Genesis Chapter 49 Deep-Dive: Israel Blesses His Sons

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Gen 49 Jacob Blesses His Sons … and prophesies about them:  (NOTE the prophetic product of Jacob in this chapter is one of the most AMAZING prophetic passages in scripture!  Keep in mind that when Jacob travelled to Egypt just 17 years earlier his whole family, including descendants, was only 70 people (Gen 46:27.) 

1Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.  2“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.

NOTE THAT EACH OF THESE SONS / TRIBES RECEIVED AN INHERITANCE – no matter who their mother was or what they had done … NONE WERE CUT OFF !!

NOTE: Commentary notes mostly from Joseph Benson, a Methodist minister, five volumes, 1811-18, Biblehub.com/commentaries

3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.  4Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. (by having sex with Bilhah, Rachel’s maid and the mother of his half-brothers, Dan and Naphtili)

Leah’s 1st son, Jacob’s 1st, meaning “behold a son”, “it is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”  Gen 29:31

 

Nothing great or excellent is recorded of the tribe of Reuben throughout the Bible. No judge, prophet, prince, nor any person of renown, only Dathan and Abiram, who were noted for their rebellion against Moses & God (Korah’s rebellion, Num 16:1-2). This tribe, not aiming to excel, chose a settlement on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Jacob here charges Reuben with the sin for which he was disgraced. It was forty years ago that he had been guilty of this sin; yet now it’s still remembered against him. It left an indelible mark of infamy upon his family; a wound not to be healed without a scar.

5“Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swords are weapons of violence.  6Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.  7Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel!  I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.  Jacob curses them because they killed the men of Shechem after requiring them to be circumcised because of the rape and abduction of their sister, Dinah ... similar to requiring someone to be baptized then drowning them in the baptismal.  Jacob curses them for their violence.  Gen 34 

Simeon is Leah’s 2nd son & Jacob’s 2nd, meaning “one who hears, heard”, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” Gen 29:33,

Levi is Leah’s 3rd son & Jacob’s 3rd, meaning “attached”, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.”  Gen 29:34

 

Simeon is the weakest of all the tribes at the close of Israel’s 40 year sojourn in the wilderness Numbers 26:14; the tribe is omitted in the blessing of Moses in Deuteronomy 33, and obtains no distinct territory, but only a part of that of Judah – the southwest corner, Joshua 19:1-9; and it subsequently sends out two colonies, which are separated from the parent stock, and from one another 1 Chr 4:24-43. 

Levi was the tribe of the priests – the tribe dedicated to serving Jehovah directly.  By the direction of God they were scattered throughout the land in order to exercise a positive Godly influence.  Levi received 48 towns having no connected territory, but occupying certain cities and their suburbs which were assigned to his descendants in the various provinces of the land. This prediction of being scattered was therefore, fulfilled to the letter in the history of these brothers. 

BUT WHY WAS THE TRIBE OF LEVI CHOSEN BY GOD FOR THE PRIESTHOOD, CONSIDERING THAT LEVI PARTICIPATED WITH SIMEON IN MURDERING THE TOWN OF SHECHEM?  CONSIDER THIS FROM THE EXODUS, AFTER MOSES WAS SENT DOWN MT SINAI BY GOD, AFTER RECEIVING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WERE HAVING A DEBAUCH AND WORSHIPPING THE GOLDEN CALF WHICH AARON HAD MADE:

Ex 32: 25And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), 26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. THIS WAS MOSES AND AARON’S TRIBE … 27And he MOSES said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’” 28And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”  WHAT?!?  SO, BECAUSE THE LEVITES RESPONDED TO “WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?” BY SLAUGHTERING THEIR REBELIOUS SONS AND BROTHERS, GOD REWARDED THEM WITH THE PRIESTHOOD … WOW … WE DON’T REALLY THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT WAY ANYMORE, DO WE?  HOW MUCH GOD VALUES RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ABHORS REBELLION,  WELL, CONSIDER WHAT JESUS SAID: Lk 14:25Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  AND, AT THE END OF EX CH 32 GOD WRAPS UP THE GOLDEN CALF INCIDENT WITH THIS … AFTER MOSES HAS BEEN INTERCEDING WITH GOD FOR THE NATION’S RESTORATION: v33 But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.” 35Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.  GOD DOES PAINFUL THINGS TO HIS OWN PEOPLE IN HIS WRATH!

