GENESIS 49

Read this chapter in several different translations.

Gen. 49:10 May be read styloh (Shiloh) or say loh (tribute to him) depending on whether there is a 

word division in text.

Epic ends with an extended poem of very ancient origin and containing many obscure words. This is 

why English translations will vary from one another.

Verse 2 Importance of preparing our testimony before death.

Verse 3 KJV's “excellency of dignity” should be “excess of pride.”

Verse 4 You will no longer remain: may refer to early disappearance of tribe of Reuben. Sin may 

remove a person from position of leadership as has occurred many times in America. Paradoxically, 

Reuben's original sin was probably intended by him to confirm him as heir apparent. See Judges 

5:15-16 for later example of Reuben's irresolution and instability. Compare Moses' blessing in 

Deuteronomy 33:6.

Verse 5-7 Their sin was to take God's vengeance into their own hands. They are therefore as guilty as 

the original perpetrators. Not the same as a holy war. Levi would get no land, and Simeon would later 

be incorporated into the tribe of Judah. Verse 5 has been interpreted by some as “Their circumcision 

knives are instruments of violence.” Verse 6b shows that they engaged in violence just for the fun of it. 

Levi = “shall be joined.” Prophecy reverses the name. It shows that names given at birth do not 

necessarily determine the character of a child. They may become a curse. In verse 5, this rare word is 

translated as sword, spade, or habitations. 7B is translated by Freedman as “divide from Jacob” and 

“banish from Israel” Levi is given another chance, however, after they withstood the test in the golden 

calf incident.

Verse 8 One should emphasize “you” to point out the contrast to curses of first two brothers. All 

brothers bowed down to Joseph, but all brothers will praise Judah and bow down before him. Puns on 

name: yoduka = praise, hand = yadeka. Later in the wilderness, Judah's tribe was given the place of 

pride on the east side of the tabernacle.

Verse 10 Translation problem: Shiloh may be broken up into two words, thus “that tribute to him might 

come.” First translation has messianic implications. Shiloh is not a person's name in Hebrew.

Staff will not depart—unlike the time he left it with Tamar as a pledge. See Ezekiel 21:27. Rabbinical 

explanation: “until Shiloh comes” has the same numerical value as “messiah,” and therefore refers to 

him. “Ruler's staff” can be translated “lawgiver,” which according to Boice refers to Jesus. Shiloh was 

an Ephraim city—seems to make no sense here. Shiloh = establisher of peace?

Verse 11   There will be so many grapes that he won't care if his donkey eats them while tied to the vine. 

Barnhouse says this is a very difficult verse to understand. He applies it to Ishmael at last coming to 

Isaac. Some see the association of Judah with a donkey as an indication of his kingly status (as in 

Christ's final entry into Jerusalem on a previously tied-up ass).

Verse 13 Their portion was inland, however. May be translated “away from the shore.” Another 

possibility is that Asher and Zebulun are, for some reason, transposed here. Third possibility is that the 

shore of the Sea of Galilee is being referred to.

Verse 14 Barnhouse—making a bed in manure where it is warm. Issachar = “bearing hire”

Verses 14-15 The basic idea is that since he was too lazy to work for himself, he would be forced to 

work for others.

Verse 16 Dan can be the subject or object of the verb. Description may fit the one judge who came 

from Dan: Samson.

Verse 17 Reflects the historical reality that the tribe of Dan never had a quiet, settled existence, probably because they were the northernmost tribe. In Revelation 7, Dan is replaced by Manassah. Early Christian commentators said that this was because the Antichrist was coming from this tribe—based on Jacob's prophecy here.

Verse 18 Uncertainty as to whether this should be included with the previous or following prophecy. 

Like maranantha = come quickly, Lord.

Verse 19 Echo of the Garden of Eden. Assonance in Hebrew phrase: gad gedug yegudenu.

Verse 20 These blessings made him lazy and complacent (Judges 5:17). Story in fairly recent times of 

entrepeneur who raised money from Christians to drill for oil in the territory of Asher based on this 

prophecy. However, semena means fertile when applied to the land. And even if it does mean “oil,” the 

word means olive oil, not petroleum.

Verse 21 Good words may perhaps apply to the fact that Jesus did much of his preaching there (see 

Matthew 4:13-16). Tribe spread rapidly, and was located in heavily wooded area.

Verse 22 Several translation problems here. End of verse should read “daughters climb over the wall” 

rather than “branches grow over the wall” according to some. Others feel that it refers to some sort of 

animal leaping over the wall—fits the next verse referring to archers, since bow and arrows were used 

for hunting, not war.

Verses 23-24 past tense, may refer to Joseph himself rather than his tribe.

Verses 22-26 are more about God than Joseph.

Verse 24 First mention in Bible of the LORD as a rock and as a shepherd, unlike the despised 

shepherds of Egypt.

Verse 29 See earlier purchase of property by Jacob's grandfather. Important because it establishes a 

legal precedent for Israel owning land in Canaan and reminds the reader that sojourn in Egypt is just to 

be temporary.

Verse 33 “Gathered unto his people” = “he saw his loved ones in heaven?”