GENESIS 49

This 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. It would be helpful to read this chapter in more 

than one translation.

Verse 2 This shows the importance of preparing our testimony before death.

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

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

may remove a person from a position of leadership (clerical or political), as has occurred many times in 

America. Paradoxically, Reuben's original sin was probably intended by him to confirm himself as the 

heir apparent. See Judges 5:15-16 for a 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. This is not at all 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.” This prophecy reverses the meaning of the name. It shows that 

names given at birth do not necessarily determine the character of a child. They may actually become a 

curse. In verse 5, this rare word is translated as sword, spade, or habitations. Verse 7b is translated by 

Freedman as “divide from Jacob” and “banish from Israel.” Levi is given another chance, however, 

after the Levites withstood the test in the golden calf incident.

Verse 8 One should emphasize “you” to point out the contrast to the curses on 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; yadeka = hand. Later in the wilderness, Judah's tribe was given the place of 

pride on the east side of the tabernacle.

Verse 10 This may be read sayloh (Shiloh) or say loh (tribute to him) depending on whether there is a 

word division in the text. Shiloh is not a person's name in Hebrew

The 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 of letters as “messiah,” and 

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

Jesus. Shiloh was an Ephraimite city, which makes no sense in this context. 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. So this may be translated “away from the shore.” Another 

possibility is that Asher and Zebulun are, for some reason, transposed here. A third possibility is that 

the shore of the Sea of Galilee is being referred to.

Verse 14 Barnhouse feels it refers to making a bed in manure where it is warm.

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. The description may fit the one judge who came 

from Dan: Samson.

Verse 17 This 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, the tribe of 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 It is uncertain as to whether this should be included with the previous or following prophecy. 

Like maranantha = “come quickly, Lord.”

Verse 19 There is an echo of the Garden of Eden in this verse. There is consonance in this Hebrew 

phrase: gad gedug yegudenu.

Verse 20 These blessings made him lazy and complacent (Judges 5:17). In fairly recent times, an 

American entrepeneur 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 These favorable words may perhaps apply to the fact that Jesus did much of his preaching 

there (see Matthew 4:13-16). The tribe spread rapidly, and was located in heavily wooded area.

Verse 22 There are several translation problems here. The end of the 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, which would fit well with the following verse 

referring to archers, since bow and arrows were used for hunting at that time, not war.

Verses 23-24 This is in the past tense and may refer to Joseph himself rather than his tribe(s).

Verses 22-26 are more about God than Joseph.

Verse 24 This is the first comparison in the Bible of the LORD to a rock and to a shepherd, unlike the 

despised shepherds of Egypt.

Verse 29 This refers back to the earlier purchase of property by Jacob's grandfather. 

This is important because it establishes a legal precedent for Israel owning land in Canaan and reminds 

the reader that the sojourn in Egypt is just to be temporary.

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