BACK TO GEN 49 AND JACOB’S PROPHECY ABOUT EACH OF HIS SONS:

8“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you.  9You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son.  Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?  10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.  11He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.  12His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.

Leah’s 4th son & Jacob’s 4th, meaning “praise”, “This time I will praise the Lord. Gen 29:35.

Leah’s 4th son, Jacob’s 4th.

David and Jesus, the Messiah, come from the tribe of Judah.  Third in line – he replaces his first three brothers, who were rejected because of their actions … ??  Judah is the one who receives the same blessing that Jacob sought when he bought it from Esau for a bowl of red stew … the  blessing of the firstborn.  Judah was a nasty guy, it was he who suggested the brothers sell Joseph into slavery, in Gen 38 we learn that God put two of Judah’s sons to death because they were wicked … an indication of the type of household Judah had, and then Judah inadvertently sleeps with his daughter in law when she is disguised and he thinks she’s a prostitute.  However, later in Genesis, when the sons went down to Egypt to buy food it’s Judah who steps up and takes the lead (Gen 43-44) to protect Benjamin as the brothers return to Egypt to buy food.

The tribe of Judah led the van through the wilderness … they were the lead tribe as the nation would proceed, Numbers 10:14, and, in the conquest of Canaan, by the appointment of God, they were the lead tribe in the fight against the Canaanites, after the death of Joshua, Jdg 1:1-2. They had the first lot assigned them in the division of the country, and a lot that was very extensive and fertile. Othniel, the first judge, was of this tribe; and Caleb, who was the second spy with Joshua, who supported Yahweh after the 12 tribes spied out the land of Canaan then enticed the people to turn back to Egypt. Israel’s second king, David, was of Judah.  In short, in every age, this tribe was more honored than any of the others. Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies — An expression which signified victory over their enemies, and was remarkably fulfilled in David, Psalm 18:40.  Judah received the

13“Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.  Jacob goes out of order, Zebulon was his 10th son and Leah’s 6^th, his name means “honor”, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons.”  Gen 30:19 Mt 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, Jesus came and lived at Capernaum on the lake, the sea of Galilee, in the bounds of Zebulon and Naphtali. 

 

14“Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down among the sheep pens.  15When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.  Jacob goes out of order here, Issachar was his 9th son, but Leah’s 5th, meaning “reward”, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant (Zilpah) to my husband.” Gen 30:17 Gen 30:14 during wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”  15But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?” “Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” 16So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.  17God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son

ALL OF LEAH’S SONS (6) HAVE NOW BEEN LISTED.

16“Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel.  17Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward.  18“I look for your deliverance, Lord.

Back to proper order, Dan is Jacob’s 5th son, but Bilhah’s (Rachel’s maid) 1^st, meaning “he has vindicated – a judge”, Rachel became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”  “God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”  Gen 30:1-4

 

This is the first son listed of the concubines Bilhah (Rachel’s) and Zilpah (Leah’s), yet, he’s considered equal to his brothers as Bilhah and Zilpah are also considered full wives of Jacob.

Samson came from Dan and “judged” his people for 20 years.  Judges 13-15.   Not every tribe produced a Judge.

Jacob’s prophecy leads us to expect something very dishonorable in the history of Dan … they were the tribe that set up a molten image in the promised-land and by their example and perseverance in this iniquity they infected all the tribes of Israel.  This idolatry began soon after the days of Joshua and continued till the day of the captivity of the land (Jdg 18:30 There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the time of the captivity of the land. 31They continued to use the idol Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh.)

Note that Dan is not listed as one of the tribes of Israel in Rev 7

Back to Jacob’s predictions in Gen 49:19“Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.

Gad is Jacob’s 7th son, but Zilpah’s 1st, Leah’s maid.  Again, the four sons of Jacob’s concubines are listed as equals of their brothers. His name means “good fortune”, “what good fortune!” Gen 30:9 

 

While Gad means good fortune, Jacob connects it with the Hebrew root gâdad, “to gather in troops.” So, “A troop” or “group of plunderers will attack him, but he will attack their heel.” The tribe settled east of the Jordan and was exposed to sudden incursions of plunderers, but, though ever unready, they eventually gather their forces and repel them, and follow up with avenging energy upon the attackers’ rear.  Attacks from the Moabites and Ammonites on Gad were eventually subdued in Saul and David’s time when the Moabites and Ammonites were wholly subdued.

