like splendor and abundance on the earth.

• He ties his foal to a grapevine: Grapevines will be so abundant that they will be used for hitching posts, and wine will be as abundant as fresh water (see Amos 9:13-14 ^az; Zech 3:10 ^ba).

• The coming one will have eyes ... darker than wine and teeth ... whiter than milk: He will be vigorous and healthy, as will be the era of his rule. Jesus’ miracle of changing water into wine (John 2:1-12 ^bb), his first sign, was an announcement that the Messiah had come; it was a foretaste of even better things to come.
49:13 ^bc The oracle said Zebulun would dwell by the sea and be a safe harbor, but in the actual settlement they spread inland (see Josh 19:10-16 ^bd). The oracle did not give specific borders for the tribes.
Summary for Gen 49:14-15: 49:14-15 ^be Like a sturdy donkey, the tribe of Issachar would be forced to work for others. Issachar was often subjugated by invading armies.
Summary for Gen 49:16-17: 49:16-17 ^bf Dan was called to provide justice (Dan means “judge”), but the tribe would choose treachery, like a snake beside the road (see Judg 18 ^bg).
49:18 ^bh At this point, Jacob interjected an expression of hope. He may have been indirectly reminding his sons of their need for dependence on the Lord or expressing his hope in the Messiah’s reign, when he and his descendants would be rescued from all trouble, grief, and human treachery.
49:19 ^bi Three of the six Hebrew words in this verse are wordplays on the name Gad (“attack”). Gad will be attacked by marauding bands (attackers), but he will attack. The tribes that settled east of the Jordan River frequently experienced border raids (see Josh 13 ^bj; 2 Kgs 10:32-33 ^bk; 1 Chr 5:18-19 ^bl).
49:20 ^bm Asher would be fertile and productive, providing rich foods. The tribe settled along the rich northern coast of Canaan.
49:21 ^bn Naphtali, like a doe, would be a free mountain people (cp. Judg 5:18 ^bo). The tribe settled in the hilly region northwest of the Sea of Galilee.
Summary for Gen 49:22-26: 49:22-26 ^bp This oracle treats Joseph more expansively than any of the others, for here the main blessing lay (see 1 Chr 5:1-2 ^bq). Jacob lavished promises of victory and prosperity on Joseph’s two tribes. Ephraimites recorded as victorious in battle include Joshua (Josh 6 ^br, 8 ^bs, 10 ^bt, 12 ^bu) and Deborah (Judg 4 ^bv). Victorious descendants of Manasseh include Gideon (Judg 6–8 ^bw) and Jephthah (Judg 11:1–12:7 ^bx).
Summary for Gen 49:24-26: 49:24-26 ^by Five names for God introduce five blessings; God is the giver of all good things.
49:25 ^bz The blessings of the heavens above meant rain for crops.

• The blessings of the watery depths were streams and wells of water.

• The blessings of the breasts and womb were abundant offspring.
49:26 ^ca Joseph ... is a prince among his brothers: a reflection of both his character and his position.
49:27 ^cb The oracle about Benjamin describes a violent tribe (see Judg 20 ^cc; 1 Sam 9:1-2 ^cd; 19:10 ^ce; 22:17 ^cf).