 

20“Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.  Zilpah’s 2nd son, Leah’s maid, and Jacob’s 8th, meaning “happy”, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.”  Gen 30:12 Their territory, extending along the coast from Mount Carmel to Lebanon, was very productive. Zebulun, the trading tribe, could reach the sea only through their possessions.

 

21“Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns (or, he utters beautiful words).  Bilhah’s 2nd son, Rachel’s maid, and Jacob’s 6^th son), meaning “my struggle”, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”  Gen 30:7

Deut 33:23About Naphtali he (Moses) said: “Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake.”

Mt 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, Jesus came and lived at Capernaum on the lake, the sea of Galilee, in the bounds of Zebulon and Naphtali. 

The meaning of the prophecy seems to be that the tribe of Naphtali would be located in a territory so fertile and peaceable, that, feeding on the richest pasture, he would spread out, like a deer, branching antlers.

THE FOUR SONS OF THE TWO CONCUBINES/HANDMAIDS ZILPAH & BILHAH HAVE BEEN LISTED

Back to Jacob in Gen 49:22“Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. 23With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.  24But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, 25because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb.  26Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.  REMEMBER, THE TRIBE OF JOSEPH IS RARELY LISTED ALONE, IT’S REPLACED BY HIS SONS EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH … JOSEPH’S DOUBLE PORTION

Rachel’s 1st, and Jacob’s 11th son meaning “may he add”, “God has taken away my disgrace.” Gen 30:22Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. 23She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” 24She named him Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”

27“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”  Rachel’s 2nd son, and Jacob’s 12th son Gen 35:18 Rachel, who died during labor, named him Ben-Oni, which means “son of my trouble,” but Jacob renamed him Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.”

In Judges 19-20, an incident occurred in Benjamin’s territory where a travelling Levite and his concubine were treated in a manner similar to what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah when the angels came to rescue Lot.  Consequently, all Israel confronted the Benjaminites and asked them to surrender the men who assaulted the Levite and his concubine.  However, the Benjaminites refused and there was war between Israel and Benjamin that resulted in the death of tens of thousands of Israelites and Benjaminites to the point where the tribe of Benjamin was nearly destroyed. 

Israel’s first king, Saul, was a Benjamite as was the Apostle Paul (Saul) in the NT.

JACOB HAS NOW CONCLUDED THIS AMAZING PIECE OF PROPHECY!!

Gen 49:28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

29Then he (Jacob) gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. CLEAR BELIEF IN AN AFTERLIFE Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”

33When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

A FEW NOTES IN LIGHT OF THIS LIST:

The promises to Abraham are for individuals AND the collective group/seed … singular and plural.

Ishmael and Esau THE FIRSTBORN SONS WHO WERE SET ASIDE BY GOD receive an inheritance AND PROSPERITY but not the line of the promise

ISRAEL BECAME A NATION AROUND THE 10^th – 13^TH century BC, and for less than 100 years there was a united kingdom of Judah & Ephraim COMBINED, less than 200 yrs later the northern kingdom (Ephraim) is taken captive by Assyria, and barely 300 yrs later from the founding, Judah is taken captive by the Babylonians … ALL AT THE HAND OF GOD BECAUSE OF DISOBEDIENCE AND REBELLION!

Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom, is tied to the fullness of the gentiles bc of the Assyrian deportation.  The Assyrians also brought other peoples to the Northern kingdom/Samaria, to replace the Northern Israelites they had taken into exile … these “replacement” people were never considered true Israelites by the people of Judah … these became the “Samaritans”.  Within 3 generations those Israelites taken to Assyria were assimilated by the other cultures … scattered by God like seed into the world … then the harvest OF THAT SEED is the church which grew primarily among the gentiles.  Consider this as you read Rom Ch 11 JUDAH has been hardened until the fullness of the gentiles then all Israel will be saved … BECAUSE ISRAEL WAS THE SEED OF THE GENTILE CHURCH PRIMARILY THROUGH THE ASSYRIAN CAPTIVITY/EXILE.  ALSO, CONSIDER THIS AMAZING VERSE AS PAUL PROCEEDS ON HIS MISSIONARY JOURNIES: Acts 18 PAUL IN CORINTH 9And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” SO, GOD HAD MANY PEOPLE IN CORINTH WHO WERE ALREADY HIS PEOPLE AS PAUL WAS BEGINNING TO PREACH THE GOSPEL THERE …

And that will wrap up Gen 49

 

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